German Luftwaffe fighter ace of World War II. He was one of the few Luftwaffe pilots to fly through the whole of the war from 1939–45. Later he became a senior West German Air Force officer and military commander of NATO. He served as chief of staff from 1966 – 1970 and then as chairman of NATO's Military Committee from 1971 – 1974. He was also one of the highest-scoring pilots with 176 victories, and one of the first to fly the Messerschmitt Me 262 jet fighter in combat as a member of the famous aces squadron Jagdverband 44. He was decorated with both the Oak Leaves and Swords to the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross. He died in a Bonn hospital from complications arising from a heart attack he had the previous December.
German Luftwaffe fighter ace of World War II. He was one of the few Luftwaffe pilots to fly through the whole of the war from 1939–45. Later he became a senior West German Air Force officer and military commander of NATO. He served as chief of staff from 1966 – 1970 and then as chairman of NATO's Military Committee from 1971 – 1974. He was also one of the highest-scoring pilots with 176 victories, and one of the first to fly the Messerschmitt Me 262 jet fighter in combat as a member of the famous aces squadron Jagdverband 44. He was decorated with both the Oak Leaves and Swords to the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross. He died in a Bonn hospital from complications arising from a heart attack he had the previous December.
Family Members
Sponsored by Ancestry
Advertisement
Records on Ancestry
Advertisement
