Theo Osterkamp

Theodor "Theo" Osterkamp (15 April 1892 – 2 January 1975) was a German fighter pilot during World War I and World War II. A flying ace, he achieved 32 victories in World War I. In World War II, he led ''Jagdgeschwader'' 51 up to the Battle of Britain and claimed a further five victories during World War II, in the process becoming one of only a few men to score victories and become an ace in both world wars.

Early life and World War I

Osterkamp was born in Rölsdorf near Düren, West Germany, and grew up in Aschersleben, modern day Saxony-Anhalt. He was born in 1892 as the second son of the factory owner Hermann Osterkamp and Anna Wilhelmine née Blank. Osterkamp received his ''Abitur'' from the ''Gymnasium'' in Dessau. His schoolmates in Dessau included the future pilots Oswald Boelcke and Gotthard Sachsenberg.

When the First World War started he was studying forestry but decided to enlist in the German Army. He was rejected for service due to his "slight build" and he instead enlisted in the ''Marinefliegerkorps'' in August 1914. He then flew with the ''2. Marine-Fliegerabteilung'' in Flanders. During 1915–1916, he served as an air observer, and became the first German pilot to fly a land-based aircraft to England on a reconnaissance-mission. Osterkamp claimed his first (but unconfirmed) kill on 6 September 1916 as an observer to pilot ''Leutnant zur See'' Wilhelm Mattheus in a LVG C.II two-seater aircraft. In March 1917, he joined the ''Kampffliegerschule'' (Combat pilot school) in Putzig and then joined ''Marine Feld Jagdstaffel 1'' on the 14th of April 1917 On 21 March 1917, ''Leutnant'' Osterkamp took command of ''Marine Feld Jagdstaffel 2'' He scored a total of 32 victories during the war, and was awarded the Prussian military order ''Pour le Mérite'' on 2 September 1918, and was one of the last individuals to receive it.

Interwar years

Osterkamp joined the new ''Luftwaffe'' on 1 August 1933 with the rank of ''Hauptmann''. He also participated in the second, third and fourth FAI International Tourist Plane Contest Challenge 1930 (11th place), Challenge 1932 (12th place) and Challenge 1934 (5th place). On 1 April 1935, Osterkamp was appointed ''Staffelkapitän'' (squadron leader) of 4. '' Staffel'' (4th squadron) of ''Jagdgeschwader'' 132 "Richthofen" (JG 132—132nd Fighter Wing), the first commander of this newly created ''Staffel''. On 15 March 1936, Osterkamp transferred command of 4. ''Staffel'' to ''Hauptmann'' Clemens Graf von Schönborn-Wiesentheid. Osterkamp was then appointed ''Gruppenkommandeur'' (group commander) of II. '' Gruppe'' of ''Jagdgeschwader'' 134 "Horst Wessel" (JG 134—134th Fighter Wing). He held this position until November 1937 when he was transferred to the ''Jagdfliegerschule Werneuchen'', later (JFS 1).

World War II

World War II in Europe began on Friday 1 September 1939 when German forces invaded Poland. On 19 September, ''Oberst'' Osterkamp was appointed ''Geschwaderkommodore'' of Jagdgeschwader 51 (JG 51—51st Fighter Wing). During the Battle of France, he claimed four victories. During the ''Kanalkampf'' period of the Battle of Britain in July 1940, he claimed a further two victories, (a Bristol Blenheim on 1 June and a Spitfire on 13 July 1940) bringing his total to six. He was replaced as commander of JG 51 by Werner Mölders on 23 July with the latter formally taking command on the 27 July. Promoted to ''Generalmajor'', Osterkamp was awarded his Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross on 22 August 1940. Following his replacement in JG 51, Osterkamp was appointed ''Jagdfliegerführer 2'', the commander of fighter aircraft in Luftflotte 2.For an explanation of ''Luftwaffe'' unit designations see Organisation of the Luftwaffe during World War II.

On 1 August 1942, he was transferred to ''Luftgaustab z.b.V. Afrika''. On 5 April 1943, he was appointed ''Jagdfliegerführer Sizilien'' and served until replaced on 15 June by Adolf Galland. He then served in a number of staff positions until being appointed ''Inspekteur der Luftwaffen-Bodenorganisation'' (Inspector of Luftwaffe ground organisation) in 1944. His criticism of the ''Oberkommando der Luftwaffe'' (Luftwaffe High Command) led to his dismissal from service in December 1944.

Post-war career

In 1960, he was appointed honorary chairman of the ''Gemeinschaft der Jagdflieger'', the Association of Fighter Pilots.

Summary of career

Aerial victory claims

Mathews and Foreman, authors of ''Luftwaffe Aces — Biographies and Victory Claims'', researched the German Federal Archives and found records for 31 aerial victory claims, plus six further unconfirmed claims during World War I and three further unconfirmed claims during World War II. This number includes 29 claims during the World War I and two on the Western Front of World War II.

Awards and decorations

* Iron Cross (1914) 2nd Class & 1st Class
* Knight's Cross of the Royal House Order of Hohenzollern with Swords
* Military Honor Medal (Prussia)
* Baltic Cross 2nd Class
* Pilot’s Badge German Empire (Naval)
* Pour le Mérite (2 September 1918)
*Honour Cross of the World War 1914/1918
* Combined Pilots-Observation Badge
* Clasp to the Iron Cross (1939) 2nd Class & 1st Class
* Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross on 22 August 1940 as ''Generalmajor'' and '' Jagdfliegerführer'' of Luftflotte 2

Publications

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Notes

References

Citations

Bibliography

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{{DEFAULTSORT:Osterkamp, Theo
1892 births
1975 deaths
Luftwaffe pilots
Luftwaffe World War II generals
German World War I flying aces
German World War II flying aces
People from the Rhine Province
Recipients of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross
Recipients of the Pour le Mérite (military class)
Imperial German Navy personnel of World War I
People from Düren
20th-century Freikorps personnel
Recipients of the clasp to the Iron Cross, 1st class
Lieutenant generals of the Luftwaffe
Military personnel from North Rhine-Westphalia