Heinz Kemethmüller

Heinz Kemethmüller (26 June 1914 – 20 February 1984) was a Luftwaffe ace and recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross during World War II. The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross was awarded to recognise extreme battlefield bravery or successful military leadership.

Heinz Kemethmüller
Born26 June 1914
Nuremberg
Died20 February 1984(1984-02-20) (aged 69)
Bonn
Allegiance Nazi Germany
Service/branchBalkenkreuz (Iron Cross) Luftwaffe
Years of service?–1945
RankOberleutnant
UnitJG 3
Battles/warsWorld War II
AwardsKnight's Cross of the Iron Cross

Career

Kemethmüller was born on 26 June 1914 in Nurnberg.

He initially served as a Feldwebel on the Eastern Front with 8./Jagdgeschwader 3 (JG 3—3rd Fighter Wing), and received the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross on 2 October 1942. He then transferred to Jagdgeschwader 26 (JG 26—26th Fighter Wing), serving with and 7., 9. & 4./JG 26.

On 4 February 1943 Kemethmüller was wounded in combat with Spitfires IXs of No. 331 Squadron RAF, his Focke-Wulf Fw 190 A-4 being badly damaged.

He was shot down and badly wounded on 4 November 1944.

During his career Heinz Kemethmüller flew 463 missions, and was credited with 89 aerial victories, 71 on the Eastern Front (including 20 2-engined bombers and 26 Ilyushin Il-2 Stormovik Soviet ground attack aircraft) He also claimed 18 over the Western Front, including three USAAF heavy bombers and 7 P-47 fighters shot down.

He died 20 February 1984 in Bonn.

Summary of career

Aerial victory claims

According to US historian David T. Zabecki, Kemethmüller was credited with 89 aerial victories.[1] Spick also lists Kemethmüller with 89 aerial victories claimed in 463 combat missions. This figure includes 70 claims on the Eastern Front and 19 over the Western Allies, including three four-engined bombers.[2]

Awards

Notes
  1. According to Scherzer as pilot in the III./Jagdgeschwader 3 "Udet".[5]

References

Citations
  1. Zabecki 2014, p. 1614.
  2. Spick 1996, p. 235.
  3. Patzwall & Scherzer 2001, p. 224.
  4. Fellgiebel 2000, p. =253.
  5. Scherzer 2007, p. 436.

Bibliography
  • Fellgiebel, Walther-Peer [in German] (2000) [1986]. Die Träger des Ritterkreuzes des Eisernen Kreuzes 1939–1945 — Die Inhaber der höchsten Auszeichnung des Zweiten Weltkrieges aller Wehrmachtteile [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] (in German). Friedberg, Germany: Podzun-Pallas. ISBN 978-3-7909-0284-6.
  • Obermaier, Ernst (1989). Die Ritterkreuzträger der Luftwaffe Jagdflieger 1939 – 1945 [The Knight's Cross Bearers of the Luftwaffe Fighter Force 1939 – 1945] (in German). Mainz, Germany: Verlag Dieter Hoffmann. ISBN 978-3-87341-065-7.
  • Patzwall, Klaus D.; Scherzer, Veit (2001). Das Deutsche Kreuz 1941 – 1945 Geschichte und Inhaber Band II [The German Cross 1941 – 1945 History and Recipients Volume 2] (in German). Norderstedt, Germany: Verlag Klaus D. Patzwall. ISBN 978-3-931533-45-8.
  • 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 [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] (in German). Jena, Germany: Scherzers Militaer-Verlag. ISBN 978-3-938845-17-2.
  • Spick, Mike (1996). Luftwaffe Fighter Aces. New York: Ivy Books. ISBN 978-0-8041-1696-1.
  • Zabecki, David T., ed. (2014). Germany at War: 400 Years of Military History. Santa Barbara, California: ABC-Clio. ISBN 978-1-59884-981-3.
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