Klaus Bretschneider
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Klaus Bretschneider | |
|---|---|
| Born | 4 May 1920 |
| Died | 24 December 1944 (aged 24) |
| Cause of death | Killed in action |
| Allegiance |  Nazi Germany |
| Branch |  Luftwaffe |
| Service years | ?–1944 |
| Rank | Oberleutnant (first lieutenant) |
| Unit | JG 300 |
| Conflicts | World War II |
| Awards | Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross |
Klaus Bretschneider (4 May 1920 – 24 December 1944) was a German Luftwaffe ace and recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross (Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes) during World War II. The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross, and its variants were the highest awards in the military and paramilitary forces of Nazi Germany during World War II.
Defense of the Reich
Bretschneider was born on 4 May 1920 in Berlin-Steglitz, at the capital of the Weimar Republic.[1] He was posted into the newly raised Jagdgeschwader 300 (JG 300—300th Fighter Wing) in July 1943. There he was posted to 6. Staffel, flying "Wilde Sau" single-seat night fighter missions. Bretschneider claimed his first aerial victory on the night of 27/28 August 1943. That night, the Royal Air Force (RAF) Bomber Command attacked Nürnberg. At 01:55, Bretschneider shot down a Short Stirling bomber east of Nürnberg. The destruction of the bomber was also claimed by anti-aircraft artillery unit but the destruction was later credited to Bretschneider.[2] On the night of 5/6 September, Bomber Command sent 605 heavy bombers on a mission to bomb Mannheim. In total, 512 bombers hit Mannheim for the loss of 36 bombers destroyed. Defending against this attack, Bretschneider claimed a Avro Lancaster destroyed which was shared with an anti-aircraft artillery unit. He then attacked a second bomber, setting the wing on fire.[3]
By April 1944 he had 14 night victories.
On 28 May 1944, Reichsmarschall Hermann Göring ordered JG 300 to convert from its night fighter role to the day flying, flying missions in defense of the Reich.[4] At the time, the Sturmgruppe was based at Dortmund Airfield. On 7 June, they relocated to Merzhausen and before reaching Frankfurt Airfield on 12 June. Three days later, the Sturmgruppe moved again, this time to Unterschlauersbach, present-day part of Großhabersdorf.[5]
On 7 July, a force of 1,129 B-17 Flying Fortresses and B-24 Liberators of the United States Army Air Forces (USAAF) Eighth Air Force set out from England to bomb aircraft factories in the Leipzig area and the synthetic oil plants at Boehlen, Leuna-Merseburg and Lützkendorf. This formation was intercepted by a German Gefechtsverband (combat formation) consisting of IV. Sturmgruppe of JG 3, led by Hauptmann Wilhelm Moritz, escorted by two Gruppen of Messerschmitt Bf 109s from JG 300 led by Major Walther Dahl. Dahl and Moritz drove the attack to point-blank range behind the Liberators of the 492d Bombardment Group before opening fire. 492d Bombardment Group was temporarily without fighter cover. Within about a minute the entire squadron of twelve B-24s had been annihilated. The Germans claimed 28 USAAF 2nd Air Division B-24s that day and were credited with at least 21. The majority to the Sturmgruppe attack.[6] In this encounter, also known as the Luftschlacht bei Oschersleben (aerial battle at Oschersleben), Bretschneider claimed a B-24 bombers shot down near Calbe.[7]
Squadron leader and death
On 19 July 1944, Bretschneider was appointed Staffelkapitän (squadron leader) of 5. Staffel of JG 300. He succeeded Hauptmann Rudolf Scharfenberg who had been killed in action the day before.[8] By this time JG 300 were employed in a more conventional day fighter role, intercepting USAAF four-engined bombers.
On 7 October 1944 he downed two bombers in one attack and then rammed a third. He bailed out safely. On 18 November 1944 he received the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross for 31 victories.
On 24 December 1944, Bretschneider was killed in action whilst leading II.(Sturm)/JG 300 in attacking four-engined bombers over Kassel. His Focke-Wulf Fw 190 A-8/R2 (Werknummer 682204—factory number) crashed near Hausen, part of Oberaula.[9] He was probably shot down by a North American P-51 Mustang of the 357th Fighter Group.[10] Command of 5. Staffel was then passed on to Leutnant Norbert Graziadei.[11]
