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Oswald, Franz (WL-Schlagtgeschwader)

Date of birth:
August 9th, 1915 (Jena/Thuringia, Germany)
Date of death:
January 13th, 2003 (Munich/Bavaria, Germany)
Nationality:
German (1933-1945, Third Reich)

Biography

1940: Beobachter in 1.(F)/ Aufkl.Gr. 123
09.05.1940: in 1.(F)/ Aufkl.Gr. 123, shot down [Version#2: suffered engine failure] belly-landed at Azy, NE of Bourges and became POW of the French - Ju 88 A had been on airfield recon between Chartres and Tours.
06.1941: began flying operations
27.12.1942: 4.(Pz)/ Schl.G. 1 MIA - Hs 129 B-2 Werknummer 0269 hit by AA in Pl.Qu. 2953 but evaded capture and later returned - no further details
20.01.-18.10.1943: Oberleutnant, appointed Staka to 8. (Pz.)/ Schl.G. 2
18.10.1943: Oberleutnant, Staka ? 8.(Pz)/ Schl.G. 2 WIA by ground fire near Bou
Arada (Hs 129 B-2)
04.06.1943: Oberleutnant, awarded DKiG, 8.(Pz.)/ Sch.G. 2
Late 06.1943: Oberleutnant in 8./ Schl.G.2, WIA - badly burned hands, face and thighs by an accidental flare discharge in the Hs 129 cockpit - hospitalized for 6 weeks at Oberföhring
18.10.1943-12.1944: appointed Staka 13.(Pz.)/ SG 9
01.04.1944: promoted to Hauptmann
24.10.1944: Hauptmann, awarded Ritterkreuz, Staka 13.(Pz.)/ SG 9
15.01.1945: Hauptmann, Staka 13.(Pz)/ SG 9
17.01.1945: Hauptmann, transferred from SG 9 to Erp.Kdo. 26 as Kommandoführer

4 missions in the Do 17 and one in the Ju 88 (which crashed due to engine failure, May, 1940).
Pilot credited with over 300 missions in the Hs 129 and 44 tanks destroyed.

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Period:
Second World War (1939-1945)
Rank:
Oberleutnant (1st Lieutenant)
Unit:
8.(Panzer) / Schlachtgeschwader 2 (alt)
Awarded on:
June 4th, 1943
Deutsches Kreuz in Gold
Period:
Second World War (1939-1945)
Rank:
Hauptmann (Flight Lieutenant)
Unit:
Staffelkapitän 13(Pz.) / Schlagtgeschwader 9
Awarded on:
October 24th, 1944
Awarded after flying about 300 sorties, during which he managed to destroy 50 enemy tanks as an Hs 129 pilot.
Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes
Period:
Second World War (1939-1945)
Rank:
Hauptmann (Flight Lieutenant)
Unit:
Staffelkapitän 13(Pz.) / Schlagtgeschwader 9
Awarded on:
January 15th, 1945
Frontflugspange für Schlagtflieger in Gold mit Anhänger und Einzatszahl
with '300' pennant
signed by Gruppenkommandeur Hauptmann "Handschke"

With sorties number "300"
Period:
Second World War (1939-1945)
Awarded on:
January 1943
WIA 18.01.1943
Verwundetenabzeichen 1939 in Schwarz
Period:
Second World War (1939-1945)
Awarded on:
June 1943
Verwundetenabzeichen 1939 in Silber

Sources

  • Photo 1: Mark C. Yerger
  • Photo: Mark C. Yerger archive
  • - OBERMAIER, ERNST, Die Ritterkreuzträger der Luftwaffe, Verlag Dieter Hoffmann, Mainz, 1976.
    - Fellgiebel W.P., Elite of the Third Reich, The recipients of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross 1939-1945: A Reference, Helion & Company Limited, Solihull, 2003, ISBN 1-874622-46-9
    - Patzwall K., Scherzer V., Das Deutsche Kreuz 1941-1945, Geschichte und Inhaber Band II, Verlag Klaus D. Patzwall, Norderstedt, 2001, ISBN 3-931533-45-X
    - Verleihungsurkunde Frontflugspange gold mit anhänger "300"

Photo