Josef Kraft
Josef Kraft | |
|---|---|
| Born | 8 February 1921 Vienna |
| Died | 16 October 1994 (aged 73) Fürstenfeldbruck |
| Allegiance |  Nazi Germany |
| Service |  Luftwaffe |
| Years of service | 1940–1945 |
| Rank | Hauptmann |
| Unit | NJG 4 NJG 5 NJG 6 NJG 1 |
| Commands | 12./Nachtjagdgeschwader 1 |
| Battles / wars | World War II |
| Awards | Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves |
Josef Kraft (8 February 1921 – 16 October 1994) was a German Luftwaffe night fighter ace and recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves during World War II. The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross and its higher grade Oak Leaves was awarded to recognise extreme battlefield bravery or successful military leadership. Kraft claimed 56 aerial victories.[Notes 1]
Awards
- Ehrenpokal der Luftwaffe (31 March 1944)
- Front Flying Clasp of the Luftwaffe in Gold (18 February 1945)
- Iron Cross (1939)
- German Cross in Gold (23 July 1944)
- Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves
- Knight's Cross on 30 September 1944 as Oberleutnant and Flugzeugführer of the 2./NJG 6[2]
- 838th Oak Leaves on 17 April 1945 as Hauptmann and Staffelkapitän of the 12./NJG 1[3]
Notes
- ^ For a list of Luftwaffe night fighter aces see List of German World War II night fighter aces.
References
- Citations
- Bibliography
- Fellgiebel, Walther-Peer (2000). Die Träger des Ritterkreuzes des Eisernen Kreuzes 1939-1945. Friedburg, Germany: Podzun-Pallas. ISBN 3-7909-0284-5.
- Obermaier, Ernst (1989). Die Ritterkreuzträger der Luftwaffe Jagdflieger 1939 - 1945 (in German). Mainz, Germany: Verlag Dieter Hoffmann. ISBN 3-87341-065-6.
- Scherzer, Veit (2007). Die Ritterkreuzträger Die Inhaber des Ritterkreuzes des Eisernen Kreuzes 1939 von Heer, Luftwaffe, Kriegsmarine, Waffen-SS, Volkssturm sowie mit Deutschland verbündeter Streitkräfte nach den Unterlagen des Bundesarchives (in German). Jena, Germany: Scherzers Miltaer-Verlag. ISBN 978-3-938845-17-2.
- Thomas, Franz (1997). Die Eichenlaubträger 1939–1945 Band 1: A–K (in German). Osnabrück, Germany: Biblio-Verlag. ISBN 3-7648-2299-6.