August Geiger (pilot)

August Geiger
Born	6 May 1920 Überlingen
Died	29 September 1943(1943-09-29) (aged 23) over Zuiderzee, Netherlands
Buried at	Ysselsteyn, Netherlands (Block M-row 4-grave 83)
Allegiance	Nazi Germany
Service/branch	Luftwaffe
Years of service	1939–1943
Rank	Hauptmann
Unit	NJG 1
Battles/wars	World War II Defense of the Reich
Awards	Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves

August Geiger (6 May 1920 – 29 September 1943) was a German Luftwaffe night fighter 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.

Career

Geiger was born on 6 May 1920 in Überlingen, near Lake Constance. Geiger joined the Luftwaffe in late 1939 and was posted in mid-1941 as Leutnant to 8./NJG 1. Geiger's first two claims were a Wellington and a Whitley on 26 June 1942. By the start of 1943 Geiger had ten victories and been awarded the Iron Cross First Class.

In early 1943 Geiger was promoted to Oberleutnant and transferred to a 7./NJG 1, becoming Staffelkapitän in May 1943, with some 40 confirmed victories.

On 29 September 1943 he was shot down by the Beaufighter VI of W/C Robert ‘Bob’ Braham of No. 141 Squadron over the Zuiderzee, Netherlands. Gieger managed to bale out of his Bf-110 G but was drowned when his parachute dragged him under.

He was posthumously awarded the Oak Leaves to his Knight's Cross on 2 March 1944.

In 328 combat missions, Geiger claimed 53 aerial victories, all of them at night.

Awards

• Flugzeugführerabzeichen
• Ehrenpokal der Luftwaffe (19 October 1942)
• Front Flying Clasp of the Luftwaffe in Gold
• Iron Cross (1939)
  • 2nd Class
  • 1st Class
• German Cross in Gold (31 August 1943)
• Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves
  • Knight's Cross on 22 May 1943 as Oberleutnant and Staffelkapitän of the 7./Nachtjagdgeschwader 1
  • 416th Oak Leaves on 2 March 1944 as Hauptmann and Gruppenkommandeur of the III./Nachtjagdgeschwader 1

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.
• Scherzer, Veit (2007). Die Ritterkreuzträger 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

• World War 2 Awards.com
• Lexikon der Wehrmacht
• Ritterkreuztraeger 1939-1945
• Luftwaffe 39-45