Helmut Rüffler

Helmut Rüffler
Born	18 January 1918 Waldenburg
Died	21 September 2001 (aged 83) Niederkassel
Allegiance	Nazi Germany
Service/branch	Luftwaffe
Years of service	1940–45
Rank	Oberfeldwebel
Unit	JG 3 JG 51
Battles/wars	World War II Operation Barbarossa Defense of the Reich
Awards	Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross

Helmut Rüffler (18 January 1918 – 21 September 2001) 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. Helmut Rüffler was credited with 88 victories in 690 missions, a further 10 victories were claimed but not confirmed.

Awards

• Ehrenpokal der Luftwaffe (15 June 1942)^[1]
• Front Flying Clasp of the Luftwaffe
• Iron Cross (1939)
  • 2nd Class
  • 1st Class
• Wound Badge (1939)
  • in Black
• German Cross in Gold on 3 December 1942 as Feldwebel in the I./Jagdgeschwader 3^[2]
• Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross on 23 December 1942 as Oberfeldwebel and pilot in the 4./Jagdgeschwader 3 "Udet"^{[3][Note 1]}

Notes

1. According to Scherzer as pilot in the I./Jagdgeschwader 3 "Udet".^[4]

References

Citations

1. Obermaier 1989, p. 190.
2. Patzwall & Scherzer 2001, p. 390.
3. Fellgiebel 2000, p. 367.
4. Scherzer 2007, p. 644.

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 Miltaer-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