18 Facts About Karl Willius

Karl-Heinz "Charly" Willius was a German Luftwaffe military aviator and fighter ace during World War II.

Karl Willius is credited with 50 aerial victories achieved in 371 combat missions.

Karl Willius joined the military service in the Luftwaffe and was trained as a fighter pilot.

Karl Willius's unit redeployed to the Western Front in June 1943.

Karl Willius was killed in action on 8 April 1944, shot down by a United States Army Air Forces fighter.

Posthumously, Karl Willius was awarded the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross on 9 June 1944.

Unteroffizier Karl Willius participated in the invasion of Russia in June 1941, and claimed his second victory on the opening day of Operation Barbarossa, when he downed a SB-2 bomber.

On 14 July 1941, on request by Oberstleutnant Adolf Galland, who had asked for fighter pilots with experience, Willius was transferred to I Gruppe of Jagdgeschwader 26 "Schlageter".

Staffel, to which Karl Willius was assigned, was headed by Oberleutnant Walter Otte.

Karl Willius was awarded the German Cross in Gold on 15 October 1942 for 22 aerial victories.

On 16 January 1943, Feldwebel Karl Willius was transferred, serving as an instructor with a fighter pilot school.

Karl Willius succeeded Major Wilhelm Gath who was transferred to take command of II.

That day, Karl Willius was credited with his third aerial victory in Defense of the Reich, claiming a 306th Bombardment Group B-17 bomber shot down near Deventer.

Leutnant Karl Willius claimed his 40th victory, a B-17 shot down near Cousolre on 4 February 1944.

On 8 April 1944, Karl Willius made a head-on attack against a formation of B-24 bombers of the 44th Bombardment Group, downing one in flames for his 50th and last aerial victory.

Posthumously, Karl Willius was awarded the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross, which was presented to his widow Lisette on 9 June 1944.

Karl Willius's body was not recovered until 23 October 1967, found in his aircraft excavated from a Dutch polder near Kamperzeedijk.

Karl Willius was then interred at the Ysselsteyn German war cemetery, Netherlands.