Paul-Heinrich Dähne

Paul-Heinrich Dähne (7 July 1921 – 24 April 1945) was a German Luftwaffe ace and recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross during World War II. The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross was awarded to recognise extreme battlefield bravery or successful military leadership. He was posthumously promoted to Hauptmann. During his career was credited with 99 aerial victories, 96 on the Eastern Front and 3 on the Western Front.

Paul-Heinrich Dähne
Nickname(s)	Sarotti
Born	7 July 1921 Frankfurt (Oder)
Died	24 April 1945(1945-04-24) (aged 23) Warnemünde
Allegiance	Nazi Germany
Service/branch	Luftwaffe
Years of service	1939–45
Rank	Hauptmann (Posthumously)
Unit	JG 52 JG 11 JG 1
Commands held	III./JG 11 II./JG 1
Battles/wars	World War II Battle of the Caucasus Battle of Kursk Defense of the Reich Operation Bodenplatte
Awards	Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross

Paul-Heinrich Dähne was killed in a training flight accident of the Heinkel He 162 near Warnemünde, Germany. The aircraft canopy had failed to eject when he propelled himself out of the aircraft with the ejection seat.[1]

Awards

• Aviator badge
• Front Flying Clasp of the Luftwaffe
• Ehrenpokal der Luftwaffe (13 September 1943)[1]
• Iron Cross (1939)
  • 2nd Class
  • 1st Class
• German Cross in Gold on 17 October as Oberleutnant in the 2./Jagdgeschwader 52[2]
• Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross on 6 April 1944 as Oberleutnant and Staffelkapitän of the 12./Jagdgeschwader 11 (previously 2./Jagdgeschwader 52)[3][Note 1]

Notes

1. According to Scherze on 8 April 1944 as Staffelkapitän of the 2./Jagdgeschwader 52.[4]

References

Citations

1. Obermaier 1989, p. 98.
2. Patzwall & Scherzer 2001, p. 78.
3. Fellgiebel 2000, p. 156.
4. Scherzer 2007, p. 264.

Bibliography

• Fellgiebel, Walther-Peer (2000) [1986]. Die Träger des Ritterkreuzes des Eisernen Kreuzes 1939–1945 — Die Inhaber der höchsten Auszeichnung des Zweiten Weltkrieges aller Wehrmachtteile [The Bearers of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross 1939–1945 — 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.
• Obermaier, Ernst (1989). Die Ritterkreuzträger der Luftwaffe Jagdflieger 1939 – 1945 [The Knight's Cross Bearers of the Luftwaffe Fighter Force 1939 – 1945] (in German). Mainz, Germany: Verlag Dieter Hoffmann. ISBN 978-3-87341-065-7.
• Patzwall, Klaus D.; Scherzer, Veit (2001). Das Deutsche Kreuz 1941 – 1945 Geschichte und Inhaber Band II [The German Cross 1941 – 1945 History and Recipients Volume 2] (in German). Norderstedt, Germany: Verlag Klaus D. Patzwall. ISBN 978-3-931533-45-8.
• Scherzer, Veit (2007). Die Ritterkreuzträger 1939–1945 Die Inhaber des Ritterkreuzes des Eisernen Kreuzes 1939 von Heer, Luftwaffe, Kriegsmarine, Waffen-SS, Volkssturm sowie mit Deutschland verbündeter Streitkräfte nach den Unterlagen des Bundesarchives [The Knight's Cross Bearers 1939–1945 The Holders of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross 1939 by Army, Air Force, Navy, Waffen-SS, Volkssturm and Allied Forces with Germany According to the Documents of the Federal Archives] (in German). Jena, Germany: Scherzers Militaer-Verlag. ISBN 978-3-938845-17-2.
• Spick, Mike (1996). Luftwaffe Fighter Aces. New York: Ivy Books. ISBN 978-0-8041-1696-1.

External links

• Luftwaffe 1939–1945 History
• World War 2 Awards.com

Military offices
Preceded by Hauptmann Horst-Günther von Fassong	Commander of III. Jagdgeschwader 11 2 January 1945 – 23 February 1945	Succeeded by Hauptmann Herbert Kutscha
Preceded by Oberleutnant Fritz Wegner	Commander of II. Jagdgeschwader 1 March 1945 – 24 April 1945	Succeeded by Hauptmann Rahe