Wilhelm Meyn

Wilhelm Meyn
Born	3 June 1923 Hamburg
Died	4 May 2002 (aged 78) Hoppstädten-Weiersbach
Allegiance	Nazi Germany  West Germany
Service/branch	Luftwaffe
Years of service	1940–45 1956–79
Rank	Oberleutnant (Wehrmacht) Generalmajor (Bundeswehr)
Unit	StG 3 SG 3 Jagdgeschwader 72 "Westfalen" Jagdbombergeschwader 31 "Boelcke"
Commands held	Jagdgeschwader 72 "Westfalen" Jagdbombergeschwader 31 "Boelcke"
Battles/wars	World War II Battle of Kursk Kerch–Eltigen Operation Crimean Offensive Courland Pocket Defense of the Reich
Awards	Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross

Wilhelm Meyn (3 June 1923 – 4 May 2002) was a highly decorated Oberleutnant 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 721 missions and was credited with 26 aerial victories.^{[Notes 1]} Wilhelm Meyn was captured by British troops in May 1945 and was released a few months later. In 1956 he joined the Bundeswehr and rose to the rank of Generalmajor, retiring in 1979.

Awards and decorations

• Flugzeugführerabzeichen
• Front Flying Clasp of the Luftwaffe in Gold with Pennant "700"
• Iron Cross (1939)
  • 2nd Class
  • 1st Class
• German Cross in Gold on 28 January 1944 as Leutnant in the III./Sturzkampfgeschwader 3^[1]
• Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross on 24 October 1944 as Leutnant and Staffelführer of the 9./Schlachtgeschwader 3^[2]

Notes

1. For a list of Luftwaffe ground attack aces see List of German World War II Ground Attack aces

References

Citations

1. Patzwall & Scherzer 2001, p. 309.
2. Fellgiebel 2000, p. 254.

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

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