Alfred Franke

Alfred Franke (20 September 1918 – 9 September 1942) 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. On 9 September 1942, Alfred Franke was killed north of Stalingrad after dog-fighting with a Soviet Il-2 Shturmovik flown by Kapitan Pavel S. Vinogradov (694 IAP, 228 ShAD). He was posthumously awarded the Knight's Cross on 29 October 1942 and was also promoted to Leutnant. During his career he was credited with 60 aerial victories. 4 on the Western Front and 56 on the Eastern Front.

Awards

 * Aviator badge
 * Front Flying Clasp of the Luftwaffe
 * Ehrenpokal der Luftwaffe (13 September 1942)
 * Iron Cross (1939)
 * 2nd Class
 * 1st Class
 * German Cross in Gold (25 September 1942)
 * Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross on 29 October 1942 as Oberfeldwebel and Flugzeugführer in the 2./Jagdgeschwader 53