Wilfried Herling

Wilfried Herling
Born	7 June 1920 Dortmund-Hörde
Died	28 November 1943 (aged 23) airfield near Apostolove
Allegiance	Nazi Germany
Service/branch	Luftwaffe
Rank	Hauptmann (posthumous)
Unit	Sturzkampfgeschwader 2
Awards	Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross

Wilfried Herling was killed on 28 November 1943, when straffed on take-off by 15 IAP Yak 1s led by Kpt Leontiy.^{[1][Note 1]} Herling died 28 November 1943 near the Bolsh-Kostromka-Nord airfield, when the returning unit was jumped by enemy fighters, and the Ju 87 of RK Holder Lt Hans Krumminga was hit by German flak and rammed Herling's aircraft. Both aircraft crashed and burned, killing both crews. He flew 700 combat missions, destroying 26 tanks, 10 AA guns, 21 Field guns, 6 supply and 2 armored trains plus additional shipping damage.

Awards

• German Cross in Gold on 21 August 1942 as Leutnant in the 8./Sturzkampfgeschwader 2^[2]
• Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross on 4 March 1943 as Staffelführer of the 7./Sturzkampfgeschwader 2 "Immelmann"

Notes

1. IAP—Istrebitelny Aviatsionny Polk (Fighter Aviation Regiment—Истребительный Авиационный Полк)

References

Citations

1. Bergstrom 2008, p. 30.
2. Patzwall & Scherzer 2001, p. 180.

Bibliography

• Bergström, Christer (2008). Bagration to Berlin—The Final Air Battles in the East: 1944–1945. Burgess Hill: Classic Publications. ISBN 978-1-90322-391-8.
• Brütting, Georg (1992) [1976]. Das waren die deutschen Stuka-Asse 1939 – 1945 [These were the German Stuka Aces 1939 – 1945] (in German) (7th ed.). Stuttgart, Germany: Motorbuch. ISBN 978-3-87943-433-6.
• 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.
• Obermaier, Ernst (1976). Die Ritterkreuzträger der Luftwaffe 1939–1945 Band II Stuka- und Schlachtflieger [The Knight's Cross Bearers of the Luftwaffe 1939–1945 Volume II Dive Bomber and Attack Aircraft] (in German). Mainz, Germany: Verlag Dieter Hoffmann. ISBN 978-3-87341-021-3.