Heinz-Günter Amelung

Heinz-Günter Amelung
Born 9 April 1917
Magdeburg
Died 26 December 1964(1964-12-26) (aged 47)
Munich
Allegiance  Nazi Germany (to 1945)
 West Germany
Service/branch Kriegsmarine (1935–36)
Luftwaffe (Wehrmacht)
(1937–45)
Luftwaffe (Bundeswehr) (1956–64)
Years of service 1935–45
1956–64
Rank Major (Wehrmacht)
Oberstleutnant (Bundeswehr)
Unit StG 77
Battles/wars

World War II

Awards Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross

Heinz-Günter Amelung (9 April 1917 – 26 December 1964) was a highly decorated Major in the Luftwaffe during World War II and an Oberstleutnant in the Bundeswehr. He was also a recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross. The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross was awarded to recognise extreme battlefield bravery or successful military leadership. Heinz-Günter Amelung died on 26 December 1964, while serving in the Bundeswehr.

Career

Heinz-Günter Amelung was born on 9 April 1917 in Magdeburg. He joined the Naval Academy at Mürwik in 1935 and transferred to the Luftwaffe in 1936.[1]

Amelung participated in the Invasion of Poland and in the Battle of Belgium as a pilot in the 6./Sturzkampfgeschwader 77 (6./StG 77−6 squadron of the 77th Ground Attack Wing). He was appointed Staffelkapitän (squadron leader) of the 5./StG 77 in August 1940, at the time holding the rank of Oberleutnant. With this Staffel he fought in the Balkans Campaign and Operation Barbarossa, the German invasion of the Soviet Union in 1941, until July 1942. In this timeframe he was credited with the destruction of six bridges, 27 tanks, 16 field guns and 12 anti-aircraft gun batteries as well as several freighters, supply ships, monitors and patrol boats.[2]

Amelung was promoted to Hauptmann on 1 February 1942. He served as StG 77 Ia (operations officer) from 5 July 1942 before he was appointed Wolfram Freiherr von Richthofen's escort officer in the IV. Fliegerkorps. By the end of the war he logged 320 combat missions, all on the Junkers Ju 87.[2] After the war he joined the military service of the Bundeswehr in 1956. He was promoted to Oberstleutnant in 1959 and died of myocardial infarction on 26 December 1964.[1]

Awards and decorations

References

Citations

  1. 1 2 Brütting 1992, p. 182.
  2. 1 2 Obermaier 1976, p. 81.
  3. ↑ Patzwall & Scherzer 2001, p. 14.
  4. ↑ Fellgiebel 2000, p. 99.

Bibliography

  • Brütting, Georg (1992) [1976]. Das waren die deutschen Stuka-Asse 1939 – 1945 [These were the German Stuka Aces 1939 – 1945] (in German) (7th ed.). Stuttgart, Germany: Motorbuch. ISBN 978-3-87943-433-6. 
  • 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 (1976). Die Ritterkreuzträger der Luftwaffe 1939–1945 Band II Stuka- und Schlachtflieger [The Knight's Cross Bearers of the Luftwaffe 1939–1945 Volume II Dive Bomber and Attack Aircraft] (in German). Mainz, Germany: Verlag Dieter Hoffmann. ISBN 978-3-87341-021-3. 
  • 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 Miltaer-Verlag. ISBN 978-3-938845-17-2. 

External links

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