kurt january november military aviator world war fighter ace credited enemy aircraft shot combat missions majority victories claimed eastern claims western born civilian motor powered aircraft pilot volunteered military service luftwaffe posted 53rd fighter wing claimed aerial victories western given command 2nd group 3rd fighter wing fighting eastern awarded knight july aerial victories july august claimed aerial victories southern sector eastern claiming 100th aerial victory awarded knight oak leaves august july achieved aerial victory august transferred western fighting killed action november west amsterdam netherlands body washed ashore near december early life career born january state father master field precision mechanics following school learned trade surgical instrument maker worked father firm early youth enthusiastic flying volunteered military service luftwaffe december participated number exercises promoted second lieutenant reserves december civilian life attained pilot license worked flight instructor instructor trained roughly students logged starts flight hours military aviator addition passion motor power flight pilot early passed examination aircraft construction year trained fighter pilot fighter wing named martyr nazi movement february served 22nd flight training regiment transferred reserve force active service promoted lieutenant june transferred 53rd fighter wing world war world war europe began friday september german forces invaded poland received 2nd class april claimed aerial victory shooting air south total claimed victories france wounded takeoff maintenance test flight crashed injuring head spent weeks military hospital recovering hospital claimed second victory royal_air_force raf august august tasked leadership 5th squadron following fourth aerial victory awarded 1st class september officially appointed squadron leader september november claimed 6th 7th aerial victories awarded luftwaffe fighter pilots silver gold june bulk air elements moved northern germany june aircraft given maintenance overhaul prior moving east transferred present day russia june june crossed soviet support invasion soviet_union opened eastern claimed victories end october credited aerial victories unit relocated western october based netherlands moved mediterranean theater december based airfield flew combat missions raf awarded gold gold february days later march promoted captain group commander appointed group commander 3rd fighter wing named world war fighter ace killed action malta april time stationed rest refit relocated eastern late participate located left wing assigned airfield scored victory relocation claiming reconnaissance bomber aircraft date accumulated victories awarded knight des july aerial victories day claimed 53rd aerial victory shot claimed multiple victories day victories july took tally claims july took score july filed claims numbers ace day time july shot enemy aircraft aerial victories august total july august claimed aerial victories southern sector eastern 100th victory august 17th luftwaffe pilot achieve century mark achievement awarded knight oak leaves des mit august officer soldier honored presentation adolf_hitler personally promoted major march april claimed aerial victories july day battle claimed victories taking total claimed aircraft shot july included aerial victory war defense death early august withdrawn eastern service spent month training northern germany arrived airfield near amsterdam netherlands september november shot fighters escorting formation mission targeting wilhelmshaven later day killed action west amsterdam netherlands following attack group airfield counter attack assumed shot factory number fighters command wing commander body later washed ashore near december buried heroes cemetery amsterdam field grave day later remains moved january time december time cemetery block row grave awards 2nd class april 1st class september flying luftwaffe fighter pilots silver gold june gold february knight oak leaves knight cross july oak leaves august
Kurt Brändle