Allegiance Nazi Germany Commands held I./Kampfgeschwader 6 Service/branch Luftwaffe | Years of service 1938–44 Name Hans Thurner Rank Hauptmann | |
Buried at La Cambe German war cemetery Battles/wars World War II
Battle of Britain
Operation Barbarossa
Battle of Kiev (1941)
Italian Campaign
Operation Steinbock
Operation Overlord † Died June 11, 1944, Saint-Pierre-sur-Dives, France Place of burial La Cambe German war cemetery, La Cambe, France Awards Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross Unit Kampfgeschwader 55, Kampfgeschwader 6 | ||
Hans "Johann" Thurner (24 October 1918 – 11 June 1944) 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. Thurner was killed on 11 June 1944, and was posthumously awarded the Oak Leaves to his Knight's Cross on 17 September 1944.
On 11 June 1944, Thurner and his crew of Junkers Ju 188 A-2 "3E+EB", observer Fahnenjunker-Unteroffizier Gustav Thater, radio operator Unteroffizier Joachim Booch and air gunner Fahnenjunker-Feldwebel Kurt Henning, failed to return from a mission in defense against the Normandy Invasion and were initially reported as missing in action. His remains were later recovered 10 kilometers (6.2 miles) southeast of Saint-Pierre-sur-Dives. He was buried at the La Cambe war cemetery.