Balthasar, Wilhelm
- Date of birth:
- February 2nd, 1914 (Fulda/Hesse, Germany)
- Date of death:
- July 3rd, 1941 (Aire/Ardennes, France)
- Buried on:
- German War Cemetery Illies
Row: 2. Grave: 78.
- Nationality:
- German
Biography
Promotions:
April 20th, 1935: Leutnant;
January 18th, 1938: Oberleutnant;
December 1st, 1939: Hauptmann;
?: Major (postuum).
Career:
1933: 3. (Preußisches) Artillerie-Regiment;
1935: Luftwaffe;
?: Kampfgruppe 88;
?: Jagdgeschwader 1;'
?: Kommandeur, 7. Staffel, Jagdgeschwader 27;
1940: Kommandeur, III. Gruppe, Jagdgeschwader 2 „Richthofen";
February 16th, 1941: Kommodore, Jagdgeschwader 2 „Richthofen";
Wilhelm Balthasar was buried at the German War Cemetery Illies in France. He is the only World War 2 victim who has been buried here. While still alive he had stated if he was killed in action, he was to be buried with his father August Balthasar, who was killed in action on October 25th, 1914 and lies buried here. Father and son were buried in a common grave.
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- Period:
- Second World War (1939-1945)
- Rank:
- Hauptmann (Flight Lieutenant)
- Unit:
- Staffelkapitän, 7. Staffel, III. Gruppe, Jagdgeschwader 27, Luftwaffe
- Awarded on:
- June 14th, 1940
Awarded after 23 aerial victories and the destruction of 13 aircraft on the ground. He was the most successful German fighter pilot in the Battle of France and the second Luftwaffe fighter pilot to be awarded the Knight's Cross.
62nd Award.
- Period:
- Second World War (1939-1945)
- Rank:
- Hauptmann (Flight Lieutenant)
- Unit:
- Kommodore, Jagdgeschwader 2 "Richthofen", Luftwaffe
- Awarded on:
- July 2nd, 1941
Awarded after 40 aerial victories.
17th Award.
Sources
- Photo 1: Wilco Vermeer
- Photo 2: Fotocollectie Joop Peeters
- - FELLGIEBEL, W.P., Elite of theThird Reich, Helion & Company Limited, Solihull, 2003.
- OBERMAIER, E., Die Ritterkreuzträger der Luftwaffe, Hoffmann, 1989.
- THOMAS, FRANZ & WEGMANN, GüNTER, Die Eichenlaubträger 1940-1945, Biblio-Verlag, 1997.
- Die Ordensträger der Deutschen Wehrmacht (CD), VMD-Verlag GmbH, Osnabrück, 2002
- Kwasny A., Kwasny G., Die Eichenlaubträger 1940-1945 (CD), Deutsches Wehrkundearchiv, Lage-Waddenhausen, 2001