Herbert Kaiser (16 March 1916 – 5 December 2003) was a Luftwaffe ace and recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross during World War II. The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross was awarded to recognise extreme battlefield bravery or successful military leadership. He was captured by American troops in May 1945. During his career, he flew 1,200 missions and is credited with 68 aerial victories.
Herbert Kaiser | |
|---|---|
| Born | 16 March 1916 Jessen |
| Died | 5 December 2003 (aged 87) Germany |
| Allegiance |  Nazi Germany (to 1945) West Germany |
| Service/ |  Luftwaffe German Air Force |
| Years of service | 1938–45 1957–72 |
| Rank | Leutnant (Wehrmacht) Oberstleutnant (Bundeswehr) |
| Unit | JG 3, JV 44, JG 1 |
| Commands held | I./JG 52, III./JG 3 |
| Battles/wars | World War II |
| Awards | Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross |
Summary of career edit
Aerial victory claims edit
| Chronicle of aerial victories | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Claim | Date | Time | Type | Location | Claim | Date | Time | Type | Location |
| – 5. Staffel of Jagdggruppe 186 (Trägergruppe) –[1] "Phoney War" — 6 September 1939 – 9 May 1940 | |||||||||
| 1 | 5 May 1940 | 17:30 | Blenheim | 60 km (37 mi) north of Terschelling[2] | |||||
| – 5. Staffel of Jagdggruppe 186 (Trägergruppe) –[1] Battle of France — 10 May – 1 June 1940 | |||||||||
| 2 | 10 May 1940 | 06:50 | D.XXI | De Kooy[3] | |||||
Awards edit
- Aviator badge
- Front Flying Clasp of the Luftwaffe
- Sudetenland Medal
- Ehrenpokal der Luftwaffe (9 August 1941)
- Wound Badge (1939)
- in Black
- Iron Cross (1939) 2nd and 1st Class[4]
- German Cross in Gold on 30 March 1942 as Leutnant in the 8./Jagdgeschwader 77[5]
- Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross on 14 March 1943 as Oberfeldwebel and pilot in the 8./Jagdgeschwader 77 (later Jagdgeschwader 1)[6][Note 1]
Notes edit
References edit
Citations edit
- ^ a b Mathews & Foreman 2015, p. 603.
- ^ Prien et al. 2001, p. 491.
- ^ Prien et al. 2000, p. 396.
- ^ Dixon 2023, p. 10.
- ^ Patzwall & Scherzer 2001, p. 217.
- ^ Fellgiebel 2000, p. 249.
- ^ Scherzer 2007, p. 429.
Bibliography edit
- Dixon, Jeremy (2023). Day Fighter Aces of the Luftwaffe: Knight's Cross Holders 1943–1945. Barnsley: Pen and Sword Books. ISBN 978-1-39903-073-1.
- Fellgiebel, Walther-Peer [in German] (2000) [1986]. Die Träger des Ritterkreuzes des Eisernen Kreuzes 1939–1945 — Die Inhaber der höchsten Auszeichnung des Zweiten Weltkrieges aller Wehrmachtteile [The Bearers of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross 1939–1945 — The Owners of the Highest Award of the Second World War of all Wehrmacht Branches] (in German). Friedberg, Germany: Podzun-Pallas. ISBN 978-3-7909-0284-6.
- Mathews, Andrew Johannes; Foreman, John (2015). Luftwaffe Aces — Biographies and Victory Claims — Volume 2 G–L. Walton on Thames: Red Kite. ISBN 978-1-906592-19-6.
- Obermaier, Ernst (1989). Die Ritterkreuzträger der Luftwaffe Jagdflieger 1939 – 1945 [The Knight's Cross Bearers of the Luftwaffe Fighter Force 1939 – 1945] (in German). Mainz, Germany: Verlag Dieter Hoffmann. ISBN 978-3-87341-065-7.
- Patzwall, Klaus D.; Scherzer, Veit (2001). Das Deutsche Kreuz 1941 – 1945 Geschichte und Inhaber Band II [The German Cross 1941 – 1945 History and Recipients Volume 2] (in German). Norderstedt, Germany: Verlag Klaus D. Patzwall. ISBN 978-3-931533-45-8.
- Prien, Jochen; Stemmer, Gerhard; Rodeike, Peter; Bock, Winfried (2001). Die Jagdfliegerverbände der Deutschen Luftwaffe 1934 bis 1945—Teil 2—Der "Sitzkrieg"—1.9.1939 bis 9.5.1941 [The Fighter Units of the German Air Force 1934 to 1945—Part 2—The "Phoney War"—1 September 1939 to 9 May 1940] (in German). Eutin, Germany: Struve-Druck. ISBN 978-3-923457-59-5.
- Prien, Jochen; Stemmer, Gerhard; Rodeike, Peter; Bock, Winfried (2000). Die Jagdfliegerverbände der deutschen Luftwaffe 1934 bis 1945 Teil 3—Einsatz in Dänemark und Norwegen 9.4. bis 30.11.1940—Der Feldzug im Westen 10.5. bis 25.6.1940 [Fighter Pilot Association of the German Luftwaffe 1934 to 1945 Part 3—Assignments in Denmark and Norway 9 April to 30 November 1940—The campaign in the West 10 May to 25 June 1940] (in German). Struve-Druck. ISBN 978-3-923457-61-8.
- Scherzer, Veit (2007). Die Ritterkreuzträger 1939–1945 Die Inhaber des Ritterkreuzes des Eisernen Kreuzes 1939 von Heer, Luftwaffe, Kriegsmarine, Waffen-SS, Volkssturm sowie mit Deutschland verbündeter Streitkräfte nach den Unterlagen des Bundesarchives [The Knight's Cross Bearers 1939–1945 The Holders of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross 1939 by Army, Air Force, Navy, Waffen-SS, Volkssturm and Allied Forces with Germany According to the Documents of the Federal Archives] (in German). Jena, Germany: Scherzers Militaer-Verlag. ISBN 978-3-938845-17-2.
- Spick, Mike (1996). Luftwaffe Fighter Aces. New York: Ivy Books. ISBN 978-0-8041-1696-1.
