Kurt Kuhlmey

Kurt Kuhlmey (19 November 1913 – 30 April 1993) was a Stuka pilot of World War II. He flew over 500 combat missions, and was awarded the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross (Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes) in July 1942. The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross was awarded to recognise extreme battlefield bravery or successful military leadership.

Career
Kuhlmey began his pilot career at the age of 15, when he began flying gliders. He joined the Luftwaffe in 1934, where he was trained as a pilot. He was commissioned and transferred in 1936 to the 162nd dive bomber division in Schwerin, where he began flying Stukas.

Kuhlmey was Staffelkapitän (squadron leader) of 1./Sturzkampfgeschwader 1 (StG 1) at the outbreak of war and participated in the campaigns in Poland, Norway, France and the Battle of Britain.

He participated in operations against Malta, including the 10 January 1941 Stuka attack on Illustrious.

As part of I./StG 2 Kuhlmey participated in the invasion of the Soviet Union in June 1941. He served in North Africa, becoming Gruppenkommandeur (group commander) of II./StG 3 in April 1942. In 18 October 1943 he was promoted to Geschwaderkommodore (wing commander, Schlachtgeschwader 3 (SG 3).

On 9 June 1944 the Soviet Union launched a major offensive on the Karelian Isthmus. The Soviet Army forced the Finns to abandon their defensive lines and on 20 June took Viipuri, the second largest city of Finland. As a reinforcement SG 3 was posted to Finland in June 1944, forming Gefechtsverband Kuhlmey (Detachment Kuhlmey) with Oberst Kuhlmey commanding a composite unit comprising elements of I./SG 3, I./SG 5, II./JG 54 and NAGr.1.

Detachment Kuhlmey's actions in Finland during 16 June and 21 July 1944 was hugely influential in the final outcome of the offensive and of the Continuation War. Together Finnish Air Force units and Detachment Kuhlmey made 1,020 bombing sorties against the Soviet troops and armour. The Soviets lost some 300 tanks, 120-280 aircraft and over 20,000 troops. As a result the Soviet advance stalled, and ensuing peace talks led to a cease-fire between the Soviet Union and Finland on 4 September.

Leaving SG 3 in December 1944, by March 1945 Oberst Kuhlmey was Geschwaderkommodore of SG 2 “Immelmann”, and in the last weeks of the war was on the staff of the General der Schalchtflieger.

After being released from American captivity in July 1945, he rejoined the military in November 1955, as a Colonel. Attending courses at Williams and Luke Air Force Base in the USA, he received flying training on the F-104 "Starfighter". On 11 September 1959 he was promoted to Brigadier General and retired a Major General. He died on 30 April 1993.

Awards

 * Iron Cross (1939) 2nd and 1st Class
 * German Cross in Gold (5 November 1941)
 * Order of the Cross of Liberty
 * Front Flying Clasp of the Luftwaffe for combat and ground attack pilots in Gold
 * Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross on 15 July 1942 as Hauptmann and Gruppenkommandeur of the II./Sturzkampfgeschwader 3