Walter Enneccerus

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Walter Enneccerus
Born 21 November 1911
Trier
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Troisdorf
Allegiance  Nazi Germany (to 1945)
 West Germany
Service/branch Luftwaffe
Years of service 1935–45
1956–67
Rank Oberst (Wehrmacht)
Brigadegeneral (Bundeswehr)
Unit Sturzkampfgeschwader 2
Sturzkampfgeschwader 77
Commands held II./StG 2
StG 77
Battles/wars World War II
Awards Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross

Walter Enneccerus (21 November 1911 – 3 August 1971) was a highly decorated Oberst in the Luftwaffe during World War II and 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

Enneccerus was born 21 November 1911 in Trier, in the Mosel region.

He served with the Condor Legion in Spain, where he flew the Heinkel He-51 and then the Junkers Ju-87 during the invasion of Poland in September 1939. He then fought in the Battle of France, being awarded the Front Flying Clasp of the Luftwaffe, Iron Cross (1939) 2nd and 1st Class, and as Hauptmann and Gruppenkommandeur of II./StG. 2 (Sturzkampfgeschwader 2) "Immelmann" received the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross on 21 July 1940.

He flew in the Battle of Britain before his unit was transferred to Sicily in December 1940, participating in the attack on the Royal Navy aircraft carrier HMS Illustrious on 10 January 1941. Illustrious was severely damaged by 6 bomb hits and several near misses, which caused fires, disabled her steering gear and killed 83, and wounded 100. He also took part in the sinking of the cruiser HMS Southampton. Moving to North Africa he supported the Afrika Korps, flew operations supporting the conquest of the Balkans and Crete. He led the StG. 2 attack on the aircraft carrier HMS Formidable on 26 May 1941, damaging the carrier with two 500-kilogram (1,100 lb) bombs and blew the bow off her escorting destroyer Nubian.

Transferring to the Eastern Front he became Geschwaderkommodore of StG 77 in October 1942 but was removed from command for refusing to carry out what he considered to be a suicidal mission. He survived the war as a Generalmajor.

During his career he was credited with flying 200+ missions. In 1956 he joined the Bundeswehr and rose to the rank of Brigadegeneral, retiring in 1967.[1] He died 3 August 1971 in Wahn, Germany.

Awards and decorations

References

Citations

Bibliography

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External links

Military offices
Preceded by
Major Alfons Orthofer
Commander of Sturzkampfgeschwader 77
13 October 1942 – 20 February 1943
Succeeded by
Major Helmut Bruck