Franz Hrdlicka
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Franz Hrdlicka
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| Born | 15 October 1920 Maxdorf, Czechoslovakia |
| Died | Error: Need valid death date (first date): year, month, day Betzenrod |
| Buried |
Tutzing, New Cemetery
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| Allegiance |  Nazi Germany |
| Service/ |
 Luftwaffe |
| Years of service | 1939–45 |
| Rank | Hauptmann |
| Unit | JG 77 JG 2 |
| Commands held | I./JG 2 |
| Battles/wars | World War II |
| Awards | Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross |
Franz Hrdlicka[Note 1] (15 October 1920 – 25 March 1945) was a German 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.
Contents
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.[1] 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.[2]
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.[1] His remains were recovered on 8 September 1951. He had been nominated for the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves (Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes mit Eichenlaub) which was not approved.[2]
Awards and decorations
- Aviator badge
- Front Flying Clasp of the Luftwaffe in Gold
- Iron Cross (1939)
- 2nd Class
- 1st Class
- Wound Badge (1939)
- in Black
- Ehrenpokal der Luftwaffe on 13 September 1942 as Leutnant and pilot[3]
- German Cross in Gold on 12 July 1943 as Oberleutnant in the II./Jagdgeschwader 77[4]
- Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross on 9 August 1944 as Hauptmann and Staffelkapitän of the 5./Jagdgeschwader 77[5][Note 2]
Notes
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Citations
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External links
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Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross recipients of Jagdgeschwader 77
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- Pages with reference errors
- Age error
- Articles containing German-language text
- 1914 births
- 1983 deaths
- People from Děčín
- German Bohemian people
- Luftwaffe pilots
- German World War II flying aces
- Recipients of the Gold German Cross
- Recipients of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross
- Aviators killed by being shot down
