- Gerhard Friedrich
Infobox Military Person
name=Gerhard Friedrich
lived=16 September 1917 – 16–17 March 1945
nickname="Gerd"
placeofbirth=Berlin -Johannisthal ,Germany
placeofdeath=Stuttgart ,Germany
allegiance=flagicon|Nazi GermanyNazi Germany
branch=
serviceyears=1939–1945
rank=Major
Commander=I./NJG 6
unit=NJG 1 , NJG 4,NJG 6
battles=World War II
*Eastern Front
*North African Campaign
awards=Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross
laterwork=Gerhard "Gerd" Friedrich (16 September 1917 – 16–17 March 1945) was a German
Luftwaffe fighter ace ofWorld War II . He was one of night fighter ace scored 33 victories. All of his victories were recorded at night.Friedrich started his career as a transport pilot. Then he transferred to Luftwaffe and participated in the invasion of Crete. Then He received training as a night fighter pilot and began his night-fighting era when he was posted to III./NJG 1 at the beginning of 1942. Friedrich claimed his first victory on the night of 16/17 June when he shot down a
Royal Air Force (RAF) Wellington. [For a list of Luftwaffe night fighter aces see "List of German World War II night fighter aces "]Friedrich was awarded the Ritterkreuz on 15 March 1945. On the night of 16/17 March 1945, Friedrich collided with a RAF Lancaster four-engine bomber near
Stuttgart . Friedrich and his crew were killed in Ju 88 G-6 along with the seven crew of the British bomber.Awards
*
German Cross in Gold (1 October 1944)
*Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross (15 March 1945)References
*cite web | title=Aces of the Luftwaffe| work=Gerhard Friedrich| url= http://www.luftwaffe.cz/friedrich.html| accessdate=18 February| accessyear=2008
* Fellgiebel, Walther-Peer. "Die Träger des Ritterkreuzes des Eisernen Kreuzes 1939-1945". Friedburg, Germany: Podzun-Pallas, 2000. ISBN 3-7909-0284-5.
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