Waldemar Radener | |
---|---|
Born | January 24, 1921 |
Died | 8 January 1957 | (aged 35)
Place of birth | Lüchtringen |
Place of death | Schongau |
Allegiance |
Nazi Germany (to 1945) West Germany |
Service/branch |
Luftwaffe (Wehrmacht) Luftwaffe (Bundeswehr) |
Years of service |
?–1945 1956–1957 |
Rank |
Oberleutnant (Wehrmacht) Hauptmann (Bundeswehr) |
Unit |
JG 26 JG 300 |
Commands held |
II./JG 26 II./JG 300 |
Battles/wars | |
Awards | Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross |
Waldemar Radener[Note 1] (24 January 1921 – 8 January 1957) was a German Luftwaffe ace and recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross (German language: Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes) during World War II. The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross was awarded to recognise extreme battlefield bravery or successful military leadership.
Career[]
Radener was born on 24 January 1921 at Lüchtrigen and as a Leutnant joined 4 staffel, Jagdgeschwader 26 "Schlageter" (JG 26) in February 1943 following completion of training. Radener claimed his first victory, an Royal Air Force (RAF) Spitfire, on 3 May 1943 and two United States Army Air Forces (USAAF) P-47 Thunderbolt's near Arnhem on 30 July. Radener was appointed Staffelkapitän (squadron leader) of 6 staffel, JG 26 in August. Radener shot down a P-47 on 11 January 1944 to record his 10th claim, and was awarded the German Cross in Gold on 16 April. On 11 May Radener downed a B-24 Liberator bomber but then accidentally rammed a second in his Focke-Wulf Fw 190 A-8. He baled out with minor injuries. Radener was again shot down by USAAF P-51 Mustang fighters on 15 June and suffered injuries on landing keeping him hospitalised until the end of the month. In September 1944 Oberleutnant Radener was re-appointed Staffelkapitän, 7./JG 26, and by the end of 1944 had 23 credited victories. Radener was then made Gruppenkommandeur (group commander) of II./JG 26 in January 1945, and in February 1945 transferred to command II./Jagdgeschwader 300 (JG 300). Radener was awarded the Ritterkreuz in March 1945 and survived the war. He joined the Bundesluftwaffe but was killed in a flying accident on 8 January 1957 near Schongau.
Radener was credited with 37 victories and 14 unconfirmed victories, all recorded over the Western front. These included 12 heavy bombers (10 USAAF, 2 RAF) with another six unconfirmed.
Awards[]
- Flugzeugführerabzeichen
- Front Flying Clasp of the Luftwaffe
- Iron Cross (1939)
- 2nd Class
- 1st Class
- German Cross in Gold on 16 April 1944 as Leutnant in the 7./Jagdgeschwader 26[2]
- Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross on 12 March 1945 as Oberleutnant and Gruppenkommandeur of the II./Jagdgeschwader 26 "Schlageter"[3]
Notes[]
References[]
- Citations
- Bibliography
- Fellgiebel, Walther-Peer (2000). Die Träger des Ritterkreuzes des Eisernen Kreuzes 1939–1945. Friedburg, Germany: Podzun-Pallas. ISBN 3-7909-0284-5.
- Obermaier, Ernst (1989). Die Ritterkreuzträger der Luftwaffe Jagdflieger 1939–1945 (in German). Mainz, Germany: Verlag Dieter Hoffmann. ISBN 3-87341-065-6.
- Patzwall, Klaus D. and Scherzer, Veit (2001). Das Deutsche Kreuz 1941–1945 Geschichte und Inhaber Band II (in German). Norderstedt, Germany: Verlag Klaus D. Patzwall (in German). ISBN 3-931533-45-X.
- 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 (in German). Jena, Germany: Scherzers Miltaer-Verlag. ISBN 978-3-938845-17-2.
External links[]
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The original article can be found at Waldemar Radener and the edit history here.