James R. Thorn USAF Col. Retired

The man largely responsible for setting up the current Bexar County criminal courts system left our presence, but not our hearts, this day.

A World War II fighter pilot, military lawyer, district courts administrator, and lawyer, James Read Thorn died in his home, surrounded by family and friends on September 3, 2003.

From the Pentagon to the courthouse, Thorn has seen the good, the bad and the absurd of US Criminal justice system. But whether entangled in government bureaucracy or embroiled in courthouse politics, the former Air Force Colonel remained a philosopher. "Though weighted down to the point of collapse, the US System of Justice, its laws and courts will survive", predicted Thorn. "I still feel strongly that the Anglo-Saxon System of Jurisprudence is the best man-made thing in the world," Thorn said. "I emphasize it is man-made. Being man-made, it is full of error, but it is still the best system in the world." Looking at the justice systems used by the Russians, Chinese and Japanese, I can easily say ours is by far the best," he said. Thorn, son of an officer in the US Army Corps of Engineers, began his travels early.

His mother was from Indiana, and his father from Oklahoma. A consulting electrical engineer, Thorn's father was assigned to projects throughout the world.

Thorn was the youngest of four children, with two sisters, Jane Campbell and Alice Finney, and brother Wray Tom. Both Jane and Tom have predeceased him, with Alice the remaining sibling.

After Pearl Harbor was bombed, Thorn entered the Army Air Corps, he went to flying school and he was commissioned as second lieutenant. He was assigned to fly P-40 fighter planes in the China Air Task Force, Forerunner of the 14th Air Force group. Thorn flew 100 combat missions defending Chinese ground forces against Japanese air attack.

He was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross and numerous other medals for service in WWII, and later in the Korean and Vietnam conflicts. He had three and one-half confirmed, and two probable aerial combat victories. Thorn received a special commendation from the commanding general of the Chinese Expeditionary Forces for extraordinary action against Japanese ground forces.

Thorn left the Army in 1945, married a Texas woman, Virginia Gilbertson, received his law degree from St. Mary's University, and was licensed to practice law in 1950.

Called back into active duty with the Air Force during the Korean War, Thorn became an officer in the Judge Advocate General's Office. He spent the next 20 years as a staff judge advocate, serving as both prosecutor and defense counsel, and later as a circuit judge in military courts-martial.

Thorn retired from the Air Force in 1970, and became the first court coordinator for James Barlow, who had been appointed judge of the 186th District Court. Two years later, Thorn became criminal justice coordinator for the Alamo Area Council of Governments. In that role, he used his bureaucratic expertise to hammer out plans and to obtain government grants for revamping the criminal justice system in Bexar County.

In 1977, he became administrator for the county's district court system. Thorn retired from that post, and worked for Judge Barlow, who had been named to administrative judge.

After retiring from the courthouse, Thorn entered private practice. He then moved his office to Somerset, Texas, where he focused on probate law.

His first wife, Virginia predeceased him in 1995, and it was in Somerset where he met his second wife, Carmen. He and Carmen had four beautiful years together.

Survived by his wife, Carmen M. Thorn; daughter, Carolyn M. Seidel and husband, Larry; son, LCDR David J. Thorn and wife, Damaris; daughter, Sharon C. Thorn; grandchildren, David H. Dean, Daniel R. Dean, Nathan R. Thorn, Brian D. Thorn, Steven J. Thorn, James P. Sarvis; great grandson, Austyn H. Dean; sister, Alice Thorn Finney; along with a host of other loving family members and friends. "I'm going to miss my wonderful husband deeply in my heart". With Love, his wife Carmen.

Let him be remembered for honesty, loyalty and integrity.

Written by John Moulder and Sharon Thorn