Ernst Beutelspacher

Ernst Beutelspacher
Born 21 July 1920
Auerbach
Died 22 July 1944(1944-07-22) (aged 24)
Focşani, Romania
Allegiance  Nazi Germany
Service/branch Luftwaffe
Years of service ?-1944
Rank Oberleutnant
Unit SG 2
Battles/wars

World War II
Awards Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross

Ernst Beutelspacher (21 July 1920 – 22 July 1944) was a German Luftwaffe ace and recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross (German: Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes) during World War II. The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross was awarded to recognise extreme battlefield bravery or successful military leadership.

Contents

Career

Beutelspacher was born in Auerbach near Karlsruhe. In May 1941 Fähnrich (Ensign) Beutelspacher was posted to II.(S)/Lehrgeschwader 2 (LG 2—2nd demonstration wing) as a ground attack pilot, and flew his first combat missions at the start of the invasion of Russia in June 1941. In early 1942 II./(S)/LG 2 was was redesignated as II./Schlachtgeschwader 1 (SG 1—1st ground attack wick). On 21 December 1942 Beutelspacher was promoted to Leutnant (2nd lieutenant), and awarded the German Cross in Gold (Deutsches Kreuz in Gold) in August 1943. In the summer of 1943 Beutelspacher was made Staffelkapitän (squadron leader).

Beutelspacher recorded his first aerial victory on 5 August 1943, shooting down a LaGG-5 fighter. In October 1943 II./SG 1 was again redesignated, this time to II./Schlachtgeschwader 2, with Beutelspacher commanding 6 staffel. By the end of 1943 he had three aerial victories to his credit. Beutelspacher was awarded the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross in May 1944.

On 22 July 1944 the FW-190s of SG 2 were in combat near Buzau and Zilistea with the P-38s of the 82nd and 14th Fighter Groups and P-51s of the 31th Fighter Group. Beutelspacher was one of five pilots shot down and killed in his Fw 190F-8 during aerial combat east of Focşani in Rumania.

He was credited with 5 victories in over 600 missions, all of them over the Eastern Front, including one B-17 claimed in June 1944 over Bucharest.

Awards

References

Citations
  1. ^ Fellgiebel 2000, p. 112.
Bibliography
  • Fellgiebel, Walther-Peer (2000). Die Träger des Ritterkreuzes des Eisernen Kreuzes 1939–1945. Friedburg, Germany: Podzun-Pallas. ISBN 3-7909-0284-5.
  • 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 (in German). Jena, Germany: Scherzers Miltaer-Verlag. ISBN 978-3-938845-17-2.

External links