Date of birth:

August 9th, 1918 (Wipshausen-Peine/Hannover, Germany)

Date of death:

March 4th, 1998 (Peine/Lower Saxony, Germany)

Nationality:

German (1933-1945, Third Reich)

After his school[eriod and his Arbeitsdienst (Labour Service), Wilhelm Brennecke went to serve with the Luftwaffe from 1st October 1938. After his basic training followed his pilot trainings between 1st April 1939 and 1st October 1940. Then he was placed with the Kampfgeschwader 55, with whom he stayed until September 1944. From the end of 1944 until the end of the Second World war he was a pilot trainer in Pilsen.

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Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Rank:

Unteroffizier

Unit:

6. Staffel, II. Gruppe, Kampfgeschwader 55, Luftwaffe

Awarded on:

November 14th, 1942

Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Rank:

Oberfeldwebel (Flight Sergeant)

Unit:

Flugzeugführer, Stab, II. Gruppe, Kampfgeschwader 55, Luftwaffe

Awarded on:

March 26th, 1944

Awarded for repeatedly distinguishing himself on the Eastern Front while serving almost continuously during the time period June 1941 - August 1944. Some of his more noteworthy achievements included:

- The sinking of several ships in the Black Sea and Volga river.
- The destruction of several bridges and railway lines in the Don bend.
- A successful low-level strike against the port of Astrakhan.
- Flying about 50 supply sorties into the Stalingrad pocket.

Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

• Photo 1: Norbert Beyerlein
• - FELLGIEBEL, W.P., Elite of theThird Reich, Helion & Company Limited, Solihull, 2003.
  - PATZWALL, K. & SCHERZER, V., Das Deutsche Kreuz 1941-1945, Verlag Klaus D. Patzwall, Norderstedt, 2001.
  - URBANKE, AXEL & KAISER, JOCHEN, Die Ritterkreuzträger der Kampfflieger, Luftfahrtverlag-Start, 2011.
  - Die Träger des Ritterkreuzes des Eisernen Kreuzes 1939-1945