Capt. John N. Thorp

[kbevier]

Captain John N. Thorp was a member of the 141st Aero Squadron organized at North Island (Rockwell Field) in October, 1917. Before leaving San Diego in January, he became CO of the Squadron until after they reached London in February, 1918, where he was immediately sent to Issoudun as the CO of the 95th Aero Squadron (Feb 22).

After a flying accident on June 16 in which, by various accounts, he was either 'seriously injured' or 'unhurt', he was relieved of command on June 22.

From then on he disappears from all records I can search in Gorrell's or any other source I have access to.

Can anyone help me with what happened to Captain Thorpe?

Does anyone have any information about his training (if any) in San Diego, his training (if any) at Issoudun, or his flight qualifications in different aircraft?

Does anyone know what aircraft he could have trained in at Rockwell Field in San Diego? I'm guessing a Curtiss JN-4 or perhaps an Avro from England?

[josquin]

I cannot provide any operational or technical answers to your inquiry, but
I can fill-in some of the biographical details.
John Notman Thorp, Jr., was born 17 July 1890, at Paterson, New Jersey,
the son of John Notman Thorp, an office clerk, & Margaret A. Thorp;
both parents were born in New Jersey, and their parents were all natives
of England. In 1914, he traveled to Hamilton, Bermuda, and returned
from there on 2 March 1914. He did not continue in the military after
the war: in 1920, he and his wife, Elizabeth, were living at his father's
house in Paterson; Thorp worked a route as a salesman. By 1930, they
were living in Chicago and he was employed as a "sales engineer" (that's
what the 1930 U.S. Census states) for an air compressor manufacturing
company. At the time he completed his W.W.II Draft Registration, in
1942, Thorp was living in New York City, and he was still traveling as
late as 20 June 1951, when he arrived in New York from an ocean
voyage. Thorp died in January, 1967, at Dunedin, Pinellas County,
Florida, six months short of his 77th birthday. I hope this was helpful.
regards, josquin

[kbevier]

Josquin, thank you very much. Are you related to this man? Would you have an early photograph?

[josquin]

kbevier,

I am not related to Captain Thorp and have never had any contact with
his descendants (he had a daughter, Elizabeth, who would be about
89 years old--if she is still living). Regrettably, I have no photos;
check with the National Archives for any individual or squadron group
photos, or ask the Forum members for photos or referrals. One
additional detail I left out of my first post: Captain Thorp's father
was not just an ordinary office clerk--he was a clerk for what the
Census called a "raw silk establishment." So he had a highly
specialized knowledge and expertise that probably made his position
more remunerative than bookkeeping or inventory clerical work.
regards, josquin