Ernst Kupfer: Difference between revisions
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==Carreer== |
==Carreer== |
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On 1 October 1928, Kupfer joined the military, serving with the Bavarian Cavalry Regiment 17, 5th Escadron. From 1 May 1936 to 3 March 1937, he returned to university in preparation for his ''[[Dr. jur.]]'' degree (Doctor of Law), which he attained on 4 March 1937.<ref name="Obermaier p46">Obermaier 1976, p. 46.</ref>{{sfn|Brütting|1992|p=103}} |
On 1 October 1928, Kupfer joined the military, serving with the Bavarian Cavalry Regiment 17, 5th Escadron. From 1 May 1936 to 3 March 1937, he returned to university in preparation for his ''[[Dr. jur.]]'' degree (Doctor of Law), which he attained on 4 March 1937.<ref name="Obermaier p46">Obermaier 1976, p. 46.</ref>{{sfn|Brütting|1992|p=103}} |
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Kupfer participated in the [[Battle of Crete]] and was instrumental in the sinking of the British cruiser {{HMS|Gloucester|62|6}}. While operating against [[Kronstadt]], he scored a {{convert|1000|kg|lb|abbr=on}} bomb hit on the Soviet battleship [[Soviet battleship Oktyabrskaya Revolutsiya|''Oktyabrskaya Revolutsiya'']]. |
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Kupfer was appointed acting ''[[Geschwaderkommodore]]'' (Wing Commander) of [[Sturzkampfgeschwader 2]] "Immelmann" (StG 2—2nd Dive-Bomber Wing) on 13 February 1943. He led StG 2 in the battles of the [[Kuban bridgehead]] and [[Operation Citadel]]. In April and May, several other fighter and ground attack groups augmented his command. Following the failure of Operation Citadel in July 1943, he took command of all local ground attack units, named ''Gefechtsverband'' "Kupfer" (Combat Detachment "Kupfer").<ref name="Obermaier p46"/> He flew 636 combat missions and was shot down three times, all by ground fire. |
Kupfer was appointed acting ''[[Geschwaderkommodore]]'' (Wing Commander) of [[Sturzkampfgeschwader 2]] "Immelmann" (StG 2—2nd Dive-Bomber Wing) on 13 February 1943. He led StG 2 in the battles of the [[Kuban bridgehead]] and [[Operation Citadel]]. In April and May, several other fighter and ground attack groups augmented his command. Following the failure of Operation Citadel in July 1943, he took command of all local ground attack units, named ''Gefechtsverband'' "Kupfer" (Combat Detachment "Kupfer").<ref name="Obermaier p46"/> He flew 636 combat missions and was shot down three times, all by ground fire. |
Revision as of 01:56, 9 March 2017
This article needs additional citations for verification. (November 2016) |
Ernst Kupfer | |
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Born | Coburg | 2 July 1907
Died | 6 November 1943 60 km (37 mi) north of Thessaloniki, Greece | (aged 36)
Allegiance | ![]() ![]() |
Service/ | Army Luftwaffe |
Years of service | 1928–43 |
Rank | Oberst |
Commands held | StG 2 |
Battles/wars | World War II |
Awards | Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves and Swords (posthumous) |
Ernst Kupfer (2 July 1907 – 6 November 1943) was a ground-attack pilot in the Luftwaffe of Nazi Germany during World War II who commanded a wing (StG 2) of Stuka aircraft. He was a recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves and Swords.
Carreer
On 1 October 1928, Kupfer joined the military, serving with the Bavarian Cavalry Regiment 17, 5th Escadron. From 1 May 1936 to 3 March 1937, he returned to university in preparation for his Dr. jur. degree (Doctor of Law), which he attained on 4 March 1937.[1][2]
Kupfer was appointed acting Geschwaderkommodore (Wing Commander) of Sturzkampfgeschwader 2 "Immelmann" (StG 2—2nd Dive-Bomber Wing) on 13 February 1943. He led StG 2 in the battles of the Kuban bridgehead and Operation Citadel. In April and May, several other fighter and ground attack groups augmented his command. Following the failure of Operation Citadel in July 1943, he took command of all local ground attack units, named Gefechtsverband "Kupfer" (Combat Detachment "Kupfer").[1] He flew 636 combat missions and was shot down three times, all by ground fire.
In September 1943, Kupfer was appointed inspector of the attack aircraft (General der Schlachtflieger) and promoted to Oberstleutnant (lieutenant colonel). In this role he handled the procurement of the Focke Wulf Fw-190, which was to replace the old obsolete Junkers Ju 87 and especially the Henschel Hs 123. For this purpose he flew and visited a number of Schlachtgeschwader (ground attack wings) to meet with the various Geschwaderkommodore (wing commanders). He visited Oberstleutnant Kurt Kuhlmey, commander of Schlachtgeschwader 3, in early November 1943 and was killed when his Heinkel He 111 crashed returning to his base in bad weather on 6 November 1943. His body lay undiscovered until 17 November.[3] He received a posthumous promotion to Oberst (Colonel) and was posthumously awarded the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves and Swords.
Awards
- German Cross in Gold on 15 October 1942 as Major in the II./StG 2[4]
- Iron Cross (1939) 2nd and 1st class
- Ehrenpokal der Luftwaffe on 14 October 1942 as Hauptmann and Staffelkapitän[5]
- Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves and Swords
- Knight's Cross on 23 November 1941 as Hauptmann and Staffelkapitän of the 7./StG 2 "Immelmann"[6][7]
- 173rd Oak Leaves on 8 January 1943 as Major and Gruppenkommandeur of the II./StG 2 "Immelmann"[6][8]
- 62nd Swords on 11 April 1944 (posthumous) as Oberst and former Geschwaderkommodore of StG 2 "Immelmann"[6][9]
References
Citations
Bibliography
- Brütting, Georg (1992) [1976]. Das waren die deutschen Stuka-Asse 1939 – 1945 (in German) (7th ed.). Stuttgart, Germany: Motorbuch. ISBN 978-3-87943-433-6.
{{cite book}}
: Invalid|ref=harv
(help); Unknown parameter|trans_title=
ignored (|trans-title=
suggested) (help) - Fellgiebel, Walther-Peer (2000) [1986]. Die Träger des Ritterkreuzes des Eisernen Kreuzes 1939–1945 — Die Inhaber der höchsten Auszeichnung des Zweiten Weltkrieges aller Wehrmachtteile (in German). Friedberg, Germany: Podzun-Pallas. ISBN 978-3-7909-0284-6.
{{cite book}}
: Unknown parameter|trans_title=
ignored (|trans-title=
suggested) (help) - Griehl, Manfred (2001). Junker Ju 87 Stuka. London/Stuttgart: Airlife Publishing/Motorbuch. ISBN 1-84037-198-6.
- Obermaier, Ernst (1976). Die Ritterkreuzträger der Luftwaffe 1939–1945 Band II Stuka- und Schlachtflieger (in German). Mainz, Germany: Verlag Dieter Hoffmann. ISBN 978-3-87341-021-3.
{{cite book}}
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ignored (|trans-title=
suggested) (help) - Patzwall, Klaus D.; Scherzer, Veit (2001). Das Deutsche Kreuz 1941 – 1945 Geschichte und Inhaber Band II (in German). Norderstedt, Germany: Verlag Klaus D. Patzwall. ISBN 978-3-931533-45-8.
{{cite book}}
: Unknown parameter|trans_title=
ignored (|trans-title=
suggested) (help) - Patzwall, Klaus D. (2008). Der Ehrenpokal für besondere Leistung im Luftkrieg (in German). Norderstedt, Germany: Verlag Klaus D. Patzwall. ISBN 978-3-931533-08-3.
{{cite book}}
: Unknown parameter|trans_title=
ignored (|trans-title=
suggested) (help) - 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 Militaer-Verlag. ISBN 978-3-938845-17-2.
{{cite book}}
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ignored (|trans-title=
suggested) (help) - Thomas, Franz (1997). Die Eichenlaubträger 1939–1945 Band 1: A–K (in German). Osnabrück, Germany: Biblio-Verlag. ISBN 978-3-7648-2299-6.
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Template:KCwithOLandSW Template:Knight's Cross recipients of SxG 2
- 1907 births
- 1943 deaths
- Heidelberg University alumni
- German World War II pilots
- Luftwaffe pilots
- Recipients of the Gold German Cross
- Recipients of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves and Swords
- German military personnel killed in World War II
- Aviators killed in aviation accidents or incidents
- Victims of aviation accidents or incidents in Greece