Karl-Gottfried Nordmann

Karl-Gottfried "Karlfried" Nordmann (22 November 1915 – 22 July 1982) was a German Luftwaffe pilot during World War II and, after the war, a president of Mercedes-Benz in North America.

As a fighter ace he was credited with 78 enemy aircraft shot down in over 800 combat missions.

He claimed the majority of his victories over the Eastern Front, with one during the Invasion of Poland and eight during the Battle of France and Britain.

Nordmann was born on 22 November 1915 in Giessen, at the time in the Grand Duchy of Hesse of the German Empire.

Born in Giessen, Nordmann volunteered for military service in the Luftwaffe of the Third Reich in 1936.

He was the son of a doctor and joined the military service of the Luftwaffe on 6 April 1936 as a Fahnenjunker (officer cadet).

Following flight training, he was posted to Jagdgeschwader 132 (JG 132—132nd Fighter Wing) in October 1938.

Nordmann was promoted to Leutnant (Second Lieutenant) on 1 January 1938 and served with 1.

Staffel of Kampfgeschwader 253 from 1 March to 30 April 1938.

He was then posted to the Jagdfliegerschule (Fighter Pilot School) at Werneuchen, under the command of Oberst (Colonel) Theodor Osterkamp.

Since July 1938, he served as a Staffeloffizier (squadron officer) with the Stab of I. Gruppe (1st group) of Jagdgeschwader 77 (JG 77—77th Fighter Wing), which later became IV./Jagdgeschwader 51 (JG 51—51st Fighter Wing).

This unit underwent a series of redesignations which started with VI./Jagdgeschwader 132 (JG 132—132nd Fighter Wing), was renamed on 2 November 1938 to I./Jagdgeschwader 331 (JG 331—331st Fighter Wing).

While based at Breslau-Schöngarten (currently called Wrocław Airport), it was redesignated again, this time to I./JG 77 on 1 May 1939, which was redesignated to IV./JG 51 on 21 November 1940.

World War II in Europe began on Friday 1 September 1939 when German forces invaded Poland.

Nordmann claimed his first aerial victory when he shot down a Polish PZL.43 on 3 September 1939.

Nordmann achieved his next victory during the Battle of France and seven more in the Battle of Britain.

He was appointed Staffelkapitän (squadron leader) of the 12.

Staffel (12th squadron) of Jagdgeschwader 51 (JG 51—51st Fighter Wing) on 1 March 1940, replacing Oberleutnant (First Lieutenant) Erwin Neuerburg who became Staffelkapitän of 7.

Staffel of Jagdgeschwader 3 (JG 3—3rd Fighter Wing).

In this function, he was promoted to Oberleutnant on 1 April 1940.

Nordmann was victorious over two Royal Air Force (RAF) Supermarine Spitfires on 17 October 1940 and achieved his ninth aerial victory on 6 May 1941.

Nordmann achieved his 40th victory in total on 16 August and his 50th on 28 August.

He was awarded the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross on 1 August 1941 following his 31st aerial victory and received the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves on 16 September 1941 after 59 victories.

The Oak Leaves grades to the Knight's Cross was Germany's highest military decoration at the time of its presentation to Nordmann.

In June 1941, JG 51 and the majority of the Luftwaffe were transferred to the Eastern Front in preparation for Operation Barbarossa, the invasion of the Soviet Union.

On 20 July 1941 Nordmann was appointed to command IV./JG 51, succeeding Major Friedrich Beckh who was selected to command JG 51 as Geschwaderkommodore (Wing Commander).

Command of the 12.

Staffel was passed on to Oberleutnant Heinrich Bär.

Less than two weeks later, on 1 August 1941 Nordmann was awarded the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross (Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes) after a total of 31 victories which was presented to him by General der Flieger Bruno Loerzer.

Unteroffizier (Sergeant) Franz-Josef Beerenbrock flew as Nordmann's Rottenflieger (wing man) around this time.

Nordmann was appointed Geschwaderkommodore (Wing Commander) of JG 51, which he led for two years, on 10 April 1942.

Injuries sustained in a midair collision on 17 January 1943 grounded him from further combat flying.

He surrendered command of JG 51 on 1 April 1944 and was appointed Jagdfliegerführer Ostpreussen (fighter leader Eastern Prussia).

Nordmann then served further fighter command positions with Jagdabschnittsführer 6 (leader of the 6th fighter sector) and the 1st Fighter Division, a position he held until the end of World War II.

Following World War II, Nordmann joined Mercedes-Benz in sales.

After a series of redesignations his unit was subordinated to Jagdgeschwader 51 (JG 51—51st Fighter Wing).

He fought in the aerial battles over Poland, France and Britain, claiming nine victories.

Following the German invasion of the Soviet Union in Operation Barbarossa, he was appointed Gruppenkommandeur (group commander) of the IV.

Gruppe (4th Group) of JG 51.

He worked as the president of Mercedes-Benz in North America and Canada from 1971 until shortly before his death in 1982.