august april military aviator world war night fighter ace credited enemy aircraft shot combat missions victories claimed western nocturnal defense missions royal_air_force born frank volunteered military service luftwaffe finishing school following flight training posted 3rd night fighter wing awarded knight april following 42nd aerial victory weeks later april crew attacked exploded fatally damaged aircraft frank ordered crew bail unable save received posthumous promotion second lieutenant awarded knight oak leaves early life career frank born august borough located southwest suburbs frank older sons attended elementary school enrolled secondary school built mid level attained school leaving certificate boy frank wanted pilot world war begun september volunteered military service luftwaffe following basic military training took flying instruction pilot school qualified fly october transferred 1st night fighter school near munich 1st specialized night fighter pilot 2nd squadron command squadron leader lieutenant world war frank posted 1st supplemental training squadron 3rd night fighter wing february unit stationed airport initially flew radio operator private assigned permanent radio operator frank formed crew assigned 1st squadron stationed command unit equipped variant heavy fighter frank promoted rank march night fighter pilot frank flew operational combat mission success flew second mission missions claiming aerial victory night july mission started intercepted royal_air_force raf crashed kilometers miles north achievement frank awarded 2nd class july claimed second victory shot northwest victory credited anti aircraft artillery august frank flown night fighter missions achievement awarded bronze bronze promoted sergeant credited second victory september wellington shot northwest claim achieved victory page shot january near northeast days later claimed armstrong shot west frank awarded 1st class april months later june silver june took combat mission attacking british bomber wellington halifax aircraft hit defensive fire tail gun position destroyed aircraft group relocated july flew missions night fighter variant claimed wellington shot september crashed vicinity victory flying mission suffered engine problems frank forced landing damaging aircraft ended year seven confirmed victories credit victory frank claimed occurred march flying shot short south contact enemy bombers lead victories frank flew missions target practice mission april right landing gear collapsed landing causing damage aircraft days later error landing approach crashing causing damage frank avoided official crash april frank transferred located underwent conversion training designed long distance night fighter operations frank training old unit relocated netherlands unit received newer version equipped radar frank returned conversion training assigned fly personal aircraft claimed lancaster near antwerp june days later june intercepted shot force returning mission cologne came minutes frank claimed 13th victory wellington june attempting attack shot crew forced bail july shot halifax bomber north antwerp 14th victory overall unit relocated france july frank awarded honor luftwaffe der luftwaffe august flying claimed aircraft shot august received credit short shot berlin following operational mission awarded gold gold august time man crew augmented member referred air mechanic air gunner august frank shot british bombers halifax northwest lancaster east separate combat missions september aircraft hit right engine enemy fire forced belly land wilhelmshaven suffering damage aircraft claimed 20th victory night september added victories october received gold gold day aircraft hit german anti aircraft artillery frank forced landing engine posted december ended year aerial victories credit british night fighter shot frank crew berlin december managed bail unharmed knight frank claimed victories lancaster wellington january near having promoted staff sergeant frank assigned stab headquarters unit command wing commander lieutenant colonel frank previous transferred 1st night fighter wing continued operations designation february frank ace day shooting lancaster bombers way attack leipzig sent mission night fighters march achieve victories claimed victories march lancaster shot near halifax near mission attacking bomber damaged bomb probably released bomber penetrated right wing damaged engine frank managed bring aircraft bombers shot march took frank total aerial victories luftwaffe successful night war march entire night fighter force credited destruction enemy aircraft night frank credited bombers brought total achievement senior staff sergeant frank awarded knight des april presentation commander headquarters april frank went short vacation home wife lisa female air force following vacation frank claimed victories april halifax shot north later day short operation death posthumous honors frank assigned factory number april flew aircraft operationally days later night april crew radio operator air mechanic took mission intercept incoming bombers heading crew spotted attacked bomber vicinity netherlands bomber severely hit cannon fire exploded frank 45th aerial victory debris lancaster tore right wing frank lost control aircraft gave order bail safety frank failed time killed crashed kilometers southeast frank buried german war cemetery row grave funeral attended parents crew fighter operations leader holland area airfield sector commander july frank posthumously awarded knight oak leaves des mit soldier officer receive award april lent submitted request recommending frank promotion second lieutenant commander 2nd fighter division supportive request frank posthumously promoted april aerial victory credits frank credited aerial victories claimed combat missions ace indicates aerial victories frank ace day term fighter pilot shot single day awards decorations aviator badge 2nd class july 1st class april der luftwaffe august pilot luftwaffe silver june gold january gold october oak leaves knight cross april pilot oak leaves july pilot
Rudolf Frank