| Wilhelm "Willi" Stähler | |
|---|---|
| Nickname | "Willi" |
| Born | September 23, 1923 |
| Died | 27 August 1978 (aged 65) |
| Place of birth | Cologne |
| Place of death | Essen |
| Allegiance |
 Nazi Germany |
| Service/branch | Luftwaffe |
| Years of service | 1942–1945 |
| Rank | Oberleutnant |
| Unit |
StG 2 SG 2 |
| Battles/wars | |
| Awards | Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves |
Heinrich Wilhelm "Willi" Stähler (23 September 1923 – 27 August 1978) was a highly decorated Oberleutnant 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 flew 1100 missions.[Notes 1]
Awards and decorations
- Flugzeugführerabzeichen
- Front Flying Clasp of the Luftwaffe in Gold with Pennant "1100"
- Iron Cross (1939)
- German Cross in Gold on 12 December 1943 as Leutnant in the 9./Sturzkampfgeschwader 2[2]
- Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves
- Knight's Cross on 20 July 1944 as Leutnant and Staffelkapitän of the 7./Schlachtgeschwader 2 "Immelmann"[3]
- 812th Oak Leaves on 28 March 1945 as Oberleutnant and Staffelkapitän of the 7./Schlachtgeschwader 2 "Immelmann"[4]
Notes
- ↑ For a list of Luftwaffe ground attack aces see List of German World War II Ground Attack aces
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 (1976). Die Ritterkreuzträger der Luftwaffe 1939-1945 Band II Stuka- und Schlachtflieger (in German). Mainz, Germany: Verlag Dieter Hoffmann. ISBN 3-87341-021-4.
- 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). 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.
- Thomas, Franz (1998). Die Eichenlaubträger 1939–1945 Band 2: L–Z (in German). Osnabrück, Germany: Biblio-Verlag. ISBN 3-7648-2300-3.
External links
| Sturzkampfgeschwader 2 |
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|---|---|---|
| Schlachtgeschwader 2 |
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