Friedrich Körner

Friedrich Körner
Born 24 January 1921(1921-01-24)
Schwerte, Province of Westphalia
Died 3 September 1998(1998-09-03) (aged 77)
Paris, France
Allegiance  Nazi Germany (to 1945)
 West Germany
Service/branch Luftwaffe
Years of service 1939–1942
1956–1979(Bundesluftwaffe)
Rank Oberleutnant
Brigadegeneral
Unit JG 27
Battles/wars

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

Friedrich Körner (24 January 1921 – 3 September 1998) was a World War II Luftwaffe Flying ace. He was also a recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross (German: Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes). The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross was awarded to recognise extreme battlefield bravery or successful military leadership. Körner was credited with 36 victories in over 250 missions.[1] All of his victories were scored whilst flying the Messerschmitt Bf 109.

Contents

Military career

Körner joined the Luftwaffe on 15 November 1939 and after completion of his pilot training joined II./Jagdgeschwader 27 (JG 27) in North Africa on 4 July 1941. Körner scored his first victory on 19 March 1942 over Tobruk. In June 1942 he scored 20 kills, three on the 26 June, Körner's most successful day. On 4 July 1942, a year to the day of his arrival, he was shot down whilst scrambling to intercept a Royal Air Force (RAF) bomber formation over the front line in Bf 109 F-4/Trop (Werknummer 8696—factory number) "Red 11". Körner was captured and sent to a prisoner of war camp in Canada, and released in 1947.

After the war

Körner joined the Bundesluftwaffe in 1955, he retired from military service on 30 June 1979 as Brigadegeneral. Körner lived in Paris until his death on 3 September 1998.

Awards

References

Citations
  1. ^ Weal 2003, p. 84.
  2. ^ Scherzer 2007, p. 461.
Bibliography
  • Fellgiebel, Walther-Peer (2000). Die Träger des Ritterkreuzes des Eisernen Kreuzes 1939–1945 (in German). Friedburg, Germany: Podzun-Pallas. ISBN 3-7909-0284-5.
  • Kurowski, Franz. German Fighter Ace: Hans-Joachim Marseille: Star of Africa. Atglen, PA: Schiffer Military History, 1994. ISBN 0-88740-517-7.
  • Patzwall, Klaus D. and Scherzer, Veit (2001). Das Deutsche Kreuz 1941–1945 Geschichte und Inhaber Band II (in German). Norderstedt, Germany: Verlag Klaus D. Patzwall (in German). ISBN 3-931533-45-X.
  • Scherzer, Veit (2007). 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.
  • Scutts, Jerry. Bf 109 Aces of North Africa and the Mediterranean. London: Osprey Publishing, 1994. ISBN 1-85532-448-2.
  • Weal, John (2003). Jagdgeschwader 27 'Afrika'. Oxford: Osprey. ISBN 1-841765-38-4.

External links