Otto Esswein

Offizierstellvertreter Otto Esswein was a World War I flying ace credited with twelve aerial victories.

Early life
Otto Esswein was born in Walblinges, the Kingdom of Württemberg within the German Empire, on 3 March 1890.

Aviation service
Esswein transferred from ground service to aviation in mid-1915. On 30 October 1917, he was assigned to Jasta 26. He scored his first victory, shooting down a Sopwith Camel on 15 November. He was then slightly wounded in the right eye on the 27th.

When he returned to the squadron in early 1918, a new Fokker Dr.I triplane awaited him. He used it to shoot down another Camel on 2 February, three more the next day, and two more British fighters on the 5th. By 26 March 1918, he was a double ace with ten victories. On 31 May, he rounded off his tally at a dozen with his two last victories. He was awarded the Military Merit Cross on 3 June 1918 to join his Iron Crosses; then he was awarded his home kingdom's Military Merit Order in Gold and Silver. On 16 July, in one of the pioneer usages of a parachute, he successfully bailed out of his burning plane. Five days later, he was not so lucky; he was killed in action in another flaming aircraft over Hartennes-et-Taux, France.