Josef Kraft

Josef Kraft
Born	8 February 1921 Vienna
Died	16 October 1994 (aged 73) Fürstenfeldbruck
Allegiance	Nazi Germany
Service/branch	Luftwaffe
Years of service	1940–45
Rank	Hauptmann
Unit	NJG 4 NJG 5 NJG 6 NJG 1
Commands held	12./Nachtjagdgeschwader 1
Battles/wars	World War II Defense of the Reich
Awards	Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves

Josef Kraft (8 February 1921 – 16 October 1994) 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. 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. Kraft claimed 56 aerial victories.^{[Note 1]}

Awards

• Ehrenpokal der Luftwaffe (31 March 1944)
• Front Flying Clasp of the Luftwaffe in Gold (18 February 1945)
• Iron Cross (1939)
  • 2nd Class (1 September 1943)^[1]
  • 1st Class (5 November 1943)^[1]
• German Cross in Gold on 23 July 1944 as Oberleutnant in the 8./NJG 6^[2]
• Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves
  • Knight's Cross on 30 September 1944 as Oberleutnant and pilot in the II./NJG 6^{[3][Note 2]}
  • 838th Oak Leaves on 17 April 1945 as Hauptmann and Staffelkapitän of the 12./NJG 1^[4][5]

Notes

1. For a list of Luftwaffe night fighter aces see List of German World War II night fighter aces.
2. According to Scherzer as pilot in the 7./Nachtjagdgeschwader 6.^[4]

References

Citations

1. Thomas 1997, p. 400.
2. Patzwall & Scherzer 2001, p. 249.
3. Fellgiebel 2000, p. 271.
4. Scherzer 2007, p. 469.
5. Fellgiebel 2000, p. 102.

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.
• Obermaier, Ernst (1989). Die Ritterkreuzträger der Luftwaffe Jagdflieger 1939 – 1945 [The Knight's Cross Bearers of the Luftwaffe Fighter Force 1939 – 1945] (in German). Mainz, Germany: Verlag Dieter Hoffmann. ISBN 978-3-87341-065-7.
• 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 (1997). Die Eichenlaubträger 1939–1945 Band 1: A–K [The Oak Leaves Bearers 1939–1945 Volume 1: A–K] (in German). Osnabrück, Germany: Biblio-Verlag. ISBN 978-3-7648-2299-6.

External links

• Lexikon der Wehrmacht