Otto Weßling

Otto Weßling
Born	23 September 1913 Bad Harzburg
Died	Eschwege
Allegiance	Nazi Germany
Service/branch	Luftwaffe
Years of service	1937–44
Rank	Hauptmann of the Reserves
Unit	JG 3, EJGr Ost
Battles/wars	World War II Battle of France Operation Barbarossa Italian Campaign Defense of the Reich †
Awards	Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves

Otto Weßling (23 September 1913 – 19 April 1944) was a German Luftwaffe ace and recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves during World War II. The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross and its higher grade Oak Leaves was awarded to recognise extreme battlefield bravery or successful military leadership. Otto Weßling claimed 83 victories, in 500 missions. He was shot down by a P-51 Mustang near Kassel on 19 April 1944. He managed to crash-land his damaged Messerschmitt Bf 109 and was killed by a strafing P-51. On 20 July 1944 he was posthumously promoted to Hauptmann der Reserves and received the Oak Leaves to his Knight's Cross.

Awards

• Front Flying Clasp of the Luftwaffe
• Iron Cross (1939)
  • 2nd Class (22 June 1940)
  • 1st Class (1 July 1940)
• Wound Badge (1939)
  • in Black
• German Cross in Gold on 11 May 1942 as Oberfeldwebel in the 9./Jagdgeschwader 3
• Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves
  • Knight's Cross on 3 September 1942 as Oberfeldwebel and pilot in the 9./Jagdgeschwader 3 "Udet"
  • 530th Oak Leaves on 20 July 1944 as Oberleutnant and Staffelkapitän of the 11./Jagdgeschwader 3 "Udet"

References

Bibliography

• Weal, John (2012). Bf 109 Defence of the Reich Aces. Oxford, UK: Osprey Publishing. ISBN 978-1-78096-349-5.

External links

• Lexikon der Wehrmacht
• Aces of the Luftwaffe
• World War 2 Awards.com