Heinrich "Gaudi" Krafft (13 August 1914 – 14 December 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. During his career he was credited with 78 aerial victories, 4 over the Western Front and 74 over the Eastern Front.
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Heinrich Krafft | |
---|---|
Nickname(s) | "Gaudi" |
Born | 13 August 1914 Bilin, Bohemia |
Died | 14 December 1942 28) Belyi, Russia | (aged
Allegiance | ![]() |
Service/ | Army (1935–36) Luftwaffe (1936–42) |
Years of service | 1935–42 |
Rank | Hauptmann |
Unit | JG 51 |
Commands | I./JG 51 |
Battles/wars | World War II |
Awards | Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross |
On 1 June 1942, Krafft succeeded Hauptmann Josef Fözö as Gruppenkommandeur (group commander) of I. Gruppe of JG 51.[1]
Awards
- Iron Cross (1939) 2nd and 1st Class
- German Cross in Gold (25 January 1942)
- Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross on 18 March 1942 as Oberleutnant of the Reserves and Staffelkapitän of the 3./Jagdgeschwader 51 "Mölders"[2][Note 1]
Notes
- According to Scherzer as Oberleutnant.[3]
References
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