Waldemar Radener

Waldemar Radener
Born 24 January 1921
Lüchtringen
Died 8 January 1957(1957-01-08) (aged 35)
Schongau
Allegiance  Nazi Germany (to 1945)
 West Germany
Service/branch  Luftwaffe
 German Air Force
Years of service ?–1945
1956–57
Rank Oberleutnant (Wehrmacht)
Hauptmann (Bundeswehr)
Unit JG 26
JG 300
Commands held II./JG 26
II./JG 300
Battles/wars

World War II

Awards Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross

Waldemar Radener[Note 1] (24 January 1921 – 8 January 1957) was a German Luftwaffe ace and recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross (German: Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes) during World War II. The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross was awarded to recognise extreme battlefield bravery or successful military leadership.

Career

Radener was born on 24 January 1921 at Lüchtrigen and as a Leutnant joined 4 staffel, Jagdgeschwader 26 "Schlageter" (JG 26) in February 1943 following completion of training. Radener claimed his first victory, a Royal Air Force (RAF) Supermarine Spitfire, on 3 May 1943 and two United States Army Air Forces (USAAF) Republic P-47 Thunderbolts near Arnhem on 30 July. Radener was appointed Staffelkapitän (squadron leader) of 6 staffel, JG 26 in August. Radener shot down a P-47 on 11 January 1944 to record his 10th claim, and was awarded the German Cross in Gold on 16 April. On 11 May Radener downed a Consolidated B-24 Liberator bomber but then accidentally rammed a second in his Focke-Wulf Fw 190 A-8. He baled out with minor injuries. Radener was again shot down by USAAF North American P-51 Mustang fighters on 15 June and suffered injuries on landing keeping him hospitalised until the end of the month.

In September 1944 Oberleutnant Radener was re-appointed Staffelkapitän, 7./JG 26, and by the end of 1944 had 23 credited victories. Radener was then made Gruppenkommandeur (group commander) of II./JG 26 in January 1945, and in February 1945 transferred to command II./Jagdgeschwader 300 (JG 300).

Radener was awarded the Ritterkreuz in March 1945 and survived the war. He joined the Bundesluftwaffe but was killed in a flying accident on 8 January 1957 near Schongau.

Radener was credited with 37 victories and 14 unconfirmed victories, all recorded over the Western Front. These included 12 heavy bombers (10 USAAF, 2 RAF) with another 6 unconfirmed.

Awards

Notes

  1. ↑ According to Scherzer later named Waldemar Radener-Blaschke.[1]

References

Citations

  1. ↑ Scherzer 2007, p. 610.
  2. ↑ Patzwall & Scherzer 2001, p. 364.
  3. ↑ Fellgiebel 2000, p. 283.

Bibliography

  • Fellgiebel, Walther-Peer (2000) [1986]. Die Träger des Ritterkreuzes des Eisernen Kreuzes 1939–1945 — Die Inhaber der höchsten Auszeichnung des Zweiten Weltkrieges aller Wehrmachtteile [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] (in German). Friedberg, Germany: Podzun-Pallas. ISBN 978-3-7909-0284-6. 
  • Obermaier, Ernst (1989). Die Ritterkreuzträger der Luftwaffe Jagdflieger 1939 – 1945 [The Knight's Cross Bearers of the Luftwaffe Fighter Force 1939 – 1945] (in German). Mainz, Germany: Verlag Dieter Hoffmann. ISBN 978-3-87341-065-7. 
  • Patzwall, Klaus D.; Scherzer, Veit (2001). Das Deutsche Kreuz 1941 – 1945 Geschichte und Inhaber Band II [The German Cross 1941 – 1945 History and Recipients Volume 2] (in German). Norderstedt, Germany: Verlag Klaus D. Patzwall. ISBN 978-3-931533-45-8. 
  • Scherzer, Veit (2007). 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] (in German). Jena, Germany: Scherzers Militaer-Verlag. ISBN 978-3-938845-17-2. 
Military offices
Preceded by
Major Anton Hackl		 Gruppenkommandeur of II./JG 26
30 January 1945 – 22 February 1945 		Succeeded by
Hauptmann Paul Schauder
Preceded by
Major Alfred Lindenberger		 Gruppenkommandeur of II./JG 300
23 February 1945 – 16 April 1945 		Succeeded by
Hauptmann Karl-Heinz Dietsche
This article is issued from Wikipedia - version of the 10/25/2016. The text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution/Share Alike but additional terms may apply for the media files.