Rudolf Klemm

Rudolf Klemm
Born	10 February 1918 Haltingen
Died	Germany
Allegiance	Nazi Germany
Service/branch	Luftwaffe
Years of service	1937–45
Rank	Major
Unit	JG 54 JG 26
Commands held	III./JG 54 IV./JG 26
Battles/wars	World War II Siege of Leningrad Defense of the Reich
Awards	Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross

Rudolf Klemm (10 February 1918 – 5 July 1989) 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 he was credited with 42 aerial victories in 293 missions. Klemm's plane was shot down 4 times and he saved his life twice by parachuting and twice with an emergency landing.

After the war Klemm was an instructor in his own flying school for small aircraft based on the airport of Basel-Mulhouse until his plane crashed mysteriously, when he was on training with a trainee pilot.

Awards

• Aviator badge
• Front Flying Clasp of the Luftwaffe
• Ehrenpokal der Luftwaffe (22 February 1943)
• Iron Cross (1939)
  • 2nd Class
  • 1st Class
• Wound Badge (1939)
  • in Black
  • in Silver
• German Cross in Gold (24 February 1944)
• Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross on 18 November 1944 as Hauptmann and Staffelkapitän in the 10./Jagdgeschwader 54

External links

• World War 2 Awards.com
• Aces of the Luftwaffe
• Lexikon der Wehrmacht

Military offices
Preceded by Oberleutnant Rudolf Patzak	Acting Commander of III. Jagdgeschwader 54 February 1944–March 1944	Succeeded by Hauptmann Rudolf Sinner
Preceded by Oberleutnant Wilhelm Heilmann	Commander of III. Jagdgeschwader 54 January 1945–February 1945	Succeeded by Absorbed into IV. JG 26
Preceded by Previously III. JG 54	Commander of IV. Jagdgeschwader 26 25 February 1945–April 1945	Succeeded by None