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Lau, Lothar (Stukageschwader 2 "Immelmann")

Date of birth:
January 30th, 1913 (Königsberg (East Prussia), Germany)
Date of death:
September 4th, 1981 (Würzburg, Germany)
Nationality:
German (1933-1945, Third Reich)

Biography

Flew a total of 301 sorties with the Ju 87 and was shot down 3 times.

01.10.1935: transferred from the Heer (Infanterie) to the Luftwaffe and sent to FFS Salzwedel for pilot training
20.04.1936: promoted to Leutnant
15.04.1936: assigned to I./ St.G. 165 at Kitzingen (later I./St.G. 77)
00.09.1939: Oberleutnant in I./ St.G. 77
09.03.1940: Oblt., Staka 8./ St.G. 2
11.05.1940: Oblt. and Staka 8./ St.G. 2, WIA and POW when Ju 87 B-1 coded 'T6+AS' was shot down by 607 Sqdn., crash landed near Maastricht and captured East of Tirlemont
24.06.1941: Oblt., awarded Ritterkreuz, Staka 8./ St.G. 2
00.07.1941: Techn.Offz. Stab, St.G.2
00.00.1941: credited with a successful attack on the battleship 'Marat'
00.10.1941: Hauptmann, transferred to LKS 2 Berlin-Gatow to begin general staff training
20.10.1941: awarded Ehrenpokal
01.12.1941-31.08.1942: Generalstab training at the Luftkriegsakademie Berlin-Gatow
05.02.1942: awarded DKiG for service while with Stab, St.G. 2
01.09.1942: transferred to Ob.d.L. / RLM pool and ordered temporary duty to Luftflotte 4 for further assignment
12.10.1942: ordered temporary duty to Luftwaffenstab Krim
01.04.1943: Ia, Stab, Luftwaffenstab Krim, promoted to Major i.G.
00.00.1943: Major i.G., Stab, I. Fliegerkorps and then Lfl. 4 Lw.-Verbindungsoffizier attached to Pz.AOK 1
00.00.1944: Major i.G., Stab, General der Schlachtflieger - inspector for Ju 87 day employment
01.08.1944-22.01.1945: Major i.G., Kdr. III./ SG 2
22.01.1945/ Maj., Kdr. III./ SG 2, MIA and POW when Ju 87 D-5 coded 'T6+AD' was shot down by ground fire East of Rogelwitz and captured by the Russians - seriously WIA
18.01.1950: released from captivity
00.00.1956-00.00.1971: served in the Bundeswehr
00.00.1971: retired as an Oberstleutnant i.G.

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Period:
Second World War (1939-1945)
Rank:
Oberleutnant (Flying Officer)
Unit:
Staffelkapitän, 8. Staffel, Stukageschwader 2 "Immelmann"
Awarded on:
June 24th, 1941
Awarded for his personal and leadership successes during the campaigns in Poland, France, Britain and the Balkans. He particularly distinguished himself in the latter campaign. In attacks on the British fleet near Piraeus and Crete on the 21-22.05.1942 he destroyed 12000 GRT of shipping and damaged another 28500 GRT. By the time of his award of the Knight's Cross he had flown about 150 sorties with the Ju 87.
Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes
Period:
Second World War (1939-1945)
Rank:
Oberleutnant (Flying Officer)
Unit:
Stab, Stuka-Geschwader 2
Awarded on:
February 5th, 1942
Deutsches Kreuz in Gold
Period:
Second World War (1939-1945)
Rank:
Hauptmann (Flight Lieutenant)
Awarded on:
October 20th, 1941
Luftwaffe Ehrenpokale für besondere Leistungen im Luftkrieg

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