Heinz-Gerhard Vogt

Gerhard Vogt (29 November 1911 – 14 January 1945) was a German Luftwaffe fighter 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. Gerhard Vogt scored 48 victories in 174 missions. All of his victories were recorded over the Western front, and included eight four-engined bombers.

Military career
He claimed his first victory when he shot down a RAF Supermarine Spitfire fighter over Calais on 6 November 1941. On 15 June 1944, Leutnant Vogt took command of 7./JG 26 when Oberleutnant Waldemar Radener was seriously wounded in aerial combat. Vogt was appointed Staffelkapitän of 5./JG 26 on 14 August 1944, replacing Hauptmann Walter Matoni. Vogt led 5./JG 26 during Operation Bodenplatte, the attack on the Allied airfields in the Netherlands and Belgium on 1 January 1945 by United States Army Air Forces (USAAF) fighters. Vogt was shot down and killed by USAAF P-51 Mustangs of the 78th Fighter Group in his FW 190 D-9 near Cologne.

In his combat career Vogt shot down two prominent Allied fighter aces, Australian Tony Gaze (12.5 confirmed, 4 probable and 5 damaged victories) and Claude Weaver (12.5 confirmed and 3 probable victories). Vogt himself was shot down by enemy pilots six times.

Awards

 * German Cross in Gold (20 March 1944)
 * Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross on 25 November 1944 as Leutnant and Staffelführer of the 5./JG 26 "Schlageter"