Helmut Bruck (16 February 1913 – 25 August 2001) was a German pilot during

World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...

. He was a recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves of

Nazi Germany Nazi Germany (lit. "National Socialist State"), ' (lit. "Nazi State") for short; also ' (lit. "National Socialist Germany") (officially known as the German Reich from 1933 until 1943, and the Greater German Reich from 1943 to 1945) was ...

. During his career he flew 973 missions.

Awards and decorations

Iron Cross The Iron Cross (german: link=no, Eisernes Kreuz, , abbreviated EK) was a military decoration in the Kingdom of Prussia, and later in the German Empire (1871–1918) and Nazi Germany (1933–1945). King Frederick William III of Prussia est ...

(1939) 2nd Class (13 September 1939) & 1st Class (21 May 1940)Thomas 1997, p. 85. * German Cross in Gold on 20 October 1942 as '' Hauptmann'' in the I./Sturzkampfgeschwader 77 * Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves ** Knight's Cross on 4 September 1941 as ''Hauptmann'' and '' Staffelkapitän'' in the 1./Sturzkampfgeschwader 77 ** Oak Leaves on 19 February 1943 as ''Hauptmann'' and ''

Gruppenkommandeur ''Gruppenkommandeur'' is a Luftwaffe position (not rank), that is the equivalent of a commander of a group or wing in other air forces. A ''Gruppenkommandeur'' usually has the rank of Major or ''Oberstleutnant'' (Lieutenant Colonel), and commands ...

'' of the I./Sturzkampfgeschwader 77Fellgiebel 2000, p. 58.

References

Citations

Bibliography

* * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Bruck, Helmut 1913 births 2001 deaths People from Bolesławiec County Military personnel from the Province of Silesia Luftwaffe pilots German World War II pilots Recipients of the Gold German Cross Recipients of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves German prisoners of war in World War II