Otto Menges

Otto Menges
Born	9 May 1917 Bechtolsheim
Died	24 May 1944 (aged 27) Cassino, Italy
Allegiance	Nazi Germany
Service/branch	Luftwaffe
Years of service	1937–44
Rank	Leutnant
Unit	6./Fallschirmjäger-Regiment 1
Battles/wars	World War II Norwegian Campaign Battle of Crete Eastern Front Italian Campaign Battle of Monte Cassino
Awards	Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross

Otto Menges (9 May 1917 – 24 May 1944) was a highly decorated Leutnant in the Fallschirmjäger during World War II and a Oberst in the Bundeswehr. He was also 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. Otto Menges was killed in action on 24 May 1944 near Cassino, Italy. He was posthumously promoted to Leutnant and on 9 June 1944 was awarded the Knight's Cross.

Awards and Decorations

• Iron Cross (1939)
  • 2nd Class (18 April 1940)^[1]
  • 1st Class (29 June 1941)^[1]
• Ground Assault Badge of the Luftwaffe (1 October 1942)^[1]
• Wound Badge (1939)
  • in Black (20 January 1941)^[1]
  • in Silver (16 December 1943)^[1]
• Cuffband "Kreta" (20 May 1943)^[1]
• German Cross in Gold (20 March 1944)
• Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross on 9 June 1944 as Oberfeldwebel and Zugführer (platoon leader) in the 6./Fallschirmjäger-Regiment 1^[2]

References

Citations

1. Thomas & Wegmann 1986, p. 181.
2. Fellgiebel 2000, p. 252.

Bibliography

• Fellgiebel, Walther-Peer (2000). 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.
• Kurowski, Franz (1995). Knights of the Wehrmacht Knight's Cross Holders of the Fallschirmjäger. Atglen, PA: Schiffer Military. ISBN 978-0-88740-749-9.
• 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.
• Thomas, Franz; Wegmann, Günter (1986). Die Ritterkreuzträger der Deutschen Wehrmacht 1939–1945 Teil II: Fallschirmjäger [The Knight's Cross Bearers of the German Wehrmacht 1939–1945 Part II: Paratroopers] (in German). Osnabrück, Germany: Biblio-Verlag. ISBN 978-3-7648-1461-8.