Ernst Kupfer

Infobox Military Person
name=Dr. Ernst Kupfer
born=birth date|1907|7|2|df=y
died=death date and age|1943|11|6|1907|7|2|df=y


caption=Dr. Ernst Kupfer
placeofbirth=Coburg
placeofdeath=60km north of Thessaloniki, Greece
allegiance= flagicon|Germany Weimar Republic (to 1933)
flagicon|Nazi Germany Nazi Germany
branch=Heer (1928-1939)
Luftwaffe (1939-1943)
serviceyears=1928-1943
rank=Oberst
commands=StG 2
unit=StG 2
battles=World War II
*Battle of Britain
*Battle of Crete
*Operation Barbarossa
awards=Knight's Cross with Oak Leaves and Swords (posthumous)
laterwork=

Oberst Dr. Ernst Kupfer (born 2 July, 1907 in Coburg – Killed in aircraft accident 6 November, 1943 60km north of Thessaloniki in the Belasica mountain range) was a German World War II Luftwaffe Stuka ace. Kupfer flew 636 missions and shot down three times, all by ground fire.

Kupfer participated in the Battle of Crete and was instrumental in the sinking of HMS Gloucester. While operating against Kronstadt he scored a 1.000 kg bomb hit on the Russian battleship October Revolution.

After being killed in an air accident on 6 November 1943, his body lay undiscovered until 17 November. [Griehl 2001, p. 277.]

Awards

* Verwundetenabzeichen in Gold
* Front Flying Clasp of the Luftwaffe in Gold with Pennant "600"
* Combined Pilots-Observation Badge
* "Kreta" Cuffband
* German Cross in Gold (15 October 1942)
* Iron Cross 2. and 1. class
* Ehrenpokal der Luftwaffe
* Knight's Cross with Oak Leaves and Swords
** Knight's Cross (23 November 1941)
** 173. Oak Leaves (8 January 1943)
** 62. Swords (11 April 1944 posthumous)

References

*cite web|title=Lexikon der Wehrmacht|work=Ernst Kupfer|url=http://www.lexikon-der-wehrmacht.de/Personenregister/K/KupferDrE.htm|accessdate=10 July|accessyear=2007
* Berger, Florian, "Mit Eichenlaub und Schwertern. Die höchstdekorierten Soldaten des Zweiten Weltkrieges". Selbstverlag Florian Berger, 2006. ISBN 3-9501307-0-5.
* Brütting, Georg. "Das waren die deutschen Stuka-Asse 1939 - 1945". Motorbuch, Stuttgart, 1995. ISBN 3-87943-433-6.
* Fellgiebel, Walther-Peer. "Die Träger des Ritterkreuzes des Eisernen Kreuzes 1939-1945". Podzun-Pallas, 2000. ISBN 3-7909-0284-5.
* Griehl, Manfred (2001) "Junker Ju 87 Stuka". Airlife Publishing/Motorbuch, London/Stuttgart. ISBN 1-84037-198-6
* 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=Kupfer, Ernst
ALTERNATIVE NAMES=
SHORT DESCRIPTION=German World War II Stuka pilot
DATE OF BIRTH=July 2, 1907
PLACE OF BIRTH=Coburg, Germany
DATE OF DEATH=November 6, 1943
PLACE OF DEATH=Thessaloniki, Greece