Hans Strelow

 Hans Strelow (26 March 1922 – 22 May 1942) was a German former Luftwaffe fighter ace and recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves (Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes mit Eichenlaub) during World War II. 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 received the award two days before his 20th birthday making him the youngest recipient of the Oak Leaves.

To avoid capture by the Red Army Strelow committed suicide after he was shot down by a Petlyakov Pe-2 twin-engine bomber in Bf 109 F-2 "Black 10" (Werknummer 8239&mdash;factory number). He had made a forced landing 9 km behind Soviet lines.

Awards

 * Iron Cross (1939)
 * 2nd Class (5 July 1941)
 * 1st Class (14 September 1941)
 * Ehrenpokal der Luftwaffe (17 October 1941)
 * Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves
 * Knight's Cross on 18 March 1942 as Leutnant and Staffelführer  of the 5./JG 51 "Mölders"
 * 84th Oak Leaves on 24 March 1942 as Leutnant and pilot in the 5./JG 51 "Mölders"
 * Mentioned in the Wehrmachtbericht on 18 June 1942