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Sy, Erwin Paul (Lehr-Geschwader 1)

Date of birth:
August 21st, 1915 (Angermünde/Brandenburg, Germany)
Date of death:
December 2nd, 1942 (Tobruk/Libya, North Africa)
Buried on:
German War Cemetery Tobruk
Grave: UNK.
Nationality:
German

Biography

01.04.1935-30.07.1935: Landespolizei .
00.08.1935: joined the Heer
01.08.1935: 6. Kompanie, Infanterie-Regiment 9
04.01.1937: attended Kriegsschule München
01.09.1937: promoted to Oberfähnrich
01.10.1937-30.06.1938: transferred to the Luftwaffe then attended Grosse KFS Fassberg
01.01.1938: promoted to Leutnant then flight training
01.07.1938: III./ KG 152
01.11.1938: II.(K)/ LG 1 due to unit renaming
00.09.1939: 4.(K) Staffel, LG 1 as a pilot
10.05.1940: Lt., 4./ LG 1, POW when He 111 H coded 'L1+EM' shot down by GC 6/1 and GC II/8 near Boulogne ditching East of Berck sur Mer and repatriated two weeks later
01.06.1940: promoted to Oberleutnant
00.07.1940: Oblt., Adjutant, II./ LG 1
04.02.1941: Oblt., Stab, II./ LG 1, WIA when Ju 88 A-5 downed by
Hurricanes during mission over Malta
08.04.1941: awarded the Ehrenpokal.
02.01.1942: Oblt., awarded the DKiG, II./ LG 1
00.07.1942: Oblt., Staka 4./ LG 1
22.05.1942: Oblt. Staka 4./LG 1, awarded the Ritterkreuz for destroying 33,000 GRT of enemy merchant shipping and damaging another 36,000 GRT.
01.09.1942: promoted to Hauptmann
02.12.1942: KIA when Ju 88A-4 Werknummer 8610 coded "L1 + BA" attacked over northern Cyrenaica by an RAF fighter of No. 73 Squadron while on a special mission to Tobruk - remaining crew :
- Oberstleutnant DKiG Franz von Benda (o07.03.1904), Kommodore, Beobachter, KIA
00.12.1942: promoted to Major posthumously - RDA 01.12.1942 01.08.1944: still officially listed as MIA
Pilot credited with sinking at least 33,000 GRT of shipping and damaging 36,000 GRT in about 300 missions

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Period:
Second World War (1939-1945)
Rank:
Oberleutnant (Flying Officer)
Unit:
Stab, II. Gruppe, LG 1
Awarded on:
February 4th, 1941
Verwundetenabzeichen 1939 in Schwarz
Period:
Second World War (1939-1945)
Rank:
Oberleutnant (Flying Officer)
Unit:
Flugzeugführer
Awarded on:
April 8th, 1941
Luftwaffe Ehrenpokale für besondere Leistungen im Luftkrieg
Period:
Second World War (1939-1945)
Rank:
Oberleutnant (Flying Officer)
Unit:
Staffelkapitän, II. Gruppe, Lehr-Geschwader 1
Awarded on:
January 2nd, 1942
Deutsches Kreuz in Gold
Period:
Second World War (1939-1945)
Rank:
Oberleutnant (Flying Officer)
Unit:
Staffelkapitän, 4.(K) Staffel, Lehr-Geschwader 1
Awarded on:
May 22nd, 1942
Awarded for his successes as a bomber pilot in the Mediterranean and in direct support of the Afrika-Korps, which included 33000 GRT of enemy shipping sunk.
Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes
Period:
Second World War (1939-1945)
with clasp "300"
Frontflugspange für Kampfflieger in Gold mit Anhänger und einzatszahl

Sources

Photo