Josef Kraft

Josef Kraft
File:Josef Kraft.jpg
Born	8 February 1921 Vienna
Died	16 October 1994(1994-10-16) (aged 73) Fürstenfeldbruck
Allegiance	Nazi Germany
Service / branch	Template:Luftwaffe
Years of service	1940–45
Rank	Hauptmann
Unit	NJG 4 NJG 5 NJG 6 NJG 1
Commands	12./Nachtjagdgeschwader 1
Battles / wars	World War II Defense of the Reich
Awards	Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves

Josef Kraft (8 February 1921 – 16 October 1994) was a 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.

Aerial victory claims

Chronicle of aerial victories
Victory	Date	Time	Type	Location	Serial No./Squadron No.
– 6./Nachtjagdgeschwader 5 –
1	28 August 1943	01:20	Lancaster	22 km (14 mi) west Nuremberg
2	1 September 1943	00:47	Lancaster	25 km (16 mi) south-southwest Berlin
3	1 September 1943	00:55	Stirling	east Berlin

Awards

• Honour Goblet of the Luftwaffe (Ehrenpokal der Luftwaffe) on 1 May 1944 as Leutnant and pilot
• Front Flying Clasp of the Luftwaffe in Gold (18 February 1945)
• Iron Cross (1939)
  • 2nd Class (1 September 1943)
  • 1st Class (5 November 1943)
• German Cross in Gold on 23 July 1944 as Oberleutnant in the 8./Nachtjagdgeschwader 6
• Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves
  • Knight's Cross on 30 September 1944 as Oberleutnant and pilot in the II./Nachtjagdgeschwader 6
  • 838th Oak Leaves on 17 April 1945 as Hauptmann and Staffelkapitän of the 12./Nachtjagdgeschwader 1

References

Bibliography

• Fellgiebel, Walther-Peer (2000) [1986]. Die Träger des Ritterkreuzes des Eisernen Kreuzes 1939–1945 — Die Inhaber der höchsten Auszeichnung des Zweiten Weltkrieges aller Wehrmachtteile (in German). Friedberg, Germany: Podzun-Pallas. ISBN 978-3-7909-0284-6. {{cite book}}: Invalid |ref=harv (help); Unknown parameter |trans_title= ignored (|trans-title= suggested) (help)
• Foreman, John; Parry, Simon; Matthews, Johannes (2004). Luftwaffe Night Fighter Claims 1939–1945. Walton on Thames: Red Kite. ISBN 978-0-9538061-4-0. {{cite book}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |trans_title= (help); Invalid |ref=harv (help)
• Obermaier, Ernst (1989). Die Ritterkreuzträger der Luftwaffe Jagdflieger 1939 – 1945 (in German). Mainz, Germany: Verlag Dieter Hoffmann. ISBN 978-3-87341-065-7. {{cite book}}: Unknown parameter |trans_title= ignored (|trans-title= suggested) (help)
• Patzwall, Klaus D.; Scherzer, Veit (2001). Das Deutsche Kreuz 1941 – 1945 Geschichte und Inhaber Band II (in German). Norderstedt, Germany: Verlag Klaus D. Patzwall. ISBN 978-3-931533-45-8. {{cite book}}: Invalid |ref=harv (help); Unknown parameter |trans_title= ignored (|trans-title= suggested) (help)
• Patzwall, Klaus D. (2008). Der Ehrenpokal für besondere Leistung im Luftkrieg (in German). Norderstedt, Germany: Verlag Klaus D. Patzwall. ISBN 978-3-931533-08-3. {{cite book}}: Invalid |ref=harv (help); Unknown parameter |trans_title= ignored (|trans-title= suggested) (help)
• Scherzer, Veit (2007). Die Ritterkreuzträger 1939–1945 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 Militaer-Verlag. ISBN 978-3-938845-17-2. {{cite book}}: Invalid |ref=harv (help); Unknown parameter |trans_title= ignored (|trans-title= suggested) (help)
• Thomas, Franz (1997). Die Eichenlaubträger 1939–1945 Band 1: A–K (in German). Osnabrück, Germany: Biblio-Verlag. ISBN 978-3-7648-2299-6. {{cite book}}: Invalid |ref=harv (help); Unknown parameter |trans_title= ignored (|trans-title= suggested) (help)

External links

• Lexikon der Wehrmacht