Helmut Leicht

Helmut Leicht
Born 2 November 1916
Ludwigsburg
Died 26 June 1944(1944-06-26) (aged 25)
Vitebsk
Allegiance  Nazi Germany
Service/branch  Luftwaffe
Years of service 1936–45
Rank Major
Unit StG 77
SG 10
Commands held II./Sturzkampfgeschwader 77
III./Schlachtgeschwader 10
Battles/wars

World War II

Awards Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves

Helmut Leicht (2 November 1916 – 26 June 1944) was a highly decorated Major 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. Helmut Leicht was listed as missing in action as of 26 June 1944 after a flight near Vitebsk, Belarus. He was posthumously awarded the Oak Leaves to his Knight's Cross on 24 October 1944. During his career he flew 900 flights.[Notes 1]

Awards and decorations

Notes

  1. ↑ For a list of Luftwaffe ground attack aces see List of German World War II Ground Attack aces

References

Citations

  1. 1 2 Thomas 1998, p. 19.
  2. ↑ Patzwall & Scherzer 2001, p. 274.
  3. ↑ Fellgiebel 2000, p. 235.
  4. ↑ Fellgiebel 2000, p. 76.

Bibliography

  • Brütting, Georg (1992) [1976]. Das waren die deutschen Stuka-Asse 1939 – 1945 [These were the German Stuka Aces 1939 – 1945] (in German) (7th ed.). Stuttgart, Germany: Motorbuch. ISBN 978-3-87943-433-6. 
  • 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 (1976). Die Ritterkreuzträger der Luftwaffe 1939–1945 Band II Stuka- und Schlachtflieger [The Knight's Cross Bearers of the Luftwaffe 1939–1945 Volume II Dive Bomber and Attack Aircraft] (in German). Mainz, Germany: Verlag Dieter Hoffmann. ISBN 978-3-87341-021-3. 
  • 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 (1998). Die Eichenlaubträger 1939–1945 Band 2: L–Z [The Oak Leaves Bearers 1939–1945 Volume 2: L–Z] (in German). Osnabrück, Germany: Biblio-Verlag. ISBN 978-3-7648-2300-9. 
Military offices
Preceded by
Major Kurt Huhn		 Commander of Sturzkampfgeschwader 77
1 April 1943 – 18 October 1943 		Succeeded by
None
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