Franz-Josef Beerenbrock
| Franz-Josef Beerenbrock | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Born |
9 April 1920 Datteln, Germany |
| Died |
13 December 2004 (aged 84) Olfen, Germany |
| Allegiance |
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| Service/ | Luftwaffe |
| Years of service | 1938–45 |
| Rank | Leutnant |
| Unit | JG 51 |
| Battles/wars | Eastern Front |
| Awards | Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves |
Franz-Josef Beerenbrock (9 April 1920 – 13 December 2004) was a German fighter pilot during World War II. He was a recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves. Beerenbrock was credited with 117 aerial victories in approximately 400 combat missions, all on the Eastern Front. In November 1942 he became a prisoner of war for the rest of the war.
Beerenbrock joined a flak artillery unit on 1 October 1938 and in 1939 was trained as a pilot. In March 1941, Beerenbrock was transferred to 12./Jagdgeschwader 51 (JG 51). He achieved his first aerial victory on 24 June 1941. On 1 August 1942 he claimed nine more victories and reached his 100th aerial victory often flying as wingman of Karl-Gottfried Nordmann. He was the 15th Luftwaffe pilot to achieve the century mark.[1] At that point he was the most successful fighter pilot of JG 51. He was awarded the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves.
Beerenbrock was credited with 117 victories in approximately 400 missions, all on the Eastern Front. He was shot down over Soviet-held territory on 9 November 1942 and was taken prisoner of war. Beerenbrock returned to West Germany in mid-December 1949. In 1955 he joined the air force in the Bundeswehr.
Awards
- Iron Cross (1939) 2nd Class (3 July 1941) & 1st Class (18 July 1941)[2]
- German Cross in Gold on 17 June 1942 as Feldwebel in the IV./Jagdgeschwader 51[3]
- Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves
- Knight's Cross on 6 October 1941 as Unteroffizier and pilot in the 10./Jagdgeschwader 51[4]
- Oak Leaves on 3 August 1942 as Oberfeldwebel and pilot in the 10./Jagdgeschwader 51 "Mölders"[4]
References
Citations
Bibliography
- Bergstrom, Christer. Red Star – Black Cross: Russian and German Fighter Pilots in Combat 1941–1945
- 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 Militaer-Verlag. ISBN 978-3-938845-17-2.
- Thomas, Franz (1997). Die Eichenlaubträger 1939–1945 Band 1: A–K [The Oak Leaves Bearers 1939–1945 Volume 1: A–K] (in German). Osnabrück, Germany: Biblio-Verlag. ISBN 978-3-7648-2299-6.