Josef Kociok (26 April 1918 – 26 September 1943) was a German Luftwaffe pilot during World War II and a recipient of the

Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross (german: Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes), or simply the Knight's Cross (), and its variants, were the highest awards in the military and paramilitary forces of Nazi Germany during World War II. The Knight' ...

of Nazi Germany. He was killed in an air collision.

Aerial victory claims

Kociok was credited with 33 aerial victories on the Eastern Front, 21 of which were by night, claimed in 200 combat missions. His shooting down three Polikarpov Po-2s of the famed 46th Guards Night Bomber Aviation Regiment, nicknamed the "Night Witches", Nachthexen, on the night of 31 July 1943, resulted in the entire regiment being grounded for the first time. For this feat, he was nicknamed Hexenjäger, or "Witch Hunter".

Awards

* Iron Cross (1939) 2nd and 1st Class * Honour Goblet of the ''Luftwaffe'' (''Ehrenpokal der Luftwaffe'') on 1 June 1942 as '' Unteroffizier'' and pilot * German Cross in Gold on 2 December 1942 as '' Feldwebel'' in the 4./Zerstörergeschwader 1 *

on 31 July 1943 as '' Oberfeldwebel'' and pilot in the 10.(NJ)/Zerstörergeschwader 1

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* * * * * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Kociok, Josef 1918 births 1943 deaths People from Opole County People from the Province of Silesia Luftwaffe personnel killed in World War II German World War II flying aces Luftwaffe pilots Recipients of the Gold German Cross Recipients of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross