Otto Dommeratzky

Otto Dommeratzky
Born	3 May 1916 Löderburg
Died	Mährisch Weißkirchen
Allegiance	Nazi Germany
Service/branch	Luftwaffe
Years of service	1936–45
Rank	Major
Unit	LG 2 SG 2 SG 151
Battles/wars	World War II Invasion of Poland Battle of France Battle of Britain Balkans Campaign Battle of Greece Operation Barbarossa Battle of Białystok–Minsk Siege of Leningrad Battle of Kursk Defense of the Reich †
Awards	Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves

Otto Dommeratzky (3 May 1916 – 13 October 1944) was a highly decorated Major in the Luftwaffe during World War II, and one of only 882 recipients of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves.

Career

Dommeratzky was born on 3 May 1916 at Löderburg, near Staßfurt in Sachsen-Anhalt. Dommeratzsky flew his first combat missions over Poland and in the French campaign with II.(S)/Lehrgeschwader 2 (LG 2). He later operated over the Balkans in spring 1941 and participated in the invasion of Russia in June 1941.

In January 1942, II.(S)/LG 2 was redesignated Schlachtgeschwader 1 (SG 1), and during 1942 and 1943, Dommeratzky served with 8./SG 1, over the central and southern sectors of the Eastern Front, predominantly in the anti-tank role.

Dommeratzky was awarded the Ehrenpokal on 21 September 1942 and the German Cross in Gold on 3 October. On 5 January 1943 Oberfeldwebel Dommeratzky was awarded the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross for 425 missions, and 20 air victories.

By spring 1944 Dommeratzky was serving with 6./Schlachtgeschwader 2 (SG 2), mainly operating in the fighter escort role to “Panzerjägers” Ju 87G's. In the summer of 1944 he served as an instructor with 6./SG 151 based at Proßnitz.

On 13 October 1944, Dommeratzky had taken off in his Focke-Wulf Fw 190 F-3 "Yellow 4", with a member of his groundcrew stowed in the fuselage, on a transfer flight to the Eastern Front when over Slawital he encountered United States Army Air Forces escort fighters on a sweep and his aircraft was badly shot up. Although he could have used his parachute, Dommeratzky attempted a forced landing to save the life of his mechanic. Both were killed in the subsequent crash of his Fw 190. Leutnant Dommeratzky was posthumously awarded the Eichenlaub on 25 November 1944.

Otto Dommeratzky was credited with 38 victories in about 600 missions, all on the Eastern Front.

Awards and decorations

• Aviator badge
• Front Flying Clasp of the Luftwaffe in Gold with Pennant "600"
• Iron Cross (1939)
  • 2nd Class (10 July 1941)
  • 1st Class (16 September 1941)
• Ehrenpokal der Luftwaffe (21 September 1942)
• German Cross in Gold on 3 October 1942 as Oberfeldwebel in the 8.(Panzer)/Schlachtgeschwader 1
• Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves
  • Knight's Cross on 5 January 1943 as Oberfeldwebel and pilot in the 8./Schlachtgeschwader 1
  • 665th Oak Leaves on 25 November 1944 as Leutnant and Staffelführer in the 6./Schlachtgeschwader 2

External links

• Lexikon der Wehrmacht
• World War 2 Awards.com
• Aces of the Luftwaffe