| Wilhelm "Willy" Kientsch | |
|---|---|
| Nickname | "Willy" |
| Born | May 12, 1921 |
| Died | 29 January 1944 (aged 22) |
| Place of birth | Kißlegg |
| Place of death | Würrich |
| Allegiance |
 Nazi Germany |
| Service/branch |
 Luftwaffe |
| Years of service | 1940–1944 |
| Rank | Oberleutnant |
| Unit | JG 27 |
| Battles/wars | |
| Awards | Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves |
Wilhelm "Willy" Kientsch (12 May 1921 – 29 January 1944) was a German Luftwaffe ace and recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves during World War II. 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. He was killed on 29 January 1944 when he became disorientated in Bf 109 G6 "Yellow 3" in a low cloud cover near Würrich, Germany and struck the ground and was killed. Willy Kientsch claimed 53 victories all over the Western Front. He was posthumously awarded the Oak Leaves to his Knight's Cross on 20 July 1944.
Awards[]
- Ehrenpokal der Luftwaffe (9 August 1943)
- Front Flying Clasp of the Luftwaffe
- Iron Cross (1939)
- 2nd Class
- 1st Class
- German Cross in Gold on 16 August 1943 as Leutnant in the 6./Jagdgeschwader 27[1]
- Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves
- Knight's Cross on 22 November 1943 as Leutnant and Staffelführer of the 6./Jagdgeschwader 27[2]
- 527th Oak Leaves on 20 July 1944 as Oberleutnant and Staffelkapitän of the 6./Jagdgeschwader 27[3]
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. Norderstedt, Germany: Verlag Klaus D. Patzwall. 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.
- Spick, Mike (1996). Luftwaffe Fighter Aces. New York: Ivy Books. ISBN 0-8041-1696-2.
External links[]
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The original article can be found at Willy Kientsch and the edit history here.