Fritz Lüddecke

Fritz Lüddecke
Nickname(s)	"Paul"
Born	(1920-02-23)23 February 1920 Brakel, Germany
Died	10 August 1944(1944-08-10) (aged 24) Wilkowischken, Lithuania
Allegiance	Nazi Germany
Service/branch	Luftwaffe
Years of service	1940–1944
Rank	Oberfeldwebel
Unit	JG 51
Battles/wars	World War II Eastern Front
Awards	Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross

Fritz Lüddecke (23 February 1920 – 10 August 1944) was a Luftwaffe (German air force) fighter ace during World War II . He scored 51 victories in over 600 missions, including 150 fighter-bomber missions, all over the Eastern Front.

On 10 August 1944 Lüddecke was shot down near Wilkowischken, and killed when his aircraft exploded as he was attempting an emergency landing. Oberfeldwebel Lüddecke was posthumously awarded the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross. The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross was awarded to recognise extreme battlefield bravery or successful military leadership.

Awards

Ehrenpokal der Luftwaffe(13 December 1943)
German Cross in Gold on 1 October 1944 as Feldwebel in Stabsstaffel/Jagdgeschwader 51^[1]
Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross on 18 November 1944 as Oberfeldwebel and pilot in the Stabsstaffel/Jagdgeschwader 51 "Mölders"^[2]

References

Citations

↑ Patzwall & Scherzer 2001, p. 287.
↑ Fellgiebel 2000, p. 297.

Bibliography

Fellgiebel, Walther-Peer (2000) [1986]. Die Träger des Ritterkreuzes des Eisernen Kreuzes 1939–1945 — Die Inhaber der höchsten Auszeichnung des Zweiten Weltkrieges aller Wehrmachtteile [The Bearers of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross 1939–1945 — The Owners of the Highest Award of World War II of all Wehrmacht Branches] (in German). Friedberg, Germany: Podzun-Pallas. ISBN 978-3-7909-0284-6.
Obermaier, Ernst (1989). Die Ritterkreuzträger der Luftwaffe Jagdflieger 1939 – 1945 [The Knight's Cross Bearers of the Luftwaffe Fighter Force 1939 – 1945] (in German). Mainz, Germany: Verlag Dieter Hoffmann. ISBN 978-3-87341-065-7.
Patzwall, Klaus D.; Scherzer, Veit (2001). Das Deutsche Kreuz 1941 – 1945 Geschichte und Inhaber Band II [The German Cross 1941 – 1945 History and Recipients Volume 2] (in German). Norderstedt, Germany: Verlag Klaus D. Patzwall. ISBN 978-3-931533-45-8.
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 Militaer-Verlag. ISBN 978-3-938845-17-2.

External links

"Aces of the Luftwaffe". Fritz Lüddecke. Retrieved 12 March 2008.

Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross recipients of Jagdgeschwader 51

¹ Oak Leaves with JG 2. ² Knight's Cross with JG 53. ³ Knight's Cross and Oak Leaves with JG 26. ⁴ Oak Leaves and Swords with JG 3. ⁵ Oak Leaves and Swords with JG 26.

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