Liberator bomber, possibly from the 445th Bombardment Group. His Messerschmitt Bf 109 G-6/U4 (Werknummer 441142—factory number) crashed near Wöllersheim, present-day part of Lamspringe, approximately south-southeast of Hildesheim. Münster was replaced by Leutnant Hans Grünberg as commander of 5. Staffel. Münster was posthumously awarded the 471st Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves (Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes mit Eichenlaub) on 12 May 1944. On 20 May, he was given a military funeral in his hometown Pohorsch. Summary of career Aerial victory claims According to US historian David T. Zabecki, Münster was credited with 95 aerial victories. Spick also lists Münster with 95 aerial victories claimed in an unknown number of combat missions. This figure includes 70 aerial victories on the Eastern Front, and further 25 victories over the Western Allies, including eight heavy bombers. According to Obermaier, Münster flew over 500 combat missions. Mathews and Foreman, authors of Luftwaffe Aces — Biographies and Victory Claims, researched the German Federal Archives and found records for 86 aerial victory claims, plus six further unconfirmed claims. This figure includes 72 aerial victories on the Eastern Front and 14 over the Western Allies, including 10 heavy bombers. Victory claims were logged to a map-reference (PQ = Planquadrat), for example "PQ 39411". The Luftwaffe grid map () covered all of Europe, western Russia and North Africa and was composed of rectangles measuring 15 minutes of latitude by 30 minutes of longitude, an area of about . These sectors were then subdivided into 36 smaller units to give a location area 3 × 4 km in size. Awards Iron Cross (1939) 2nd Class (24 July 1941) 1st Class (7 September 1941) Front Flying Clasp of the Luftwaffe for Fighter Pilots in Gold (16 December 1941) Wound Badge in Black (26 May 1942) Honour Goblet of the Luftwaffe on 13 September 1942 as Feldwebel and pilot German Cross in Gold on 3 October 1942 as Feldwebel in the 4./Jagdgeschwader 3 Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves Knight's Cross on 21 December 1942 as Feldwebel and pilot in the II./Jagdgeschwader 3 "Udet" 471st Oak Leaves on 12 May 1944 as Leutnant (war officer) and Staffelkapitän of the 4./Jagdgeschwader 3 "Udet" Notes References Citations Bibliography 1920 births 1944 deaths Luftwaffe pilots German World War II flying aces Recipients of the Gold German Cross Recipients of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves