Otto Menges

Otto Menges
Born	(1917-05-09)9 May 1917 Bechtolsheim
Died	24 May 1944(1944-05-24) (aged 27) Cassino, Italy
Allegiance	Nazi Germany
Service / branch	Luftwaffe
Years of service	1937–44
Rank	Leutnant
Unit	6./Fallschirmjäger-Regiment 1
Battles / wars	World War II Norwegian Campaign Battle of Crete Eastern Front Italian Campaign Battle of Monte Cassino
Awards	Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross

Otto Menges (9 May 1917 – 24 May 1944) was a highly decorated Leutnant in the Fallschirmjäger during World War II and a Oberst in the Bundeswehr. 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. Otto Menges was killed in action on 24 May 1944 near Cassino, Italy. He was posthumously promoted to Leutnant and on 9 June 1944 was awarded the Knight's Cross.

Awards and Decorations

• Iron Cross (1939)
  • 2nd Class (18 April 1940)
  • 1st Class (29 June 1941)
• Ground Assault Badge of the Luftwaffe (1 October 1942)
• Wound Badge (1939)
  • in Black (20 January 1941)
  • in Silver (16 December 1943)
• Cuffband "Kreta" (20 May 1943)
• German Cross in Gold (20 March 1944)
• Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross on 9 June 1944 as Oberfeldwebel and Zugführer (platoon leader) in the 6./Fallschirmjäger-Regiment 1

References

Bibliography

• Fellgiebel, Walther-Peer (2000). 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)
• Kurowski, Franz (1995). Knights of the Wehrmacht Knight's Cross Holders of the Fallschirmjäger. Atglen, PA: Schiffer Military. ISBN 978-0-88740-749-9.
• 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. {{cite book}}: Unknown parameter |trans_title= ignored (|trans-title= suggested) (help)
• Thomas, Franz; Wegmann, Günter (1986). Die Ritterkreuzträger der Deutschen Wehrmacht 1939–1945 Teil II: Fallschirmjäger (in German). Osnabrück, Germany: Biblio-Verlag. ISBN 978-3-7648-1461-8. {{cite book}}: Unknown parameter |trans_title= ignored (|trans-title= suggested) (help)

External links

• Das-Ritterkreuz.de