Fritz Tegtmeier

Fritz Tegtmeier (30 July 1917 – 8 April 1999) was a German World War II Luftwaffe 146 aerial victories Flying ace and recipient of the coveted 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. A flying ace or fighter ace is a military aviator credited with shooting down five or more enemy aircraft during aerial combat.

Military career
Fritz Tegtmeier was posted to the 2nd Squadron (Staffel) of Jagdgeschwader 54 (2./JG 54) in October 1940. He was severely injured on 17 November 1940 when his aircraft crashed due to engine fire. He returned to his Staffel in the spring of 1941 and claimed his first aerial victory on 22 June 1941, the first day of Operation Barbarossa on the Eastern front. Tegtmeier with seven aerial victories claimed, was again severely injured on 10 September 1941 in a midair collision with a Messerschmitt Bf 110 near Gatschina. He bailed out with his parachute and was put in convalescence for many months. He returned to active duty in April 1942 and was assigned to the 1./JG 54. By the end of 1942 he had claimed 29 aerial victories. He claimed aerial victories number 36 and 37 on 23 January 1943. On 3 May 1943 he claimed numbers 51–53 and was posted to Ergänzungs-Jagdgruppe Ost as fighter pilot instructor. He returned to front line duty, this time with the 3./JG 54, in September 1943. In November 1943 he achieved his 75th aerial victory. He was awarded the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross (Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes) on 28 March 1944 following his 99th aerial victory. Tegtmeier was promoted to Leutnant on 20 April 1944. He claimed his 100th and 101st aerial victory on 3 May 1944. In October 1944 he was made Staffelkapitän of the 3./JG 54. By the end of 1944 his score of aerial victories stood at 139 claims. When he was transferred to Jagdgeschwader 7 for flight training on the Messerschmitt Me 262 jet fighter in March 1945 his score stood at 146 aerial victories. Fritz Tegtmeier had been nominated for the Oak Leaves to the Knight's Cross (Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes mit Eichenlaub).

Awards

 * Ehrenpokal der Luftwaffe (5 October 1942)
 * German Cross in Gold on 23 January 1943 as Oberfeldwebel in the I./JG 54
 * Iron Cross (1939) 2nd and 1st Class
 * Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross on 28 March 1944 as Oberfeldwebel and pilot in the 2./JG 54