Schwegler, Matthias 'Teddy' (Kampfgeschwader 51)

Date of birth:: February 18th, 1916 (Augsburg, Germany)
Date of death:: April 18th, 1945 (Near Nexuses/Ansbach, Germany)
Nationality:: German (1933-1945, Third Reich)

Biography

Sunk/damaged a total of 116,000 GRT of shipping in the English Channel and the Black Sea.

01.04.1935: entered the Luftwaffe
01.04.1937: Ofhr., RLM pool (Schul.Etat), promoted to Leutnant - RDA 01.04.1936
01.08.1939: promoted to Oblt., in KG 51
00.09.1939: with III./ KG 51
22.05.1940: Techn.Offz. with III./ KG 51
00.00.1941: Oblt., Staka 12./ KG 51
11.07.1941: Oblt., 1./ KG 51, MIA briefly, his Ju 88 A-4 coded '9K+KH' was shot down and force-landed in enemy territory - walked back to safe territory
22.08.1941: Oblt., awarded the Ehrenpokal
18.12.1941: Oblt. and Staka in I./ KG 51, awarded the Ritterkreuz for sinking a Russian cruiser, damaging a British destroyer, sinking or severely damaging 116,000 GRT of shipping, destroying 40 planes on the ground, 7 tanks and 20 trains
01.04.1942: promoted to Hptm.
08.06.1942: attended the Verbandsführerlehrgang at Tours, then remained as an instructor
00.00.1942: Staka 2./ KG 51
16.07.1942: awarded DKiG, I./ KG 51
10.08.1942-31.01.1943: Oblt., Staka 3.(Erg.)/ KG 60
01.02.1943-27.08.1944: Hptm., in I./ KG 60, provisional Kdr., Verbandsführerschule, KG 101
21.08.1943: Staka 3./ KG 60
01.05.1944: promoted to Maj.
28.08.1944-18.04.1945: Maj., Kdr. Verbandsführerschule General der Kampfflieger
08.01.45-31.01.1945: attended Sd.Lehrgang f. Verbandsführer at NS Führungsschule II
18.04.1945: Maj., III./ KG 51, KIA shot down over Neuses, near Ansbach
Credited with destroying 40 aircraft on the ground, and 7 tanks plus sank or damaged 116,000 GRT of shipping.

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Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes

Period:: Second World War (1939-1945)
Rank:: Oberleutnant (Flying Officer)
Unit:: I. Gruppe, Kampfgeschwader 51
Awarded on:: December 18th, 1941

Awarded for his numerous successes as a bomber pilot, and in particular his attacks on shipping, which included the claimed destruction of a Soviet cruiser (most likely a destroyer) in the Black Sea.