Friedrich Körner

Friedrich Körner (24 January 1921 – 3 September 1998) was a World War II Luftwaffe Flying ace. He was also a recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross. The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross was awarded to recognise extreme battlefield bravery or successful military leadership. Körner was credited with 36 victories in over 250 missions.[1] All of his victories were scored whilst flying the Messerschmitt Bf 109.

Friedrich Körner
Born	24 January 1921 Schwerte, Province of Westphalia
Died	3 September 1998 (aged 77) Paris, France
Allegiance	Nazi Germany (to 1945)  West Germany
Service/branch	Luftwaffe  German Air Force
Years of service	1939–45 1956–79
Rank	Oberleutnant Brigadegeneral (Bundeswehr)
Unit	JG 27
Battles/wars	World War II North African Campaign
Awards	Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross

Military career

Körner joined the Luftwaffe on 15 November 1939 and after completion of his pilot training joined II./Jagdgeschwader 27 (JG 27) in North Africa on 4 July 1941. Körner scored his first victory on 19 March 1942 over Tobruk. In June 1942 he scored 20 kills, three on the 26 June, Körner's most successful day. On 4 July 1942, a year to the day of his arrival, he was shot down whilst scrambling to intercept a Royal Air Force (RAF) bomber formation over the front line in Bf 109 F-4/Trop (Werknummer 8696—factory number) "Red 11". Körner was captured and sent to a prisoner of war camp in Canada, and released in 1947.

After the war

Körner joined the West German Air Force in 1955. He retired from military service on 30 June 1979, having reached the rank of Brigadegeneral. Körner lived in Paris until his death on 3 September 1998.

Awards

• Iron Cross (1939) 2nd and 1st Class
• German Cross in Gold on 21 August 1942 as Leutnant in the I./Jagdgeschwader 27[2]
• Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross on 6 September 1942 as Leutnant and pilot in the I./Jagdgeschwader 27.[3]

References

Citations

1. Weal 2003, p. 84.
2. Patzwall & Scherzer 2001, p. 247.
3. Scherzer 2007, p. 461.

Bibliography

• 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.
• Scutts, Jerry. Bf 109 Aces of North Africa and the Mediterranean. London: Osprey Publishing, 1994. ISBN 1-85532-448-2.
• Weal, John (2003). Jagdgeschwader 27 'Afrika'. Oxford: Osprey. ISBN 1-84176-538-4.