• March 29, 1921 – July 10, 1944
• From Knoxville, TN
• Graduate of Knoxville High School
• Education – 1940-1943
• Was Junior at the University when he was called up into active Duty in April 1943
• A/C Army Air Corps – Aviation Cadet
• Texas, Eight fliers from the San Marcos Army Airfield were killed in an accident in which two planes were involved and which occurred near Dale on July 10, 1944
• Knoxville National Cemetery

Karl Richard Elza (March 29, 1931 – July 10, 1944) was born in Knoxville, Tennessee. He was a graduate of Knoxville High School and was a attending the University of Tennessee for a degree in Education when he entered the United States Army Air Corps. He had enlisted in the active duty reserves at the start of the war in 1942 and was called up into active duty during his Junior year in April of 1943. Elza was training as an Aviation Cadet at San Marcos Army Airfield when he was killed in a training accident. On July 10, 1944, his plane along with another crashed during a combat training exercise that killed him and seven other fliers near Dale, Texas. He is buried at Knoxville National Cemetery in Knoxville, Tennessee.

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