Joachim-Friedrich Huth

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Joachim-Friedrich Huth
Born (1896-07-31)31 July 1896
Neuhof
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Koblenz
Allegiance  German Empire (to 1918)
Weimar Republic Weimar Republic (to 1920)
 Nazi Germany (to 1945)
West Germany West Germany
Service/branch Cross-Pattee-Heraldry.svg Luftstreitkräfte
Balkenkreuz.svg Luftwaffe (Wehrmacht)
Bundeswehr Kreuz.svg Luftwaffe (Bundeswehr)
Years of service 1914–20
1934–45
1956–61
Rank Oberleutnant of the Reserves
Generalleutnant
Generalleutnant
Commands held ZG 26 "Horst Wessel"
Battles/wars World War II
Awards Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross

Joachim-Friedrich Huth (31 July 1896 – 27 March 1962) was a German soldier serving in the Luftstreitkräfte during World War I, in the Luftwaffe during World War II and Luftwaffe of the Bundeswehr in post World War II Germany. Huth retired from the military service in 1961 holding the rank of Generalleutnant.

Biography

Joachim-Friedrich Huth was born on 31 July 1896 in Neuhof and entered military service in the Imperial German Army shortly before the outbreak of World War I, on 13 July 1914. He was promoted to Leutnant on 4 January 1915 and served as Zugführer (platoon leader) and company chief in the Infanterie-Regiment Nr. 58 (58th infantry regiment). He was injured three times. He transferred to the Luftstreitkräfte in June 1917 and claimed his first aerial victory on 28 January 1918. He was severely injured on 23 February 1918, losing his right lower leg.[1] Huth was awarded both classes of the Iron Cross (1914) and the Knight's Cross to the House Order of Hohenzollern with Swords during the war.[1]

Oberleutnant Huth left the military service after the war. The treaty of Versailles had imposed severe restrictions on Germany's military strength and had denied Germany an air force. With Adolf Hitler's rise to power and the remilitarisation of Germany, Huth reentered the military service of the Luftwaffe on 1 March 1934, holding the rank of Hauptmann. He became the Geschwaderkommodore of the Zerstörergeschwader 26 "Horst Wessel." Huth earned the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross (Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes) on 11 September 1940 in this position for the successful leadership of his fighter wing in the Battle of France and Battle of Britain. In August, 1940, a military dispatch mentioned him by name for his wing's success in shooting down 51 enemy aircraft.[2]

Generalleutnant Huth commanded various fighter divisions from 1942 until 1944 before taking command of the 1. Jagdkorps (1st Fighter Corps) on 26 January 1945. He held this position until the end of the war, when he was taken prisoner by the British forces. He was released in 1946.[1]

In 1956 Huth joined the Bundeswehr after the remilitarisation of the Federal Republic of Germany, holding the rank of Generalmajor. He led the Luftwaffe school at Fürstenfeldbruck and, until his retirement, the Luftwaffengruppe Süd (Air Force Group South) in Karlsruhe. Huth retired on 30 September 1961 with a Großer Zapfenstreich (Grand Tattoo) holding the rank of Generalleutnant. Huth died half a year later on 27 March 1962 in Koblenz.[1]

Awards

Wehrmachtbericht reference

Date Original German Wehrmachtbericht wording Direct English translation
Monday, 19 August 1940 An mehreren Stellen entwickelten sich heftige Luftkämpfe, in deren Verlauf unsere Zerstörer und Jäger dem Feind schwere Verluste beibrachten. Das Zerstörergeschwader "Horst Wessel" unter der Führung seines Kommodore, Oberstleutnant Huth, schoß allein an diesem Tage 51 Flugzeuge ab.[2] Heavy aerial battles broke out in many places. Our destroyers and fighters infringed heavy losses on the enemy during their course. The destroyer wing "Horst Wessel," under the leadership of their commodore, Oberstleutnant Huth, alone shot down 51 aircraft on this day.

References

Citations

  1. 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 Obermaier 1989, p. 138.
  2. 2.0 2.1 Die Wehrmachtberichte 1939–1945 Band 1, p. 282.
  3. Scherzer 2007, p. 412.
  4. Fellgiebel 2000, p. 239.

Bibliography

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External links

Military offices
Preceded by Commander of Zerstörergeschwader 26 Horst Wessel
14 December 1939 – 1 November 1940
Succeeded by
Oberst Johann Schalk
Preceded by
Generalmajor Theo Osterkamp
Commander of Jagdfliegerführer 2
1 August 1941 – 16 August 1942
Succeeded by
Oberstleutnant Karl Vieck
Preceded by
none
Commander of 4. Jagd-Division
17 August 1942 – 10 November 1943
Succeeded by
Generalmajor Werner Junck
Preceded by Commander of 5. Jagd-Division
11 November 1943 – 5 February 1944
Succeeded by
Generalmajor Karl Hentschel
Preceded by
unknown
Commander of 7. Jagd-Division
6 February 1944 – 30 November 1944
Succeeded by
unknown
Preceded by
Generleutnant Joseph Schmid
Commander of 1. Jagd-Korps
30 November 1944 – 26 January 1945
Succeeded by
disbanded