Diether Lukesch

Diether Lukesch
File:Diether Lukesch.jpg Diether Lukesch
Born	(1918-07-15)15 July 1918 Hadersdorf-Weidlingau, Wien
Died	28 February 2004(2004-02-28) (aged 85) Henstedt-Ulzburg
Allegiance	Nazi Germany
Service/branch	Luftwaffe
Rank	Hauptmann
Unit	KG 158, KG 76
Commands held	IV./KG 76
Battles/wars	World War II
Awards	Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves

Hauptmann Diether Lukesch (born 15 July 1918, in Hadersdorf-Weidlingau, Penzing, Wien - died 28 February 2004) was German World War II Luftwaffe bomber pilot. During the course of the war he was decorated with Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves (German: Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes mit Eichenlaub). The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross and its higher grade Oak Leaves was awarded to recognise extreme battlefield bravery or successful military leadership. He was one of the first pilots to carry out jet bombing missions flying the Arado Ar 234.

Military career

In October 1944, as his Arado training proceeded, Lukesch was awarded Oak Leaves to his Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross. On the day before Christmas 1944, Lukesch led nine Ar 234B-2s in the first jet bombing missions ever, supporting the German counterattack out of the Ardennes. The target was a factory complex at Liège, Belgium. In the days that followed, Lukesch and the Arado pilots attacked Allied troops, rail yards, and other positions. On New Year's Day 1945, Lukesch led history's first jet, night-bombing sortie, attacking targets at Brussels and Liège. He concluded the war with a total of 436 bombing and long-range reconnaissance missions. He was taken prisoner of war by the American forces and released on 27 July 1945.

After the war

Lukesch at first worked for US Armed Forces in Austria. He then became a commercial airline pilot, flying for 18 years first with KLM, and later Lufthansa.

Awards

Diether Lukesch Awards on display at the Luftwaffenmuseum

• Eastern Front Medal (February 1942)
• Combined Pilots-Observation Badge
• Iron Cross (1939)
  • 2nd Class (15 June 1941)
  • 1st Class (20 July 1941)
• German Cross in Gold on 23 December 1942 as Oberleutnant in the III./Kampfgeschwader 76
• Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves
  • Knight's Cross on 20 December 1941 as Leutnant and pilot in the 7./Kampfgeschwader 76
  • 620th Oak Leaves on 10 October 1944 as Hauptmann and Staffelkapitän of the 9./Kampfgeschwader 76

References

Bibliography

• Fellgiebel, Walther-Peer (2000). Die Träger des Ritterkreuzes des Eisernen Kreuzes 1939–1945 — Die Inhaber der höchsten Auszeichnung des Zweiten Weltkrieges aller Wehrmachtteile (in German). Friedberg, Germany: Podzun-Pallas. ISBN 978-3-7909-0284-6. CS1 maint: unrecognized language (link)
• Kaiser, Jochen (2010). Die Ritterkreuzträger der Kampfflieger—Band 1 (in German and English). Bad Zwischenahn, Germany: Luftfahrtverlag-Start. ISBN 978-3-941437-07-4. CS1 maint: unrecognized language (link)
• Patzwall, Klaus D.; Scherzer, Veit (2001). Das Deutsche Kreuz 1941 – 1945 Geschichte und Inhaber Band II (in German). Norderstedt, Germany: Verlag Klaus D. Patzwall. ISBN 978-3-931533-45-8. CS1 maint: unrecognized language (link)
• Scherzer, Veit (2007). Die Ritterkreuzträger 1939–1945 Die Inhaber des Ritterkreuzes des Eisernen Kreuzes 1939 von Heer, Luftwaffe, Kriegsmarine, Waffen-SS, Volkssturm sowie mit Deutschland verbündeter Streitkräfte nach den Unterlagen des Bundesarchives (in German). Jena, Germany: Scherzers Miltaer-Verlag. ISBN 978-3-938845-17-2. CS1 maint: unrecognized language (link)
• Thomas, Franz (1998). Die Eichenlaubträger 1939–1945 Band 2: L–Z (in German). Osnabrück, Germany: Biblio-Verlag. ISBN 978-3-7648-2300-9. CS1 maint: unrecognized language (link)

External links

• "Lexikon der Wehrmacht". Dieter Lukesch. Retrieved 22 May 2007.