Friedrich Geißhardt Military person

Friedrich "Fritz" Geißhardt (22 January 1919 – 6 April 1943) 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. A flying ace or fighter ace is a military aviator credited with shooting down five or more enemy aircraft during aerial combat. The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross, with its higher grade Oak Leaves, was awarded to recognise exceptional battlefield bravery or military leadership."Fritz" Geißhardt is credited with 102 victories in 642 combat missions, including 37 close air support missions. He achieved 63 of his victories over the Eastern Front. In his total are at least seventeen Spitfires. Geißhardt was mortally wounded in combat with US bombers on 5 April 1943 and succumbed to his injuries the next day.

Personal facts

Birth date	January 22, 1919
Birth place	Sonnefeld
Date of death	April 06, 1943
Place of death	Belgium , Ghent

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Military person

award	Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross
military operations	Operation Barbarossa Invasion of Poland Balkan Campaign (World War II) Siege of Malta (World War II) Defence of the Reich Battle of Britain World War II Battle of Crete
military branch	Luftwaffe
military command	III./JG 26
military unit	Jagdgeschwader 77 Jagdgeschwader 26 Lehrgeschwader 2
service start	1937
service end	1943