Martin Moßdorf

Martin Moßdorf
Born	10 January 1916 Grimma
Died	11 January 2002 (aged 86) Munich
Allegiance	Nazi Germany
Service/branch	Luftwaffe
Years of service	1936–45
Rank	Hauptmann
Unit	StG 3
Commands held	I./StG 3
Battles/wars	World War II Annexation of the Sudetenland Invasion of Poland Battle of France Battle of Britain Invasion of Yugoslavia Battle of Greece Battle of Crete North African Campaign
Awards	Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross

Martin Moßdorf (10 January 1916 – 11 January 2002) was a highly decorated Hauptmann in the Luftwaffe during World War II and 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. During his career, he flew over 160 missions. In August 1942 he led a group of 22 Stuka attacking a convoy on his way to Malta (Operation Pedestal), but instead of attacking the freighters of the convoy he attacked HMS Indomitable (92) Video on YouTube. In November 1942, Martin Moßdorf was shot down by British P-40s, captured and held until 1947.

Awards and decorations

• Flugzeugführerabzeichen (22 July 1937)
• Front Flying Clasp of the Luftwaffe in Gold (26 June 1941)
• Ehrenpokal der Luftwaffe (4 February 1942)
• Sudetenland Medal with Prague Castle bar
• Iron Cross (1939)
  • 2nd Class (27 September 1939)
  • 1st Class (21 June 1940)
• German Cross in Gold (19 March 1942)
• Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross on 3 September 1942 as Oberleutnant and Staffelkapitän of the 3./Sturzkampfgeschwader 3^[1]
• Ärmelband Kreta
• Ärmelband Afrika

References

Citations

1. Fellgiebel 2000, p. 258.

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.
• 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

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