Gerhard Köppen

Gerhard Köppen
Gerhard Köppen
	Gerhard Köppen
Born	17 May 1918; Holzendorf
Died	5 May 1942 (aged 23); over the Sea of Azov, Russia
Allegiance	Nazi Germany
Service/branch	Luftwaffe
Years of service	1936–42
Rank	Leutnant
Unit	JG 52
Battles/wars	World War II Operation Barbarossa;
Awards	Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves

Gerhard Köppen (17 May 1918 – 5 May 1942) was a 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. Gerhard Köppen is credited with 85 victories in 380 sorties and was posted missing in action on 5 May 1942.

Military career[]

Köppen joined the military service in 1936. His initial posting was with Kampfgeschwader 1 "Hindenburg" (KG 1—1st Bomber Wing) before he was selected for fighter pilot conversion training in 1939.^[1] He was transferred to the 7. Staffel of Jagdgeschwader 52 (JG 52—52nd Fighter Wing) in 1941. He was awarded the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross (Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes) on 18 December 1941 after 40 aerial victories, the first pilot of III. Gruppe to receive this distinction.^[2] The presentation was made by General der Flieger Kurt Pflugbeil.^[1]

Oak Leaves and death[]

Köppen claimed four aircraft shot down on 24 February 1942 and was decorated with Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves (Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes mit Eichenlaub) after 72 aerial victories on 27 February 1942. He was the second non-commissioned officer and 79th member of the Wehrmacht to be so honored. The presentation was made by Adolf Hitler, who also promoted him to Leutnant, effective as of 1 April 1942.^[1]

On 29 April, III. Gruppe had relocated to Zürichtal, a small village at the Inhul in the former German settlement west of Feodosia in the Crimea.^[3] Following combat with a Petlyakov Pe-2 on 5 May, he was posted as missing in action flying Messerschmitt Bf 109 F-4 "white 4" (Werknummer 7303—factory number) 10 km (6.2 mi) north of Ak-Monai, present-day Kam'yans'ke, near the Arabat Fortress.^[4] Köppen was last seen swimming in the Sea of Azov when Soviet boats closed in on him. Feldwebel Alfred Grislawski made a strafing attack on these boats.^[3] Köppen was officially declared dead on 30 May 1969 by a court in Dillingen. His brother Eckhardt Köppen, was killed in action on 15 January 1945. Posthumously he was awarded the Knight's Cross on 15 March 1945.^[5]

Summary of career[]

Aerial victory claims[]

According to Spick, Köppen was credited with 85 aerial victories claimed in an unknown number of combat missions. All of his victories were recorded over the Eastern Front.^[6] Matthews and Foreman, authors of Luftwaffe Aces – Biographies and Victory Claims, researched the German Federal Archives and found documentation for 85 aerial victory claims, all of which claimed on the Eastern Front.^[7]

showChronicle of aerial victories
This and the ♠ (Ace of spades) indicates those aerial victories which made Köppen an "ace-in-a-day", a term which designates a fighter pilot who has shot down five or more airplanes in a single day.
Claim	Date	Time	Type	Location	Claim	Date	Time	Type	Location
– 8. Staffel of Jagdgeschwader 52 –^[8] Operation Barbarossa — 22 June – 5 December 1941
1	24 June 1941	07:30	DB-3	vicinity of Constanța^[9]	25	2 October 1941	09:39	I-61 (MiG-3)^[10]
2	24 June 1941	07:50	DB-3	vicinity of Constanța^[9]	26	4 October 1941	12:00	R-10 (Seversky)^[10]
3	26 June 1941	05:50	DB-3	vicinity of Constanța^[11]	27	4 October 1941	12:40	R-10 (Seversky)^[10]
4	26 June 1941	05:55	DB-3	vicinity of Constanța^[11]	28	5 October 1941	16:33	R-10 (Seversky)^[12]
5	2 August 1941	05:05	I-16^[11]		29	5 October 1941	16:36	R-10 (Seversky)^[12]
6	4 August 1941	05:55	I-16^[11]		30	14 October 1941	10:10	V-11 (Il-2)^[12]
7	6 August 1941	10:30	I-15^[13]		31	23 October 1941	13:34	I-61 (MiG-3)^[12]
8	9 August 1941	05:33	SB-2^[13]		32	25 October 1941	15:20	I-61 (MiG-3)^[14]
9	9 August 1941	05:48	SB-2^[13]		33	25 October 1941	15:23	I-61 (MiG-3)^[14]
10	17 August 1941	18:54	SB-2^[13]		34	28 October 1941	06:50	Pe-2^[14]
11	17 August 1941	18:56	SB-2^[13]		35	31 October 1941	16:01	I-61 (MiG-3)	southeast of Simferopol^[15]
12	19 August 1941	05:50	MiG-3^[13]		36	8 November 1941	11:40	I-61 (MiG-3)^[15]
13	2 September 1941	12:10	V-11 (Il-2)	east of Kremenchuk^[13]	37	9 November 1941	13:52	I-18 (MiG-1)^[15]
14	2 September 1941	12:15	V-11 (Il-2)	east of Kremenchuk^[13]	38	9 November 1941	13:55	I-26 (Yak-1)^[15]
15	13 September 1941	13:00	I-153^[13]		39	16 November 1941	13:42	I-26 (Yak-1)^[16]
16	14 September 1941	17:45	I-153^[13]		40	16 November 1941	13:43	I-26 (Yak-1)^[16]
17	18 September 1941	15:30	I-16^[13]		41	23 November 1941	13:38	Il-2	southeast of Rostov^[16]
18	24 September 1941	07:43	MiG-3	2 km (1.2 mi) south of Chudovo^[13]	42	27 November 1941	12:45	I-16^[16]
19	24 September 1941	07:45	SB-2^[13]		43	29 November 1941	07:28	I-16^[16]
20	24 September 1941	09:50	SB-2^[13]		44	1 December 1941	15:03	DB-3^[16]
21	26 September 1941	13:24	R-10 (Seversky)^[13]		45	2 December 1941	08:15	I-61 (MiG-3)^[16]
22	26 September 1941	13:25	R-10 (Seversky)^[13]		46	2 December 1941	12:10	I-16^[16]
23	27 September 1941	10:38	DB-3	east of Poltava^[10]	47	5 December 1941	10:09	I-16^[16]
24	27 September 1941	15:20	DB-3	west of Poltava^[10]	48	5 December 1941	10:41	I-61 (MiG-3)^[16]
– 8. Staffel of Jagdgeschwader 52 –^[17] Eastern Front — 6 December 1941 – 28 April 1942
49	6 December 1941	08:31	I-16^[18]		61	22 December 1941	15:05	I-16^[18]
50	7 December 1941	13:52	I-16^[18]		62	22 December 1941	15:10	I-16^[18]
51	8 December 1941	09:50	I-15^[18]		63	15 February 1942	14:04	Pe-2^[19]
52	8 December 1941	09:50	I-15^[18]		64	15 February 1942	15:48	I-61 (MiG-3)^[19]
53	8 December 1941	13:10	I-16^[18]		65	15 February 1942	15:51	Il-2^[19]
54	9 December 1941	12:31	I-15^[18]		66	18 February 1942	08:50	I-26 (Yak-1)^[20]
55	9 December 1941	12:32	I-15^[18]		67	18 February 1942	08:52	I-26 (Yak-1)^[20]
56	9 December 1941	12:36	I-15^[18]		68	21 February 1942	12:32	I-16^[20]
57	9 December 1941	12:45	SB-2^[18]		69	22 February 1942	15:35	V-11 (Il-2)^[20]
58	11 December 1941	09:35	SB-3^[18]		70	22 February 1942	15:37	V-11 (Il-2)^[21]
59	11 December 1941	13:34	I-26 (Yak-1)^[18]		71	22 February 1942	15:39	I-26 (Yak-1)^[21]
60	11 December 1941	13:40	SB-2^[18]		72	22 February 1942	15:42	U-2^[21]
– 7. Staffel of Jagdgeschwader 52 –^[22] Eastern Front — 25 April – 5 May 1942
73	25 April 1942	11:40	I-16^[23]		80♠	2 May 1942	04:36	I-15^[24]
74	29 April 1942	17:55	I-153^[25]		81♠	2 May 1942	05:08	I-153^[24]
75	30 April 1942	16:45	I-61 (MiG-3)^[25]		82♠	2 May 1942	08:55	I-153^[24]
76	1 May 1942	04:30	R-5^[25]		83♠	2 May 1942	18:05	I-61 (MiG-3)^[24]
77	1 May 1942	04:31	Su-2 (Seversky)^[25]		84♠	2 May 1942	18:10	I-16^[24]
78	1 May 1942	04:34	Su-2 (Seversky)^[24]		85	5 May 1942	11:13	MiG-1^[24]
79	1 May 1942	04:58	I-61 (MiG-3)^[24]

Awards[]

Front Flying Clasp of the Luftwaffe
Iron Cross (1939)
- 2nd Class
- 1st Class
Honour Goblet of the Luftwaffe on 17 November 1941 as Feldwebel and pilot^[26]
German Cross in Gold on 15 December 1941 as Feldwebel in the 8./Jagdgeschwader 52^[27]
Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves
- Knight's Cross on 18 December 1941 as Feldwebel and pilot in the 7./Jagdgeschwader 52^[28]^{[Note 1]}
- 79th Oak Leaves on 27 February 1942 as Feldwebel and pilot in the 8./Jagdgeschwader 52^[30]^[29]
Mentioned 4 times in the Wehrmachtbericht (25 February 1942, 3 May 1942, 6 May 1942 and 9 May 1942)

Notes[]

^ According to Scherzer as pilot in the 8./Jagdgeschwader 52.^[29]

References[]

Citations[]

^ Jump up to: ^a ^b ^c Stockert 2012, p. 377.
^ Weal 2004, p. 69.
^ Jump up to: ^a ^b Barbas 2010, p. 93.
^ Prien et al. 2006, p. 566.
^ Stockert 2012, p. 378.
^ Spick 1996, p. 235.
^ Matthews & Foreman 2015, pp. 669–671.
^ Matthews & Foreman 2015, p. 669–670.
^ Jump up to: ^a ^b Prien et al. 2003, p. 68.
^ Jump up to: ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e Prien et al. 2003, p. 72.
^ Jump up to: ^a ^b ^c ^d Prien et al. 2003, p. 69.
^ Jump up to: ^a ^b ^c ^d Prien et al. 2003, p. 74.
^ Jump up to: ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f ^g ^h ⁱ ^j ^k ^l ^m ⁿ ^o ^p Prien et al. 2003, p. 70.
^ Jump up to: ^a ^b ^c Prien et al. 2003, p. 75.
^ Jump up to: ^a ^b ^c ^d Prien et al. 2003, p. 76.
^ Jump up to: ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f ^g ^h ⁱ ^j Prien et al. 2003, p. 77.
^ Matthews & Foreman 2015, pp. 670–671.
^ Jump up to: ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f ^g ^h ⁱ ^j ^k ^l ^m ⁿ Prien et al. 2005, p. 153.
^ Jump up to: ^a ^b ^c Prien et al. 2005, p. 155.
^ Jump up to: ^a ^b ^c ^d Prien et al. 2005, p. 156.
^ Jump up to: ^a ^b ^c Prien et al. 2005, p. 157.
^ Matthews & Foreman 2015, p. 671.
^ Prien et al. 2005, p. 158.
^ Jump up to: ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f ^g ^h Prien et al. 2006, p. 544.
^ Jump up to: ^a ^b ^c ^d Prien et al. 2006, p. 542.
^ Patzwall 2008, p. 122.
^ Patzwall & Scherzer 2001, p. 246.
^ Fellgiebel 2000, p. 266.
^ Jump up to: ^a ^b Scherzer 2007, p. 460.
^ Fellgiebel 2000, p. 58.

Bibliography[]

Barbas, Bernd (2010). Die Geschichte der III. Gruppe des Jagdgeschwaders 52 [The History of 3rd Group of Fighter Wing 52] (in German). Eutin, Germany: Struve-Druck. ISBN 978-3-923457-94-6.
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.
Matthews, Andrew Johannes; Foreman, John (2015). Luftwaffe Aces — Biographies and Victory Claims — Volume 2 G–L. Walton on Thames: Red Kite. ISBN 978-1-906592-19-6.
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.
Patzwall, Klaus D. (2008). Der Ehrenpokal für besondere Leistung im Luftkrieg [The Honor Goblet for Outstanding Achievement in the Air War] (in German). Norderstedt, Germany: Verlag Klaus D. Patzwall. ISBN 978-3-931533-08-3.
Prien, Jochen; Stemmer, Gerhard; Rodeike, Peter; Bock, Winfried (2003). Die Jagdfliegerverbände der Deutschen Luftwaffe 1934 bis 1945—Teil 6/II—Unternehmen "BARBAROSSA"—Einsatz im Osten—22.6. bis 5.12.1941 [The Fighter Units of the German Air Force 1934 to 1945—Part 6/II—Operation "BARBAROSSA"—Action in the East—22 June to 5 December 1941] (in German). Eutin, Germany: Struve-Druck. ISBN 978-3-923457-70-0.
Prien, Jochen; Stemmer, Gerhard; Rodeike, Peter; Bock, Winfried (2005). Die Jagdfliegerverbände der Deutschen Luftwaffe 1934 bis 1945—Teil 9/I—Winterkampf im Osten—6.12.1941 bis 30.4.1942 [The Fighter Units of the German Air Force 1934 to 1945—Part 9/I—Winter War in the East—6 December 1941 to 30 April 1942] (in German). Eutin, Germany: Struve-Druck. ISBN 978-3-923457-76-2.
Prien, Jochen; Stemmer, Gerhard; Rodeike, Peter; Bock, Winfried (2006). Die Jagdfliegerverbände der Deutschen Luftwaffe 1934 bis 1945—Teil 9/II—Vom Sommerfeldzug 1942 bis zur Niederlage von Stalingrad—1.5.1942 bis 3.2.1943 [The Fighter Units of the German Air Force 1934 to 1945—Part 9/II—From the 1942 Summer Campaign to the Defeat at Stalingrad—1 May 1942 to 3 February 1943] (in German). Eutin, Germany: Struve-Druck. ISBN 978-3-923457-77-9.
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.
Spick, Mike (1996). Luftwaffe Fighter Aces. New York: Ivy Books. ISBN 978-0-8041-1696-1.
Stockert, Peter (2012) [1996]. Die Eichenlaubträger 1939–1945 Band 1 [The Oak Leaves Bearers 1939–1945 Volume 1] (in German) (4th ed.). Bad Friedrichshall, Germany: Friedrichshaller Rundblick. ISBN 978-3-9802222-7-3.
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.
Weal, John (2004). Jagdgeschwader 52: The Experten (Aviation Elite Units). London, UK: Osprey Publishing. ISBN 978-1-84176-786-4.
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.

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[30] According to Scherzer as pilot in the 8./Jagdgeschwader 52.^[29]

[FOOTNOTEStockert2012377-1] Jump up to: ^a ^b ^c Stockert 2012, p. 377.

[FOOTNOTEWeal200469-2] Weal 2004, p. 69.

[FOOTNOTEBarbas201093-3] Jump up to: ^a ^b Barbas 2010, p. 93.

[FOOTNOTEPrienStemmerRodeikeBock2006566-4] Prien et al. 2006, p. 566.

[FOOTNOTEStockert2012378-5] Stockert 2012, p. 378.

[FOOTNOTESpick1996235-6] Spick 1996, p. 235.

[FOOTNOTEMatthewsForeman2015669–671-7] Matthews & Foreman 2015, pp. 669–671.

[FOOTNOTEMatthewsForeman2015669–670-8] Matthews & Foreman 2015, p. 669–670.

[FOOTNOTEPrienStemmerRodeikeBock200368-9] Jump up to: ^a ^b Prien et al. 2003, p. 68.

[FOOTNOTEPrienStemmerRodeikeBock200372-10] Jump up to: ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e Prien et al. 2003, p. 72.

[FOOTNOTEPrienStemmerRodeikeBock200369-11] Jump up to: ^a ^b ^c ^d Prien et al. 2003, p. 69.

[FOOTNOTEPrienStemmerRodeikeBock200374-12] Jump up to: ^a ^b ^c ^d Prien et al. 2003, p. 74.

[FOOTNOTEPrienStemmerRodeikeBock200370-13] Jump up to: ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f ^g ^h ⁱ ^j ^k ^l ^m ⁿ ^o ^p Prien et al. 2003, p. 70.

[FOOTNOTEPrienStemmerRodeikeBock200375-14] Jump up to: ^a ^b ^c Prien et al. 2003, p. 75.

[FOOTNOTEPrienStemmerRodeikeBock200376-15] Jump up to: ^a ^b ^c ^d Prien et al. 2003, p. 76.

[FOOTNOTEPrienStemmerRodeikeBock200377-16] Jump up to: ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f ^g ^h ⁱ ^j Prien et al. 2003, p. 77.

[FOOTNOTEMatthewsForeman2015670–671-17] Matthews & Foreman 2015, pp. 670–671.

[FOOTNOTEPrienStemmerRodeikeBock2005153-18] Jump up to: ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f ^g ^h ⁱ ^j ^k ^l ^m ⁿ Prien et al. 2005, p. 153.

[FOOTNOTEPrienStemmerRodeikeBock2005155-19] Jump up to: ^a ^b ^c Prien et al. 2005, p. 155.

[FOOTNOTEPrienStemmerRodeikeBock2005156-20] Jump up to: ^a ^b ^c ^d Prien et al. 2005, p. 156.

[FOOTNOTEPrienStemmerRodeikeBock2005157-21] Jump up to: ^a ^b ^c Prien et al. 2005, p. 157.

[FOOTNOTEMatthewsForeman2015671-22] Matthews & Foreman 2015, p. 671.

[FOOTNOTEPrienStemmerRodeikeBock2005158-23] Prien et al. 2005, p. 158.

[FOOTNOTEPrienStemmerRodeikeBock2006544-24] Jump up to: ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f ^g ^h Prien et al. 2006, p. 544.

[FOOTNOTEPrienStemmerRodeikeBock2006542-25] Jump up to: ^a ^b ^c ^d Prien et al. 2006, p. 542.

[FOOTNOTEPatzwall2008122-26] Patzwall 2008, p. 122.

[FOOTNOTEPatzwallScherzer2001246-27] Patzwall & Scherzer 2001, p. 246.

[FOOTNOTEFellgiebel2000266-28] Fellgiebel 2000, p. 266.

[FOOTNOTEScherzer2007460-29] Jump up to: ^a ^b Scherzer 2007, p. 460.

[FOOTNOTEFellgiebel200058-31] Fellgiebel 2000, p. 58.

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Gerhard Köppen
Gerhard Köppen
Born	17 May 1918 Holzendorf
Died	5 May 1942(1942-05-05) (aged 23) over the Sea of Azov, Russia
Allegiance	Nazi Germany
Service/branch	Luftwaffe
Years of service	1936–42
Rank	Leutnant
Unit	JG 52
Battles/wars	World War II Operation Barbarossa
Awards	Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves