Ritterkreuzträger of Lehrgeschwader 1 (LG 1)

Lehrgeschwader 1 (LG 1), also known as Demonstration Wing 1 and formerly Lehrgeschwader Greifswald, was a versatile multi-purpose Luftwaffe wing formed in July 1936 that played a significant role across nearly every major theater of World War II, operating a wide array of aircraft including the Messerschmitt Bf 109, Bf 110, Dornier Do 17, Heinkel He 111, Junkers Ju 88, and Ju 87 Stuka in fighter, bomber, dive-bomber, and Zerstörer roles. Mobilized in 1939, its Gruppen supported the Invasion of Poland with strikes on Warsaw and naval targets, then participated in the invasions of Denmark and Norway where II./LG 1 infamously sank the hospital ship Dronning Maud; during the Battle of France and the Low Countries in 1940 the wing conducted intense ground support, air interdiction, and anti-shipping missions around Dunkirk, claiming multiple Allied vessels sunk or damaged while suffering 55 aircraft losses. In the Battle of Britain, LG 1 endured heavy attrition with 94 aircraft lost or written off between July and December 1940 during raids on RAF airfields and night Blitz operations, after which it shifted to the Balkans in 1941, sinking transports in Piraeus harbor and damaging Royal Navy warships like HMS Ajax, Barham, and Warspite during the campaigns in Yugoslavia, Greece, and Crete. Relocated to the Mediterranean and North Africa, the wing excelled in anti-shipping strikes, notably damaging HMS Illustrious, sinking vessels from convoys such as MW 9, and under commanders like Hauptmann Joachim Helbig executing the devastating 11 May 1942 attack that sank three British destroyers (HMS Kipling, Jackal, and Lively) south of Crete, while also mining the Suez Canal, supporting the Afrika Korps, and contributing to the Siege of Malta. Elements operated on the Eastern Front with anti-shipping missions in the Black Sea and ground attacks during the battles of Sevastopol and Stalingrad, while the main force continued in Italy against Anzio and later transferred to France for night operations during the Normandy Campaign and Battle of the Bulge, finally engaging in desperate bridge interdiction over the Oder River before being overrun in northern Germany in late April 1945, having fought from the first to the last days of the war as one of the Luftwaffe's most enduring bomber units despite mounting losses from Allied air superiority and fuel shortages.

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Oberst Joachim Helbig (1915-1985) was a highly decorated German bomber pilot in the Luftwaffe who served almost his entire career with Lehrgeschwader 1 (LG 1), distinguishing himself as one of the most successful anti-shipping specialists of World War II. Born in Dahlen, Saxony, he joined the military in 1935, transferred to the Luftwaffe, and by the outbreak of war was an observer and later pilot flying He 111 and Ju 88 aircraft. He earned the Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes on 24 November 1940 as Hauptmann and Staffelkapitän of the 4. Staffel, II. Gruppe, LG 1, after completing 75 combat sorties that included support missions over Dunkirk, attacks on Loire bridges, operations against targets in England such as the Worthy Down airfield on 15 August 1940 where his damaged Ju 88 barely returned, and the sinking or damaging of over 33,000 GRT of Allied shipping during the campaigns in Poland, Norway, the Low Countries, France, and the Battle of Britain. Transferred to the Mediterranean theater in early 1941, Helbig continued relentless operations against Malta, British convoys, the Suez Canal, and ports in North Africa while supporting the Afrika Korps; he became Gruppenkommandeur of I. Gruppe, LG 1 in November 1941 and received the Eichenlaub on 16 January 1942 as the 64th recipient after 210 sorties, including damaging HMS Illustrious, sinking a 10,000 GRT troop transport in Piraeus harbor, and numerous anti-shipping strikes. His most spectacular feat came on 11 May 1942 south of Crete when, leading a wave of Ju 88s from I./LG 1, he personally sank the destroyer HMS Kipling and contributed to the destruction of HMS Lively, HMS Jackal, and crippling of others in a daring low-level attack against four British destroyers, actions that, combined with over 330 sorties and the sinking of approximately 182,000 GRT of shipping, earned him the Schwerter on 28 September 1942 as the 20th recipient while still a Hauptmann. Later promoted to Oberst and Geschwaderkommodore of LG 1, Helbig commanded operations in Italy, France, and the Eastern Front before surrendering in May 1945; he lived a civilian life afterward and died in a car accident in 1985.

Source :
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lehrgeschwader_1

Ritterkreuzträger of Kampfgeschwader 77 (KG 77)

Kampfgeschwader 77 (KG 77) was a prominent Luftwaffe bomber wing formed on 1 May 1939 at Praha-Kbely in Czechoslovakia from elements of earlier units, operating primarily with the Dornier Do 17Z, Heinkel He 111, and later the versatile Junkers Ju 88 across all major fronts of the European Theatre until its dissolution in 1944. Equipped initially with Do 17Z bombers and assigned to Luftflotte 4, its I. and III. Gruppen participated in the Polish Campaign from bases near Breslau, conducting raids on rail networks, airfields, and troop concentrations in areas such as Galicia, Radom, Kielce, Warsaw, and the Battle of Bzura, committing over 100 aircraft. In the 1940 western campaign the Geschwader supported advances through the Low Countries and France, targeting French armor near Reims and Amiens, operations at Dunkirk, and the southern offensive Fall Rot, as well as participating in Operation Paula against Paris airfields. After full conversion to the Ju 88 in mid-1940, KG 77 played a significant role in the Battle of Britain and the Blitz, suffering heavy losses including nine aircraft on a single mission to Gravesend and six each by I. and II. Gruppen during a London raid, while also engaging in the Battle of the Atlantic where it attempted to support the Bismarck and sank the Royal Navy destroyer HMS Mashona. On the Eastern Front from Operation Barbarossa onward, I. and III. Gruppen with about 59 Ju 88s supported Army Group North in the Baltic states and Siege of Leningrad, inflicting devastating losses on Soviet shipping during the battles for Estonia and the islands of Osel, Moon, and Dago through precise dive-bombing and attacks that sank numerous transports, warships, and icebreakers. Later elements operated in the Mediterranean and North Africa, contributing to the Siege of Malta, the Second Battle of El Alamein, resistance to the Allied invasion of Sicily including probable destruction of the Liberty ship SS Robert Rowan, and anti-shipping strikes off Algeria using torpedo tactics. On the Western Front in 1943–44 under Luftflotte 3, KG 77 focused on night anti-shipping operations in the English Channel and support for German ground forces until September 1944, with commanders including Oberst Wolff von Stutterheim, Oberstleutnant Johann Raithel, and others guiding its diverse missions from close air support and strategic bombing to maritime interdiction throughout the war.

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Generalmajor Dietrich Peltz (1914-2001), born on 9 June 1914 in Gera and died on 10 August 2001 in Munich, was a German Luftwaffe bomber pilot and commander who became the youngest Generalmajor of the Wehrmacht during World War II after flying roughly 320 to 390 combat missions. Initially serving in the Heer before transferring to the Luftwaffe in 1935, he flew as Staffelkapitän of the 1. Staffel of Sturzkampfgeschwader 76 in the Ju 87 during the invasion of Poland, completing 45 missions against railway lines, bridges, traffic junctions, and targets including the Bombing of Wieluń, which earned him the Eisernes Kreuz 2. Klasse. In the Battle of France he continued dive-bombing operations against similar infrastructure and shipping at Calais and Dunkirk, sinking a transport vessel across eight missions for a total of 57 additional sorties without loss to his unit and receiving the Eisernes Kreuz 1. Klasse. After converting to the Junkers Ju 88 and joining Kampfgeschwader 77, he flew about 70 daytime and nocturnal missions in the Battle of Britain, often conducting solo low-level attacks on specific targets, leading to the award of the Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes on 14 October 1940 after roughly 130 combat missions overall. As Gruppenkommandeur of II./Kampfgeschwader 77 during Operation Barbarossa, Peltz developed innovative accurate bombing techniques that allowed his Gruppe to achieve precision strikes on railway stations, marshalling yards, canals, and lock gates in the northern sector with smaller forces than previously needed; after reaching about 250 sorties he was awarded the Eichenlaub on 31 December 1941 as the 46th recipient. Later appointed Angriffsführer England and commander of IX. Fliegerkorps, he consolidated multiple Kampfgeschwader units for a renewed night bomber offensive against Britain including Operation Steinbock, while earlier leading specialized efforts with precision-guided munitions against Allied shipping in the Arctic and Mediterranean; for his personal flights exceeding 300 and outstanding leadership he received the Schwerter on 23 July 1943 as the 31st recipient. He subsequently held commands overseeing aspects of the Defense of the Reich, including planning for Operation Bodenplatte and advocating ramming tactics, before finishing the war as Kommandierender General of I. Fliegerkorps.

Source :
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kampfgeschwader_77

Ritterkreuzträger of Schnellkampfgeschwader 210 (SKG 210)

Schnellkampfgeschwader 210 (SKG 210) was a specialized Luftwaffe fast-bomber and ground-attack wing formed on 24 April 1941 from the experienced Erprobungsgruppe 210, a unit that had pioneered low-level precision attacks during the Battle of Britain. Equipped primarily with the Messerschmitt Bf 110 fighter-bomber, and originally intended to transition to the troubled Messerschmitt Me 210, SKG 210 developed highly effective tactics for fast, heavily armed strike operations against airfields, shipping, armored formations, artillery positions, and transport networks. Under the command of Major Walter Storp and later Major Arved Crüger, the Geschwader initially operated from bases in western Europe before being transferred to the Eastern Front as part of II. Fliegerkorps for Unternehmen Barbarossa. During the opening phase of the invasion of the Soviet Union, SKG 210 became one of the Luftwaffe’s most successful ground-attack formations, claiming the destruction of hundreds of Soviet aircraft on the ground and in the air while inflicting severe losses on enemy vehicles, tanks, rail transport, and logistical infrastructure. Supporting Heeresgruppe Mitte during the advances through Białystok, Minsk, Smolensk, and toward Moscow, the unit played a significant role in the rapid collapse of Soviet frontline defenses through aggressive low-level attacks and close air support missions. Despite its operational success, heavy combat, harsh weather, and sustained losses reduced its strength during the winter campaign of 1941–42. On 4 January 1942, SKG 210 was dissolved and absorbed into the newly reconstituted Zerstörergeschwader 1, bringing to an end the short but highly influential existence of a formation that helped establish many of the Luftwaffe’s fighter-bomber and tactical strike doctrines during the war.

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Generalmajor Walter Storp (1910-1981) was one of the Luftwaffe’s most accomplished bomber leaders of the Second World War, rising from naval aviation service in the Reichsmarine to the rank of Generalmajor. After transferring to the Luftwaffe, he served in several operational and staff positions before being appointed Gruppenkommandeur of II./Kampfgeschwader 76 during the Battle of Britain. Storp gained widespread recognition on 27 September 1940 when he personally led a daring low-level attack against targets in the English Midlands, an operation carried out with exceptional precision and audacity that resulted in him and his crew becoming the first Luftwaffe combat aircrew to be mentioned by name in the Wehrmachtbericht. For this achievement and his successful leadership of II./Kampfgeschwader 76, he was awarded the Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes on 21 October 1940 as a Hauptmann and Gruppenkommandeur. In April 1941 he assumed command of Schnellkampfgeschwader 210, a fast attack wing equipped for low-level strike operations, and during the opening phase of Unternehmen Barbarossa he directed numerous highly effective attacks against Soviet airfields, transport networks, troop concentrations, and logistical targets. Under his leadership, Schnellkampfgeschwader 210 achieved remarkable operational success and inflicted heavy losses on Soviet forces during the advance toward Moscow, earning Storp the Eichenlaub zum Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes on 14 July 1941 as a Major and Geschwaderkommodore. He later commanded Kampfgeschwader 6 and Kampfgeschwader 76 before finishing the war as commander of the 5. Flieger-Division in Norway. Storp survived the conflict and remained one of the most distinguished Kampfflieger officers of the Luftwaffe, remembered for his aggressive low-level attack tactics, operational leadership, and early-war successes that brought him both the Ritterkreuz and the Eichenlaub.



Hauptmann Rolf Kaldrack (1913-1942), born on 25 June 1913 in Stargard, Pomerania, in the German Empire and killed in action on 3 February 1942 south of Toropets in the Soviet Union at the age of 28, was a highly decorated Luftwaffe fighter ace and Zerstörer pilot who rose to command major units during the early years of World War II. Initially serving in the Kriegsmarine before transferring to the Luftwaffe in 1935, he flew as an aerial observer with Aufklärungsgruppe 88 of the Condor Legion during the Spanish Civil War, claiming three aerial victories and earning the Spanienkreuz in Gold mit Schwertern. In the opening phases of the war he achieved his first confirmed victory over a Vickers Wellington during the Battle of the Heligoland Bight in December 1939 while flying with Jagdgruppe 101 (later integrated into Zerstörergeschwader units), received the Eisernes Kreuz 2. Klasse the following day, and progressed through commands including as Staffelkapitän and eventually Gruppenkommandeur. He was awarded the Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes on 2 November 1940 as Hauptmann and Gruppenkommandeur of III./Zerstörergeschwader 76 after accumulating 11 aerial victories, reflecting his leadership and combat successes across the Battle of France, the Battle of Britain (including claims against Hawker Hurricanes while supporting Stuka operations), and defensive missions off Norway. Transferred with his Gruppe to become II./Schnellkampfgeschwader 210, Kaldrack led aggressive fighter-bomber and escort operations during Operation Barbarossa on the Eastern Front, claiming further victories including against Polikarpov I-16s and adding at least ten more aerial kills in support of Army Group Centre amid intense low-level attacks on Soviet airfields and ground targets. For his outstanding leadership of the Gruppe and these additional successes on the Eastern Front he was posthumously awarded the 70th Eichenlaub to the Ritterkreuz on 9 February 1942 (along with the Deutsches Kreuz in Gold days earlier), becoming the first Zerstörer pilot so honored; he met his end when, after downing a Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-1, his Messerschmitt Bf 110 E-1 collided with the wreckage, claiming the lives of both Kaldrack and his gunner Unteroffizier Martin Enke during the Toropets–Kholm offensive. Credited overall with approximately 24 aerial victories (including three from Spain).

Source :
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Schnellkampfgeschwader_210

Ritterkreuzträger of Kampfgeschwader 76 (KG 76)

Kampfgeschwader 76 (KG 76) was one of the Luftwaffe’s most experienced and versatile bomber wings of the Second World War, serving continuously from the opening days of the Polish Campaign in September 1939 until Germany’s surrender in May 1945. Formed on 1 May 1939 from elements of the former Kampfgeschwader 155, the unit was initially equipped with the Dornier Do 17 and participated in nearly every major German air campaign, including the invasions of Poland, the Low Countries, France, the Battle of Britain, Operation Barbarossa, the Mediterranean theatre, the Battle of Tunisia, the Italian Campaign, and the fighting on the Western Front during 1944–45. During the war KG 76 transitioned through several aircraft types, most notably the Junkers Ju 88, which became its principal bomber, while some Staffeln later operated the Junkers Ju 188 and Messerschmitt Me 410. The Geschwader earned a reputation for adaptability, conducting strategic bombing, close air support, maritime interdiction, night intruder operations, and reconnaissance missions. In the final phase of the war KG 76 achieved a unique place in aviation history by becoming the first operational bomber wing to employ the revolutionary Arado Ar 234 jet bomber in combat, flying some of the earliest jet-powered bombing missions against Allied targets during the Ardennenoffensive and subsequent operations in Western Europe. Despite heavy losses and the deteriorating military situation, the Geschwader remained active until the end of the conflict, making it one of the few Luftwaffe bomber formations to serve on every major European front and throughout the entire duration of the war.

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Generalmajor Walter Storp (1910-1981) was one of the Luftwaffe’s most accomplished bomber leaders of the Second World War, rising from naval aviation service in the Reichsmarine to the rank of Generalmajor. After transferring to the Luftwaffe, he served in several operational and staff positions before being appointed Gruppenkommandeur of II./Kampfgeschwader 76 during the Battle of Britain. Storp gained widespread recognition on 27 September 1940 when he personally led a daring low-level attack against targets in the English Midlands, an operation carried out with exceptional precision and audacity that resulted in him and his crew becoming the first Luftwaffe combat aircrew to be mentioned by name in the Wehrmachtbericht. For this achievement and his successful leadership of II./Kampfgeschwader 76, he was awarded the Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes on 21 October 1940 as a Hauptmann and Gruppenkommandeur. In April 1941 he assumed command of Schnellkampfgeschwader 210, a fast attack wing equipped for low-level strike operations, and during the opening phase of Unternehmen Barbarossa he directed numerous highly effective attacks against Soviet airfields, transport networks, troop concentrations, and logistical targets. Under his leadership, Schnellkampfgeschwader 210 achieved remarkable operational success and inflicted heavy losses on Soviet forces during the advance toward Moscow, earning Storp the Eichenlaub zum Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes on 14 July 1941 as a Major and Geschwaderkommodore. He later commanded Kampfgeschwader 6 and Kampfgeschwader 76 before finishing the war as commander of the 5. Flieger-Division in Norway. Storp survived the conflict and remained one of the most distinguished Kampfflieger officers of the Luftwaffe, remembered for his aggressive low-level attack tactics, operational leadership, and early-war successes that brought him both the Ritterkreuz and the Eichenlaub.

Source :
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kampfgeschwader_76

Ritterkreuzträger of Kampfgeschwader 30 (KG 30) "Adler"

Kampfgeschwader 30 (KG 30), known by the honorary title "Adler", was one of the Luftwaffe’s most effective and renowned bomber wings of the Second World War. Formed in November 1939 at Greifswald and equipped primarily with the versatile Junkers Ju 88, KG 30 was originally trained for anti-shipping and maritime strike operations under X. Fliegerkorps. The Geschwader first gained prominence during the Norwegian Campaign, where its crews attacked Allied naval forces and merchant shipping, notably participating in the operations that damaged major Royal Navy vessels. During the campaign in Western Europe, II./KG 30 achieved one of the war’s most controversial successes by sinking the troopship RMS Lancastria off Saint-Nazaire on 17 June 1940, causing one of the greatest maritime disasters in British history. Throughout the Battle of Britain, the Mediterranean theatre, the Eastern Front, and the Arctic convoy battles, KG 30 remained heavily engaged in maritime interdiction, convoy attacks, and tactical bombing missions. In September 1942 the unit took part in attacks against Arctic Convoy PQ 18, employing the innovative “Golden Comb” mass torpedo attack formation, which inflicted significant shipping losses despite substantial casualties among its own aircrews. The Geschwader produced numerous highly decorated aviators, including Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes recipients such as Werner Baumbach, Heinrich Paepcke, Sigmund-Ulrich Freiherr von Gravenreuth, and Helmut Störchel, with Baumbach later receiving the Eichenlaub mit Schwertern for his exceptional success against Allied shipping. As Germany’s strategic situation deteriorated, KG 30 was redesignated Kampfgeschwader (J) 30 in November 1944 and began conversion from a bomber wing to a fighter formation, although shortages of modern aircraft hampered the transition. The unit was ultimately dissolved in April 1945, bringing to an end the combat history of one of the Luftwaffe’s most experienced and heavily committed bomber Geschwader.

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Oberst Werner Baumbach (1916-1953) was one of the Luftwaffe’s most highly decorated Kampfflieger and a leading specialist in anti-shipping warfare during the Second World War. Serving with Kampfgeschwader 30, he gained early distinction flying the Junkers Ju 88 against Allied naval and merchant targets in the North Sea, Atlantic, and Norwegian campaigns. As a Leutnant and pilot of 5./Kampfgeschwader 30, Baumbach earned the Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes on 8 May 1940 after a series of daring and highly successful maritime strike missions, including attacks against Allied warships and transport vessels during the Norwegian campaign, which demonstrated exceptional flying skill and tactical leadership. Continuing to lead combat operations with outstanding success, he was awarded the Eichenlaub zum Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes on 14 July 1941 as Oberleutnant and Staffelkapitän of 1./Kampfgeschwader 30 after significantly increasing the tonnage of Allied shipping sunk or damaged under his command and establishing himself as one of Germany’s foremost bomber aces. By 17 August 1942, as Hauptmann and Gruppenkommandeur of I./Kampfgeschwader 30, Baumbach received the Schwerter zum Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes mit Eichenlaub in recognition of his continued achievements in maritime air warfare, his leadership of bomber formations, and his cumulative destruction of large amounts of Allied shipping, eventually exceeding 300,000 gross register tons. Later in the war he played a major role in the development of advanced Luftwaffe weapons and special operations, eventually commanding Kampfgeschwader 200, the Luftwaffe’s secret special-missions wing. Promoted to Oberst, Baumbach remained one of the most influential bomber commanders of the war and authored postwar memoirs before his death in an aircraft accident in Argentina in 1953.

Source :
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kampfgeschwader_30

Ritterkreuzträger of Kampfflieger (Bomber Pilots)

During the Second World War, the Luftwaffe's Kampfflieger branch formed the backbone of Germany’s bomber force, conducting strategic, operational, and tactical air operations across every major theater of the war. Organized into bomber wings such as Kampfgeschwader 1 "Hindenburg", Kampfgeschwader 2 "Holzhammer", Kampfgeschwader 26 "Löwengeschwader", and Kampfgeschwader 55 "Greif", these units initially achieved notable success during the campaigns in Poland, Norway, the Low Countries, France, and the early stages of the war against the Soviet Union. Flying aircraft including the Heinkel He 111, Junkers Ju 88, Dornier Do 17, and later the Heinkel He 177, Kampfflieger crews carried out bombing missions against enemy troop concentrations, transportation networks, industrial facilities, ports, and shipping. The branch produced numerous highly decorated airmen, with awards such as the Ritterkreuz, Eichenlaub and Schwerter, recognizing exceptional leadership and combat achievements. Notable Kampfflieger commanders included figures such as Generalfeldmarschall Albert Kesselring, Oberst Werner Baumbach, and Oberst Dietrich Peltz, whose operational experience shaped Luftwaffe bombing doctrine. However, the failure to defeat Britain during the "Luftschlacht um England", increasing Allied air superiority, fuel shortages, and mounting losses gradually reduced the effectiveness of the Kampfflieger arm. By the final years of the conflict many bomber units were forced into night operations, anti-shipping missions, or emergency ground-attack roles, yet they continued to fight until Germany’s surrender in May 1945.
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Oberst Werner Baumbach (1916-1953) was one of the Luftwaffe’s most highly decorated Kampfflieger and a leading specialist in anti-shipping warfare during the Second World War. Serving with Kampfgeschwader 30, he gained early distinction flying the Junkers Ju 88 against Allied naval and merchant targets in the North Sea, Atlantic, and Norwegian campaigns. As a Leutnant and pilot of 5./Kampfgeschwader 30, Baumbach earned the Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes on 8 May 1940 after a series of daring and highly successful maritime strike missions, including attacks against Allied warships and transport vessels during the Norwegian campaign, which demonstrated exceptional flying skill and tactical leadership. Continuing to lead combat operations with outstanding success, he was awarded the Eichenlaub zum Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes on 14 July 1941 as Oberleutnant and Staffelkapitän of 1./Kampfgeschwader 30 after significantly increasing the tonnage of Allied shipping sunk or damaged under his command and establishing himself as one of Germany’s foremost bomber aces. By 17 August 1942, as Hauptmann and Gruppenkommandeur of I./Kampfgeschwader 30, Baumbach received the Schwerter zum Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes mit Eichenlaub in recognition of his continued achievements in maritime air warfare, his leadership of bomber formations, and his cumulative destruction of large amounts of Allied shipping, eventually exceeding 300,000 gross register tons. Later in the war he played a major role in the development of advanced Luftwaffe weapons and special operations, eventually commanding Kampfgeschwader 200, the Luftwaffe’s secret special-missions wing. Promoted to Oberst, Baumbach remained one of the most influential bomber commanders of the war and authored postwar memoirs before his death in an aircraft accident in Argentina in 1953.



Oberst Joachim Helbig (1915-1985) was a highly decorated German bomber pilot in the Luftwaffe who served almost his entire career with Lehrgeschwader 1 (LG 1), distinguishing himself as one of the most successful anti-shipping specialists of World War II. Born in Dahlen, Saxony, he joined the military in 1935, transferred to the Luftwaffe, and by the outbreak of war was an observer and later pilot flying He 111 and Ju 88 aircraft. He earned the Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes on 24 November 1940 as Hauptmann and Staffelkapitän of the 4. Staffel, II. Gruppe, LG 1, after completing 75 combat sorties that included support missions over Dunkirk, attacks on Loire bridges, operations against targets in England such as the Worthy Down airfield on 15 August 1940 where his damaged Ju 88 barely returned, and the sinking or damaging of over 33,000 GRT of Allied shipping during the campaigns in Poland, Norway, the Low Countries, France, and the Battle of Britain. Transferred to the Mediterranean theater in early 1941, Helbig continued relentless operations against Malta, British convoys, the Suez Canal, and ports in North Africa while supporting the Afrika Korps; he became Gruppenkommandeur of I. Gruppe, LG 1 in November 1941 and received the Eichenlaub on 16 January 1942 as the 64th recipient after 210 sorties, including damaging HMS Illustrious, sinking a 10,000 GRT troop transport in Piraeus harbor, and numerous anti-shipping strikes. His most spectacular feat came on 11 May 1942 south of Crete when, leading a wave of Ju 88s from I./LG 1, he personally sank the destroyer HMS Kipling and contributed to the destruction of HMS Lively, HMS Jackal, and crippling of others in a daring low-level attack against four British destroyers, actions that, combined with over 330 sorties and the sinking of approximately 182,000 GRT of shipping, earned him the Schwerter on 28 September 1942 as the 20th recipient while still a Hauptmann. Later promoted to Oberst and Geschwaderkommodore of LG 1, Helbig commanded operations in Italy, France, and the Eastern Front before surrendering in May 1945; he lived a civilian life afterward and died in a car accident in 1985.



Generalmajor Dietrich Peltz (1914-2001), born on 9 June 1914 in Gera and died on 10 August 2001 in Munich, was a German Luftwaffe bomber pilot and commander who became the youngest Generalmajor of the Wehrmacht during World War II after flying roughly 320 to 390 combat missions. Initially serving in the Heer before transferring to the Luftwaffe in 1935, he flew as Staffelkapitän of the 1. Staffel of Sturzkampfgeschwader 76 in the Ju 87 during the invasion of Poland, completing 45 missions against railway lines, bridges, traffic junctions, and targets including the Bombing of Wieluń, which earned him the Eisernes Kreuz 2. Klasse. In the Battle of France he continued dive-bombing operations against similar infrastructure and shipping at Calais and Dunkirk, sinking a transport vessel across eight missions for a total of 57 additional sorties without loss to his unit and receiving the Eisernes Kreuz 1. Klasse. After converting to the Junkers Ju 88 and joining Kampfgeschwader 77, he flew about 70 daytime and nocturnal missions in the Battle of Britain, often conducting solo low-level attacks on specific targets, leading to the award of the Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes on 14 October 1940 after roughly 130 combat missions overall. As Gruppenkommandeur of II./Kampfgeschwader 77 during Operation Barbarossa, Peltz developed innovative accurate bombing techniques that allowed his Gruppe to achieve precision strikes on railway stations, marshalling yards, canals, and lock gates in the northern sector with smaller forces than previously needed; after reaching about 250 sorties he was awarded the Eichenlaub on 31 December 1941 as the 46th recipient. Later appointed Angriffsführer England and commander of IX. Fliegerkorps, he consolidated multiple Kampfgeschwader units for a renewed night bomber offensive against Britain including Operation Steinbock, while earlier leading specialized efforts with precision-guided munitions against Allied shipping in the Arctic and Mediterranean; for his personal flights exceeding 300 and outstanding leadership he received the Schwerter on 23 July 1943 as the 31st recipient. He subsequently held commands overseeing aspects of the Defense of the Reich, including planning for Operation Bodenplatte and advocating ramming tactics, before finishing the war as Kommandierender General of I. Fliegerkorps.

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Generalleutnant Martin Harlinghausen (1902-1986), a Luftwaffe officer and the first Kampfflieger of the Luftwaffe to receive the Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes, was awarded it on 4 May 1940 while serving as Chef des Stabes of the X. Fliegerkorps, Luftwaffe, for his outstanding achievements as a staff officer and bomber pilot against shipping during the Norwegian Campaign, in which he personally sank 20 steamers with over 100,000 gross register tons. He subsequently received the Eichenlaub to the Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes on 30 January 1941, again as Chef des Stabes of the X. Fliegerkorps, Luftwaffe, for continuing his record of destroying merchant vessels using the innovative tactic of attacking enemy ships broadside with bombs.

Source :
https://aerocorner.com/blog/german-bombers-ww2/

Bio of Hajo Herrmann (1913-2010)

Full name: Hans-Joachim Herrmann
Nickname: Hajo

Date of Birth: 1 August 1913 - Kiel, Schleswig-Holstein (Germany)
Date of Death: 5 November 2010 - Düsseldorf, North Rhine-Westphalia (Germany)

Battles and Operations: Spanish Civil War, Polish Campaign, Norwegian Campaign, Western Campaign, Battle of Britain, Mediterranean Campaign, Arctic Convoys (including PQ-17), Defense of the Reich

NSDAP-Number: No information
SS-Number: No information (Luftwaffe officer)
Religion: No information
Parents: No information
Siblings: No information
Spouse: Ingeborg Reichelt (married 1959)
Children: Two sons (Benno and Thilo Martinho)

Promotions:
1 June 1935 Polizei-Leutnant (Hamburg State Police)
1 June 1938 Oberleutnant
1 December 1940 Hauptmann
1 March 1943 Major
1 August 1943 Oberstleutnant
1 December 1943 Oberst

Career:
May 1933 joined Hamburg State Police
1 August 1935 transferred to Luftwaffe
1936-1937 bomber pilot with Condor Legion in Spanish Civil War (flew He 111 with Kampfgruppe 88)
September 1939 transferred to 7. Staffel/KG 4
20 June 1940 Staffelkapitän 7./KG 4 "General Wever"
October 1940 transferred to KG 30
February 1941 operations in Mediterranean with III./KG 30 (Malta, Greece)
1 September 1941 Gruppenkommandeur III./KG 30 (Norway, Arctic convoys)
July 1942 transferred to Luftwaffenführungsstab (OKL staff)
April 1943 formed Nachtjagdversuchskommando and later Geschwaderkommodore JG 300 "Wilde Sau"
December 1943 Inspector of Night Fighters and later Inspector General of Night Fighters
End of 1944 commander 1. Jagddivision and 9. Fliegerdivision
April 1945 led Sonderkommando Elbe (Rammjäger unit)
11 May 1945 captured by Soviet forces, held in captivity until October 1955
1955 studied law
1965 Rechtsanwalt in Düsseldorf

Awards and Decorations:
Spanienkreuz in Bronze mit Schwertern
Eisernes Kreuz II.Klasse (October 1939)
Eisernes Kreuz I.Klasse (27 May 1940)
Luftwaffe Ehrenpokale für besondere Leistungen im Luftkrieg (28 September 1940)
Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes (13 October 1940) as Oberleutnant and Staffelkapitän of the 7./Kampfgeschwader 4 "General Wever". Awarded for distinguished service as a bomber pilot (primarily He 111 and later Ju 88). By this point he had flown numerous combat missions across several campaigns. Specific operations highlighted in the award citation include: Attacks on Polish troop concentrations in the Kutno pocket (September 1939), The attack on Fortress Dröbak during the Norwegian campaign (April 1940), Reconnaissance and anti-submarine sorties in the Skagerrak–Kattegat area, Raids on British landing positions at Namsos and Andalsnes (Norway), Attacks on Dutch airfields at Amsterdam-Schiphol and Bergen op Zoom (May 1940), and Mining operations in the mouth of the Thames. He had already participated in the invasion of Poland (first mission on 1 September 1939 bombing railways), operations over Norway, the Battle of Britain (including the first attack on London on the night of 7/8 September 1940 and 21 missions over the city by mid-October), and earlier Condor Legion service in Spain. By the time of the award he had completed dozens of missions and sunk or damaged significant shipping.
Deutsches Kreuz in Gold #1/61 (5 June 1942)
Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes mit Eichenlaub #269 (2 August 1943) as Major and Geschwaderkommodore of Jagdgeschwader 300. The award recognised a mix of an earlier spectacular success as a bomber pilot, the creation of a revolutionary night-fighting tactic, and his first personal aerial victories: On the night of 6/7 April 1941 (while operating from Sicily/Greece with KG 4 or KG 30), Herrmann scored a direct hit on the British ammunition ship Clan Fraser in Piraeus harbour (Greece). The resulting explosion destroyed or damaged 11 other ships (total ~41,942 GRT) and closed the port for months. (Note: Some secondary sources incorrectly list the location as Malta; the decisive strike occurred in Piraeus during support of the Greek campaign). Development of “Wilde Sau” single-engined night-fighter tactics. In 1942–43 he recognised the limitations of the rigid Kammhuber Line (“Himmelbett”) system against RAF bomber streams. He proposed using day fighters (Bf 109 and Fw 190) at night, illuminated by the fires of the target cities. After initial rejection, he gained approval in March 1943, formed the experimental Nachtjagdversuchskommando, and established JG 300 in mid-1943. The tactic dramatically improved the defence against night raids. By the award date he had achieved at least 6 (of his eventual 9) nocturnal victories against four-engined bombers while flying Wilde Sau missions himself (he was forced to bail out twice). The combination of the earlier shipping destruction, the new tactic that was already proving effective, and his personal score earned him the Eichenlaub.
Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes mit Eichenlaub und Schwertern #43 (23 January 1944) as Oberst and Inspekteur der Deutschen Luftverteidigung. The award recognised his continued outstanding leadership in the defence of the Reich and the full success of his innovations: He had by then personally claimed a total of 9 aerial victories against RAF four-engined bombers (Lancasters and Halifaxes) while flying Wilde Sau sorties with JG 300 and the 30. Jagd-Division (confirmed claims include victories on 4 July, 26/28/31 July, 3 August, 24 August 1943, and two on 3 January 1944 over Berlin). The “Wilde Sau” tactic (and its further development) had become a key element of German night defence. JG 300 and follow-on units inflicted heavy losses on RAF Bomber Command during the Battle of Berlin and other raids. As Inspector General he oversaw the broader integration of single-engine night fighters and continued to fly operational missions. The award specifically cited the 9 bomber victories plus his “development of innovative fighter tactics.” By this stage he had also flown ~320 bomber missions earlier in the war and was one of the most influential tactical thinkers in the Luftwaffe’s night-fighter arm.
Gemeinsames Flugzeugfuhrer-Beobachter Abzeichen mit Brillianten

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Hans-Joachim Herrmann, often affectionately called Hajo by his comrades, was a highly decorated Luftwaffe bomber and night fighter pilot who flew more than 320 combat missions and later became a key innovator in the defense of the Reich. Starting his career in the Hamburg State Police in 1933, he transferred to the Luftwaffe in 1935 and gained early combat experience in the Spanish Civil War and the early campaigns of World War II. As Staffelkapitän of 7./KG 4 he led daring raids over Poland, Norway, the Low Countries and Britain, sinking or damaging significant shipping and earning rapid recognition for his leadership and precision bombing. 

Transferred to KG 30, Herrmann continued his successes in the Mediterranean, most notably striking the ammunition ship Clan Fraser in Piraeus harbor on 6/7 April 1941, an explosion that destroyed eleven vessels and rendered the port unusable for months. By 1942 he had moved to staff duties but soon proposed revolutionary single-engine night-fighting tactics using day fighters in illuminated skies over German cities. Authorized in 1943, these "Wilde Sau" operations with JG 300 allowed him to claim several victories himself while greatly improving the effectiveness of night defenses against Allied bomber streams. 

Appointed Inspector of Night Fighters and later commander of the 1. Jagddivision, Herrmann oversaw critical phases of the Reich air defense and in the final months of the war directed the experimental Rammjäger unit Sonderkommando Elbe. Captured by Soviet forces in May 1945, he endured ten years of harsh captivity before returning to Germany in 1955. He studied law, qualified as a Rechtsanwalt in Düsseldorf in 1965 and maintained a public profile into his later years. Herrmann is remembered as both a skilled aviator who sank approximately 65,000 tons of Allied shipping and a pioneering tactician whose ideas shaped late-war Luftwaffe night operations.

Source:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hajo_Herrmann
https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hans-Joachim_Herrmann_(Flieger)
https://www.tracesofwar.com/persons/34538/Herrmann-Hans-Joachim-Hajo.htm
https://www.lexikon-der-wehrmacht.de/
https://rk.balsi.de/index.php?action=list&cat=300
https://aircrewremembered.com/KrackerDatabase/?q=units
https://www.ww2.dk/lwoffz.html
https://forum.axishistory.com/
Scherzer, Veit. Die Ritterkreuzträger 1939-1945. Jena 2007.
Fellgiebel, Walther-Peer. Die Träger des Ritterkreuzes des Eisernen Kreuzes 1939-1945. Friedberg 2000.
Stockert, Franz. Die Ritterkreuzträger der Luftwaffe. Band 3. Bad Friedrichshall 2012.
Bundesarchiv personnel files references.

Bio of Generalmajor Dietrich Peltz (1914-2001)

Full name: Dietrich Peltz
Nickname: No information

Date of Birth: 09.06.1914 - Gera-Reuß, Thuringia (German Empire)
Date of Death: 10.08.2001 - Munich (Germany)

Battles and Operations: Polish Campaign, Battle of France, Battle of Britain, Operation Barbarossa, Arctic convoys, Mediterranean operations (Torch), Operation Steinbock (Baby Blitz against England), Defense of the Reich, Operation Bodenplatte planning

NSDAP-Number: No information
Religion: No information
Parents: factory director (name unknown)
Siblings: No information
Spouse: unknown (brother-in-law of Ritterkreuzträger Hans-Karl Stepp)
Children: No information

Promotions:
04.04.1934 Fahnenjunker-Gefreiter
01.12.1934 Fahnenjunker-Unteroffizier
01.06.1935 Fähnrich
01.10.1935 Oberfähnrich
01.04.1936 Leutnant
01.03.1939 Oberleutnant
01.03.1941 Hauptmann
18.07.1942 Major
01.12.1942 Oberstleutnant
17.03.1943 Oberst im Generalstab (RDA 01.09.1943)
01.05.1944 Generalmajor (RDA 01.11.1943; youngest general in the Wehrmacht)

Career:
04.04.1934-31.05.1935 Offiziers-Anwärter, 1. Kompanie, Kraftfahr-Abteilung 5, Stuttgart-Cannstatt
01.06.1935 Kriegsschule des Heeres, Munich
01.10.1935-31.03.1936 Flugzeugführerausbildung, Fliegerschule Salzwedel
20.04.1936 Staffeloffizier and later Gruppen-Adjutant, Jagdgeschwader "Immelmann" (later StG 162/StG 168/StG 76), Lübeck-Blankensee/Graz
1937 blind-flying school Wesendorf-Neuburg an der Donau
01.05.1939-07.1940 Staffelkapitän 1. Staffel, I. Gruppe, Sturzkampfgeschwader 76 (later StG 3)
08.1940-11.1940 Geschwaderstab, Kampfgeschwader 77, Laon (Channel Front)
02.11.1940-12.03.1941 Staffelkapitän, Kampfgeschwader 77
13.03.1941-29.09.1941 Kommandeur II. Gruppe, Kampfgeschwader 77 (East Prussia, Operation Barbarossa)
01.10.1941-07.07.1942 Lehrgangsleiter Sturzlehrgänge, Verbandsführerschule für Kampfflieger, Foggia (Italy)
08.07.1942-31.07.1942 Offizier zur besonderen Verwendung, Reichsluftfahrtministerium
01.08.1942 Gruppenkommandeur I. Gruppe, Kampfgeschwader 60 (precision-guided munitions development)
01.01.1943 Inspekteur der Kampf- und Sturzkampfflieger, Oberkommando der Luftwaffe
24.03.1943 Angriffsführer England
04.09.1943-14.10.1944 mit der Führung beauftragt, IX. Fliegerkorps (later commanding general)
15.10.1944-26.01.1945 Kommandierender General, II. Jagdkorps
26.01.1945-08.05.1945 Kommandierender General, IX. Fliegerkorps (or I. Fliegerkorps in final weeks)
05.1945-? prisoner of war or immediate release (post-war civilian career)

Awards and Decorations:
Eisernes Kreuz 2. Klasse (15.09.1939)
Eisernes Kreuz 1. Klasse (22.05.1940)
Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes #142 (14.10.1940) as Oberleutnant and Stabsoffizier Kampfgeschwader 77. The award citation highlighted his completion of roughly 130 frontline sorties up to that point. These included 45 missions over Poland in September 1939, where he repeatedly attacked railway junctions, traffic centres and bridges in support of the rapid German advance, as well as the bombing of Wieluń on the first day of the campaign. During the Battle of France in May and June 1940 he flew a further 57 sorties with his Ju 87 Staffel, striking railway lines, bridges and troop concentrations; one particularly noted success was the sinking of a British transport ship off the coast of Dunkirk during the evacuation. After converting to the Junkers Ju 88 he flew another 70 missions, both day and night, in the Battle of Britain, often conducting solo precision attacks on specific targets such as airfields, ports and infrastructure. These operations demonstrated exceptional accuracy and determination under heavy anti-aircraft fire and fighter opposition
Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes mit Eichenlaub #46 (31.12.1941) as Hauptmann and Kommandeur II. Gruppe, Kampfgeschwader 77. By this date he had accumulated approximately 250 combat sorties. The citation emphasised his outstanding successes against railway infrastructure in the northern sector during Operation Barbarossa. Operating from East Prussia and later forward bases, Peltz's Gruppe conducted repeated low-level and medium-altitude attacks on train stations, marshalling yards, railway lines, canals and lock gates supporting the Soviet defence of Leningrad and the Moscow approaches. He personally developed and refined new bombing techniques that allowed smaller formations to achieve precision results previously requiring far larger bomber streams. On 12 July 1941 he flew his 200th mission. These methods greatly increased the effectiveness of the German bomber arm in disrupting Soviet supply lines and troop movements at a critical stage of the campaign. The award was presented at the Wolf's Lair in January 1942 alongside other recipients.
Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes mit Eichenlaub und Schwertern #31 (23.07.1943) as Oberst im Generalstab and Angriffsführer England. The citation noted that he had by then flown over 300 frontline sorties and recognised both his continued personal bravery as a pilot and his exceptional leadership in rebuilding and directing the German bomber offensive against Britain. Prior to this higher command role, as Gruppenkommandeur of I. Gruppe, Kampfgeschwader 60 in 1942, he had achieved significant successes against Allied maritime targets using early precision-guided munitions. His Gruppe operated first against the Murmansk convoys in Norway and then from Sardinia during Operation Torch, scoring hits on shipping in the Arctic and Mediterranean theatres. As Angriffsführer England from March 1943 he consolidated scattered bomber units under a single command and prepared the retaliatory night offensive known as Operation Steinbock (the Baby Blitz), which began in January 1944. The Schwerter were bestowed in recognition of his ability to maintain bomber effectiveness despite growing Allied air superiority and his personal example in sustaining high sortie rates.
Luftwaffe Ehrenpokal für besondere Leistungen im Luftkrieg
Gemeinsames Flugzeugführer- und Beobachterabzeichen mit Brillanten
Frontflugspange für Kampfflieger in Gold mit Anhänger und Einsatzzahl "300"
Dienstauszeichnung der Wehrmacht 4. Klasse
Mentioned in the Wehrmachtbericht (26.06.1944)

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Dietrich Peltz (9 June 1914 – 10 August 2001) was a German World War II Luftwaffe bomber pilot and youngest general of the Wehrmacht. As a pilot he flew approximately 320 combat missions, including roughly 130 as a bomber pilot on the Eastern Front, 90 as a bomber pilot on the Western Front, and 102 as a dive bomber pilot during the invasion of Poland and Battle of France.

Born in Gera, Peltz joined the Reichswehr, later renamed the Wehrmacht, of Nazi Germany in 1934. Initially serving in the Heer (Army), he transferred to the Luftwaffe (Air Force) in 1935. He flew combat missions over Poland and France as a dive bomber pilot. He then converted to the Junkers Ju 88 bomber and was assigned to Kampfgeschwader 77 (KG 77). With this unit he flew further combat missions in the Battle of Britain. He was awarded the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross on 14 October 1940. During Operation Barbarossa, the German invasion of the Soviet Union, Peltz was instrumental in developing bombing techniques which allowed precision bombing attacks. This achievement earned him the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves on 31 December 1941. He was then posted to a bomber unit leaders school before he was tasked to form a unit, I. Gruppe of Kampfgeschwader 60, specialized in the use of precision-guided munitions against Allied shipping.

In early 1943, Peltz was appointed Inspector of Combat Flight, a role in which he oversaw the strategic development of the German bomber arm. As of August 1943, he was appointed commanding general of the IX. Fliegerkorps (9th Air Corps) and was tasked with reviving the German bomber offensive as Angriffsführer England (attack leader England) against Britain and was awarded the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves and Swords on 23 July 1943 for his leadership. This initiative led to a night-time strategic bombing campaign against southern England code-named Operation Steinbock, which ended in heavy losses for German bombers in early 1944. Although a bomber expert, he was appointed commanding general of the II. Jagdkorps (2nd Fighter Corps) and was responsible for the planning of the unsuccessful Operation Bodenplatte, the attack of German fighters on Allied air bases in Belgium and the Netherlands. He was tasked with the entire aerial Defense of the Reich in March 1945 and advocated the idea of ramming to halt the air campaign against Germany even at the risk of sustaining high losses. His last service position was commanding general of I. Fliegerkorps (1st Air Corps). After the war he worked for Krupp and Telefunken and died on 10 August 2001 in Munich.

Peltz was born on 9 June 1914 in Gera-Reuß, in Thuringia, at the time a Principality of Reuss-Gera. He was the son of a factory director. Aged 18 he had received a pilot's license and graduated in 1933 with his Abitur (diploma) from the Hermann Lietz country boarding school in Spiekeroog.

After his graduation, Peltz did an internship at Mercedes-Benz in Stuttgart-Untertürkheim in the years 1933–34. He joined the military service of the Reichsheer as an officer candidate with the 1st company of the Kraftfahr-Abteilung 5 (5th Motor Vehicle Department) in Stuttgart-Cannstatt on 4 April 1934. Here he served as a Kradschütze (motorcycle infantry) and was promoted to Fahnenjunker-Unteroffizier (cadet-corporal) on 1 December 1934.

While attending the Kriegsschule (war school) of the Heer (Army) in Munich, he was promoted to Fähnrich (ensign) on 1 June 1935. He was promoted to Oberfähnrich (senior ensign) on 1 October 1935 and transferred to the Air War School Klotzsche in Dresden. He then received further training at the flight school in Salzwedel which he completed on 31 March 1936. One day later, on 1 April, he was promoted to Leutnant (second lieutenant) and on 20 April was officially transferred to Jagdgeschwader Immelmann, named after the World War I fighter pilot Max Immelmann, at Lübeck-Blankensee. During this assignment, he was posted to the blind-flying school at Wesendorf-Neuburg an der Donau.

Jagdgeschwader Immelmann was renamed to Sturzkampfgeschwader 162 (StG 162) and equipped with the early Junkers Ju 87A dive bomber. In 1937, Peltz was appointed adjutant of the I. Gruppe (group) which was renamed to I. Gruppe of Sturzkampfgeschwader 168 (StG 168) on 1 April 1938. Following the Anschluss, the annexation of Austria into Nazi Germany, just as the Junkers Ju 87B came into service, this unit was moved to Graz and was referred to as II. Gruppe of Sturzkampfgeschwader 2 (StG 2). On 1 March 1939, Peltz was promoted to Oberleutnant (first lieutenant). Two months later, on 1 May 1939, the Gruppe was again renamed and was known as I. Gruppe of Sturzkampfgeschwader 76 (StG 76), sometimes referred to as Grazer Gruppe. On this day, Peltz was appointed Staffelkapitän (squadron leader) of the 1. Staffel (1st squadron).

Peltz led 1. Staffel in the Ju 87 dive bombing demonstration at Neuhammer, present-day Świętoszów, Poland, on 15 August 1939. Observing the demonstration were the senior Luftwaffe commanders, including Generals Hugo Sperrle, Bruno Loerzer, and Wolfram von Richthofen. The lower cloud layer, which was believed to be at 900 meters (3,000 feet), was only 100 m (330 ft). During the demonstration, 13 Ju 87 crews crashed to their deaths as they misjudged the cloud layer and failed to pull up in time. The event became known as the Neuhammer Stuka Disaster.

World War II in Europe began on Friday 1 September 1939 when German forces invaded Poland. Peltz flew 45 combat missions with his Staffel against Poland, attacking railway lines, traffic junctions and bridges as well as the Bombing of Wieluń. For his services in Poland he received the Iron Cross 2nd Class on 15 September 1939. During the Battle of France, beginning on 10 May 1940, he flew with the same Staffel which was renamed to 1. Staffel of Sturzkampfgeschwader 3 (StG 3) on 5 July 1940. Again he targeted railway lines, traffic junctions and bridges. In addition he attacked shipping at Calais and during the Battle of Dunkirk sank a transport vessel. In total he flew eight missions against Dunkirk and was awarded the Iron Cross 1st Class on 22 May 1940. He flew an additional 57 missions before the campaign in France came to an end on 25 June 1940. In total, Peltz flew 102 combat missions over Poland and France, leading his Staffel through these campaigns without loss.

Following the Battle of France, Peltz was sent to Greifswald for conversion training to the Junkers Ju 88. In August 1940 he was posted to the Geschwaderstab (headquarters unit) of Kampfgeschwader 77 (KG 77) based in Laon at the Channel Front. He flew 70 daytime and nocturnal missions in the Battle of Britain including special operations of him alone attacking specific targets. Following his 130th mission in total as a dive bomber pilot over Poland and France, as well as a bomber pilot over England, he was awarded the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross on 14 October 1940. The presentation was made by Reichsmarschall Hermann Göring, he received the award together with Major Friedrich Kless, Gruppenkommandeur (group commander) of the II./Kampfgeschwader 55.

Peltz was appointed Staffelkapitän in KG 77 in November 1940 and promoted to Hauptmann (captain) on 1 March 1941. Less than two weeks later, on 12 March, he was given command of the II. Gruppe of KG 77. With this unit he relocated to East Prussia in June 1941, in the prelude of Operation Barbarossa, the German invasion of the Soviet Union on 22 June 1941. He flew support missions for the Heer against targets in the Northern sector, including the Leningrad-Moscow railway line, railway stations, marshalling yards, canals and lock gates. Here, Peltz was instrumental in developing accurate bombing techniques, allowing his group to achieve success against precision targets which previously could be achieved only with much larger bomber forces. He flew his 200th combat mission on 12 July 1941.

Peltz was ordered to surrender his command of II./KG 77 on 30 September 1941 to Hauptmann Heinrich Paepcke and was posted to the Luftwaffenstab (Air Force headquarters) at the Ministry of Aviation in Berlin. In numerous discussions within the Luftwaffe High Command he advocated the necessity of a bomber unit commander's school. He was put in charge of dive-bomber training at the unit leadership school for bomber pilots at Foggia in Italy. For his previous achievements as a pilot accumulated during roughly 250 combat missions, Peltz was awarded the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves on 31 December 1941. The 46th member of the Wehrmacht so honored. The presentation, together with Major Otto Weiß and Major Hubertus Hitschhold, was made at the Wolf's Lair, Hitler's headquarters in Rastenburg, present-day Kętrzyn in Poland, in January 1942.

In January 1942, Peltz was made Commanding Officer of the bomber unit commanders school at Foggia, where all operational bomber commanders were trained in the latest operational techniques. In the timeframe of 8–31 July 1942 he served as an officer for special assignments of the Reichsluftfahrtministerium and Commander-in-Chief of the Luftwaffe. In this period fell his promotion to Major on 18 July 1942. The bomber unit commanders school relocated from Foggia to Tours in France in mid-1942. Here the I. Gruppe of Kampfgeschwader 60 (KG 60) was raised from the bomber unit commander's school and Peltz was appointed its Gruppenkommandeur on 1 August 1942. The Gruppe, equipped with the Ju 88 A-4, was tasked with developing on the use of precision guided munitions then under development in Germany, such as the Fritz X and Henschel Hs 293, against Allied shipping. Operational by October 1942, this unit was sent to Norway against the Allied Murmansk convoys, but only three weeks later was switched to bases in Sardinia to counter the Allied Torch invasion, the British-American invasion of French North Africa.

Peltz was promoted to Oberstleutnant (lieutenant colonel) on 1 December 1942. A month later, on 1 January 1943, Peltz replaced the World War I veteran Generalleutnant Johannes Fink as the Inspector of Combat Flight with the Oberkommando der Luftwaffe. In this role he was questioned by Reichsmarschall Göring on the use of the Messerschmitt Me 262 jet aircraft as bomber. Peltz pointed out to Göring that it would be very difficult to aim a bomb, let alone hit a target with the Me 262. He went on and explained that the Me 262 was unsuitable for dive bombing, and in level flight, hitting a target of the size of one square kilometer depended largely on luck. Göring, under pressure to present Hitler with a fast bomber capable of avoiding the Allied fighters, was infuriated by his assessment. Peltz went on to explain that the problem of staying in formation during bad weather would further negate the bombing effect as attacks would have to be made by single aircraft. Peltz then went on and argued that the Me 262 would be better utilized as an interceptor aircraft.

Peltz was promoted to Oberst im Generalstab (colonel in the General Staff) on 17 March 1943 with a Rangdienstalter (rank seniority) of 1 September 1943. In addition to his other obligations, he was appointed Angriffsführer England on 24 March 1943. The idea was to revive the German bomber offensive against Britain by combining all the available bomber resources under one command. In this command position he became the 31st member of the Wehrmacht to receive the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves and Swords on 23 July 1943. As Angriffsführer England he controlled elements of Kampfgeschwader 2, Kampfgeschwader 6, Kampfgeschwader 30, Kampfgeschwader 51, Kampfgeschwader 54 and the I. Gruppen of Kampfgeschwader 66, Kampfgeschwader 76, Kampfgeschwader 100 and Schnellkampfgeschwader 10, as well as the 1. Staffel of Aufklärungsgruppe 123. These units were then consolidated under the command of IX. Fliegerkorps and Peltz was appointed its commander on 4 September 1943. He commanded this unit until 14 October 1944. In this command position, he was promoted to Generalmajor (major general) on 1 November 1943 with a RDA of 1 May 1944.

The Mistel project, a composite aircraft configuration, was advocated by Peltz at the time. The configuration was a fighter aircraft mounted on top of a pilot-less bomber aircraft with its crew compartment replaced with a high-explosive warhead. The plan was to use these weapon systems against hardened targets such as bridges and enemy shipping.

IX Fliegerkorps commanded the Luftwaffe bomber forces in Operation Steinbock (21 January – 29 May 1944), the retaliatory bombing of England, referred to as the Baby Blitz, which ended in heavy losses for German bombers. In December and early January, Peltz carefully husbanded together some 500 aircraft including Junkers Ju 88s, Ju 188s, Dornier Do 217s, Me 410s and the troublesome Heinkel He 177 A-series onto French airfields to form IX Fliegerkorps. The attacks, initially against London and the industrial areas and later against coastal targets, dwindled to a halt in late May after heavy losses to the Germans, with little to show for the effort.

Following the Allied Invasion of Normandy the already largely depleted bomber forces had to fly support missions of the Heer on the Invasion Front. On 10 October 1944, the bomber crews of IX Fliegerkorps were remustered as infantry or as fighter pilots. On 11 November, Göring, in his role as commander-in-chief of the Luftwaffe, organized a meeting of high-ranking Luftwaffe officers, chaired by Peltz. The meeting, also referred to as the Areopag was held at the Luftkriegsakademie at Berlin-Gatow. This Luftwaffe version of the Greek Areopagus — a court of justice — aimed at finding solutions to the deteriorating air war situation over Germany.

Peltz, who by training and experience was a bomber expert but admired by Hitler for efficiency in carrying out orders, became the commander of the II. Jagdkorps (2nd Fighter Corps) which saw action during the Ardennes offensive, in particular the Operation Bodenplatte, the attempt to gain air superiority during the stagnant stage of the Battle of the Bulge so that the German Army and Waffen-SS forces could resume their advance. The operation achieved some surprise and tactical success, but was ultimately a failure. A great many Allied aircraft were destroyed on the ground but replaced within a week. Allied aircrew casualties were quite small, since the majority of Allied losses were empty planes sitting on the ground. The Germans, however, lost many of their fighter pilots that they could not readily replace.

To counter the overwhelming Allied bomber offensive against Germany, Peltz, together with Oberst Hajo Herrmann, advocated the idea of ramming the American four-engined bombers. The concept called for having young and regime-loyal, but relatively poorly trained, fighter pilots volunteer for these suicide missions.

In mid-January 1945, Peltz visited the Luftkriegsschule 2 in Berlin-Gatow to recruit volunteers for ramming missions against the Allied bomber force. The Luftwaffe command was expecting an attrition rate of 90 percent, nevertheless all 80 student pilots volunteered. The pilots were trained for the ramming attack at Stendal near Magdeburg under the cover name Schulungslehrgang Elbe (Training Course Elbe). The original idea was centered on a mass attack of 1,500 aircraft. This could not be realized and on 7 April 1945, 183 fighters attacked the Eighth Air Force. The attack resulted in the destruction of 23, potentially more, four-engined bombers at the cost of 133 German aircraft lost.

In March, Peltz, the youngest general in the Wehrmacht, had been tasked with the obligation to coordinate the entire aerial Defense of the Reich. At the end of World War II in Europe he was commanding general of the I. Fliegerkorps (1st Air Corps).

During the final days of World War II in Europe, Generalleutnant Adolf Galland attempted to surrender Jagdverband 44 (JV 44), an elite Me 262 jet fighter unit, to American forces. At the same time General der Flieger Karl Koller had ordered JV 44 to relocate to Prague and continue fighting. Oberstleutnant Heinrich Bär, who was substituting for the injured Galland as commander of JV 44, attempted to ignore the order. Bär was further pressured to relocate JV 44 by Peltz, as commander of the IX. Fliegerkorps, and Oberst Herrmann, commander of 9. Flieger-Division (J), who unexpectedly emerged at the control room in Maxglan on 2 May 1945. A heated and violent dispute erupted between Bär, Peltz and Herrmann, witnessed by Walter Krupinski. He later recalled that Bär responded with We are under the command of Generalleutnant Galland, and I will only follow orders of Generalleutnant Galland! — an act of disobedience that Krupinski believed could have led to Bär being shot for insubordination.

After Peltz was released as a prisoner of war, he found work in private industry. Initially he worked for Krupp in Essen and Rheinhausen. In 1963 he found employment with Telefunken where he stayed until his retirement. His last position was chief representative of Telefunken and head of the factory in Konstanz. Peltz, who was the brother-in-law of Hans-Karl Stepp, died on 10 August 2001 in Munich.

Peltz flew approximately 320 combat missions, 130 of which as a bomber pilot on the Eastern Front and 90 on the Western Front, and 102 missions over Poland and Western Front as a ground-attack pilot (Stuka).

Source:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dietrich_Peltz
https://www.tracesofwar.com/persons/34535/Peltz-Dietrich.htm
https://www.lexikon-der-wehrmacht.de/
https://rk.balsi.de/
https://www.unithistories.com/units_index/index.php?file=/officers/personsx.html
https://forum.axishistory.com/
https://www.wehrmacht-awards.com/forums/
https://www.geni.com/
https://aircrewremembered.com/KrackerDatabase/?q=units
https://www.ww2.dk/lwoffz.html
https://web.archive.org/web/20091027052912fw_/http://geocities.com/orion47.geo/index2.html
Stockert, Franz. Die Ritterkreuzträger der Deutschen Wehrmacht, Band 1-2 (various editions consulted via references)
Various volumes on Luftwaffe Ritterkreuzträger and KG 77 history (Google Books excerpts)

Bio of Oberst Joachim Helbig (1915-1985)

Full name: Joachim Helbig
Nickname: Jochen

Date of Birth: 10 September 1915 - Borln (near Dahlen), Saxony (German Empire)
Date of Death: 5 October 1985 - Malente (West Germany), car accident while on vacation in Spain.

Battles and Operations: Invasion of Poland (1939), Norwegian Campaign (1940), Battles of the Netherlands, Belgium, France and Britain (1940), Battle of Britain (1940), Mediterranean theatre including Siege of Malta, support for Afrika Korps, Balkan Campaign (1941), Battle of Crete (Operation Merkur, 1941), North African Campaign (1941-1943), Italian Campaign (1944), Normandy Invasion defense (1944), Eastern Front (1945)

NSDAP-Number: No information
SS-Number: No information
Religion: No information
Parents: Karl Helbig (father), mother unknown
Siblings: One sibling (name unknown)
Spouse: No information
Children: No information

Promotions:
1936 Leutnant
No date Oberleutnant
July 1940 Hauptmann
1 September 1943 Oberstleutnant
1944 Oberst

Career:
1 April 1935 - March 1936 Served with Artillerie-Regiment 4 in Dresden
Autumn 1936 Transferred to Luftwaffe, attended Heereskriegsschule and Kampffliegerschule Lechfeld for observer training
20 April 1937 Posted as observer to III. Gruppe of Kampfgeschwader 152 in Schwerin
September 1939 Served as observer in He 111 with II. Gruppe of Lehrgeschwader 1 (LG 1) during Invasion of Poland
April 1940 Participated in Norwegian Campaign (Operation Weserubung) with LG 1, flying missions supporting ground forces in Andalsnes area; unit sank Norwegian hospital ship SS Dronning Maud on 2 May and bombed Gratangen, destroying houses and killing civilians
April-May 1940 Squadron commander of 4. Staffel/LG 1 during Battle of France, flying He 111 and Ju 88 bombers; damaged by RAF Spitfires during Dunkirk operations on 1 June but returned to base
August 1940 Participated in Battle of Britain; led seven Ju 88s against RAF Worthy Down on 15 August, suffering heavy losses but returning damaged aircraft; conducted night operations against London and industrial targets
Mid-January 1941 Unit transferred to Sicily for attacks on Malta and British Mediterranean shipping
Early April 1941 Transferred to Bulgaria for Operation Marita, bombing Belgrade on 6 April during invasions of Greece and Yugoslavia
May 1941 Returned to Sicily for anti-shipping near Greece and Crete; damaged SS British Lord on 21 April, attacked convoy during Operation Tiger on 11 May, possibly damaged HMS Barham on 27 May during Crete evacuations
Rest of 1941 Operated in Mediterranean, attacking targets in Palestine, Egypt, Libya; mined Suez Canal and ports at night
5 November 1941 Appointed Gruppenkommandeur of I. Gruppe/LG 1
21 November 1941 Briefly under Fliegerfuhrer Afrika, supporting ground forces in Operation Crusader; wounded in RAF raid on Benina airfield on 29 November
December 1941 Commanded operations against Sidi Barrani-Alexandria rail line (3-4 December), British forces south of Tobruk (10 December), and mine-laying off Libyan coast
11 May 1942 Led attack south of Crete, sinking HMS Kipling and contributing to sinking HMS Lively and scuttling HMS Jackal despite Beaufighter opposition
September 1942 Unit attacked at Heraklion by British commandos, destroying seven Ju 88s
January 1943 Transferred to staff of General der Kampfflieger
March 1943 Appointed to conduct affairs of General der Kampfflieger
14 August 1943 Returned to front as Geschwaderkommodore of LG 1 after clashes with superiors including Albert Kesselring
January 1944 Commanded bomber units in Italy against Anzio and Nettuno beachheads during Operation Shingle; sank HMS Janus with torpedo and damaged HMS Jervis with Hs 293 glider bomb on 23-24 January, losing 11 aircraft
June 1944 LG 1 transferred to France for air defense during Operation Overlord
September 1944 Formed combined ground support and reconnaissance battle group against Allied bombing; severely wounded by strafing at Vogelsang Airfield on 10 September
Early 1945 Commanded combat unit on Eastern Front, destroying bridges over Oder
30 April 1945 Took operational leadership for planned Fieseler-Storch evacuation flight to Berlin-Wabbsee, but unable to land due to flak
8 May 1945 Surrendered to American forces in Czechoslovakia
Postwar Worked as director of Schultheiss brewery plant in Berlin

Awards and Decorations:
Iron Cross (1939) 2nd Class (16 September 1939)
Iron Cross (1939) 1st Class (20 June 1940)
Ehrenpokal der Luftwaffe (6 October 1940)
Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes (24 November 1940) as Hauptmann and Staffelkapitan of 4./Lehrgeschwader 1 after 75 combat missions, including operations in Norway (sinking hospital ship and bombing civilian areas), France (Dunkirk interdiction where his Ju 88 was damaged but returned), and Battle of Britain (leading squadron against Worthy Down with heavy losses, night bombings of London and industrial targets)
Medaglia d'Argento al Valor Militare
Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes mit Eichenlaub #64 (16 January 1942) as Hauptmann and Gruppenkommandeur of I./Lehrgeschwader 1 after 210 combat missions, including Mediterranean operations from Sicily (attacks on Malta, sinking 10,000 BRT troop transporter in Piraeus harbor, damaging SS British Lord, attacking convoys during Operation Tiger, possible damage to HMS Barham off Crete), support for Afrika Korps during Crusader (wounded in airfield raid, rail line and Tobruk attacks, coastal mine-laying)
Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes mit Eichenlaub und Schwertern #20 (28 September 1942) as Hauptmann and Gruppenkommandeur of I./Lehrgeschwader 1 for support of Erwin Rommel's 1942 summer offensive in North Africa, including intense anti-shipping and ground support against Malta and English convoys (sinking HMS Kipling on 11 May 1942, contributing to loss of HMS Lively and HMS Jackal; total sunk shipping tonnage of 182,000 BRT by that point); mentioned in Wehrmachtbericht for this action
Mentioned in the Wehrmachtbericht (11 May 1942 and 13 May 1944)

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Joachim Helbig was a prominent Luftwaffe bomber pilot who volunteered for military service in 1935, initially with artillery before transferring to aviation in 1936. Trained as an observer and later pilot, he spent most of his career with Lehrgeschwader 1, flying He 111 and Ju 88 aircraft in major theaters from Poland to the Mediterranean and Western Europe. His early actions in Norway and France demonstrated skill under fire, such as returning damaged from Dunkirk. In the Battle of Britain, he survived a disastrous raid on Worthy Down as the only returning aircraft. Relocated to the Mediterranean, Helbig excelled in anti-shipping, sinking significant tonnage and supporting Axis advances in North Africa. His leadership as group and wing commander involved high-risk missions, including Anzio where his unit inflicted naval losses but suffered heavily. Wounded multiple times, he clashed with superiors over strategy but returned to combat. Postwar, he transitioned to civilian life in brewing. Helbig flew over 1,000 operational hours in one Ju 88, a unique feat, and was noted for premature promotions due to combat merit.

Unique facts include escaping American captivity in June 1945 to hide in West Germany, and his unit's role in controversial actions like bombing civilian targets in Norway.

Source:
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joachim_Helbig
- https://www.lexikon-der-wehrmacht.de/Personenregister/H/HelbigJ-R.htm
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