| Menckhoff, Karl | |
|---|---|
| Born | April 14, 1883 Herford, Westphalia, Germany |
| Died | January 11, 1949 Switzerland |
| Allegiance | Germany |
| Service/branch | Imperial German Aviation Service |
| Years of service | 1914-1918 |
| Rank | Oberleutnant |
| Awards | Pour le Mérite, Royal House Order of Hohenzollern, Iron Cross |
Karl Menckhoff (14 April 1883 - 11 January 1948) was a German First World War fighter ace, credited with 39 confirmed victories. Already in his 30s when he learned to fly, he was one of the oldest pilots in the Imperial German Aviation Service.[1]
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Menckhoff was born in Herford, Westphalia, in the Kingdom of Prussia. He reported for his compulsory military service at age 20, but was discharged shortly afterwards when he suffered from appendicitis.
In August 1914, when he was 31, Menckoff enlisted in Infantry Regiment Nr. 106. He was wounded several times and received the Iron Cross First Class and Second Class for gallantry, both by the end of 1914.[2]
Left unfit for infantry service by his injuries, Menckhoff applied for transfer to the Luftstreitkrafte. He was at first an observer on the Eastern Front, but in 1916 he became a flight instructor. The following year, as a Vizefeldwebel (staff sergeant), he was assigned as a fighter pilot to Jagdgstaffel 3, stationed in France and equipped with the Albatros D.III.[3]
He scored his first victory on 5 April 1917, downing a Nieuport 17 of No. 29 Squadron, Royal Flying Corps.[4]
Menckhoff was shot down several times, but always returned to duty. On 23 September 1917, he rushed to the aid of Werner Voss during the latter's battle against 7 SE5's of the RFC's No. 56 Squadron. Lieutenant Arthur Rhys Davids turned from engaging Voss and damaged Menckhoff's Albatros so badly that he had to crash land it. Rhys Davids then shot down Voss.
Menckhoff fought planes of No. 56 Squadron several days later and again had to crash land. Nevertheless, his kills totalled 20 by 4 February 1918. One week later, he was assigned command of Jagdgstaffel 72 as a Hauptmann (captain).[5] His leadership style conserved his men's lives and the squadron's subsequent 60 victories were attained with the loss of only 1 of its own pilots.[6]
By June 1918, Meckhoff had gained 19 more victories. On 23 April he was awarded Germany's highest decoration for valor, the Pour le Merite (the famous Blue Max).
On 25 June, however, Menckhoff's Fokker D.VII was shot down by Lieutenant Walter Avery of the 95th Aero Squadron, United States Air Service. Captured by French troops at the crash site, Menckhoff was chagrined to learn that he was a rookie pilot's first victory. Avery cut the letter "M" from the crashed Fokker, but sportingly refused to deprive him of his Pour le Merite.
Menckhoff was held as a prisoner long after the war ended in November 1918. Despairing of his release, he finally escaped in August, 1919, and managed to reach Switzerland. He remained there for the rest of his life, becoming a successful businessman. He raised a family, but never talked about the war. Karl Menckhoff died in Switzerland in 1949 at the age of 65.[7]
In May 2007, Walter Avery's daughter learned that Menckhoff's son, Gerhard Menckhoff, lived in the District of Columbia. She decided to return the fabric "M" from Menckhoff's crashed Fokker D.VII to the family. Gerhard Menckhoff explained he had not known his father was a war hero until after his death, and promised to pass the relic on to his son Karl, the German ace's namesake.[8]
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