Andreas Kuffner (Luftwaffe)

For other people named Andreas Kuffner, see Andreas Kuffner (disambiguation).
Andreas Kuffner
Born 30 May 1918
Munich
Died 30 April 1945(1945-04-30) (aged 26)
Schwerin
Allegiance  Nazi Germany
Service/branch  Luftwaffe
Years of service 1937–45
Rank Hauptmann
Unit StG 2, SG 151, SG 3, SG 9
Commands held I.(Pz)/SG 9
Battles/wars World War II
Awards Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves

Andreas Kuffner (30 May 1918 – 30 April 1945) was a highly decorated Hauptmann in the Luftwaffe during World War II, and one of only 882 recipients of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves. 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.

During his career he was credited with 900+ missions. Kuffner was killed on 30 April 1945 when the Focke-Wulf Fw 190 he was flying was bounced and shot down by a Royal Air Force Spitfire XIV from 350 Squadron as he was attempting to land near Schwerin. During the same attack, Knight's Cross recipients Rainer Nossek and Wilhelm Bromen were killed and wounded respectively.

Awards and decorations

Notes

  1. According to Scherzer as pilot in the I./Sturzkampfgeschwader 2 "Immelmann".[4]

References

Citations

  1. 1 2 Thomas 1997, p. 425.
  2. Patzwall & Scherzer 2001, p. 260.
  3. Fellgiebel 2000, p. 278.
  4. Scherzer 2007, p. 482.
  5. Fellgiebel 2000, p. 78.

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. 
  • 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. 
  • Thomas, Franz (1997). Die Eichenlaubträger 1939–1945 Band 1: A–K [The Oak Leaves Bearers 1939–1945 Volume 1: A–K] (in German). Osnabrück, Germany: Biblio-Verlag. ISBN 978-3-7648-2299-6. 
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