Horst Rudat
| Horst Rudat | |
|---|---|
| Born |
3 May 1920 Wirtkallen, district Insterburg, East Prussia |
| Died |
31 August 1982 (aged 62) Laaber, Germany |
| Allegiance |
.svg.png){kind=small} Nazi Germany (to 1945) West Germany |
| Service/branch |
 Luftwaffe.svg.png){kind=small} German Air Force |
| Years of service | –1945, 1956–1980 |
| Rank |
Hauptmann (Wehrmacht) Generalmajor (Bundeswehr) |
| Unit | KG 55, KG 200 |
| Commands held |
II./KG 200 LTG 63 |
| Battles/wars | World War II |
| Awards | Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross |
Horst Rudat (born 3 May 1920 in Wirtkallen, district Insterburg, East Prussia; died 31 August 1982 in Laaber/Waldelzerberg) was a German World War II Luftwaffe bomber pilot. After the war he joined the Bundeswehr and attained the rank of Generalmajor.
In the weeks following Operation Overlord, the Allied invasion of France, Hauptmann Rudat was tasked with the leadership of a task force in 2./Kampfgeschwader 101. The task force was experimenting with the Mistel, a Luftwaffe aircraft bombing system, based broadly on the parasite aircraft concept. Rudat led a formation of 4 Mistel aircraft against the invasion fleet of off Normandy in the night of 24/25 June 1944. The HMS Nith, a British "River Class" frigate, was damaged killing nine of her crew.[1]
Awards
- Iron Cross (1939)
- Ehrenpokal der Luftwaffe (27 May 1942)[2]
- German Cross in Gold on 27 July 1942 as Oberleutnant in the 3./KG 55[3]
- Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross on 24 March 1943 as Oberleutnant and Staffelkapitän of the 2./KG 55[4][5]
References
Citations
Bibliography
- Fellgiebel, Walther-Peer (2000) [1986]. Die Träger des Ritterkreuzes des Eisernen Kreuzes 1939–1945 — Die Inhaber der höchsten Auszeichnung des Zweiten Weltkrieges aller Wehrmachtteile [The Bearers of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross 1939–1945 — The Owners of the Highest Award of the Second World War of all Wehrmacht Branches] (in German). Friedberg, Germany: Podzun-Pallas. ISBN 978-3-7909-0284-6.
- Ford, Roger (2000). Germany's Secret Weapons in World War II. Zenith Imprint. ISBN 0-7603-0847-0.
- Forsyth, Robert (2001). Mistel - German Composite Aircraft and Operations 1942-1945. Classic Publications Limited. ISBN 1-903223-09-1.
- Kaiser, Jochen (2011). Die Ritterkreuzträger der Kampfflieger—Band 2 (in German and English). Bad Zwischenahn, Germany: Luftfahrtverlag-Start. ISBN 978-3-941437-09-8.
- Patzwall, Klaus D.; Scherzer, Veit (2001). Das Deutsche Kreuz 1941 – 1945 Geschichte und Inhaber Band II [The German Cross 1941 – 1945 History and Recipients Volume 2] (in German). Norderstedt, Germany: Verlag Klaus D. Patzwall. ISBN 978-3-931533-45-8.
- Scherzer, Veit (2007). Die Ritterkreuzträger 1939–1945 Die Inhaber des Ritterkreuzes des Eisernen Kreuzes 1939 von Heer, Luftwaffe, Kriegsmarine, Waffen-SS, Volkssturm sowie mit Deutschland verbündeter Streitkräfte nach den Unterlagen des Bundesarchives [The Knight's Cross Bearers 1939–1945 The Holders of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross 1939 by Army, Air Force, Navy, Waffen-SS, Volkssturm and Allied Forces with Germany According to the Documents of the Federal Archives] (in German). Jena, Germany: Scherzers Militaer-Verlag. ISBN 978-3-938845-17-2.
| Military offices | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by Oberstleutnant Wilhelm Batz |
Commander of Lufttransportgeschwader 63 1 February 1964 – March 1971 |
Succeeded by Oberst Dr. Heinz-Ulrich Beuther |