Hans-Joachim Heyer

Hans-Joachim Heyer (20 April 1922 – 9 November 1942) was a Luftwaffe ace and recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross during World War II. The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross was awarded to recognise extreme battlefield bravery or successful military leadership. Hans-Joachim Heyer was shot down near Leningrad, Russian SFSR, Soviet Union on 9 November 1942. He was posthumously awarded the Knight's Cross on 25 November 1942. During his career he was credited with 53 aerial victories, all of them on the Eastern Front.

Hans-Joachim Heyer
Born	20 April 1922 Rehungen, Germany
Died	9 November 1942(1942-11-09) (aged 20) Leningrad, Soviet Union
Allegiance	Nazi Germany
Service / branch	Luftwaffe
Years of service	1939–42
Rank	Leutnant
Unit	JG 54
Battles / wars	World War II Operation Barbarossa Siege of Leningrad
Awards	Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross

Awards

• Flugzeugführerabzeichen
• Front Flying Clasp of the Luftwaffe in Gold
• Ehrenpokal der Luftwaffe (20 July 1942)
• Iron Cross (1939)
  • 2nd Class (7 July 1941)
  • 1st Class (30 November 1941)
• Wound Badge (1939)
  • in Black (10 September 1942)
• German Cross in Gold on 4 August 1942 as Leutnant in the III./Jagdgeschwader 54^[1]
• Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross on 25 November 1942 as Leutnant and Flugzeugführer (pilot) in the III./Jagdgeschwader 54^[2]

References

Citations

1. Patzwall & Scherzer 2001, p. 184.
2. Fellgiebel 2000, p. 187.

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 [The Bearers of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross 1939–1945 — The Owners of the Highest Award of the Second World War of all Wehrmacht Branches] (in German). Friedberg, Germany: Podzun-Pallas. ISBN 978-3-7909-0284-6.
• Obermaier, Ernst (1989). Die Ritterkreuzträger der Luftwaffe Jagdflieger 1939 – 1945 [The Knight's Cross Bearers of the Luftwaffe Fighter Force 1939 – 1945] (in German). Mainz, Germany: Verlag Dieter Hoffmann. ISBN 978-3-87341-065-7.
• Patzwall, Klaus D.; Scherzer, Veit (2001). Das Deutsche Kreuz 1941 – 1945 Geschichte und Inhaber Band II [The German Cross 1941 – 1945 History and Recipients Volume 2] (in German). Norderstedt, Germany: Verlag Klaus D. Patzwall. ISBN 978-3-931533-45-8.
• 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 [The Knight's Cross Bearers 1939–1945 The Holders of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross 1939 by Army, Air Force, Navy, Waffen-SS, Volkssturm and Allied Forces with Germany According to the Documents of the Federal Archives] (in German). Jena, Germany: Scherzers Militaer-Verlag. ISBN 978-3-938845-17-2.
• Spick, Mike (1996). Luftwaffe Fighter Aces. New York: Ivy Books. ISBN 978-0-8041-1696-1.

External links

• Aces of the Luftwaffe
• TracesOfWar.com