on the Eastern Front and 45 on the Western Front, including 17 four-engined bombers. Victory claims were logged to a map-reference (PQ = Planquadrat), for example "PQ 14 West 3867". 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 (30 May 1940) 1st Class (9 October 1940) German Cross in Gold on 26 December 1943 as Hauptmann in the 8./Jagdgeschwader 2 Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves Knight's Cross on 30 August 1941 as Leutnant and pilot in 12./Jagdgeschwader 51 512th Oak Leaves on 24 June 1944 as Hauptmann and Gruppenkommandeur of III./Jagdgeschwader 2 "Richthofen" Notes References Citations Bibliography 1919 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 Luftwaffe personnel killed in World War II Aviators killed by being shot down Burials at La Cambe German war cemetery Military personnel from Mönchengladbach