Otto Weßling

Otto Weßling (23 September 1913 – 19 April 1944) was a Luftwaffe 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. Otto Weßling claimed 83 victories, in 500 missions. He was shot down by a P-51 Mustang near Kassel on 19 April 1944. He managed to crash-land his damaged Messerschmitt Bf 109 and was killed by a strafing P-51.[1] On 20 July 1944 he was posthumously promoted to Hauptmann der Reserves and received the Oak Leaves to his Knight's Cross.

Otto Weßling
Born	23 September 1913 Bad Harzburg
Died	19 April 1944 (aged 30) Eschwege
Allegiance	Nazi Germany
Service/branch	Luftwaffe
Years of service	1937–44
Rank	Hauptmann of the Reserves
Unit	JG 3, EJGr Ost
Battles/wars	World War II Battle of France Operation Barbarossa Italian Campaign Defense of the Reich †
Awards	Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves

Awards

• Front Flying Clasp of the Luftwaffe
• Iron Cross (1939)
  • 2nd Class (22 June 1940)[2]
  • 1st Class (1 July 1940)[2]
• Wound Badge (1939)
  • in Black
• German Cross in Gold on 11 May 1942 as Oberfeldwebel in the 9./Jagdgeschwader 3[3]
• Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves
  • Knight's Cross on 3 September 1942 as Oberfeldwebel and pilot in the 9./Jagdgeschwader 3 "Udet"[4][Note 1]
  • 530th Oak Leaves on 20 July 1944 as Oberleutnant and Staffelkapitän of the 11./Jagdgeschwader 3 "Udet"[6]

References

Citations

1. Weal 2012, p. 71.
2. Thomas 1998, p. 440.
3. Patzwall & Scherzer 2001, p. 509.
4. Fellgiebel 2000, p. 444.
5. Scherzer 2007, p. 781.
6. Fellgiebel 2000, p. 85.

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.
• 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.
• Weal, John (2012). Bf 109 Defence of the Reich Aces. Oxford, UK: Osprey Publishing. ISBN 978-1-78096-349-5.

Notes

1. According to Scherzer on 4 September 1942 as pilot in the 1./Jagdgeschwader 3 "Udet".[5]