Wolfgang Ewald

Wolfgang Ewald
Born	26 March 1911 Hamburg
Died	24 February 1995 (aged 83) Leonberg
Allegiance	Nazi Germany (to 1945)  West Germany
Service/branch	Heer (?–1935) Luftwaffe (1935–45)
Years of service	1935–45 1956–?
Rank	Major (Wehrmacht) Oberstleutnant (Bundeswehr)
Unit	Condor Legion JG 3 JG 52
Commands held	I./JG 52 III./JG 3
Battles/wars	Spanish Civil War World War II Invasion of Poland Battle of the Netherlands Battle of Belgium Battle of France Battle of Britain Battle of the Caucasus Battle of Kursk
Awards	Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross

Wolfgang Ewald (26 March 1911 – 24 February 1995) 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 recognise extreme battlefield bravery or successful military leadership.

One of the most enduring actions Ewald took part in was a strafing attack on RAF Manston during the Battle of Britain. The attack took place on 18 August 1940, known as The Hardest Day. Three fighters were destroyed, and six were damaged in the attack. Wolfgang Ewald was shot down by Soviet flak in July 1943 during the Battle of Kursk. He was taken prisoner and was held until 1949. During his career was credited with 78 aerial victories, 1 in the Spanish Civil War, 1 on the Western Front and 76 on the Eastern Front.

Awards

• Aviator badge
• Front Flying Clasp of the Luftwaffe
• Ehrenpokal der Luftwaffe (21 September 1942)
• Iron Cross (1939)
  • 2nd Class
  • 1st Class
• German Cross in Gold on 3 October 1942 as Hauptmann in the III./Jagdgeschwader 3^[1]
• Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross on 9 December 1942 as Major and Gruppenkommandeur of the III./Jagdgeschwader 3 "Udet"^[2]

References

Citations

1. Patzwall & Scherzer 2001, p. 107.
2. Fellgiebel 2000, p. 148.

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. and Scherzer, Veit (2001). Das Deutsche Kreuz 1941–1945 Geschichte und Inhaber Band II. Norderstedt, Germany: Verlag Klaus D. Patzwall. ISBN 3-931533-45-X.
• 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

• Luftwaffe 1939–1945 History
• World War 2 Awards.com