- Helmut Bennemann
Infobox Military Person
name=Dr. med. dent. Helmut Bennemann
lived=birth date|1915|3|16|df=y — death date and age|2007|11|17|1915|3|16|df=y
placeofbirth=Wanne-Eickel
placeofdeath=Bad Sassendorf
caption=Helmut Bennemann
nickname=
allegiance=flagicon|Nazi GermanyNazi Germany
branch=Luftwaffe
serviceyears=
rank=Oberstleutnant
commands=I./JG 52 ,JG 53
unit=JG 52 ,JG 53
battles=World War II
awards="Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross "
laterwork=dentist Dr. med. dent. Helmut Bennemann (
16 March 1915 –17 November 2007 ) was a GermanOberstleutnant .During
World War II Bennemann served in the GermanLuftwaffe claiming 93 aerial victories in over 400 combat missions. The majority of his victories were claimed over the Eastern front. His commands includedGeschwaderkommodore of theJG 53 fighter wing.World War II
Helmut Bennemann held the position of Adjutant of I./
JG 52 in June 1940. He claimed his first aerial victory on26 August , when he shot down aRAF Supermarine Spitfire nearDover . On15 September , Bennemann claimed three RAFHawker Hurricane shot down to record his sixth through eighth victories. On27 April 1941 , he was appointedStaffelkapitän of 3./JG 52 . By the time I./JG 52 was transferred to the Eastern front in September 1941, Bennemann had claimed 12 victories. On14 June 1942 , Bennemann was promoted toGruppenkommandeur of I./JG 52. By the End of 1942 is score stood at 72 victories.With his score at 88 victories, Benemann was severely wounded by the explosion of an incendiary bomb on
10 May 1943 . Convalescence kept him from combat duty for some months. Bennemann was appointedGeschwaderkommodore ofJG 53 on9 November 1943 , taking over command fromOberst Günther Freiherr von Maltzahn . On25 April 1944 , he shot down aUSAAF B-24 four-engine bomber overBologna to claim his 90th victory. However, his Bf 109 G-6 (W.Nr. 163 314) "Black < 3" was hit by defensive fire and Bennemann was again wounded, baling out successfully. In June 1944, Bennemann led the Geschwaderstab of JG 53 on a short return to the Eastern front, to direct the supply missions for the relief of the city ofVilna . The unit departed Russia forWunstorf nearHannover in Germany on 22 July. From August 1944, Bennemann led JG 53 onDefense of the Reich missions, initially from bases inFrance , then from bases in Germany. He claimed his last three victories in October 1944 to bring his final score to 93. Among his 93 victories are at leat 10 Il-2 Sturmoviks claimed over the Eastern front.In early 1945 he participated in the conspiracy against the
Reichsmarschall and chief of theLuftwaffe Hermann Göring in what is referred to as the "Fighter Pilots Revolt ".Awards
*
Ehrenpokal der Luftwaffe (5 October 1940)
*German Cross in Gold (27 July 1942)
*Iron Cross 2. and 1. class
*Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross (2 October 1942)References
* Fellgiebel, Walther-Peer. "Die Träger des Ritterkreuzes des Eisernen Kreuzes 1939-1945". Friedburg, Germany: Podzun-Pallas, 2000. ISBN 3-7909-0284-5.
* Patzwall, Klaus D. and Scherzer, Veit. "Das Deutsche Kreuz 1941 - 1945 Geschichte und Inhaber Band II". Norderstedt, Germany: Verlag Klaus D. Patzwall, 2001. ISBN 3-931533-45-X.Persondata
NAME=Bennemann, Helmut
ALTERNATIVE NAMES=
SHORT DESCRIPTION=German World War II fighter pilot
DATE OF BIRTH=March 16, 1915
PLACE OF BIRTH=Wanne-Eickel, Germany
DATE OF DEATH=November 17, 2007
PLACE OF DEATH=Bad Sassendorf
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