Karl Gratz

Karl Gratz
Karl Gratz
Born	24 January 1919(1919-01-24) Wiener Neustadt
Died	14 March 2002(2002-03-14) (aged 83) Leck
Allegiance	Nazi Germany (to 1945) West Germany
Service/branch	Luftwaffe (Wehrmacht) Luftwaffe (Bundeswehr)
Years of service	1936–1945, –1970
Rank	Leutnant (Wehrmacht} Oberstleutnant (Bundeswehr)
Unit	JG 52
Battles/wars	World War II Eastern Front Western Front
Awards	Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross

Karl Gratz (24 January 1919 – 14 March 2002) was an Austrian born Luftwaffe fighter ace and recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross (German: Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes) during World War II. The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross was awarded to recognise extreme battlefield bravery or successful military leadership. Gratz flew more than 900 missions, scoring 138 aerial victories, of which 17 were scored on the Western Front.

Career

"Charlie" Gratz was posted in autumn 1941 to 8./Jagdgeschwader 52 (JG 52—8th squadron of the 52nd fighter wing) in Russia, claiming his first air victory in February 1942. During the summer months Unteroffizier Gratz claimed some 54 victories and received the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross. By late 1942 29 more victories had been claimed. After a spell instructing, Gratz was posted in March 1943 to II./Jagdgeschwader 2 "Richthofen" (JG 2—2nd group of the 2nd fighter wing) on the English channel front. Gratz claimed 17 air victories in the west. In March 1944 Gratz returned to JG 52, and in January 1945 became Staffelkapitän, 10./JG 52. In the last weeks of the war Gratz was particularly successful and claimed 18 victories. After the surrender he was delivered by US military to the Soviet authorities and remained in captivity until 1949.

In around 900 operations, Gratz claimed 138 victories, including 17 in the West of which 3 of them were United States Army Air Forces (USAAF) four engined bombers.

Post-war, his military service in the Bundeswehr saw him promoted to Oberstleutnant.

Awards

• Iron Cross (1939) 2nd and 1st Class
• Ehrenpokal der Luftwaffe (8 June 1942)
• German Cross in Gold on 8 June 1943 as Feldwebel in the 8./JG 52
• Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross on 1 July 1942 as Unteroffizier and pilot in the 8./JG 52

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. Ivy Books. ISBN 0-8041-1696-2.

External links

• "Karl Gratz" (in German). Jagdgeschwader 52 — Traditionsgemeinschaft Jagdgeschwader 52 e.V.. http://www.jg52.de/gb-gratz.htm. Retrieved 15 September 2011.