Allegiance Nazi Germany Commands held I.(Pz)/SG 9 Role Luftwaffe Rank Hauptmann | Years of service 1937–45 Name Andreas Kuffner Service/branch Luftwaffe | |
Battles/wars World War II
Battle of France
Siege of Leningrad
Battle of the Caucasus
Battle of Stalingrad
Vilnius Offensive
Defense of the Reich Died April 30, 1945, Schwerin, Germany Awards Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross Battles and wars Battle of France, Siege of Leningrad Unit Sturzkampfgeschwader 2, Schlachtgeschwader 3 | ||
Andreas Kuffner (30 May 1918 – 30 April 1945) was a highly decorated Hauptmann in the Luftwaffe during World War II, and one of only 882 recipients of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves. 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. During his career he flew 900+ missions and is credited with the destruction of 60+ tanks. Andreas Kuffner was killed on 30 April 1945 when the Focke-Wulf Fw 190 he was flying was bounced and shot down by a Royal Air Force Spitfire XIV from 350 Squadron as he was attempting to land near Schwerin. During the same attack, Knight's Cross recipients Rainer Nossek and Wilhelm Bromen were killed and wounded respectively.