Wilhelm Schmitter

Wilhelm Schmitter
Born	18 December 1913 Rheydt
Died	8 November 1943 (aged 29) Missing in action over London
Allegiance	Nazi Germany
Service/branch	Luftwaffe
Years of service	1936–43
Rank	Major
Unit	Kampfgeschwader 40 Kampfgeschwader 2
Battles/wars	World War II Invasion of Poland Battle of France Battle of Britain
Awards	Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves

Wilhelm Schmitter (18 December 1913 – 8 November 1943) was a German Luftwaffe bomber pilot 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. On 8 November 1943, Wilhelm Schmitter was declared missing in action after failing to return from a mission over London. He was posthumously awarded the Oak Leaves to his Knight's Cross on 24 March 1944.

Awards

• Flugzeugführerabzeichen
• Front Flying Clasp of the Luftwaffe in Gold
• Ehrenpokal der Luftwaffe (5 January 1942)
• Iron Cross (1939)
  • 2nd Class (16 May 1940)^[1]
  • 1st Class (3 January 1941)^[1]
• Wound Badge (1939)
  • in Black
• German Cross in Gold on 18 May 1941 as Oberleutnant in the II./Kampfgeschwader 40^[2]
• Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves
  • Knight's Cross on 19 September 1942 as Oberleutnant and pilot in the II./Kampfgeschwader 2^[3]
  • 432nd Oak Leaves on 24 March 1944 as Major and Staffelkapitän of the 15./Kampfgeschwader 2^[4]

References

Citations

1. Thomas 1998, p. 272.
2. Patzwall & Scherzer 2001, p. 416.
3. Fellgiebel 2000, p. 311.
4. Fellgiebel 2000, p. 69.

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.
• 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.

External links

• World War 2 Awards.com
• Lexikon der Wehrmacht