27 Facts About Karl-Gottfried Nordmann

Karl-Gottfried "Karlfried" Nordmann was a German Luftwaffe pilot during World War II and, after the war, a president of Mercedes-Benz in North America.

Karl-Gottfried Nordmann claimed the majority of his victories over the Eastern Front, with one during the Invasion of Poland and eight during the Battle of France and Britain.

Karl-Gottfried Nordmann fought in the aerial battles over Poland, France and Britain, claiming nine victories.

Karl-Gottfried Nordmann was awarded the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross on 1 August 1941 following his 31st aerial victory and received the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves on 16 September 1941 after 59 victories.

Karl-Gottfried Nordmann surrendered command of JG 51 on 1 April 1944 and was appointed Jagdfliegerfuhrer Ostpreussen.

Karl-Gottfried Nordmann then served further fighter command positions with Jagdabschnittsfuhrer 6 and the 1st Fighter Division, a position he held until the end of World War II.

Karl-Gottfried Nordmann worked as the president of Mercedes-Benz in North America and Canada from 1971 until shortly before his death in 1982.

Karl-Gottfried Nordmann was born on 22 November 1915 in Giessen, at the time in the Grand Duchy of Hesse of the German Empire.

Karl-Gottfried Nordmann was the son of a doctor and joined the military service of the Luftwaffe on 6 April 1936 as a Fahnenjunker.

Karl-Gottfried Nordmann was promoted to Leutnant on 1 January 1938 and served with 1.

Karl-Gottfried Nordmann was then posted to the Jagdfliegerschule at Werneuchen, under the command of Oberst Theodor Osterkamp.

Karl-Gottfried Nordmann claimed his first aerial victory when he shot down a Polish PZL.

Karl-Gottfried Nordmann achieved his next victory during the Battle of France and seven more in the Battle of Britain.

Karl-Gottfried Nordmann was appointed Staffelkapitan of the 12.

Karl-Gottfried Nordmann was victorious over two Royal Air Force Supermarine Spitfires on 17 October 1940 and achieved his ninth aerial victory on 6 May 1941.

On 20 July 1941 Karl-Gottfried Nordmann was appointed to command IV.

Less than two weeks later, on 1 August 1941 Karl-Gottfried Nordmann was awarded the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross after a total of 31 victories which was presented to him by General der Flieger Bruno Loerzer.

Karl-Gottfried Nordmann was promoted to Major on 18 June 1942.

The aircraft flipped during the landing and Karl-Gottfried Nordmann suffered a basilar fractured skull, an injury typical of high-speed crashes.

Karl-Gottfried Nordmann, who had been assisted by Hauptmann Joachim Muncheberg as a Geschwaderkommodore in training, temporarily replaced him during his absence.

Busch was killed and Karl-Gottfried Nordmann, severely injured, did not fly operationally again.

In total, Karl-Gottfried Nordmann claimed 78 aerial victories, 69 of which on the Eastern Front, flying over 800 combat missions.

Karl-Gottfried Nordmann, who had been promoted to Oberstleutnant on 1 August 1943, was appointed Jagdfliegerfuhrer Ostpreussen on 1 April 1944.

Karl-Gottfried Nordmann was appointed Inspekteur der Tagjager Ost on 4 January 1945 and on 30 January 1945 promoted to Oberst.

Karl-Gottfried Nordmann later became head of the sales department and, in 1968, head of worldwide services.

In 1981 Karl-Gottfried Nordmann attended an aviation symposium of the International Order of Characters held in Stamford, Connecticut.

Karl-Gottfried Nordmann died at his home on 22 July 1982 in Greenwich, Connecticut, USA.