(Translated from German - please excuse any strange english!)
The members of the traditional community Westphalia squadron mourn their former commodore, Col. ret. Lothar Kmitta. He died on 13 May 2009 following a traffic accident in his Adopted home Garmisch-Partenkirchen.
Our deepest sympathy goes out to his Daughter and relatives. Col. ret. Lothar Kmitta was born 19th January 1921 in Glatz / Silesia, there he spent his Youth and schooling.
On November 15, In 1939 he enlisted as a 18-year-old to Air Force and joined the Air Force Training Regiment in Poznan. His desire was to To be fighter pilot. However he was chosen for the twin engined reconnaissance plane: FW 189 and as a young pilot joined Nahaufklärungsgruppe 5 (5 NAG) in the East Prussian front.
After being wounded, a stay in hospital, and a total of 155 reconnaissance sorties Lothar Kmitta was retrained on the Messerschmitt BF 109.
His last operational flight on May 8, 1945 where he reached a total of 398 Sorties.
In addition to numerous other medals he was awarded the Knight's Cross on November 18, 1944, He was captured in Kurland and finished the war as a POW in Gütersloh, where he met his future wife Anneliese.
After being released, he worked as a businessman in the Manufacture of textiles. Lothar Kmitta was soon courted into the new Bundeswehr as a first lieutenant in the new Air force.
After training on T-33 and F 84 aircraft, and promoted to captain, he was transferred to the Fighter Bomber Wing 33 at Büchel, and in 1957 became the squadron commander there.
After participating in the Command Staff College in the USA, he took over as commander Flying the group, the FBW 33 in Büchel.
He was promoted to Lieutenant Colonel in August 27, 1964. In 1969 his dream as Commodore of the FBW 36 in Rheine was realised.
Due to his long experience as a squadron leader, he was put in charge for the Conversion of his squadron to the F-104G Starfighter. Very good were his Integration services in the garrison Rheine, which ultimately is a public Squadron transfer on the Marketplace exhibited significantly.
After taking part in the NATO Defence College in Rome followed until 1976 international Uses in Brunssels / Netherlands and the United States. His military career ended on 31st March 1980 at the Army Office in Cologne.
For his outstanding merits as Soldier and air force officer was it 1971 Awarded the Federal Cross of Merit. After his service, he moved to the mountains Bavaria, and he found a delightful location Apartment on the outskirts of Garmisch-Partenkirchen with a view of the imposing Massif of the Zugspitze.
He spent he his well deserved retirement, with others in long walks around Garmisch.
We, the members of the Traditions gemeinschaft Westphalia Squadron, lose with him a dedicated Member who is our ever at all Activities has shown very interested. We will honor his memory of preserve.
I would like to recall at this point our series of articles "The Portrait" in EmsKöppken IV / 08, in which Manfred Wagner after a conversation with Colonel ret. Lothar Kmitta in Garmisch-Partenkirchen about him reported.
Source:
http://www.etnp.de/Seite50-Emskoeppken/02-2009.pdf
KMITTA, Lothar. (DOB: 19.01.21 in Glatz/Niederschlesien). (R, DKG).
30.11.42 Fw., awarded Ehrenpokal.
16.08.43 Fw., awarded DKG, 12.(H)/Aufkl.Gr. 12.
26.05.44 Lt., 2./NAGr. 5. 1
6.08.44 WIA - Bf 109 no details.
18.11.44 Lt., awarded Ritterkreuz, NAGr. 5.
31.03.80 retired from the Bundeswehr as an Oberst. Credited with one victory.
Source: Luftwaffe officer career summary:
www.ww2.dk/lwoffz.html