Heinz Ewald

Heinz Ewald
Born (1922-09-01)1 September 1922
Zoppot, Free City of Danzig (now Sopot, Poland)
Died 14 March 2002(2002-03-14) (aged 79)
Coburg, Germany
Allegiance  Nazi Germany
Service/branch  Luftwaffe
Years of service 1939–45
Rank Leutnant
Unit JG 52, JG 106
Commands held 7./JG 52
Battles/wars

World War II

Awards Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross

Heinz "Esau" Ewald (1 September 1922 – 14 March 2002) was a German Luftwaffe 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.

Heinz Ewald was credited with 84 victories in 395 combat missions.

Career

On 1 December 1941 Ewald volunteered for military service. After his pilot training, which included flight training with the Fliegerausbildungsregiment 23 in Kaufbeuren, he was posted, in the fall of 1943, to 6./JG 52 on the Eastern Front and was soon one of the best young pilots of his group. He accompanied Gerhard Barkhorn (301 victories), on over 100 missions as a wingman. On his fourth sortie, and on his first enemy encounter, he shot down his first opponent on 11 December 1943. He was awarded the Iron Cross 2nd Class, on 8 January 1944; the Iron Cross 1st Class on 7 March. He was promoted to leutnant on 1 May, and he received the Ehrenpokal der Luftwaffe on 25 May.

On 24 June 1944 he was shot down and wounded in Romania, but saved by the parachute. In October, he returned to the front in Hungary, where he received the German Cross in gold on 30 November. On 1 March 1945 he was shot down by his own anti-aircraft guns. Fortunately, he was rescued unscathed. On 3 April his engine was hit while carrying out low-level attacks on Russian positions. He made a forced landing between the lines. He achieved his last victory (a Yak-9), on 16 April. Four days later he was awarded the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross.

Heinz Ewald reached 84 victories in 395 combat missions, 82 (plus 15 unconfirmed), on the Eastern Front, including 14 Il-2 Sturmoviks. He was held as a Prisoner of War at Fürstenfeldbruck Lager from 8 May until 22 June 1945.

Awards

References

Citations

  1. ↑ Patzwall & Scherzer 2001, p. 107.
  2. ↑ Fellgiebel 2000, p. 176.
  3. ↑ Scherzer 2007, p. 300.

Bibliography

  • Esau, Heinz Ewald, als Jagdflieger im Erfolgreichsten Jagdgeschwader 1943-1945, 2.Auflage, Heinz Ewald (Eigenverlag)
  • 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 Militaer-Verlag. ISBN 978-3-938845-17-2. 

External links

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