Erich Thomas

Erich Thomas
Born	10 February 1897 Essen, Germany
Died	18 November 1960 Münster, Germany
Allegiance	Germany
Service/branch	Aviation
Rank	Leutnant
Unit	Jasta 9, Jasta 22
Awards	Iron Cross First and Second Class

Leutnant Erich Thomas was a World War I flying ace credited with ten aerial victories. Nine of these were observation balloons he destroyed.

Thomas was assigned to Jasta 9 in December 1917. He shot down his first enemy observation balloon on 3 January 1918. He carried on his career as a balloon buster for Jasta 9 through 16 March 1918, when he downed numbers seven and eight. He then transferred to Jasta 22, and shot down a ninth balloon on 21 March, and a Sopwith on the 22nd. On 23 March, he attacked another French balloon and was shot down by Jean Chaput, Marcel Haegelen, and Auguste Lahoulle. Thomas was taken prisoner of war.

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