Karl Kessel

Karl Kessel
Born	1 June 1912 Mülheim
Died	Bonn
Allegiance	Nazi Germany (to 1945) West Germany
Service/branch	Luftwaffe
Years of service	?-1945 1956–70
Rank	Oberstleutnant im Generalstab (Wehrmacht) Generalmajor (Bundeswehr)
Commands held	IV./KG 2 I./KG 2 KG 2
Battles/wars	World War II Battle of France Battle of Britain Balkans Campaign Battle of Crete Eastern Front Operation Steinbock
Awards	Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross

Karl Kessel (1 June 1912 – 24 August 1997) was a highly decorated Oberstleutnant im Generalstab in the Luftwaffe during World War II and a Generalmajor in the Bundeswehr. 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. Karl Kessel joined the Bundeswehr in 1956 and retired in 1970 as a Generalmajor.

Awards

• Aviator badge
• Front Flying Clasp of the Luftwaffe
• Iron Cross (1939)
  • 2nd Class
  • 1st Class
• German Cross in Gold (29 March 1943)
• Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross on 23 January 1944 as Oberstleutnant and Geschwaderkommodore of Kampfgeschwader 2

External links

• World War 2 Awards.com
• Lexikon der Wehtrmacht

Military offices
Preceded by Leutnant Otto-Wolfgang Bechtle	Gruppenkommandeur of IV./Kampfgeschwader 2 19 September 1940 – 21 March 1941	Succeeded by Major Johannes Hübner
Preceded by Hauptmann Ketterer	Gruppenkommandeur of I./Kampfgeschwader 2 16 June 1942 – 5 May 1943	Succeeded by Major Franz Schönberger
Preceded by Major Walter Bradel	Geschwaderkommodore of Kampfgeschwader 2 18 May 1943 – February 1944	Succeeded by Major Hanns Heise