Theo Osterkamp

Theodor Theo Osterkamp (15 April 1892 2 January 1975) was a World War I and World War II
Luftwae ghter ace. He achieved 32 victories in World
War I. In World War II, he led Jagdgeschwader 51
through the Battle of Britain and claimed a further 6 victories, in the process becoming one of only a few men to
score victories in both world wars.

World War I

Osterkamp ew as a naval pilot operating over the

Western Front. On 14 August 1914, he joined the
Marineiegerkorps. He then ew with the 2. MarineFliegerabteilung in Flanders. During 19151916, he
served as an air observer, and became the rst German pilot to y a land-based aircraft to England on a
reconnaissance-mission. In March 1917, he joined the
Kampiegerschule (Combat pilot school) in Putzig and
then joined the Marine-Jagdstael 1. On 15 October
1917, Leutnant Osterkamp took command over MarineJagdstael 2. He scored a total of 32 victories during the
war, and was awarded the Prussian military order Pour le
Mrite on 2 September 1918, and was the last individual
to receive it.

Wedding of Theodor Osterkamp with Fel Gudrun Pagge in Eppendorf, Hamburg

Interwar years

Following his replacement in JG 51, Osterkamp was appointed Jagdiegerfhrer 2, the commander of ghter aircraft in Luftotte 2.[1]

Between the two World Wars, Osterkamp was involved in

the formation of the new Luftwae, amongst other things
by setting up Jagdiegerschule 1. He also participated
in the second, third and fourth FAI International Tourist
Plane Contest Challenge 1930 (11th place), Challenge
1932 (12th place) and Challenge 1934 (5th place).

On 1 August 1942, he was transferred to Luftgaustab

z.b.V. Afrika. On 5 April 1943, he was appointed
Jagdiegerfhrer Sizilien and served until replaced on
15 July by Adolf Galland. He then served in a number of sta positions until being appointed Inspekteur
3 World War II
der Luftwaen-Bodenorganisation (Inspector of Luftwae ground organisation) in 1944. After criticism from
On 19 September 1939, Oberst Osterkamp was appointed High Command, he was dismissed from the service on 21
Geschwaderkommodore of Jagdgeschwader 51 (JG 51 December 1944.
51st Fighter Wing).[Note 1] During the Battle of France, he
claimed four victories. During the Kanalkampf period of
the Battle of Britain in July 1940, he claimed a further two
victories, (a Bristol Blenheim on 1 June and a Spitre on 4 Post-war career
13 July 1940) bringing his total to six. He was replaced
as commander of JG 51 by Werner Mlders on 23 July. In 1960, he was appointed honorary chairman of the
Promoted to Generalmajor, Osterkamp was awarded his Gemeinschaft der Jagdieger, the Association of Fighter
Knights Cross of the Iron Cross on 22 August 1940. Pilots.[2]
1

Awards and decorations

Abzeichen fr Marine-Flugzeugfhrer
Iron Cross (1914)
2nd Class
1st Class
Knights Cross of the Royal House Order of Hohenzollern with Swords

REFERENCES

8 References
8.1 Citations
[1] See Luftwae Organization
[2] Namhafte Persnlichkeiten. Gemeinschaft der Flieger
deutscher Streitkrfte e.V. (in German). Retrieved 7
February 2014.
[3] Fellgiebel 2000, p. 330.
[4] Scherzer 2007, p. 579.

Baltic Cross
2nd Class
Pour le Mrite (2 September 1918)
Cross of Honor
Flugzeugfhrer- und Beobachter-Abzeichen
Iron Cross (1939)
2nd Class
1st Class
Knights Cross of the Iron Cross on 22 August 1940
as Generalmajor and Jagdiegerfhrer of Luftotte
2[3][Note 2]
rmelband Afrika

See also

Pilots who ew in combat in both World Wars

Harry von Blow-Bothkamp, German ace in both
World War I and II
Otto Hhne
Erich Mix
Stanley Vincent
Marcel Haegelen

Notes

[1] For an explanation of Luftwae unit designations see

Organisation of the Luftwae during World War II.
[2] According to Scherzer as Jagdiegerfhrer 1 for
his achievements as Geschwaderkommodore of
Jagdgeschwader 51.[4]

8.2 Bibliography
Fellgiebel, Walther-Peer (2000) [1986]. Die Trger
des Ritterkreuzes des Eisernen Kreuzes 19391945
Die Inhaber der hchsten Auszeichnung des
Zweiten Weltkrieges aller Wehrmachtteile [The Bearers of the Knights Cross of the Iron Cross 19391945
The Owners of the Highest Award of the Second
World War of all Wehrmacht Branches] (in German). Friedberg, Germany: Podzun-Pallas. ISBN
978-3-7909-0284-6.
Scherzer, Veit (2007). Die Ritterkreuztrger 1939
1945 Die Inhaber des Ritterkreuzes des Eisernen
Kreuzes 1939 von Heer, Luftwae, Kriegsmarine,
Waen-SS, Volkssturm sowie mit Deutschland verbndeter Streitkrfte nach den Unterlagen des Bundesarchives [The Knights Cross Bearers 19391945
The Holders of the Knights Cross of the Iron
Cross 1939 by Army, Air Force, Navy, Waen-SS,
Volkssturm and Allied Forces with Germany According to the Documents of the Federal Archives]
(in German). Jena, Germany: Scherzers MiltaerVerlag. ISBN 978-3-938845-17-2.

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