Kurt Brändle

Kurt-Werner Brändle (born 19 January 1912 in Ludwigsburg, Württemberg – Killed in action 3 November 1943 west of Amsterdam, Netherlands) was a German former Luftwaffe fighter ace and recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves during World War II. 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.

Career
In 1940 Brändle flew as an Oberleutnant with II./Jagdgeschwader 53 (JG 53—53rd Fighter Wing) and achieved 7 victories in the West and over the English Channel. His 1st victory was a Morane-Saulnier M.S.406 south of Sedan on 13 May 1940. By February 1942 Hauptmann (Captain) Brändle was Staffelkapitän (squadron leader) of 5./JG 53 based in Comiso, Italy, flying fighter operations against Malta, claiming another 7 victories over the Southern Front.

In May 1942 his first known Soviet victory was a Polikarpov R-5 on 20 May 1942, and he became Gruppenkommandeur (group commander) II./Jagdgeschwader 3 (JG 3—3rd Fighter Wing) the same month, and in August took over I Gruppe. When he was awarded the Knights Cross of the Iron Cross in July 1942 having flown 470 missions and with 49 victories to his credit. In August 1942 he was awarded the Oak Leaves to the Knights Cross with his total at 100 victories.

Kurt Brändle was killed in action on 3 November 1943 west of Amsterdam in the Netherlands. Brändle attacked a medium bomber formation after he had shot down two P-47 Thunderbolts. It is assumed that he was shot down in his Messerschmitt Bf 109 G-6 by Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF) fighters under the command of Wing Commander Lloyd Chadburn. His body was later washed ashore near Zandvoort on 30 December 1943 and was buried in Amsterdam on 14 January 1944.

Brändle was officially credited with shooting down 180 enemy aircraft in more than 700 combat missions, with 164 claimed on the Eastern front.

Awards

 * Iron Cross (1939)
 * 2nd Class (20 April 1940)
 * 1st Class (3 September 1940)
 * German Cross in Gold on 25 February 1942 as Oberleutnant in the 5./JG 53
 * Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves
 * Knight's Cross on 1 July 1942 as Hauptmann and Gruppenkommandeur of the II./JG 3 "Udet"
 * 114th Oak Leaves on 27 August 1942 as Hauptmann and Gruppenkommandeur of the II./JG 3 "Udet"