Commands held I./JG 2 Unit JG 77JG 2 Place of burial Tutzing, Germany | Years of service 1939–45 Died 1983 Name Franz Hrdlicka | |
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Battles/wars World War IIEastern FrontMediterranean CampaignDefence of the Reich Battles and wars Eastern Front, Mediterranean and Middle East theatre of World War II, Defence of the Reich, World War II | ||
Franz Hrdlicka (15 October 1920 – 25 March 1945) was a Luftwaffe ace and recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross during World War II. The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross was awarded to recognise extreme battlefield bravery or successful military leadership. During his career Franz Hrdlicka was credited with 60 aerial victories.
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Career
Hrdlicka was born on 15 October 1920 in Maxdorf in Mähren, present-day the suburb Dvorska of Brno in the Czech Republic. He volunteered for service in the Luftwaffe in late 1939. On 27 September 1944 he was shot down and wounded in combat with Supermarine Spitfires near Arnhem but managed to bail out. Following his 44th aerial victory, he was awarded the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross (Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes) on 18 October 1944. He was transferred to Jagdgeschwader 2 "Richthofen" (JG 2—2nd Fighter Wing) in mid-October 1944. There he first commanded the 1. Staffel as Staffelkapitän (squadron leader) before he was appointed Gruppenkommandeur (group commander) of the I. Gruppe of JG 2 "Richthofen" on 9 December 1944.
Hrdlicka was shot down by United States Army Air Forces fighters and killed in action on 25 March 1945 near Betzenrod, present-day a suburb of Schotten, Hesse. His remains were recovered on 8 September 1951. He had been nominated for the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves which was not approved.