Robert Olejnik (pilot)

Robert Olejnik (9 March 1911 – 29 October 1988) was a Luftwaffe flying ace of World War II. He was credited with 41 aerial victories claimed in some 680 combat missions. He was also a recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross. The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross was awarded to recognise extreme battlefield bravery or successful military leadership.

For the football player, see Bobby Olejnik.

Robert Olejnik
Born	(1911-03-09)9 March 1911 Essen-Borbeck
Died	29 October 1988(1988-10-29) (aged 77) Munich
Allegiance	Nazi Germany
Service/branch	Luftwaffe
Rank	Major
Unit	JG 3, JG 1, Ekdo 16, JGr Süd, JG 400, EJG 2
Commands held	4./JG 1
Battles/wars	World War II
Awards	Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross

Awards

• Iron Cross (1939)
  • 2nd Class (17 September 1940)
  • 1st Class (21 September 1940)
• Ehrenpokal der Luftwaffe (18 July 1941)[1]
• Front Flying Clasp of the Luftwaffe for fighter pilots in Gold (5 May 1941)
• Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross on 27 July 1941 as Oberleutnant and Staffelkapitän of the 4./JG 1[2][Note 1]

Notes

1. According to Scherzer on 30 July 1941 as pilot in the I./Jagdgeschwader 3.[3]

References

Citations

1. Obermaier 1989, p. 176.
2. Fellgiebel 2000, p. 329.
3. Scherzer 2007, p. 577.

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.
• 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.