Josef Stehlík

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Memorial plaque of Josef Stehlík in the Czech village of Strážek

Josef Stehlík (March 26, 1915 - May 30, 1991) was a Czech pilot, the member of Czechoslovak foreign army in World War II. He participated fighting against Germans in France, Great Britain and Czechoslovakia. He became a flying ace of WWII with 10 confirmed aerial victories. In total he claimed 12 victories (5 solo and 7 shared), 2 destroyed on the ground, 1 probable victory in cooperation and 1 enemy machine damaged.

He started pilot training at the Elementary Pilot School in Prague in 1936. The next year he studied at non-officer school and later at the fighter school in Hradec Kralove. Until the German occupation he served as pilot instructor at No. 3 Air Regiment at Spisska Nova Ves. On 5 June 1939 he crossed the border with Poland .

When the war began he was transferred to Chartres for training. On 1 December 1939 he was posted to Groupe de Chasse III/3 which was equipped with the Morane 406 and later re-equipped with the Dewoitine D-520. With these aircraft the unit took part in air battle over France. Stehlik he shot down four enemy planes solo and four more shared.

Later in 1940 in the United Kingdom under the 312th Fighter Squadron and fought in the Battle of Britain. Together with Pilot Officer Alois Vašátko and F/L Denys Gillam, Sgt. Stehlík scored 312's first victory, a Junkers Ju 88 Wk No. 4068 coded 'M7+DK', of 2/KGr. 806 above Liverpool on 8 October 1940.

He claimed a further victory on 14 March 1941 when he shared in a shoot down of a Ju88 over the sea. During offensive flights over France he added a damaged Bf109 and on the 10 July 1941 a probable Bf 109. He left operational flying in October and after a course for instructors at Upavon he became an instructor at Hullavington and from January 1942-February 1943 he served at Elementary and Secondary Flying Training Schools in Canada. In April 1943 he returned to No 312 (Czech) Squadron where he made several combat flights over occupied Europe.

In early 1944 he joined the 1st Czechoslovak independent fighter aviation regiment in USSR. He was the commander of the 1st squadron. He participated the Slovak National Uprising.

During the war he flew the Morane Saulnier MS-406C.1, Dewoitine D-520C.1, Hawker Hurricane Mk I, Mk.IIA, Mk.IIB, Supermarine Spitfire Mk.VB, Mk.VC and Lavochkin La-5FN.

He was awarded five times the Czechoslovak War Cross, three Czechoslovak Medals for valor,the Medal of Merit (Czech Republic) I. and II. class, a commemorative medal of Czechoslovakian foreign armies (France, UK, USSR), he was awarded the French Croix de Guerre, with three palm branches and two gold stars, the Médaille militaire (Médaille commémorative des services volontaires dans la France libre). He was awarded by the British the 1939-1945 Star with Battle of Britain Clasp, Air Crew Europe Star, Defence Medal and War Medal.

In 1948 when he was discharged from the army and was held under arrest by the Communist authorities for one year. There was an absence of evidence so he was acquitted, although he was degraded and by 1950 worked at Pozemni stavby in Brno. In 1963 he became a driver and porter of luggage in Lipova Spa near Jeseniky. In 1964 he was deemed 'rehabilitated' and he got back his rank and returned into the army. He retired as a Colonel of the Air Force, and died suddenly on 30 May 1991 in Slavicin.