Anton Andorfer

Anton Andorfer
Born	23 December 1919 Linz, Austria
Died	Cottbus
Allegiance	Nazi Germany
Service/branch	Luftwaffe
Years of service	1939–45
Rank	Hauptmann
Unit	StG 77 SG 77
Battles/wars	World War II Siege of Sevastopol (1941-1942) Battle of Stalingrad Battle of Kursk Battle of the Oder-Neisse †
Awards	Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross

Anton Andorfer (23 December 1919 – 11 April 1945) was a highly decorated Hauptmann 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 recognise extreme battlefield bravery or successful military leadership.

Career

After his training Andorfer joined I./StG. 77 (Sturzkampfgeschwader 77) in the winter of 1941-42, flying the Junkers Ju 87. He became a Staffelkapitän (squadron leader) in July 1943, and had flown 726 operations by March 1944 when he was awarded the Ritterkreuz. After conversion to the ground-attack version of the Focke-Wulf Fw 190, he flew a further 200 sorties on the Eastern Front with 2./SG 77. Promoted to Hauptmann, Andorfer flew in the Battle for Berlin and was shot down and killed by Soviet Anti-Aircraft guns near Cottbus.

During his wartime career he flew 900 missions, during which he was credited with the destruction of 45 tanks, 50 guns, 6 anti-aircraft batteries, and 10 marine vessels with a total of 13,000 BRT.

Awards and decorations

• Flugzeugführerabzeichen
• Front Flying Clasp of the Luftwaffe in Gold with Pennant "900"
• Iron Cross (1939)
  • 2nd Class
  • 1st Class
• Ehrenpokal der Luftwaffe on 22 September 1942 as Leutnant and pilot
• German Cross in Gold on 17 May 1943 as Leutnant in the I./Sturzkampfgeschwader 77
• Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross on 26 March 1944 as Oberleutnant and Staffelkapitän of the 2./Sturzkampfgeschwader 77

External links

• Anton Andorfer @ Ritterkreuztraeger 1939–1945