Date of birth:

December 11th, 1910 (Wattenscheid/Westphalia, Germany)

Date of death:

October 17th, 1942 (near Luca, Malte)

Nationality:

German (1933-1945, Third Reich)

Heinrich Paepcke was killed on October 17th 1942, 17 km's north of Malta. He was posthumously promoted to Major.

Promotions:
1935: Fahnenjunker;
1936: Leutnant;
1939: Oberleutnant;
May 1940: Hauptmann;
1942: Major (posthumously).

Career:
1929 - 1934: Handelsmarine;
1935: Luftwaffe;
April 1940: Staffelkapitän 7. / Kampfgeschwader 30;
October 27th, 1940 - september 1941: Kommandeur, IV. / Kampfgeschwader 30;
October 1941 - October 17th, 1942: Kommandeur, II. / Kampfgeschwader 77.

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Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Rank:

Oberleutnant (Flying Officer)

Unit:

Staffelkapitän, 7. Staffel, III. Gruppe, Kampfgeschwader 30 "Adler", Luftwaffe

Awarded on:

September 5th, 1940

Awarded for his personal and command achievements during missions over Norway, the Low countries and France. In that time he personally sunk an anti-aircraft cruiser near Scheveningen. During the fighting off the coast of Dunkirk his Staffel destroyed or damaged a total of 1 heavy and 3 light cruisers, 3 destroyers, a minelayer, a coastal patrol boat and 5 merchant vessels (of which Paepcke personally sunk one 10000 GRT freighter). In this time Paepcke's crew also shot down 2 enemy fighters.

114th Luftwaffe Award

Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Rank:

Hauptmann (Flight Lieutenant)

Unit:

Kommandeur, II. Gruppe, Kampfgeschwader 77, Luftwaffe

Awarded on:

September 21st, 1942

Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Rank:

Hauptmann (Flight Lieutenant)

Unit:

Kommandeur, II. Gruppe, Kampfgeschwader 77, Luftwaffe

Awarded on:

December 19th, 1942

Awarded in recognition of his remarkable successes achieved over the course of just around 125 combat missions. He especially distinguished himself on 12.08.1942, when he sunk a 12000 GRT transport from the "Pedestal" convoy that was bound for Malta.

154th Award

Awarded posthumously.

Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

• Photo 1: Wilco Vermeer
• Photo: Wilco Vermeer collection, the Netherlands
• - FELLGIEBEL, W.P., Elite of theThird Reich, Helion & Company Limited, Solihull, 2003.
  - PATZWALL, K. D., Der Ehrenpokal für besondere Leistung im Luftkrieg, Verlag Klaus D. Patzwall, Norderstedt, 2008.
  - THOMAS, FRANZ & WEGMANN, GÜNTER, Die Eichenlaubträger 1940-1945, Biblio-Verlag, 1998.
  - URBANKE, AXEL & KAISER, JOCHEN, Die Ritterkreuzträger der Kampfflieger, Luftfahrtverlag-Start, 2011.
  - The Luftwaffe, 1933-45