(no, this isn't a 1911 rah-rah, its a if you can run it, it'll do rah-rah)
I think it is a 1911 rah-rah story because of how it is portrayed as the centerpiece of the defense of the downed craft and crew when it was only a very small part of the story. All was the VC were not just shot with the 1911 as claimed, but it sure makes the story sound good.
KellyTTE, that is a nice story, but it is embellished and inaccurate. What you have reproduced is basically internet folklore. Given the embellishments and inaccuracies, it is tough to believe any specific details. The official story, though lacking in some details, is in the link provided below.
http://www.militarytimes.com/citations-medals-awards/recipient.php?recipientid=4448
The story gives the impression that Thomas single-handedly held off the VC until being rescued by another helicopter. Nothing could be further from the truth. Thomas did an excellent job, but he wasn't alone, far from it. He had help on the ground from another soldier dropped in by another helicopter and other helicopters were providing help from above with strafing, rockets, etc.. Thomas did apparently shoot a .45 very well, but it wasn't his gun, but the gun of the pilot, Dick Barr, who was reported dead in the version of the story you provided, but in fact was rescued and was one of the folks who attested to Thomas' skill. The copilot was killed in the crash, not the pilot.
http://www.seawolf.org/stories/det3battles.asp
http://www.sealtwo.org/photoalbum.htm
It is interesting that it was stated in the story that it was a match 1911 reloaded from boxes of ammo. Since it was the pilot's, I would assume he must have been the one carrying the extra boxes.
No doubt there were a lot of VC laying around when the rescue chopper finally got the guys off the ground. It was an intense firefight, but the VC on the ground were not all Thomas' doing. In fact, he is just credited with just more than one kill. He apparently hit many as indicated by Barr, but it is unknown really just how many he killed.
It is these sorts of incongruencies are what indicate the story is folklorish and as such cannot be trusted for specific details.
This incident has been cited this as the only known of example of top-level combat marksmanship since SGT Alvin York’s escapades in WWI.
Gotta love these sorts of statements. It makes the big claim to give more importance to the story, but has absolutely no justification provided. Exactly who cites this story as the only known exactly of top-level combat marksmanship since Sgt. York in WWI?
Another version with quotes from Thomas.
http://www.navyseals.com/?q=three-fallon-veterans-exemplify-duty-honor-commitment-country
In this account, he killed as many as 10 men.