Erwin Hentschel

Erwin Hentschel
300px Hrabak, Rudel, Hentschel and Hitler, in Rastenburg
Born	29 October 1917 Niederthalheim,
Died	Dniester River, Ukraine
Allegiance	Nazi Germany
Service/branch	Luftwaffe
Years of service	1938–44
Rank	Oberfeldwebel (staff sergeant)
Unit	StG 2 SG 2
Battles/wars	World War II Operation Barbarossa Eastern Front
Awards	Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross

Erwin Hentschel (29 October 1917 – 20 March 1944) was an Oberfeldwebel in the Luftwaffe during World War II. He was also a recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross. The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross was awarded to recognize extreme battlefield bravery or successful military leadership. During his career he flew 1,490 combat missions as a radio operator and air gunner, and claimed seven aerial victories.

Career

Hentschel was born on 29 October 1917 in Niederthalheim, present-day a borough of Mittweida, at the time in the Kingdom of Saxony, a federated state of the German Empire. He joined the Luftwaffe on 30 November 1938, initially serving with the II./Flak-Regiment 13. On 31 June 1939, he was transferred to the 2. Staffel (2nd squadron) of Kampfgeschwader 51 (KG 51—51st Bomber Wing) based at Landsberg. There, until 17 August 1940, he attended the Luftwaffen-Nachrichtenschule 3 (3rd Air Force Communication School) and was trained as a radio operator and tail gunner. He was then posted to the Stuka school at Graz-Thalerhof, present-day Graz Airport, followed by a transfer to the Stuka-Ergänzungsstaffel (Supplementary Dive Bomber Squadron) of VIII. Fliegerkorps (8th Air Corps) and the Ergänzungsstaffel of Sturzkampfgeschwader 2 "Immelmann" (StG 2—2nd Dive Bomber Wing), named after the after World War I fighter ace Max Immelmann.

On 21 May 1941, Hentschel was assigned to the 8. Staffel of StG 2 "Immelmann" and flew his first combat missions as a Gefreiter, an enlisted soldiers rank, on the Eastern Front of World War II. In late September 1941, he became Hans-Ulrich Rudel 's regular air gunner. Flying with the I. and III. Gruppe of StG 2 "Immelmann", later renamed to Schlachtgeschwader 2 "Immelmann" (SG 2—2nd Ground Support Wing), he was promoted to Unteroffizier (staff sergeant) on 1 December 1941, received the Honor Goblet of the Luftwaffe (Ehrenpokal der Luftwaffe) on 16 March 1942, was promoted to Feldwebel (technical sergeant) on 1 December 1942, received the German Cross in Gold (Deutsches Kreuz in Gold) on 9 January 1943, and was promoted to Oberfeldwebel (senior technical sergeant) on 1 June 1943. Hentschel flew his 1,200th combat mission on 9 October 1943, and was awarded the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross (Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes) on 9 December 1943 after approximately 1,300 combat missions. On 20 March, Rudel made a forced landing behind enemy lines, trying to rescue a downed aircrew. The takeoff failed due to the soft underground. Walking back to German held territory, the four attempted to swim across the Dniester River. Hentschel drowned in the attempt.

Awards

• Honor Goblet of the Luftwaffe (16 March 1942)
• Iron Cross (1939) 2nd and 1st Class
• German Cross in Gold on 9 January 1943 as Unteroffizier in the 2./Sturzkampfgeschwader 2
• Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross on 25 November 1943 as Oberfeldwebel and Bordfunker (radio operator) in the III./Sturzkampfgeschwader 2 "Immelmann"