Kurt Ubben

Kurt "Kuddel" Ubben (18 November 1911 – 27 April 1944) was a German Luftwaffe wing commander and military aviator during World War II, a fighter ace listed with 110 aerial victories—that is, 111 aerial combat encounters resulting in the destruction of the enemy aircraft—claimed in approximately 500 combat missions.

Ubben, the son of an officer in the Imperial German Navy, was born on 18 November 1911 in Dorstadt, at the time in the Province of Hanover of the Kingdom of Prussia, of the German Empire.

Born in Dorstadt, Ubben volunteered for military service with the Reichsmarine in 1931.

On 1 October 1931, he joined the military service with the Reichsmarine, the German Navy during the Weimar Republic.

During his service with the Reichsmarine, he went on a cruise on board the school ship Gorch Fock.

He transferred to the Luftwaffe of Nazi Germany in 1935.

On 1 April 1935, Ubben transferred to the newly emerging Luftwaffe of Nazi Germany and was trained as a naval aviator in 1935/36.

On 1 September 1936, Ubben was transferred to 1.

On 15 July 1939, II./186 (T) was augmented by a third squadron, designated 5./186 (T) to which Ubben was transferred.

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

In preparation, 5./186 (T) had been moved to Brüsterort, near Königsberg on 22 August.

In the early morning hours of 1 September, 5./186 (T) flew its first combat missions, providing fighter protection for 4./186 (T) attacking the naval base of the Polish Navy at Hel and for the old German battleship Schleswig-Holstein bombarding the Polish military transit depot at Westerplatte in the Free City of Danzig on the Baltic Sea.

The next, II./186 (T) flew further bomber escort missions and was withdrawn from this theater on 6 September, relocating to Hage, East Frisia.

He claimed his first aerial victory during the Battle of France on 10 May 1940.

In July 1940, he was appointed Staffelkapitän (squadron leader) of 8.

On 1 May 1940, Ubben was promoted to Leutnant (second lieutenant) with a rank age dated back to 1 October 1936, and at the same time received the rank of Oberleutnant (first lieutenant) of the reserves with a rank age dated back to 1 June 1939.

His first aerial victory was over a Dutch Fokker D.XXI fighter claimed over the Netherlands on 10 May 1940, the opening day of the Battle of France.

This earned him the Iron Cross 2nd Class (Eisernes Kreuz zweiter Klasse) that day.

In support of Operation Weserübung, the Germany assault on Denmark and Norway, II./186 (T) was ordered to relocate to Norway on 2 June.

There it augmented II.

On 22 July 1940, Ubben was made Staffelkapitän (squadron leader) of 8.

Staffel of JG 77 after his predecessor Weber was killed in action the day before.

He was awarded the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross on 4 September 1941 and was given command of III.

He received the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves on 23 July 1942 and claimed his 101st aerial victory in January 1943.

In March 1944, Ubben was appointed Geschwaderkommodore (wing commander) of Jagdgeschwader 2 "Richthofen" (JG 2—2nd Fighter Wing), tasked with defense of the Reich missions.

He was killed in action in aerial combat with United States Army Air Forces 356th Fighter Group near Fère-en-Tardenois, France on 27 April 1944.

Staffel (8th squadron) of JG 77.

With this unit, Ubben then fought in the Battle of Greece and Operation Barbarossa, the German invasion of the Soviet Union.

Gruppe (3rd group) of JG 77 two days later.

His unit transferred to the North African Theatre of operations, taking part in the retreat from Tunisia to Sicily and Italy.

Gruppe of Jagdgeschwader 77 (JG 77—77th Fighter Wing) and was based at Trondheim.

Following the decision by Adolf Hitler to halt work on the aircraft carrier Graf Zeppelin, II./186 (T) was redesignated and became the III.

Gruppe of JG 77.

In consequence, Ubben's Staffel 5./186 (T) became the 8.

Staffel of JG 77 which was headed by Oberleutnant Lorenz Weber.

Staffel (1st squadron) of Jagdgeschwader 136 (JG 136—136th Fighter Wing), and in November was posted to the newly created I. Gruppe (1st group) of Jagdggruppe 186 (II./186—186th Fighter Group).

This group, also known as the Trägerjagdgruppe (Carrier Fighter Group), was destined to be stationed on the aircraft carrier GERMAN AIRCRAFT CARRIER Graf Zeppelin which was never completed.

II./186 (T) initially consisted of two squadrons, 4./186 (T) equipped with the Junkers Ju 87 dive bomber, and 6./186 (T), a fighter squadron to which Ubben was assigned.

At the time, 6./186 (T) was equipped with the Messerschmitt Bf 109B, the carrier variant Bf 109 T-1 was not available, and trained at Travemünde on a mockup carrier landing deck.

Following flight training, he was posted to Jagdgruppe 186 (JG 186—186 Fighter Group) and later to Jagdgeschwader 77 (JG 77—77th Fighter Wing).