Herbert Kaminski

Herbert Kaminski (24 May 1909 – 16 July 1971) was a German Luftwaffe ace 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.

Career
Kaminski was born 24 May 1905 in Ohmswalde. In 1935 he joined the police force before transferring to the Luftwaffe. Kaminski served during the Spanish Civil War though 1937 and 1938. Returning to Germany he retrained as a fighter pilot, and was posted as Staffelkapitän, 2./Zerstörergeschwader 26.

He claimed his first victory during the French campaign, and he flew extensively during the Battle of Britain, claiming two more fighters. On 18 August his Messerschmitt Bf 110 was crippled during combat with Hawker Hurricanes, and he was forced to ditch the aircraft in the Channel. He and his Bordfunker were rescued by a German minesweeper.

Kaminski led 2./ZG 76 in the 1941 Balkans campaign. He was again shot down over Serbia and, was captured and imprisoned for 11 days before being freed by advancing German forces. Over Crete, he claimed a Gloster Gladiator. On 22 May 1941 Hauptmann Kaminski was appointed Gruppenkommandeur, I./ZG 26, and led the unit during the invasion of Russia. The Gruppe claimed 51 Soviet aircraft destroyed on the ground, and 11 aircraft in aerial combat. Kaminski was awarded the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross on 6 August 1941 for five victories.

Kaminski was then briefly served with the staff of the General der Jagdflieger and in November 1941 appointed Gruppenkommandeur I./Jagdgeschwader 53 based in Sicily. He shot down a Hurricane fighter over Malta on 20 December.

In May 1942 I./JG 53 was posted to the Eastern front. Kaminski claimed a LaGG-3 fighter on 28 June. In July, Kaminski forced landed his Bf 109 G-2, resulting in crash injuries that hospitalised him for some time. On recovery Kaminski was appointed Gruppenkommandeur of II./ZG 76 in October 1943 and led the Gruppe on Reichsverteidigung operations until August 1944, claiming a B-17 bomber shot down during this time. In December 1944 Kaminski was appointed Kommandeur of Flugzeugführerschule A/B 41 near Frankfurt, until the end of the war.

Kaminski was credited with 7 aerial victories in over 300 missions. Herbert Kaminski was killed on 16 July 1971 in an automobile accident in Garmisch-Partenkirchen.

Awards

 * Flugzeugführerabzeichen
 * Front Flying Clasp of the Luftwaffe in Gold
 * Iron Cross (1939)
 * 2nd Class (8 June 1940)
 * 1st Class (28 August 1940)
 * Wound Badge (1939)
 * in Black
 * in Silver
 * Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross on 6 August 1941 as Hauptmann and Gruppenkommandeur of the I./Zerstörergeschwader 26 "Horst Wessel"