Edgar Petersen

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Edgar Petersen
Born 26 April 1904
Straßburg, Elsaß
Died 10 June 1986(1986-06-10) (aged 82)
Andechs, Munich
Allegiance  Nazi Germany
Service/branch Luftwaffe
Rank Oberst
Commands held I./ KG 40, KG 40, Kommandeur der Erprobungsstellen
Battles/wars World War II
Awards Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross

Edgar Petersen (26 April 1904 – 10 June 1986) was a German Luftwaffe bomber pilot 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. Petersen was instrumental in converting the Focke-Wulf Fw 200 into what Winston Churchill called the "Scourge of the Atlantic" during the Battle of the Atlantic. He also served in the position of Kommandeur der Erprobungstellen (commander of all Luftwaffe test stations) as an Oberst later in the war.

Awards

Wehrmachtbericht reference

Date Original German Wehrmachtbericht wording Direct English translation
Thursday, 3 October 1940 Eine Gruppe eines Kampfgeschwaders unter der Führung von Major Petersen, die sich schon im Norwegen-Feldzug besonders auszeichnete, hat in den letzten Wochen auf langen, bei jeder Witterung durchgeführten Feindflügen, die oft bis weit in den Atlantik hineinführten, rund 90 000 BRT feindlichen Handelsschiffraum versenkt und über 40 000 BRT schwer beschädigt, oft im Tiefangriff auf stark gesicherte Geleitzüge.[3] A group of a bomber wing under the command of Major Petersen, who particularly distinguished themselves earlier in the Norwegian campaign, in recent weeks on long sorties carried out in all weathers conditions, which often went far into the Atlantic, has sunk about 90 000 GRT merchant shipping and severely damaged over 40 000 GRT often in low-level attacks on heavily guarded convoys.

See also

Siegfried Knemeyer, a subordinate of Oberst Petersen, who later served with the United States Air Force for over 30 years

References

Citations
  1. ↑ Fellgiebel 2000, p. 336.
  2. ↑ Scherzer 2007, p. 589.
  3. ↑ Die Wehrmachtberichte 1939–1945 Band 1, p. 319.
Bibliography
  • Fellgiebel, Walther-Peer (2000). Die Träger des Ritterkreuzes des Eisernen Kreuzes 1939–1945 – Die Inhaber der höchsten Auszeichnung des Zweiten Weltkrieges aller Wehrmachtsteile [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. 
  • Forczyk, Robert (2010). Fw 200 Condor Vs Atlantic Convoy: 1941–43. Osprey Publishing. ISBN 1-84603-917-7.
  • Kaiser, Jochen (2011). Die Ritterkreuzträger der Kampfflieger—Band 2 (in German and English). Bad Zwischenahn, Germany: Luftfahrtverlag-Start. ISBN 978-3-941437-09-8.
  • 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 Miltaer-Verlag. ISBN 978-3-938845-17-2. 
  • Die Wehrmachtberichte 1939–1945 Band 2, 1. Januar 1942 bis 31. Dezember 1943 [The Wehrmacht Reports 1939–1945 Volume 2, 1 January 1942 to 31 December 1943] (in German). München, Germany: Deutscher Taschenbuch Verlag GmbH & Co. KG. 1985. ISBN 978-3-423-05944-2. 

External links

Military offices
Preceded by
Oberstleutnant Hans Geisse		 Geschwaderkommodore of Kampfgeschwader 40
April 1941 – September 1941 		Succeeded by
Oberstleutnant Dr. Georg Pasewaldt
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