Andreas Kuffner (Luftwaffe)

Andreas Kuffner (30 May 1918 – 30 April 1945) was a highly decorated Hauptmann in the Luftwaffe during World War II, and one of only 882 recipients of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves. 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. During his career he flew 900+ missions and is credited with the destruction of 60+ tanks. Andreas Kuffner was killed on 30 April 1945 when the Focke-Wulf Fw 190 he was flying was bounced and shot down by a Royal Air Force Spitfire XIV from 350 Squadron as he was attempting to land near Schwerin. During the same attack, Knight's Cross recipients Rainer Nossek and Wilhelm Bromen were killed and wounded respectively.

Awards and decorations

 * Aviator badge
 * Front Flying Clasp of the Luftwaffe in Gold with Pennant "900"
 * Ehrenpokal der Luftwaffe (25 May 1942)
 * Iron Cross (1939)
 * 2nd Class (22 June 1940)
 * 1st Class (19 March 1942)
 * Wound Badge (1939)
 * in Black
 * German Cross in Gold (September 1942)
 * Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves
 * Knight's Cross on 16 April 1943 as Oberleutnant and Staffelkapitän of the 4./Sturzkampfgeschwader 2 "Immelmann"
 * 864th Oak Leaves on 20 December 1944 as Hauptmann and Staffelkapitän of the 10. (Pz.)/Schlachtgeschwader 3