Combined Pilots-Observation Badge
Encyclopedia
Combined Pilots-Observation Badge was a German military award instituted on 26 March 1936 by the Commander in Chief of the Luftwaffe
Hermann Göring
to commemorate soldiers or servicemen who had already been awarded the Pilot's badge or Observer badge. It was worn on the lower part of the left breast pocket of the service tunic, underneath the 1st class Iron Cross if awarded.
The badge was originally manufactured out of bronze
, later out of zinc
. The badge can be distinguished from the Pilot's badge by the golden wreath
; the Pilot's Badge had a silver wreath.
and State Secretary of the Reichsluftfahrtministerium Erhard Milch
on 11 November 1935.
Oberkommando der Luftwaffe
The Oberkommando der Luftwaffe was the air force High Command of the Third Reich.Air Force Commanders-in-Chief* Reich Marshal Hermann Göring * Field Marshal Robert Ritter von Greim -History:...
Hermann Göring
Hermann Göring
Hermann Wilhelm Göring, was a German politician, military leader, and a leading member of the Nazi Party. He was a veteran of World War I as an ace fighter pilot, and a recipient of the coveted Pour le Mérite, also known as "The Blue Max"...
to commemorate soldiers or servicemen who had already been awarded the Pilot's badge or Observer badge. It was worn on the lower part of the left breast pocket of the service tunic, underneath the 1st class Iron Cross if awarded.
The badge was originally manufactured out of bronze
Bronze
Bronze is a metal alloy consisting primarily of copper, usually with tin as the main additive. It is hard and brittle, and it was particularly significant in antiquity, so much so that the Bronze Age was named after the metal...
, later out of zinc
Zinc
Zinc , or spelter , is a metallic chemical element; it has the symbol Zn and atomic number 30. It is the first element in group 12 of the periodic table. Zinc is, in some respects, chemically similar to magnesium, because its ion is of similar size and its only common oxidation state is +2...
. The badge can be distinguished from the Pilot's badge by the golden wreath
Wreath
A wreath is an assortment of flowers, leaves, fruits, twigs and/or various materials that is constructed to resemble a ring. They are used typically as Christmas decorations to symbolize the coming of Christ, also known as the Advent season in Christianity. They are also used as festive headdresses...
; the Pilot's Badge had a silver wreath.
Combined Pilots-Observation Badge in Gold with Diamonds
The exclusive variant of the Combined Pilots-Observation Badge in Gold with Diamonds was never officially instituted. It was bestowed to honor exceptional success and in rare occasions as an honorary award. The award was first bestowed to the Chief-of-General Staff, General Walther WeverWalther Wever (general)
Walther Wever was a pre-World War II Luftwaffe Commander.-Early life:Walther Wever was born on 11 November 1887 in Wilhelmsort in the county of Bromberg . He was the son of Arnold Wever, the one-time director of a Berlin bank and the grandson of the Prussian Prosecutor-General Dr...
and State Secretary of the Reichsluftfahrtministerium Erhard Milch
Erhard Milch
Erhard Milch was a German Field Marshal who oversaw the development of the Luftwaffe as part of the re-armament of Germany following World War I, and served as founding Director of Deutsche Luft Hansa...
on 11 November 1935.
Members of the Luftwaffe
- Reichsmarschall Hermann GöringHermann GöringHermann Wilhelm Göring, was a German politician, military leader, and a leading member of the Nazi Party. He was a veteran of World War I as an ace fighter pilot, and a recipient of the coveted Pour le Mérite, also known as "The Blue Max"...
- General Walther WeverWalther Wever (general)Walther Wever was a pre-World War II Luftwaffe Commander.-Early life:Walther Wever was born on 11 November 1887 in Wilhelmsort in the county of Bromberg . He was the son of Arnold Wever, the one-time director of a Berlin bank and the grandson of the Prussian Prosecutor-General Dr...
(Chief-of-General Staff Luftwaffe) - 11 November 1935 - General Erhard MilchErhard MilchErhard Milch was a German Field Marshal who oversaw the development of the Luftwaffe as part of the re-armament of Germany following World War I, and served as founding Director of Deutsche Luft Hansa...
(State Secretary of the Reichsluftfahrtministerium) - 11 November 1935 - General der Flieger Hugo SperrleHugo SperrleHugo Sperrle was a German field marshal of the Luftwaffe during World War II. His forces were deployed solely on the Western Front and the Mediterranean throughout the war...
- 19 November 1937 - Major Werner MöldersWerner MöldersWerner Mölders was a World War II German Luftwaffe pilot and the leading German fighter ace in the Spanish Civil War. Mölders became the first pilot in aviation history to claim 100 aerial victories—that is, 100 aerial combat encounters resulting in the destruction of the enemy aircraft, and was...
- mid August 1940 - Hautpmann Werner BaumbachWerner BaumbachWerner Baumbach was a bomber pilot in the German Luftwaffe during World War II and commander of the secret bomber wing Kampfgeschwader 200...
- mid August 1940 - Major Adolf GallandAdolf GallandAdolf "Dolfo" Joseph Ferdinand Galland was a German Luftwaffe General and flying ace who served throughout World War II in Europe. He flew 705 combat missions, and fought on the Western and the Defence of the Reich fronts...
- mid August 1940 - Generalfeldmarschall Wolfram Freiherr von RichthofenWolfram von RichthofenDr.-Ing. Wolfram Freiherr von RichthofenIn German a Doctorate in engineering is abbreviated as Dr.-Ing. . was a German Generalfeldmarschall of the Luftwaffe during the Second World War...
- mid August 1940 - Generaloberst Kurt StudentKurt StudentKurt Student was a German Luftwaffe general who fought as a fighter pilot during the First World War and as the commander of German Fallschirmjäger during the Second World War.-Biography:...
- 2 September 1941 - General der Flieger Friedrich ChristiansenFriedrich ChristiansenFriedrich Christiansen was a World War I German seaplane ace who claimed shooting down twenty planes and an airship; thirteen of those victories were confirmed...
– fall of 1940 - General der Flieger Günther KortenGünther KortenGünther Korten was a German Colonel General and Chief of the General Staff of the Luftwaffe in World War II. He died from injuries suffered in the assassination attempt on Adolf Hitler in July 1944....
(Chief of the Luftwaffe General Staff) - 1941 (for the invasion of Crete) - Generaloberst Alexander LöhrAlexander LöhrAlexander Löhr was an Austrian Air Force commander during the 1930s and, after the "Political Union of Germany and Austria" , he was a German Air Force commander...
- 1940 - Oberstleutnant Hans-Ulrich RudelHans-Ulrich RudelHans-Ulrich Rudel was a Stuka dive-bomber pilot during World War II and a member of the Nazi party. The most highly decorated German serviceman of the war, Rudel was one of only 27 military men to be awarded the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves, Swords and Diamonds, and the only...
- summer of 1944 - Oberst Bernd von Brauchitsch (Chief adjudant of the ReichsmarschallReichsmarschallReichsmarschall literally in ; was the highest rank in the armed forces of Nazi Germany during World War II after the position of Supreme Commander held by Adolf Hitler....
) - summer 1944 - Hauptmann Erich HartmannErich HartmannErich Alfred Hartmann , nicknamed "Bubi" by his comrades and "The Black Devil" by his Soviet enemies, was a German World War II fighter pilot and is the highest-scoring fighter ace in the history of aerial warfare...
- August 1944 - Generalmajor Martin HarlinghausenMartin HarlinghausenMartin Harlinghausen was a Luftwaffe Commander during World War II. He was also a recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves...
- 17 April 1945 - Hauptmann Hans-Joachim MarseilleHans-Joachim MarseilleHans-Joachim Marseille was a Luftwaffe fighter pilot and flying ace during World War II. He is noted for his aerial battles during the North African Campaign and his bohemian lifestyle. One of the best fighter pilots of World War II, he was nicknamed the "Star of Africa"...
- Oberst Dietrich PeltzDietrich PeltzGeneralmajor Dietrich Peltz was a German World War II Luftwaffe bomber pilot. He was also a recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves and Swords...
- Generalfeldmarschall Robert Ritter von GreimRobert Ritter von GreimRobert Ritter von Greim was a German Field Marshal, pilot, army officer, and the last commander of the Luftwaffe during the Second World War.-Early years:...
- Generalfeldmarschall Albert KesselringAlbert KesselringAlbert Kesselring was a German Luftwaffe Generalfeldmarschall during World War II. In a military career that spanned both World Wars, Kesselring became one of Nazi Germany's most skilful commanders, being one of 27 soldiers awarded the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves, Swords...
- Generaloberst Otto Dessloch
- Generalleutnant Karl AngersteinKarl AngersteinKarl Angerstein was a highly decorated Generalleutnant in the Luftwaffe during World War II who commanded the I. Fliegerkorps. He was also a recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross. The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross was awarded to recognise extreme battlefield bravery or successful...
- Oberst Walter OesauWalter OesauWalter "Gulle" Oesau was a German World War II fighter ace who served in the Luftwaffe from 1934 until his death in 1944...
- 17 October 1943 - Hanna ReitschHanna ReitschHanna Reitsch was a German aviator and the only woman awarded the Iron Cross First Class and the Luftwaffe Combined Pilots-Observation Badge in Gold with Diamonds during World War II...
- March 1941
Honorary recipients
- Reichsführer-SS Heinrich HimmlerHeinrich HimmlerHeinrich Luitpold Himmler was Reichsführer of the SS, a military commander, and a leading member of the Nazi Party. As Chief of the German Police and the Minister of the Interior from 1943, Himmler oversaw all internal and external police and security forces, including the Gestapo...
- July 1942 - Großadmiral Karl DönitzKarl DönitzKarl Dönitz was a German naval commander during World War II. He started his career in the German Navy during World War I. In 1918, while he was in command of , the submarine was sunk by British forces and Dönitz was taken prisoner...
(Oberbefehlshaber der Kriegsmarine) - 1943 - SS-Sturmbannführer Otto SkorzenyOtto SkorzenyOtto Skorzeny was an SS-Obersturmbannführer in the German Waffen-SS during World War II. After fighting on the Eastern Front, he was chosen as the field commander to carry out the rescue mission that freed the deposed Italian dictator Benito Mussolini from captivity...
- fall of 1944 - SS-Oberstgruppenführer and Generaloberst of the Waffen-SS Sepp DietrichSepp DietrichJosef "Sepp" Dietrich was a German SS General. He was one of Nazi Germany's most decorated soldiers and commanded formations up to Army level during World War II. Prior to 1929 he was Adolf Hitler's chauffeur and bodyguard but received rapid promotion after his participation in the murder of...
- Generalfeldmarshall Erwin RommelErwin RommelErwin Johannes Eugen Rommel , popularly known as the Desert Fox , was a German Field Marshal of World War II. He won the respect of both his own troops and the enemies he fought....
- Generalfeldmarschall Erich von MansteinErich von MansteinErich von Manstein was a field marshal in World War II. He became one of the most prominent commanders of Germany's World War II armed forces...
Foreigners
- Carl Gustaf Emil MannerheimCarl Gustaf Emil MannerheimBaron Carl Gustaf Emil Mannerheim was the military leader of the Whites in the Finnish Civil War, Commander-in-Chief of Finland's Defence Forces during World War II, Marshal of Finland, and a Finnish statesman. He was Regent of Finland and the sixth President of Finland...
(Marshal of Finland) - 1942 - Marschall Ion AntonescuIon AntonescuIon Victor Antonescu was a Romanian soldier, authoritarian politician and convicted war criminal. The Prime Minister and Conducător during most of World War II, he presided over two successive wartime dictatorships...
(Prime Ministers of Romania) - Regent Miklós HorthyMiklós HorthyMiklós Horthy de Nagybánya was the Regent of the Kingdom of Hungary during the interwar years and throughout most of World War II, serving from 1 March 1920 to 15 October 1944. Horthy was styled "His Serene Highness the Regent of the Kingdom of Hungary" .Admiral Horthy was an officer of the...
(Regent of Hungary) - Italo BalboItalo BalboItalo Balbo was an Italian Blackshirt leader who served as Italy's Marshal of the Air Force , Governor-General of Libya, Commander-in-Chief of Italian North Africa , and the "heir apparent" to Italian dictator Benito Mussolini.After serving in...
(Italian Aviator) - Francisco FrancoFrancisco FrancoFrancisco Franco y Bahamonde was a Spanish general, dictator and head of state of Spain from October 1936 , and de facto regent of the nominally restored Kingdom of Spain from 1947 until his death in November, 1975...
(Spanish dictator)