Thanks to all!
1) I thought Freytag didn't came back in operations up until May 1944 after having been wounded in July 1943.
I'm trying to understand what seems correct and what could have been invented in the Steinhoff book (Me over Sicily). He said Freiberg (the character in the book) was always scared about aerial bombing. It looks real now because he was wounded during a straffing!
2) I had a Prien's book in the past, covering only JG 77 during the whole war, and there were a short mention of the story in Athens, but I didn't know Freytag told the story himself. That's really great!
Another amazing history for this man... The brief detention of Hartmann is very well documented but that one is really amazing too, but quite hidden...
3) " His first victory was on July 13,1941, a MIG-3, and he is listed as a Leutnant."
In some websites, I found that he was credited for a Hudson (
Hudson T9377 of 233rd sqdn) the 10/31/1940 in Norway, but it looks like he claimed it without being rewarded. It seems the Hudson was attacking ships, and it was the ship's flak that destroyed the Hudson...
I totally agree with you, Kaki3152. It's quite difficult to obtain information about his career in the Foreign Legion, because the FL won't give information up until 120 years after his birth, as the law prescribes...Quite logical, given the usual policy of the Legion...I know that his records as a german pilot have joined his file in the Foreign Legion...Maybe the future FL museum will disclose documents...?
He fought in Indochina (52-54)and Algeria (late 50s), and ended up as a corporal, because he refused the rank of sgt. A former legionnaire told me that sergent in the Legion is a "high rank" for a NCO, and that it's not uncommon to refuse the rank in order not to be "emmerdé"! (not to be bothered in slang...
There are still a lot of thiongs to learn from such a guy, his life could be a movie, in fact!
Thank you Gentlemen for this information.