Allegiance Nazi Germany Rank Oberleutnant | Years of service ?–1945 Service/branch Luftwaffe | |
Battles/wars World War II
Operation Barbarossa
Battle of the Caucasus
Defense of the Reich Awards Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross Died 30 January 1945, Brzeg, Poland Award Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross Battles and wars World War II, Operation Barbarossa, Battle of the Caucasus, Defence of the Reich Units Jagdgeschwader 52, Jagdgeschwader 50 | ||
Heinrich Füllgrabe (26 July 1916 – 30 January 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. After joining the Luftwaffe in the late 1930s, after his training as a fighter pilot, Füllgrabe was appointed to serve as the Unteroffizier 9./JG 52 in spring 1941. Füllgrabe became a member of one of the most efficient units of the Luftwaffe, Karaya Quartet, where he flew alongside Hermann Graf (212 kills), Alfred Grislawski (133) and Ernst Süß (68). Füllgrabe was killed on 30 January 1945 by Soviet anti-aircraft fire near Brieg in Silesia. During his career he was credited with 67 aerial victories, all of them on the Eastern Front, including five Il-2 Sturmoviks.