Hans Thurner

Hans Thurner
Born	24 October 1918 Innsbruck, Austria
Died	11 June 1944 (aged 25) Saint-Pierre-sur-Dives, France
Buried at	La Cambe German war cemetery
Allegiance	Nazi Germany
Service/branch	Luftwaffe
Years of service	1938–44
Rank	Hauptmann
Unit	Kampfgeschwader 55 Kampfgeschwader 6
Battles/wars	World War II Operation Overlord †
Awards	Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves

Hans "Johann" Thurner (24 October 1918 – 11 June 1944) was a highly decorated Hauptmann in the Luftwaffe during World War II, and one of only 882 recipients of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves. 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. Thurner was killed on 11 June 1944, and was posthumously awarded the Oak Leaves to his Knight's Cross on 17 September 1944.

On 11 June 1944, Thurner and his crew of Junkers Ju 188 A-2 "3E+EB", observer Fahnenjunker-Unteroffizier Gustav Thäter, radio operator Unteroffizier Joachim Booch and air gunner Fahnenjunker-Feldwebel Kurt Henning, failed to return from a mission in defense against the Normandy Invasion and were initially reported as missing in action. His remains were later recovered 10 kilometers (6.2 miles) southeast of Saint-Pierre-sur-Dives. He was buried at the La Cambe war cemetery.^[1]

Awards and decorations

• Flugzeugführerabzeichen
• Front Flying Clasp of the Luftwaffe
• Iron Cross (1939)
  • 2nd Class (18 September 1940)^[2]
  • 1st Class (30 September 1940)^[2]
• Ehrenpokal der Luftwaffe (22 April 1941)
• German Cross in Gold on 16 August 1943 as Oberleutnant in the Stab II./Kampfgeschwader 55^[3]
• Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves
  • Knight's Cross on 6 August 1941 as Leutnant and pilot in III./Kampfgeschwader 55^[4]
  • 587th Oak Leaves on 17 September 1944 as Hauptmann and Gruppenkommandeur of the I./Kampfgeschwader 6^[5]

References

Citations

1. Kaiser 2010, p. 72.
2. Thomas 1998, p. 380.
3. Patzwall & Scherzer 2001, p. 476.
4. Fellgiebel 2000, p. 343.
5. Fellgiebel 2000, p. 75.

Bibliography

• Fellgiebel, Walther-Peer (2000) [1986]. Die Träger des Ritterkreuzes des Eisernen Kreuzes 1939–1945 — Die Inhaber der höchsten Auszeichnung des Zweiten Weltkrieges aller Wehrmachtteile [The Bearers of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross 1939–1945 — The Owners of the Highest Award of the Second World War of all Wehrmacht Branches] (in German). Friedberg, Germany: Podzun-Pallas. ISBN 978-3-7909-0284-6.
• Kaiser, Jochen (2010). Die Ritterkreuzträger der Kampfflieger—Band 1 [The Knight's Cross Bearers of the Bomber Fliers—Volume 1] (in German and English). Bad Zwischenahn, Germany: Luftfahrtverlag-Start. ISBN 978-3-941437-07-4.
• Patzwall, Klaus D.; Scherzer, Veit (2001). Das Deutsche Kreuz 1941 – 1945 Geschichte und Inhaber Band II [The German Cross 1941 – 1945 History and Recipients Volume 2] (in German). Norderstedt, Germany: Verlag Klaus D. Patzwall. ISBN 978-3-931533-45-8.
• 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 [The Knight's Cross Bearers 1939–1945 The Holders of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross 1939 by Army, Air Force, Navy, Waffen-SS, Volkssturm and Allied Forces with Germany According to the Documents of the Federal Archives] (in German). Jena, Germany: Scherzers Militaer-Verlag. ISBN 978-3-938845-17-2.
• Thomas, Franz (1998). Die Eichenlaubträger 1939–1945 Band 2: L–Z [The Oak Leaves Bearers 1939–1945 Volume 2: L–Z] (in German). Osnabrück, Germany: Biblio-Verlag. ISBN 978-3-7648-2300-9.