Ritterkreuzträger of Jagdgeschwader 3 (JG 3) "Oesau"

Jagdgeschwader 3 "Oesau" was one of the most distinguished fighter wings of the Luftwaffe during the Second World War, established on 1 May 1939 and later named in honor of Generalmajor Walter Oesau after his death in 1944. The unit participated in nearly every major aerial campaign of the war, including the Polenfeldzug, Westfeldzug, Luftschlacht um England, the Mediterranean theater, Reichsverteidigung, and operations on the Ostfront. Equipped mainly with the Messerschmitt Bf 109 and later the Focke-Wulf Fw 190, JG 3 produced numerous highly decorated aces and Ritterkreuzträger, among them Walther Dahl, Heinrich Ehrler, and Günther Lützow. The Geschwader earned a formidable reputation for its aggressive combat tactics and high victory claims against Allied bombers and fighters, while suffering heavy losses during the later stages of the war as the Luftwaffe struggled against overwhelming Allied air superiority. Its members received many of Germany’s highest military decorations, including the Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes mit Eichenlaub, Schwertern und Brillanten, and the unit remained active until Germany’s surrender in May 1945.

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SCHWERTERTRÄGER

Walter Oesau, a leading Luftwaffe fighter ace, received both the Eichenlaub and the Schwerter to his Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes while serving as Gruppenkommandeur of III./Jagdgeschwader 3. After transferring to the Gruppe on 11 November 1940, he continued his success on the Channel Front and reached 40 victories on 5 February 1941, for which he was awarded the Eichenlaub the next day. Following the invasion of the Soviet Union, Oesau led III./Jagdgeschwader 3 eastward and rapidly increased his tally, claiming his 80th aerial victory on 15 July 1941 and becoming only the third member of the Wehrmacht to be decorated with the Schwerter.

Source :
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jagdgeschwader_3