Karl-Heinz Bendert

Karl-Heinz Bendert
Born	9 September 1914 Schwiebus, Province of Brandenburg
Died	16 July 1983 (aged 68) Oldenburg
Allegiance	Nazi Germany
Service/branch	Luftwaffe
Years of service	1937-45
Rank	Oberleutnant
Unit	JG 27 JG 104
Battles/wars	World War II Battle of France Battle of Britain North African Campaign First Battle of El Alamein Second Battle of El Alamein Defense of the Reich
Awards	Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross

Karl-Heinz Bendert (9 September 1914 – 16 July 1983) was a German Luftwaffe ace and recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross during World War II. The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross was awarded to recognize extreme battlefield bravery or successful military leadership. Karl-Heinz Bendert claimed 55 victories in 610 missions. During his time with JG 27 in Africa he was involved in scandal with falsifying claims; his victories were mostly false because he would claim to have shot down enemy aircraft during missions in which other squadron members did shoot down aircraft to save face. Despite this, he was given credit to the victories. After a confrontation with his squadron leader, Gustav Roedel, who did not interfere with his Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross nomination, he did not score any more victories.

Awards

• Ehrenpokal der Luftwaffe (18 September 1942)
• Front Flying Clasp of the Luftwaffe
• Iron Cross (1939)
  • 2nd Class
  • 1st Class
• German Cross in Gold on 15 October 1942 as Oberfeldwebel in the 4./Jagdgeschwader 27^[1]
• Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross on 30 December 1942 as Oberfeldwebel and pilot in the 5./Jagdgeschwader 27^{[2][Note 1]}

Notes

1. According to Scherzer as pilot in the II./Jagdgeschwader 27.^[3]

References

Citations

1. Patzwall & Scherzer 2001, p. 35.
2. Fellgiebel 2000, p. 128.
3. Scherzer 2007, p. 214.

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.
• Spick, Mike (1996). Luftwaffe Fighter Aces. New York: Ivy Books. ISBN 978-0-8041-1696-1.

External links

• World War 2 Awards.com
• Aces of the Luftwaffe
• Ritterkreuztrager 1939-1945