Personal Life of Walter Oesau & Other Questions

[Doug Stankey]

We avoid the personal stuff and concentrate on finding the essential facts of each fellow’s career. This is less colourful, but we aim for straight historical facts. Here is what we have on Walter.

OESAU, Walter (“Gulle”).
DOB: 28.06.13 in Farnewinkel/Holstein
1933 joined the Heer and served with an Artillerie-Rgt.
1934 promo to Fahnenjunker and undertook flying training at a DVS.
1936 assigned to I./JG 132.
20.04.37 promo to Lt.
04.38 volunteered for the Legion Condor in Spain and flew with 3. J/88 (to c.02.39).
01.03.39 trf to Stab I./JG 131 (later I./JG 2).
15.07.39 Oblt., TDY from JG 2 to I./JG 20 and appt Staka 1./JG 20 (to 04.07.40).
13.06.40 Oblt., Staka 1./JG 20.
04.07.40 appt Staka 7./JG 51 (to 24.08.40).
19.07.40 promo to Hptm.
20.08.40 Hptm., awarded Ritterkreuz, Staka 7./JG 51.
25.08.40 Hptm., appt Kdr. III./JG 51 (to 10.11.40).
11.11.40 Hptm., appt Kdr. III./JG 3 (to 28.07.41).
06.02.41 Hptm., awarded Eichenlaub, Kdr. III./JG 3.
15.07.41 Hptm., awarded Schwerter, Kdr. III./JG 3 and promo to Maj.
01.08.41 Maj., appt Kommodore JG 2 (to 18.06.43).
01.02.43 promo to Obstlt.
22.06.43 Obstlt., appt Jagdfliegerführer 4 (Lfl. 3) (to 01.09.43).
17.10.43 Obstlt., awarded DKG, Jafü 4.
12.11.43 Obstlt., appt Kommodore JG 1 (to 11.05.44 KIA - shot down by P-38 Lightnings over St.-Vith in the Eifel) Bf 109G-6/AS (WNr. 20601, “green 13”) attempted to belly land but cartwheeled fatally. 10.01.44 awarded DKG.
01.05.44 posthumous promo to Oberst.
Credited with 125 (126?) air victories in some 300 combat missions.


We hope that this helps.


LdZ
DGS