Friedrich Rumpelhardt

Friedrich "Fritz" Rumpelhardt (19 June 1920 – 20 January 2011) was a highly decorated Leutnant in the Luftwaffe during World War II. He was also a recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross (Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes). The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross was awarded to recognise extreme battlefield bravery or successful military leadership.

During his career he participated in 130 missions as a Bordfunker (radio/radar operator) with Nachtjagdgeschwader 1 and Nachtjagdgeschwader 4, and participated in 100 aerial victories as a crewman with Major Heinz-Wolfgang Schnaufer from October 1942 (as a Unteroffizier) until the end of the war. He was the most successful radar operator—in terms of aerial victories claimed—in the Luftwaffe night fighter force.

Career
Rumpelhardt was born 19 June 1920 in Nordhalden near Konstanz, at the time in the Republic of Baden of the German Reich during the Weimar Republic. He was one of three sons of the teacher Emil Rumpelhardt and his wife Rosa. Both his twin brothers were killed in action as Luftwaffe pilots during the war.

As a Leutnant he was also a recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross in July 1944 and was nominated for the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves on 8 March 1945.

In the late nineties Rumpelhardt self-published an 119 page account of his wartime experiences, "Meine Geschichte und die meiner Familie: Die Zeit des Kriegsdienstes".

Awards and decorations

 * Fliegerschützenabzeichen (Air Gunner Badge) (5 February 1942)
 * Iron Cross (1939)
 * 2nd Class (5 June 1942)
 * 1st Class (1 October 1942)
 * Front Flying Clasp of the Luftwaffe
 * in Bronze (31 August 1942)
 * in Silver (18 February 1944)
 * in Gold (4 February 1945)
 * German Cross in Gold on 16 April 1944 as Feldwebel in the 12./Nachtjagdgeschwader 1
 * Ehrenpokal der Luftwaffe on 17 April 1944 as Feldwebel and Bordfunker (radio operator)
 * Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross on 27 July 1944 as Oberfeldwebel and Bordfunker in IV./Nachtjagdgeschwader 1