Adolf Dickfeld

Adolf Dickfeld
Adolf Dickfeld
Born	(1910-02-20)20 February 1910
Died	17 May 2009(2009-05-17) (aged 99)
Place of birth	Jüterbog in Brandenburg
Place of death	Dreieich in Hesse
Allegiance	Nazi Germany
Service/branch	Luftwaffe
Years of service	1937 – 1945
Rank	Oberst
Unit	JG 52, JG 2, JG 11
Commands held	II./JG 11
Battles/wars	World War II Battle of France Battle of Britain Mediterranean Theatre North African campaign Eastern Front
Awards	Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves

Oberst Adolf Dickfeld (20 February 1910 – 17 May 2009) was a German World War II Luftwaffe 136 victories Flying ace. A flying ace or fighter ace is a military aviator credited with shooting down five or more enemy aircraft during aerial combat. He was also a recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves (German language: Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes mit Eichenlaub). 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.

Career

Fw 190 A-4 of II./JG 2, flown by group commander Dickfeld, Tunisia 1943

Adolf Dickfeld was officially credited with 136 victories claimed in 1072 combat missions. He also claimed a further 15 enemy aircraft unconfirmed. In 1943 he was placed in a staff position as General für Nachwuchs (general of procreation/recruitment)^{[citation needed]} of the Luftwaffe in the Reich Air Ministry and at the same time became Reich inspector of the Flieger (Aviation) Hitler Youth. He claimed about 128 victories over the Eastern front. He claimed one victory flying the Heinkel He 162 Salamander ("Volksjäger") jet fighter, a P-47 Thunderbolt on 11 April 1945.

Dickfeld continued to fly professionally in Germany and East Africa. He died on 17 May 2009 in Dreieich.

Awards

• Iron Cross (1939)
  • 2nd Class (13 December 1939)
  • 1st Class (12 January 1940)
• Ehrenpokal der Luftwaffe (15 December 1941)
• German Cross in Gold on 22 January 1942 as Leutnant of the Reserves in the 7./JG 52
• Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves
  • Knight's Cross on 19 March 1942 as Leutnant (war officer) and pilot in the 7./JG 52
  • 94th Oak Leaves on 19 May 1942 as Leutnant (war officer) and pilot in the 7./JG 52
• Royal Bulgarian Merit medal in Gold
• Mentioned in the Wehrmachtbericht

Wehrmachtbericht reference

Date	Original German Wehrmachtbericht wording	Direct English translation
Friday, 15 May 1942	In den gestrigen Luftkämpfen an der Ostfront errang Leutnant Graf seinen 98. bis 104., Leutnant Dickfeld seinen 82. bis 90. Luftsieg. || Leutnant Graf achieved his 98th to 104th, Leutnant Dickfeld his 82nd to 90th aerial victories in yesterday's aerial combat on the Eastern front.

References

Citations

Bibliography

• Dickfeld, Adolf (2005). Die Fährte des Jägers Kriegerlebnisse eines Jagdfliegers (in German). Schnellbach, Germany: Verlag Siegfried Bublies. ISBN 3-926584-37-8.
• Fellgiebel, Walther-Peer (2000) (in German). Die Träger des Ritterkreuzes des Eisernen Kreuzes 1939–1945 – Die Inhaber der höchsten Auszeichnung des Zweiten Weltkrieges aller Wehrmachtsteile [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]. Friedburg, Germany: Podzun-Pallas. ISBN 978-3-7909-0284-6. 
• MacLean, French L (2007). Luftwaffe Efficiency & Promotion Reports: For the Knight's Cross Winners. Atglen, Pennsylvania: Schiffer Military History. ISBN 978-0-7643-2657-8. 
• Obermaier, Ernst (1989) (in German). Die Ritterkreuzträger der Luftwaffe Jagdflieger 1939 – 1945 [The Knight's Cross Bearers of the Luftwaffe Fighter Force 1941 – 1945]. Mainz, Germany: Verlag Dieter Hoffmann. ISBN 978-3-87341-065-7. 
• Patzwall, Klaus D.; Scherzer, Veit (2001) (in German). Das Deutsche Kreuz 1941 – 1945 Geschichte und Inhaber Band II [The German Cross 1941 – 1945 History and Recipients Volume 2]. Norderstedt, Germany: Verlag Klaus D. Patzwall. ISBN 978-3-931533-45-8. 
• Scherzer, Veit (2007) (in German). 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]. Jena, Germany: Scherzers Miltaer-Verlag. ISBN 978-3-938845-17-2. 
• Spick, Mike (1996). Luftwaffe Fighter Aces. New York: Ivy Books. ISBN 978-0-8041-1696-1. 
• Thomas, Franz (1997) (in German). Die Eichenlaubträger 1939–1945 Band 1: A–K [The Oak Leaves Bearers 1939–1945 Volume 1: A–K]. Osnabrück, Germany: Biblio-Verlag. ISBN 978-3-7648-2299-6. 
• Die Wehrmachtberichte 1939-1945 Band 2, 1. Januar 1942 bis 31. Dezember 1943 (in German). München: Deutscher Taschenbuch Verlag GmbH & Co. KG, 1985. ISBN 3-423-05944-3.

External links

• Adolf Dickfeld in the German National Library catalogue
• "Aces of the Luftwaffe". Adolf Dickfeld. http://www.luftwaffe.cz/dickfeld.html. Retrieved 13 May 2007. 
• "World War 2 Awards". Adolf Dickfeld. http://www.ww2awards.com/person/22511. Retrieved 17 November 2010. 
• "Hohlspiegel" (in Germany). Der Spiegel 10/1952. http://www.spiegel.de/spiegel/print/d-21318181.html. Retrieved 16 February 2013.