Richard Linke

Richard Linke
Born	3 April 1909 Queissen
Died	Siegburg
Allegiance	Weimar Republic (to 1933) Nazi Germany (to 1945) West Germany
Service/branch	Reichsmarine Kriegsmarine Luftwaffe German Navy
Years of service	1929–1945 1956–?
Rank	Major (Luftwaffe) Kapitän zur See (Bundesmarine)
Unit	Karlsruhe Deutschland Küsten-Flieger-Gruppe 806 Kampfgeschwader 54
Commands held	I./KG 54 III./KG 54
Battles/wars	World War II Eastern Front Mediterranean Campaign
Awards	Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross

Richard Linke (3 April 1909 – 31 December 1995) was a German Luftwaffe bomber pilot and recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross during World War II. The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross was awarded to recognise extreme battlefield bravery or successful military leadership.

Awards

• Flugzeugführerabzeichen
• Front Flying Clasp of the Luftwaffe
• Iron Cross (1939)
  • 2nd Class (10 March 1940)
  • 1st Class (13 July 1940)
• German Cross in Gold on 9 December 1942 as Major in the III./Kampfgeschwader 54
• Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross on 17 September 1941 as Hauptmann and Gruppenkommandeur of the I./Kampfgeschwader 54
• Mentioned in the Wehrmachtbericht on 21 June 1942

Wehrmachtbericht reference

Date	Original German Wehrmachtbericht wording	Direct English translation
Sunday, 21 June 1942	In der See- und Luftschlacht im Mittelmeer zeichneten sich bei der Zerschlagung der britischen Geleitzüge ein Sturzkampfgeschwader unter Führung des Majors Sigel, die Jagdstaffel des Hauptmanns Belser sowie die Besatzungen von zwei Kampfflugzeugen mit den Kommandanten, Gruppenkommandeur Major Linke, und Oberstleutnant Schulte besonders aus.	In the sea and air battle in the Mediterranean a dive bomber wing under the leadership of Major Sigel, the fighter squadron of Captain Belser and the crews of two bombers, with their commanders, group commander Major Linke, and Lieutenant Colonel Schulte distinguished themselves from the rest, in the destruction of British convoys.

External links

• Das Ritterkreuz.de
• World War 2 Awards.com

Military offices
Preceded by Hauptmann Jobst Heinrich von Heydebreck	Commander of I./Kampfgeschwader 54 1 March 1941 – 19 August 1941	Succeeded by Hauptmann Walter Freimann
Preceded by Major Kurt Leonhardy	Commander of III./Kampfgeschwader 54 1 September 1942 – 17 September 1942	Succeeded by Major Kurt Stein