Leutnant Heinrich Hunger (left, Flugzeugführer in Stab Kampfgeschwader 2) posing with his crew, from left to right: Unteroffizier Grützner (Bordfunker), Oberfeldwebel Kloye (Beobachter), and Unteroffizier Berthold (Bordmechaniker/-schütze). The picture was taken after Hunger was awarded the Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes on 5 July 1941. By then, the 22-year-old Kampfflieger (bomber pilot) from Weimar had completed 140 combat flights, including 79 against France and England in 1940/41, 29 during the Balkan campaign in April/May 1941 and 32 in the first two weeks of the war against Russia. He was one of the first bomber pilots to fly bombing mission on Moscow at the end of June 1941. After being awarded the Ritterkreuz, a vacation of several weeks followed at home. On the second day after their return, the crew was shot down by flak in their Dornier Do17Z near Novgorod (Leningrad area) on August 14, 1941. All four were able to parachute out, but over territory that was still under Russian control. When the German troops occupied Novgorod the next day, they found Hunger and his radio operator dead; no trace of the other two was found...
Source :
Ben Stovall photo collection
https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=6198821043465589&set=gm.494132822226403&idorvanity=222855636020791
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