encing ▁society ▁and ▁male ▁frat ern ity . ▁For ced ▁to ▁abandon ▁his ▁university ▁studies ▁for ▁lack ▁of ▁funds , ▁Stein hoff ▁en list ed ▁in ▁the ▁Kriegs marine , ▁where ▁he ▁served ▁for ▁one ▁year ▁alongside ▁his ▁friend ▁Diet rich ▁H rab ak ▁as ▁a ▁naval ▁flying ▁cad et ▁before ▁transfer ring ▁to ▁the ▁newly ▁reform ed ▁Luft wa ffe ▁in ▁ 1 9 3 6 . ▁There , ▁after ▁comple ting ▁his ▁training ▁as ▁a ▁f ighter ▁pilot , ▁Stein hoff ▁was ▁posted ▁to ▁Jag d gesch w ader ▁ 2 6 . ▁ ▁Stein hoff ▁married ▁his ▁wife ▁Urs ula ▁on ▁ 2 9 ▁April ▁ 1 9 3 9 . ▁They ▁had ▁a ▁son ▁named ▁Wolf ▁and ▁a ▁daughter ▁named ▁Urs ula . ▁Urs ula ▁married ▁econom ics ▁professor ▁and ▁( now - ret ired ) ▁Colorado ▁State ▁Senator ▁Michael ▁Bird . ▁ ▁World ▁War ▁II ▁Stein hoff ' s ▁first ▁combat ▁experience ▁was ▁in ▁ 1 9 3 9 ▁when ▁he ▁fought ▁R AF ▁V ick ers ▁Well ington ▁bom bers ▁that ▁were ▁attack ing ▁coast al ▁industry ▁in ▁the ▁Wilhelm sh aven ▁region . ▁In ▁February ▁ 1 9 4 0 , ▁he ▁was ▁transferred ▁to ▁ 4 ./ J G ▁ 5 2 ▁where ▁he ▁served ▁during ▁the ▁Battle ▁of ▁France ▁and ▁the ▁Battle ▁of ▁Britain . ▁ ▁In ▁June ▁ 1 9 4 1 ▁J G   5 2 ▁was ▁on ▁the ▁Eastern ▁Front ▁for ▁off ensive ▁operations ▁against ▁the ▁Soviet ▁Union , ▁becoming ▁one