28 Facts About Klaus Mietusch

Klaus Mietusch was a German Luftwaffe military aviator and fighter ace during World War II.

Klaus Mietusch is credited with 72 aerial victories achieved in 452 combat missions.

Klaus Mietusch joined the military service in the Luftwaffe in 1937.

Klaus Mietusch claimed his last aerial victory on 17 September 1944 during the Operation Market Garden.

Klaus Mietusch was killed in action that day, shot down by a North American P-51 Mustang fighter from the 361st Fighter Group.

Posthumously, Klaus Mietusch was awarded the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves on 18 November 1944.

Klaus Mietusch was born on 5 August 1918 in Posen in the Province of Posen, part of the Kingdom of Prussia, present-day Poznan in west-central Poland.

Klaus Mietusch claimed his first aerial victory during the Battle of France on 31 May 1940.

Klaus Mietusch was shot down in combat with a Hurricane near Neufchatel.

Klaus Mietusch claimed the probable destruction of a Maryland bomber which was not confirmed.

Klaus Mietusch succeeded Hauptmann Joachim Muncheberg in this command position.

Klaus Mietusch was credited with the destruction of his 12th and 13th aerial victory that day.

Klaus Mietusch shot down two Spitfire fighters from either the New Zealand No 485 Squadron or No 602 Squadron.

Two days later, Klaus Mietusch claimed a Spitfire fighter in combat near Berck-sur-Mer but lost his wingman, Leutnant Walter Thorn who was shot down and killed by two Spitfires from No 603 Squadron south of Montreuil.

Klaus Mietusch's aircraft sustained minor damage, resulting in an emergency landing at Wevelgem.

At the time, Klaus Mietusch dated Lieselotte Hays, a Luftwaffenhelferin.

Klaus Mietusch shot down two Spitfires at 10:34 and 10:35 from either No 19 Squadron or No 121 Squadron.

That day, Klaus Mietusch attacked a Short Stirling bomber which in fact was a misidentified Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress bomber from the 301st Bombardment Group which made it back to England.

Klaus Mietusch attacked another B-17 bomber from the 301st Bombardment Group which later made a forced landing in the English Channel.

Klaus Mietusch led his Gruppe against the bombers and shot down two B-17 bombers, the first southeast of Schleiden in the Eifel hills, and the second south of Laacher See.

Gruppe intercepted the bombers prior to their bomb run and Klaus Mietusch shot a B-17 from its combat box west of Oldenburg.

Klaus Mietusch was credited with a Herausschuss of a B-17 bomber from the 381st Bombardment Group south of Braunschweig before coming under attack by P-47 fighter from the 352nd Fighter Group.

Klaus Mietusch intercepted the bombers on their return to England and claimed a Herausschuss of a B-17 bomber from the 452d Bombardment Group near Bastogne.

Klaus Mietusch bailed out and was wounded, returning to his unit the next day.

Klaus Mietusch was killed in action on 17 September 1944 during the first day of Operation Market Garden, the operation to secure a bridgehead over the River Rhine.

Posthumously, Klaus Mietusch was awarded the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves on 18 November 1944.

Klaus Mietusch was the 653rd member of the German armed forces to be so honored.

Klaus Mietusch was buried in the honor section of the Dusseldorf Northern Cemetery.