| Alwin Boerst | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Born | 20 October 1910 |
| Died | 30 March 1944 (aged 33) |
| Place of birth | Osterode |
| Place of death | near Iaşi |
| Allegiance |
 Nazi Germany |
| Service/branch |
Heer (1934–1937) Luftwaffe (1937–1944) |
| Years of service | 1934–1944 |
| Rank | Major |
| Unit | StG 2 |
| Commands held | I./StG 2 |
| Battles/wars |
World War II |
| Awards | Knight's Cross with Oak Leaves and Swords (posthumous) |
Major Alwin Boerst (born 20 October 1910 in Osterode – Killed in action 30 March 1944 near Iaşi) was a German World War II Luftwaffe Stuka ace.[Notes 1] He was also a recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves and Swords. The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross and its higher grade Oak Leaves and Swords was awarded to recognise extreme battlefield bravery or successful military leadership.
Boerst participated in the Battle of Crete and assisted in the sinking of British destroyers Kelly and Kashmir.[1]
Together with his radio operator and gunner, Ernst Filius, he took off on 30 March 1944 for the first time flying a Ju 87G-1. They were shot down and killed during this mission north of Iaşi by ground fire. Oberfeldwebel Filius was posthumously awarded the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross on 19 May 1944. Boerst was posthumous honoured with the Swords to his Knight's Cross on 6 April 1944.[2] Boerst flew 1060 combat missions.
Awards[]
- Verwundetenabzeichen in Black
- Front Flying Clasp of the Luftwaffe in Gold with Pennant "1.000"
- Combined Pilots-Observation Badge
- "Kreta" Cuffband
- German Cross in Gold on 5 June 1942 as Oberleutnant in the 3./StG 2[3]
- Iron Cross (1939)
- Ehrenpokal der Luftwaffe (9 September 1941)
- Knight's Cross with Oak Leaves and Swords
- Knight's Cross on 5 October 1941 as Oberleutnant and pilot in the 3./StG 2 "Immelmann"[5]
- 149th Oak Leaves on 28 November 1942 Oberleutnant and Staffelkapitän of the 3./StG 2 "Immelmann"[5]
- 61st Swords on 6 April 1944 (posthumous) as Major and Gruppenkommandeur of the I./StG 2 "Immelmann"[5]
Notes[]
- ↑ For a list of Luftwaffe ground attack aces see List of German World War II Ground Attack aces
References[]
- Citations
- Bibliography
- Berger, Florian (1999) (in German). Mit Eichenlaub und Schwertern. Die höchstdekorierten Soldaten des Zweiten Weltkrieges [With Oak Leaves and Swords. The Highest Decorated Soldiers of the Second World War]. Vienna, Austria: Selbstverlag Florian Berger. ISBN 978-3-9501307-0-6.
- Brütting, Georg (1995) (in German). Das waren die deutschen Stuka-Asse 1939 – 1945 [These were the German Stuka Aces 1939 - 1945]. Stuttgart, Germany: Motorbuch. ISBN 978-3-87943-433-6.
- Fellgiebel, Walther-Peer (2000) (in German). Die Träger des Ritterkreuzes des Eisernen Kreuzes 1939–1945 – Die Inhaber der höchsten Auszeichnung des Zweiten Weltkrieges aller Wehrmachtsteile [The Bearers of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross 1939–1945 — The Owners of the Highest Award of the Second World War of all Wehrmacht Branches]. Friedberg, Germany: Podzun-Pallas. ISBN 978-3-7909-0284-6.
- Obermaier, Ernst (1976) (in German). Die Ritterkreuzträger der Luftwaffe 1939–1945 Band II Stuka- und Schlachtflieger [The Knight's Cross Bearers of the Luftwaffe 1941 – 1945 Volume II Dive Bomber and Attack Aircraft]. Mainz, Germany: Verlag Dieter Hoffmann. ISBN 978-3-87341-021-3.
- Patzwall, Klaus D.; Scherzer, Veit (2001) (in German). Das Deutsche Kreuz 1941 – 1945 Geschichte und Inhaber Band II [The German Cross 1941 – 1945 History and Recipients Volume 2]. Norderstedt, Germany: Verlag Klaus D. Patzwall. ISBN 978-3-931533-45-8.
- Schaulen, Fritjof (2003) (in German). Eichenlaubträger 1940 – 1945 Zeitgeschichte in Farbe I Abraham – Huppertz [Oak Leaves Bearers 1940 – 1945 Contemporary History in Color I Abraham – Huppertz]. Selent, Germany: Pour le Mérite. ISBN 978-3-932381-20-1.
- Scherzer, Veit (2007) (in German). Die Ritterkreuzträger 1939–1945 Die Inhaber des Ritterkreuzes des Eisernen Kreuzes 1939 von Heer, Luftwaffe, Kriegsmarine, Waffen-SS, Volkssturm sowie mit Deutschland verbündeter Streitkräfte nach den Unterlagen des Bundesarchives [The Knight's Cross Bearers 1939–1945 The Holders of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross 1939 by Army, Air Force, Navy, Waffen-SS, Volkssturm and Allied Forces with Germany According to the Documents of the Federal Archives]. Jena, Germany: Scherzers Miltaer-Verlag. ISBN 978-3-938845-17-2.
- Thomas, Franz (1997) (in German). Die Eichenlaubträger 1939–1945 Band 1: A–K [The Oak Leaves Bearers 1939–1945 Volume 1: A–K]. Osnabrück, Germany: Biblio-Verlag. ISBN 978-3-7648-2299-6.
- Williamson, Gordon (2006). Knight's Cross, Oak-Leaves and Swords Recipients 1941–45. Oxford, UK: Osprey Publishing. ISBN 978-1-84176-643-0.
External links[]
- "Lexikon der Wehrmacht". Alwin Boerst. http://www.lexikon-der-wehrmacht.de/Personenregister/B/BoerstA.htm. Retrieved 10 July 2007.
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The original article can be found at Alwin Boerst and the edit history here.