Emil Bitsch Military person

Emil Bitsch (14 June 1916 – 15 March 1944) was a Luftwaffe flying ace of World War II. He was one of the most successful pilots on the Eastern Front; being credited with 108 aerial victories—that is, 108 aerial combat encounters resulting in the destruction of an enemy aircraft. He claimed 104 victories over the Eastern Front and four more over the Western Front (all four-engine bombers). He is one of two pilots credited with shooting down the Soviet female ace Yekaterina Budanova. Bitsch was killed in action with United States Army Air Forces (USAAF) fighters on 15 March 1944.

Personal facts

Birth date	June 14, 1916
Birth place	Baden
Date of death	March 15, 1944
Place of death	Schijndel
Resting place	Ysselsteyn

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Military person

allegiance	Nazi Germany
award	Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross
military operations	Battle of Stalingrad Operation Barbarossa Defence of the Reich
military branch	Luftwaffe
military command	8./JG 3
military unit	Jagdgeschwader 3
service start	1941
service end	1944