Wilhelm Beier

Wilhelm Beier
Born	18 November 1913 Homberg
Died	12 July 1977 (aged 63) Moers
Allegiance	Nazi Germany
Service/branch	Luftwaffe
Years of service	?–1945
Rank	Oberleutnant
Unit	NJG 2 NJG 1
Battles/wars	World War II Defense of the Reich
Awards	Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross

Wilhelm Beier (18 November 1913 – 12 July 1977) was a Luftwaffe night fighter 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. Beier claimed 38 aerial victories, all of them at night.^{[Notes 1]}

Awards

• Front Flying Clasp of the Luftwaffe
• Iron Cross (1939)
  • 2nd Class
  • 1st Class
• German Cross in Gold on 19 September 1942 as Oberfeldwebel in the 3./NJG 2^[1]
• Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross on 19 September 1943 as Oberfeldwebel and Flugzeugführer (pilot) in the 3./NJG 2^[2]
• Mentioned in the Wehrmachtbericht

Reference in the Wehrmachtbericht

Date	Original German Wehrmachtbericht wording	Direct English translation
Thursday, 23 April 1942	Oberfeldwebel Gildner erzielte in der Nacht zum 23. April seinen 30. und Oberfeldwebel Beier seinen 15. Nachtjagdsieg.[3]	Oberfeldwebel Gildner reached in the night to 23 April his 30th and Oberfeldwebel Beier his 15th nocturnal aerial victory.

Notes

1. For a list of Luftwaffe night fighter aces see List of German World War II night fighter aces.

References

Citations

1. Patzwall & Scherzer 2001, p. 34.
2. Fellgiebel 2000, p. 109.
3. Die Wehrmachtberichte 1939-1945 Band 2, p. 94.

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.
• Die Wehrmachtberichte 1939–1945 Band 2, 1. Januar 1942 bis 31. Dezember 1943 [The Wehrmacht Reports 1939–1945 Volume 2, 1 January 1942 to 31 December 1943] (in German). München, Germany: Deutscher Taschenbuch Verlag GmbH & Co. KG. 1985. ISBN 978-3-423-05944-2.

External links

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