Martin Becker

Martin Becker
Born	12 April 1916 Wiesbaden
Died	8 February 2006(2006-02-08) (aged 89) Oberneisen
Allegiance	Nazi Germany
Service/branch	Luftwaffe
Years of service	1940–1945
Rank	Hauptmann
Unit	NJG 4, NJG 6
Commands held	IV./NJG 6
Battles/wars	World War II
Awards	Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves

Martin Becker (12 April 1916 – 8 February 2006) 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. Becker claimed 58 aerial victories. 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.

Early life

Becker was born on 12 April 1916 at Wiesbaden in Hesse. In 1940 he was posted to a reconnaissance unit.

Career

In early 1943 Becker transferred to the Nachtjagd, being posted to 11 staffel, NJG 4. On 1 August 11./NJG 4 became 2./NJG 6.

Becker scored his first victory on the night of 22–23 September 1943. In October 1943 Becker was promoted to Staffelkapitän, 2./NJG 6. He shot down three bombers on the night of 20–21 December. His career thereafter featured a series of multiple victory claims. Four victories were claimed on 19–20 February 1944 and six on 22–23 March (13-18). On 30–31 March 1944, the RAF raided Nuremberg. Becker and his crew shot down three Lancaster and three Halifax bombers in the area of Wetzlar and Fulda. Returning to base they shot down another Halifax over Luxemburg.

Becker was awarded the Ritterkreuz on 20 April 1944 for 26 victories. Three bombers were shot down on 26–27 April and 27–28 April. On the night of 28–29 July four more were claimed and on the night of 25–26 August Becker claimed a further three to take his total to 41.

Becker was made Gruppenkommandeur of IV./NJG 6 in October 1944.

On the night of 21–22 February 1945 he shot down another three bombers. Becker’s crowning achievement, and a Nachtjagd record, was on 14–15 March 1945, when he claimed 8 Lancasters of 5 Group and one B-17 Fortress III (HB802 "BU-O") from No. 214 (SD) Squadron flying an attack on Lutzkendorf. This tally included three shot down by crewman Lt. Karl-Ludwig Johanssen with his MG-131 rearward facing machine gun. Becker recorded his last (58th) victory on 16–17 March.

Hauptmann Martin Becker received the Oak Leaves to the Knight's Cross on 20 March 1945.

Awards

• Ehrenpokal der Luftwaffe (15 May 1944)
• Iron Cross (1939)
  • 2nd Class (15 June 1940)
  • 1st Class (19 July 1940)
• German Cross in Gold on 25 May 1944 as Oberleutnant in the 2./Nachtjagdgeschwader 6
• Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves
  • Knight's Cross on 1 April 1944 as Oberleutnant in the IV./Nachtjagdgeschwader 6
  • 792nd Oak Leaves on 20 March 1945 as Hauptmann as Kommandeur IV. / Nachtjagdgeschwader 6
• Mentioned twice in the Wehrmachtbericht (23 March 1944 and 31 March 1944)

References

Citations

Bibliography

• Fellgiebel, Walther-Peer (2000). Die Träger des Ritterkreuzes des Eisernen Kreuzes 1939–1945 (in German). Friedburg, Germany: Podzun-Pallas. ISBN 3-7909-0284-5.
• Fellgiebel, Walther-Peer (2003). Elite of the Third Reich:The Recipients of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross 1939–1945: An Illustrated Reference. Helion and Company Limited. ISBN 1874622469.
• Patzwall, Klaus D. and Scherzer, Veit (2001). Das Deutsche Kreuz 1941–1945 Geschichte und Inhaber Band II (in German). Norderstedt, Germany: Verlag Klaus D. Patzwall (in German). ISBN 3-931533-45-X.
• Scherzer, Veit (2007). 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.

External links

• World War 2 Awards.com
• Ritterkreuztraeger 1939–1945