Gustav Denk

Gustav Denk
Born	24 January 1915 Soest
Died	13 February 1943 (aged 28) Chernigov
Allegiance	Nazi Germany
Service/branch	Luftwaffe
Years of service	1939–43
Rank	Oberleutnant
Unit	JG 52
Battles/wars	World War II
Awards	Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross

Gustav Denk (24 January 1915 – 13 February 1943) was a German Luftwaffe fighter pilot during World War II. He was credited in Nazi propaganda with 67 aerial victories, 1 over the Western Front and 66 over the Eastern Front. Denk was a recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross, awarded by Nazi Germany to recognise extreme battlefield bravery or successful military leadership.

Denk joined the Luftwaffe at the beginning of the war and participated in the Invasion of Poland, the Battle of France, the Battle of Britain and Operation Barbarossa. He was killed on 13 February 1943 near Chernigov. Denk was posthumously awarded the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross on 14 March 1943.

Awards

• Front Flying Clasp of the Luftwaffe
• Iron Cross (1939)
  • 2nd Class
  • 1st Class
• Ehrenpokal der Luftwaffe on 2 November 1942 as Leutnant and pilot^[1]
• German Cross in Gold on 23 December 1942 as Leutnant in the II./Jagdgeschwader 52^[2]
• Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross on 14 March 1943 as Oberleutnant and pilot in the II./Jagdgeschwader 52^[3]

References

Citations

1. Patzwall 2008, p. 65.
2. Patzwall & Scherzer 2001, p. 82.
3. Fellgiebel 2000, p. 135.

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.
• Patzwall, Klaus D. (2008). Der Ehrenpokal für besondere Leistung im Luftkrieg [The Honor Goblet for Outstanding Achievement in the Air War] (in German). Norderstedt, Germany: Verlag Klaus D. Patzwall. ISBN 978-3-931533-08-3.
• 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.