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Schmidt, Rudolf (Kampfgeschwader 26)

Date of birth:
March 15th, 1914 (Plauen/Kingdom of Saxony, Germany)
Date of death:
February 23rd, 2000 (Esslingen/Baden-Württemberg, Germany)
Nationality:
German (1933-1945, Third Reich)

Biography

Rudolf Schmidt reached the rank of Major.
Other sources give 28.01.1914 as DOB
Career:
01.10.1932: joined the Reichsmarine and began training for the Luftwaffe at See-Fliegerschule Parow
01.04.1938: transferred to 3./Kü.Fl.Gr. 106
01.07.1938-03.1939: appointed Kdr. K/88 Legion Condor in Spain
04.1939: transferred to3./Kü.Fl.Gr. 706
10.1939: transferred to 3./Kü.Fl.Gr. 906 due to unit renaming
ca.Start of 1940: transferred to KGr. 126 (later I./KG 28)
02.1941: transferred to 6./KG 26
01.04.1941: promoted to Oberleutnant
20.05.1941: Oblt., awarded the Ehrenpokal
01.04.1942: promoted to Hauptmann
13.08.1942: Oblt., awarded DKG, 6./KG 26
11.1942: transferred to 10./KG 26
01.1943: appointed Adj. Stab/KG 26
12.02.1943-02.12.1944: appointed Staka 4./KG 26
01.04.1943: promoted to Hauptmann (Kr.O.) (RDA01.04.42 or 01.07.42?)
03.12.1944-08.05.1945: Hptm., appt Kdr. II./KG 26
28.03.1945: Hptm.,awarded Ritterkreuz, Kdr. II./KG 26
20.04.1945: promoted to Major
06.05.1945: flew his last mission
After the war, he was a dock worker and then studied industrial management, becoming a business manager and later a self-employed entrepreneur.
Credited with 314 missions plus an unknown number in Spain
Author of: Achtung - Torpedos Los!: Der Strategische und Operative Einsatz des Kampfgeschwader 26 (Koblenz:Bernard & Graefe, 1991). ISBN: 3-7637-5885-2.

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Period:
Spanish Civil War (1936-1939)
Awarded on:
June 6th, 1939
Spanienkreuz, Gold mit Schwertern
Period:
Second World War (1939-1945)
Rank:
Oberleutnant (Flying Officer)
Unit:
6. Staffel, KG 26
Awarded on:
May 20th, 1941
Luftwaffe Ehrenpokale für besondere Leistungen im Luftkrieg
Period:
Second World War (1939-1945)
Rank:
Oberleutnant (Flying Officer)
Unit:
6. Staffel, Kampfgeschwader 26
Awarded on:
August 13th, 1942
Deutsches Kreuz in Gold
Period:
Second World War (1939-1945)
Rank:
Hauptmann (Flight Lieutenant)
Unit:
Kommandeur, II. Gruppe, Kampfgeschwader 26
Awarded on:
March 28th, 1945
Awarded in recognition of his record as a bomber pilot in all the major theatres of the war, which ultimately added up to a total of 314 sorties flown. Also playing a role in his receiving the Knight's Cross was his command achievements as a Staffel and Gruppe leader.
Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes

Sources

Photo