Kurt Bühligen

Kurt Bühligen

Kurt Bühligen
Born 13 December 1917(1917-12-13)
Granschütz, Province of Saxony
Died 11 August 1985(1985-08-11) (aged 67)
Nidda, Hesse
Buried at city cemetery at Nidda (Section D, Grave 42)
Allegiance  Nazi Germany
Service/branch Luftwaffe
Years of service 1936 – 1945
Rank Oberstleutnant
Unit JG 2
Commands held 4./JG 2, II./JG 2, JG 2
Battles/wars

World War II
Awards Knight's Cross with Oak Leaves and Swords
The title of this article contains the character ü . Where it is unavailable or not desired, the name may be represented as Kurt Buehligen.

Kurt Bühligen (13 December 1917 – 11 August 1985) was a German World War II fighter ace who served in the Luftwaffe from 1936 until early 1945. A flying ace or fighter ace is a military aviator credited with shooting down five or more enemy aircraft during aerial combat.[1] He was also a recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves and Swords. The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross and its higher grade Oak Leaves and Swords was awarded to recognise extreme battlefield bravery or successful military leadership.

Contents

Military career

He initially joined the Luftwaffe as a mechanic, before transferring to flying training during 1938-39. In July 1940 he was posted to Jagdgeschwader 2 (JG 2) as an Unteroffizier pilot.

Bühligen claimed his first aerial victory — a Hawker Hurricane over Kent — on 4 September 1940 and was awarded the Ritterkreuz a year later after 20 further claims.

In December 1942 Bühligen served with II./JG 2 in Tunisia and North Africa, claiming some 40 Allied kills before returning to Europe in March 1943. By March 1944 he had scored 96 kills and was now a Major in command of II./JG 2. After 12 more kills Bühligen led JG 2 in carrying out operations against the Soviet advance on the Eastern Front. In early 1945, now Geschwaderkommodore of JG 2, an engine failure caused Bühligen to be taken prisoner by the Soviets, being finally released in 1950.

He shot down some 112 enemy aircraft in over 700 operations, becoming the fourth highest Luftwaffe scorer against the Western Allies. All his victories were claimed over the Western Front and North Africa and included 47 Spitfires and 46 United States Army Air Forces (USAAF) victims; 13 P-38, 9 P-47 and 24 four-engine bombers. He was never shot down but had to make emergency landings on 3 occasions. His final command was Geschwaderkommodore of the JG 2 fighter wing.

Awards

Notes

  1. ^ According to Scherzer in the 4./JG 2[6]

References

Citations
  1. ^ Spick 1996, pp. 3–4.
  2. ^ Obermaier 1989, p. 38.
  3. ^ Patzwall and Scherzer 2001, p. 67.
  4. ^ a b MacLean 2007, p. 89.
  5. ^ Fellgiebel 2000, p. 148.
  6. ^ a b c Scherzer 2007, p. 250.
  7. ^ Fellgiebel 2000, p. 79.
  8. ^ Fellgiebel 2000, p. 88.
Bibliography
  • Berger, Florian (2000). Mit Eichenlaub und Schwertern. Die höchstdekorierten Soldaten des Zweiten Weltkrieges. Selbstverlag Florian Berger. ISBN 3-9501307-0-5.
  • Fellgiebel, Walther-Peer (2000). Die Träger des Ritterkreuzes des Eisernen Kreuzes 1939-1945. Friedburg, Germany: Podzun-Pallas. ISBN 3-7909-0284-5.
  • MacLean, French L. (2007). Luftwaffe Efficiency & Promotion Reports — For the Knight's Cross Winners. Atglen, Pennsylvania: Schiffer Military History. ISBN 978-0-7643-2657-8.
  • Obermaier, Ernst (1989). Die Ritterkreuzträger der Luftwaffe Jagdflieger 1939 - 1945 (in German). Mainz, Germany: Verlag Dieter Hoffmann. ISBN 3-87341-065-6.
  • Patzwall, Klaus D. and Scherzer, Veit. Das Deutsche Kreuz 1941 - 1945 Geschichte und Inhaber Band II. Norderstedt, Germany: Verlag Klaus D. Patzwall, 2001. ISBN 3-931533-45-X.
  • Spick, Mike (1996). Luftwaffe Fighter Aces. New York: Ivy Books. ISBN 0-8041-1696-2.
  • Schaulen, Fritjof (2003). Eichenlaubträger 1940 - 1945 Zeitgeschichte in Farbe I Abraham - Huppertz (in German). Selent, Germany: Pour le Mérite. ISBN 3-932381-20-3.
  • 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.
  • Helden der Wehrmacht III - Unsterbliche deutsche Soldaten (in German). München, Germany: FZ-Verlag GmbH, 2007. ISBN 978-3-924309-82-4.

External links

Military offices
Preceded by
Major Kurt Ubben		 Commander of Jagdgeschwader 2 Richthofen
April 28, 1944 – May 8, 1945		 Succeeded by
none