Allegheny County PA Archives...NEWS: Blair THAW Killed in Action, 1918, of Pittsburg, Allegheny County, PA Contributed for use in the USGenWeb Archives by Judy Banja Copyright 2004. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/pa/allegheny/ _______________________________________________ LIEUTENANT THAW IS AN AVIATION VICTIM Brother of Major Thaw Has Engine Trouble and Plane Collapses Upside Down With the American Army in France, August 22. - (By the Associated Press) - Lieutenant Blair Thaw, of Pittsburg, a member of the American aviation service, was killed Sunday evening when his airplane fell as the result of engine trouble. Lieutenant Thaw, who was a brother of Major William Thaw and a son of Benjamin Thaw of Pittsburg, was traveling in a pursuit group near the front toward Paris. The engine trouble developed at an altitude of 2,000 feet and the machine when it fell struck a number of telephone wires and collapsed, upside down. Thaw was instantly killed and his companion aviator was badly injured. Thaw, although less well known than his brother, had just been promoted to command a flying squadron and was on his way to take over the squadron when he fell to his death. His body was taken to an evacuation hospital, where impressive funeral services were held Tuesday afternoon. The body was buried in the same plot where the remains of Major Raoul Lufbery are interred. Altoona Tribune, Friday morning, August 23, 1918, page 9