Birth/Death details of non Ritterkreuz 50+ aces

[Edward L. Hsiao]

According in Traces of War Website Wilhelm Hauswirth was a POW of the Soviets and had survived his imprisonment and of WWII. He returned home to Germany. Don't know when he passed away.

Edward L. Hsiao

PS, I wonder if Hauswirth was ever recommended for the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross?

[Johannes]

Hi Edward

Thanks for your input. This is an old thread, thanks mostly to TOCH members, so a big thanks there, I have been able to solve many of the mysteries:-

Gerhard Beutin 5th October 1919
Heinrich Dittlmann 9th January 1921
August Dilling 6th April 1917
Manfred Eberwein 2nd March 1923-14th August 2011
Hans Ellendt 20th March 1921-25th May 2007
Horst Forbrig 21th July 1921
Karl Fuchs 4th March 1917
Wilhelm Hauswirth 31st January 1918-17th December 1977
Helmut Holtz 26th March 1919
Walter Jahnke 20th August 1914......Date of death outstanding
Helmut Mischke 20th December 1914-3rd May 1945
Adolf Nehrig 25th February 1923.......Date of death outstanding
Kurt Olsen Both dates outstanding
Hans Reiff 10th February 1922
Gabriel Tautscher 5th May 1919

Very unlikely Hauswirth was recommended for the Ritterkreuz.....score far too low.
With Helmut Mischke his loss was tragic. According to his daughter his Mother had asked him not to do this flight "Don't go , you will not come back" she said, it was just a transfer flight to surrender and he said that in all his actions he had survived, also he didn't want to let his comrades down. He was shot down and killed by friendly flak in his Fw190 at Sandbeck, Germany. His family thought he had been awarded the Ritterkreuz

Kind Regards

Johannes

[Edward L. Hsiao]

Well I thought that if the Luftwaffe fighter pilot got 50 air to air victories on the Eastern Front,he be recommended for the Knight's Cross.

Edward L. Hsiao

[Edward L. Hsiao]

Heinz Beyer, who was a German Cross in Gold holder, had so far 33 air to air kills in the middle of 1943. I believe he had scored more than 33 since he continued to fly in combat until the end of WWII for Germany. Who knows his really final score?

Edward L. Hsiao

[Johannes]

Hi Edward

It's not always a clean case with numbers, some got the Ritterkreuz for small numbers, helped if your were an officer in my opinion. The first "50" to be refused was Adalbert Sommer.....inflation, no doubt caused by the "over-claimers" and at this time you would need anything up to 148 confirmed. Guys who scored over a short time were less likely to get the Ritterkreuz, for this date if they had been in combat for several years is was more likely, and actually they were less likely "over-claimers" I think sometimes their C.O's suspected certain pilots of "over-claiming" and delayed their recommendation!

Kind Regards

Johannes