• Kracker Archive
• Allied Losses
• Archiwum Polish
• Paradie Canadian
• RCAF
• RAAF
• RNZAF
• USA
• Searchable Lists
He was a 'Channel pilot', one who fought in the Battle of Britain in 1940, when Luftwaffe pilots had to face the long journey home over the English Channel. He was shot down with wounds 18 August, 1940 after aerial combat with Spitfires over Ford airfield. Although suffering from a head wound, he was able to force land northwest of Bayeaux in Normandy. His hydraulics had been shot up and he himself had a bullet lodged against his skull. On the journey home his wheels actually touched the Channel but he was able to wrest the aircraft back into the air and managed to limp back to France at wave-top height before crash landing.
He is noted to have rescued at least one downed aircrew behind enemy lines under heavy fire. He was shot down several times, including a heavy crash in a badly holed aircraft. He flew an incredible 1098 missions.
He was a highly decorated Major, and one of only 882 recipients of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves which was awarded to recognise extreme battlefield bravery or successful military leadership. He was taken prisoner at the end of the war and later joined the post-war Luftwaffe, retiring as an Oberst.
His awards were the Flugzeugführerabzeichen, Front Flying Clasp of the Luftwaffe in Gold with Pennant "1000", Iron Cross (1939) 2nd and 1st Class, Wound Badge (1939), Ehrenpokal der Luftwaffe (24 November 1941), German Cross in Gold (13 January 1942), Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves, Knight's Cross on 15 July 1942 as Oberleutnant and Staffelkapitän of the 1./Sturzkampfgeschwader 77, 481st Oak Leaves on 20 May 1944 as Major and Gruppenkommandeur of the I./Schlachtgeschwader 77.
(Photo: Henze on right)
He was appointed Staffelkapitan I/StG 77, then Kommandeur I/SG 2 from 2 March 1943 to 15 November 1944. His last command may have been SG-103 and SG-151 in April, 1945, flying the Ar 96, Fw 190F & G and the Ju 87 D or G. R
Researched by Stefan Pietrzak Youngs from the Kracker Archive (on this site), Mick Spick's 'Luftwaffe Bomber Aces' and private sources.
SPY 05-2014
Wer vor der Vergangenheit die Augen verschließt, wird blind für die Gegenwart. Richard von Weizsäcker
All site material (except as noted elsewhere) is owned or managed
by Aircrew Remembered and should not be used without prior
permission.
© Aircrew Remembered 2012 - 2024
Last Modified: 14 September 2019, 23:12