| Hans-Karl Stepp | |
|---|---|
 Hans-Karl Stepp | |
| Born | 14 September 1914 |
| Died | 12 December 2006 (aged 92) |
| Place of birth | Gießen |
| Place of death | Leipzig |
| Allegiance |
 Nazi Germany |
| Service/branch |
 Luftwaffe |
| Years of service | 1936–1945 |
| Rank | Oberstleutnant |
| Unit | StG 2 |
| Commands held | StG 2 |
| Battles/wars | |
| Awards | Knight's Cross with Oak Leaves |
| Other work | Lawyer |
Hans-Karl Stepp (2 September 1914 – 12 December 2006) 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 (German language: Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes mit Eichenlaub). 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.
Biography[]
Hans-Karl Stepp was born on 2 September 1914 in Gießen as son to a University professor. Stepp studied eight semesters of law in Tübingen, Breslau and Munich before joining the Luftwaffe as Fahnenjunker in 1936. He fought in the Invasion of Poland and Battle of France with Sturzkampfgeschwader 76. He also served in the Reichsluftwaffenministerium in Berlin.
Awards[]
- Iron Cross (1939)
- 2nd Class
- 1st Class (15 June 1940)
- Ehrenpokal der Luftwaffe on 9 September 1941 as Oberleutnant[1]
- German Cross in Gold (15 October 1941) as Gruppen- and Geschwaderadjutant of Sturzkampfgeschwader 2
- Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves
- Knight's Cross on 4 February 1942 as Oberleutnant and Staffelkapitän of the 7./StG 2 "Immelmann"[2] after 418 combat missions
- 462nd Oak Leaves on 25 April 1944 as Oberstleutnant and Geschwaderkommodore of SG 2 "Immelmann"[2] after over 800 combat missions
Notes[]
- ↑ For a list of Luftwaffe ground attack aces see List of German World War II Ground Attack aces
References[]
- Citations
- Bibliography
- 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. (2008) (in German). Der Ehrenpokal für besondere Leistung im Luftkrieg [The Honor Goblet for Outstanding Achievement in the Air War]. Norderstedt, Germany: Verlag Klaus D. Patzwall. ISBN 978-3-931533-08-3.
- Schaulen, Fritjof (2005) (in German). Eichenlaubträger 1940 – 1945 Zeitgeschichte in Farbe III Radusch – Zwernemann [Oak Leaves Bearers 1940 – 1945 Contemporary History in Color III Radusch – Zwernemann]. Selent, Germany: Pour le Mérite. ISBN 978-3-932381-22-5.
- 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.
External links[]
"Hans-Karl Stepp" (in German). Lexikon der Wehrmacht. http://www.lexikon-der-wehrmacht.de/Personenregister/SteppHK.htm. Retrieved 14 October 2011.
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