Date of birth:

December 27th, 1916 (Cloppenburg, Germany)

Date of death:

October 20th, 1953 (over the estuary of Rio de la Plata, Argentina)

Nationality:

German

Oberst Werner Baumbach flew a total of 147 front flights during WWII as a bomber pilot.

Promotions:
April 6th, 1936: Fahnenjunker;
January 1st, 1938: Leutnant;
June 1st, 1940: Oberleutnant;
July 20th, 1941: Hauptmann;
October 14th, 1942: Major;
November 1st, 1944: Oberstleutnant;
January 5th, 1945: Oberst;

Career:
April 6th, 1936: Luftkriegschule Berlin-Gatow;
1938: Kettenführer, Erprobungsstelle der Luftwaffe, Rechlin;
June 15th, 1939: II. (Kampf) Gruppe, Lehrgeschwader 1;
September 1939: 6. Staffel, Lehrgeschwader 1;
January 1st, 1940: Flugzeugführer, 5. Staffel, Kampfgeschwader 30;
June 1st, 1940: Staffelkapitän, 4. Staffel, Kampfgeschwader 30;
September 6th, 1940: mission Berlijn-Moskou-Tokio;
October 1940: II. Gruppe, Kampfgeschwader 30;
June 19th, 1941: Staffelkapitän, 5. Staffel, Kampfgeschwader 30;
July 20th, 1941: Kommandeur, I. Gruppe, Kampfgeschwader 30;
August 27th, 1941 - 23 januari 1942: KSG 3, Cognac;
July 20th, 1942: Kommandeur, III. Gruppe, Kampfgeschwader 30;
January 11th, 1943: Inspezient der Kampfflieger;
February 1943: Sonderbeauftragter, ferngelenkte Körper, RLM;
May 18th, 1943: Inspezient der Kampfflieger, General der Kampfflieger;
November 15th, 1944: Kommodore, Kampfgeschwader 200;
March 6th, 1945: Fliegerführer;
20 april 1945: Staffelkapitän, Regierungsstaffel;
May 1st, 1945 - December 1948: British POW;
1948: emigrated to Argentina;
1948: test pilot.

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Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Rank:

Fähnrich (Warrant Officer)

Unit:

Luftkriegschule Berlin-Gatow, Luftwaffe

Awarded on:

1938

Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Rank:

Leutnant (Pilot Officer)

Unit:

Flugzeugführer, 6. Staffel, II. Gruppe, Lehrgeschwader 1, Luftwaffe

Awarded on:

September 28th, 1939

Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Rank:

Leutnant (Pilot Officer)

Unit:

Flugzeugführer, 5. Staffel, II. Gruppe, Kampfgeschwader 30 "Adler", Luftwaffe

Awarded on:

May 4th, 1940

awarded for having bombed and damaged the French cruiser 'Émile Bertin' on 19 April 1940.

Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Rank:

Leutnant (Pilot Officer)

Unit:

Flugzeugführer, 5. Staffel, II. Gruppe, Kampfgeschwader 30 "Adler", Luftwaffe

Awarded on:

May 8th, 1940

Awarded for achieving a direct hit on the French cruiser “Emile Bertin” while it was located off the Norwegian coast on the 19.04.1940. By this time he had flown 26 sorties.

14th Award.

Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Rank:

Oberleutnant (Flying Officer)

Unit:

II. Gruppe, Kampfgeschwader 30 "Adler", Luftwaffe

Awarded on:

February 14th, 1941

"Bei dem erfolgreichen Angriff im Seegebiet ostwärts Harwich zeichnete sich die Besatzung des Kampfflugzeuges Kommandant und Flugzeugführer Oberleutnant Baumbach, Bombenschütze Unteroffizier Menz, Funker Feldwebel Thieß und Bordschütze Unteroffizier Greifmühlen besonders aus."

"In the successful attack in the sea area east of Harwich, the crew of the combat aircraft commander and pilot Lieutenant Baumbach, bombardier Corporal Menz, radio operator Sergeant Thiess and aerial gunner Corporal Greifmühlen especially distinguished themselves."

Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Rank:

Oberleutnant (Flying Officer)

Unit:

II. Gruppe, Kampfgeschwader 30 "Adler", Luftwaffe

Awarded on:

February 28th, 1941

Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Rank:

Oberleutnant (Flying Officer)

Unit:

II. Gruppe, Kampfgeschwader 30 "Adler", Luftwaffe

Awarded on:

March 22nd, 1941

Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Rank:

Oberleutnant (Flying Officer)

Unit:

Flugzeugführer, 1./ KG 30 'Adler'

Awarded on:

April 22nd, 1941

Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Rank:

Oberleutnant (Flying Officer)

Unit:

Staffelkapitän, 5. Staffel, II. Gruppe, Kampfgeschwader 30 "Adler", Luftwaffe

Awarded on:

July 14th, 1941

Up until the 27.02.1941 Baumbach and his crew sunk a total of 240000 GRT worth of enemy shipping. Baumbach himself would be awarded the Oakleaves in recognition of this singular feat.

20th Award.

Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Rank:

Oberleutnant (Flying Officer)

Unit:

Staffelkapitän, 5. Staffel, II. Gruppe, Kampfgeschwader 30 "Adler", Luftwaffe

Awarded on:

July 14th, 1941

Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Rank:

Hauptmann (Flight Lieutenant)

Unit:

Kommandeur, I. Gruppe, Kampfgeschwader 30 "Adler", Luftwaffe

Awarded on:

August 17th, 1942

Awarded for bringing his total of sunk enemy shipping to 300000 GRT.

16th Award.

Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Rank:

Hauptmann (Flight Lieutenant)

Unit:

Kommandeur, I. Gruppe, Kampfgeschwader 30 "Adler", Luftwaffe

Awarded on:

1942

Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Rank:

Hauptmann (Flight Lieutenant)

Unit:

Kommandeur, I. Gruppe, Kampfgeschwader 30 "Adler", Luftwaffe

Awarded on:

1942

with pennant '200'

Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Rank:

Oberleutnant (Flying Officer)

• Photo 1: Wilco Vermeer
• - FELLGIEBEL, W.P., Elite of theThird Reich, Helion & Company Limited, Solihull, 2003.
  - THOMAS, FRANZ & WEGMANN, GÜNTER, Die Eichenlaubträger 1940-1945, Biblio-Verlag, 1997.
  - URBANKE, AXEL & KAISER, JOCHEN, Die Ritterkreuzträger der Kampfflieger, Luftfahrtverlag-Start, 2011.
  - Die Ordensträger der Deutschen Wehrmacht (CD), VMD-Verlag GmbH, Osnabrück, 2002
  - Kwasny A., Kwasny G., Die Eichenlaubträger 1940-1945 (CD), Deutsches Wehrkundearchiv, Lage-Waddenhausen, 2001
  - Die träger des Ritterkreuzes des Eiserne Kreuz 1939 - 1945
  - Lexikon der Wehrmacht
  - Wehrmacht Awards