Friedrich Obleser
Encyclopedia
Friedrich Obleser was a German
World War II
fighter ace
and was credited with 127 aerial victories achieved in 500 combat missions. 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. For his post-war service in the Bundeswehr
, he received the Grand Cross with Star of the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany.
. Hartmann asked Günther Rall
to have Obleser transferred to be Hartmann's wingman
for a while. Obleser became a witness on some of Hartmann's claims and no longer questioned Hartmann's claims.
After the World War II
Friedrich Obleser settled in West Germany
and continued his career in the Luftwaffe der Bundeswehr after the re-militarization of West Germany in 1955. From 1 October 1978 until his retirement on 31 March 1983, he held the position of Inspekteur der Luftwaffe der Bundeswehr
. At the end of his career he had attained the rank of Generalleutnant and was the last active general in the Bundeswehr who had received the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross during World War II.
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
fighter ace
Fighter Ace
Fighter Ace was a massively multiplayer online computer game in which one flies World War II fighter and bomber planes in combat against other players and virtual pilots...
and was credited with 127 aerial victories achieved in 500 combat missions. He was also a recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross
Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross
The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross was a grade of the 1939 version of the 1813 created Iron Cross . The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross was the highest award of Germany to recognize extreme battlefield bravery or successful military leadership during World War II...
. The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross was awarded to recognise extreme battlefield bravery or successful military leadership. For his post-war service in the Bundeswehr
Bundeswehr
The Bundeswehr consists of the unified armed forces of Germany and their civil administration and procurement authorities...
, he received the Grand Cross with Star of the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany.
Career
Friedrich Obleser at one point questioned the aerial claims made by Erich HartmannErich Hartmann
Erich Alfred Hartmann , nicknamed "Bubi" by his comrades and "The Black Devil" by his Soviet enemies, was a German World War II fighter pilot and is the highest-scoring fighter ace in the history of aerial warfare...
. Hartmann asked Günther Rall
Günther Rall
Lieutenant-General Günther Rall was the third most successful fighter ace in history. A flying ace or fighter ace is a military aviator credited with shooting down five or more enemy aircraft during aerial combat. He achieved a total of 275 victories during World War II: 272 on the Eastern Front,...
to have Obleser transferred to be Hartmann's wingman
Wingman
A wingman is a pilot who supports another in a potentially dangerous flying environment. Wingman was originally a term referring to the plane flying beside and slightly behind the lead plane in an aircraft formation....
for a while. Obleser became a witness on some of Hartmann's claims and no longer questioned Hartmann's claims.
After the World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
Friedrich Obleser settled in West Germany
West Germany
West Germany is the common English, but not official, name for the Federal Republic of Germany or FRG in the period between its creation in May 1949 to German reunification on 3 October 1990....
and continued his career in the Luftwaffe der Bundeswehr after the re-militarization of West Germany in 1955. From 1 October 1978 until his retirement on 31 March 1983, he held the position of Inspekteur der Luftwaffe der Bundeswehr
Bundeswehr
The Bundeswehr consists of the unified armed forces of Germany and their civil administration and procurement authorities...
. At the end of his career he had attained the rank of Generalleutnant and was the last active general in the Bundeswehr who had received the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross during World War II.
Awards
- Iron CrossIron CrossThe Iron Cross is a cross symbol typically in black with a white or silver outline that originated after 1219 when the Kingdom of Jerusalem granted the Teutonic Order the right to combine the Teutonic Black Cross placed above a silver Cross of Jerusalem....
(1939) 2nd and 1st class - Ehrenpokal der LuftwaffeEhrenpokal der LuftwaffeThe Ehrenpokal der Luftwaffe was a Luftwaffe award established on February 27, 1940 by Reichsmarschall Hermann Göring, the Reich Minister of Aviation and Commander in Chief of the Luftwaffe. It was officially known as the Ehrenpokal "für besondere Leistung im Luftkrieg", or Honor Goblet "For...
(8 November 1943) - German CrossGerman CrossThe German Cross was instituted by Adolf Hitler on 17 November 1941 as an award ranking higher than the Iron Cross First Class but below the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross respectively ranking higher than the War Merit Cross First Class with Swords but below the Knight's Cross of the War Merit...
in Gold (14 November 1943) - Knight's Cross of the Iron CrossKnight's Cross of the Iron CrossThe Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross was a grade of the 1939 version of the 1813 created Iron Cross . The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross was the highest award of Germany to recognize extreme battlefield bravery or successful military leadership during World War II...
on 23 March 1944 as Leutnant and StaffelführerStaffelkapitänStaffelkapitän is a position in flying units of the German Luftwaffe that is the equivalent of RAF/USAF Squadron Commander. Usually today a Staffelkapitän is of Oberstleutnant or Major rank....
of the 8./JG 52 - Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany
- Officer's Cross (April 1973)
- Commanders Cross (November 1979)
- Grand Cross with Star (4 March 1983)