Günther Specht

Infobox Military Person
name=Günther Specht
lived=13 November 1914 – 1 January 1945
placeofbirth=Frankenstein, Germany
placeofdeath=MIA (Missing in Action)
allegiance=flagicon|Nazi Germany Nazi Germany
branch=
serviceyears=1936–1945
rank=Oberstleutnant
Commander=JG 11
unit=ZG 26, JG 11
battles=World War II
*Battle of Britain
*Defense of the Reich
*Operation Bodenplatte
awards=Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross
laterwork=

Günther Specht (13 November 1914 – 1 January 1945) was a former German Luftwaffe fighter ace and recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross during World War II. Specht was listed as missing in action over Asch, Belgium on 1 January 1945, during operation Bodenplatte. He was posthumously promoted to the rank of Oberstleutnant and was recommended for the Oak Leaves to the Knight's Cross.

On 11 February 1944 Major Günther Specht engaged American fighters escorting bombers which had performed a raid on Frankfurt. In this engagement Specht shot down 2nd Lieutenant Richard McDonald of the 354th Fighter Group who was flying a P-51 Mustang. His aircraft "Plane Jane" got stuck in a dirt road near Oberalben while he himself was taken prisoner of war.

Awards

* Ehrenpokal der Luftwaffe (23 August 1943)
* German Cross in Gold (25 November 1943)
* Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross (8 April 1944)

References

*cite web|title=Aces of the Luftwaffe|work=Günther Specht| url=http://www.luftwaffe.cz/specht.html|accessdate=19 February| accessyear=2008
*cite web|title=Defending Arnheim|work=Günther Specht| url=http://www.defendingarnhem.com/specht.htm|accessdate=1 March| accessyear=2008
* 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.