Helmuth Bode
Encyclopedia
Helmuth Bode was a German World War II
bomber pilot. He was awarded the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross
on October 10, 1941.
, Alsace-Lorraine
. Helmuth Bode did not join the German Army straight from school. Bode's flying career began when he joined the German Air Transport School, a covert military-training organization, operating as a flying school in Germany. Bode rapidly became a flight instructor in the Deutsche Verkehrsfliegerschule
.
Helmuth Bode joined the Luftwaffe
in 1936, as reservist, and became First Lieutenant (Oberleutnant) on June 1938. He showed a strong natural ability as a pilot. Bode completed his fighter pilot training on 1939. Helmuth Bode was appointed Gruppenkommandeur of III./StG 77 on May 1940. After various assignments in France, Britain, Balkans and on the Eastern front
(Sebastopol), Bode became a very experienced pilot. He was eventually awarded the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross
on October 10, 1941. The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross principally was the highest award of Germany to recognize extreme battlefield bravery or successful military leadership during World War II. As with many top aces, it took him some time to establish himself as a consistently scoring fighter pilot.
On September 1942, Bode was assigned to take the command of a special unit working on the project "Flugzeugträger Graf Zeppelin"
, in Travemünde
. After this mission, Bode was again selected to be a flight instructor on Junkers Ju 87
. From August 1944 to January 1945, Bode was appointed liaison officer
in Bulgarian army. Bode was eventually assigned to the Army Group E
, before being sent to a PoW camp by the Allies.
Helmuth Bode enlisted again in the Bundeswehr
in 1955. He became colonel (Oberst
) in the new West German Air Force, the Bundesluftwaffe
. After his military retirement, Helmuth Bode died on 13 April 1985
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
bomber pilot. He was awarded the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross
Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross
The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross was a grade of the 1939 version of the 1813 created Iron Cross . The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross was the highest award of Germany to recognize extreme battlefield bravery or successful military leadership during World War II...
on October 10, 1941.
Biography
Helmuth Bode was born on 15 October 1907, in MetzMetz
Metz is a city in the northeast of France located at the confluence of the Moselle and the Seille rivers.Metz is the capital of the Lorraine region and prefecture of the Moselle department. Located near the tripoint along the junction of France, Germany, and Luxembourg, Metz forms a central place...
, Alsace-Lorraine
Alsace-Lorraine
The Imperial Territory of Alsace-Lorraine was a territory created by the German Empire in 1871 after it annexed most of Alsace and the Moselle region of Lorraine following its victory in the Franco-Prussian War. The Alsatian part lay in the Rhine Valley on the west bank of the Rhine River and east...
. Helmuth Bode did not join the German Army straight from school. Bode's flying career began when he joined the German Air Transport School, a covert military-training organization, operating as a flying school in Germany. Bode rapidly became a flight instructor in the Deutsche Verkehrsfliegerschule
Deutsche Verkehrsfliegerschule
The Deutsche Verkehrsfliegerschule , German Air Transport School, was a covert military-training organization operating as a flying school in Germany...
.
Helmuth Bode joined the Luftwaffe
Luftwaffe
Luftwaffe is a generic German term for an air force. It is also the official name for two of the four historic German air forces, the Wehrmacht air arm founded in 1935 and disbanded in 1946; and the current Bundeswehr air arm founded in 1956....
in 1936, as reservist, and became First Lieutenant (Oberleutnant) on June 1938. He showed a strong natural ability as a pilot. Bode completed his fighter pilot training on 1939. Helmuth Bode was appointed Gruppenkommandeur of III./StG 77 on May 1940. After various assignments in France, Britain, Balkans and on the Eastern front
Eastern Front (World War II)
The Eastern Front of World War II was a theatre of World War II between the European Axis powers and co-belligerent Finland against the Soviet Union, Poland, and some other Allies which encompassed Northern, Southern and Eastern Europe from 22 June 1941 to 9 May 1945...
(Sebastopol), Bode became a very experienced pilot. He was eventually awarded the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross
Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross
The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross was a grade of the 1939 version of the 1813 created Iron Cross . The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross was the highest award of Germany to recognize extreme battlefield bravery or successful military leadership during World War II...
on October 10, 1941. The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross principally was the highest award of Germany to recognize extreme battlefield bravery or successful military leadership during World War II. As with many top aces, it took him some time to establish himself as a consistently scoring fighter pilot.
On September 1942, Bode was assigned to take the command of a special unit working on the project "Flugzeugträger Graf Zeppelin"
German aircraft carrier Graf Zeppelin
German aircraft carrier Graf Zeppelin was the lead ship in a class of two carriers ordered by the Kriegsmarine. She was the only aircraft carrier launched by Germany during World War II and represented part of the Kriegsmarine's attempt to create a well-balanced oceangoing fleet, capable of...
, in Travemünde
Travemünde
Travemünde is a borough of Lübeck, Germany, located at the mouth of the river Trave in Lübeck Bay. It began life as a fortress built by Henry the Lion, Duke of Saxony, in the 12th century to guard the mouth of the Trave, and the Danes subsequently strengthened it. It became a town in 1317 and in...
. After this mission, Bode was again selected to be a flight instructor on Junkers Ju 87
Junkers Ju 87
The Junkers Ju 87 or Stuka was a two-man German ground-attack aircraft...
. From August 1944 to January 1945, Bode was appointed liaison officer
Liaison officer
A liaison officer or LNO is a person that liaises between two organizations to communicate and coordinate their activities. Generally, they are used to achieve the best utilization of resources or employment of services of one organization by another. In the military, liaison officers may...
in Bulgarian army. Bode was eventually assigned to the Army Group E
Army Group E
Army Group E was a German Army Group active during World War II.Army Group E was created on 1 January 1943 from the 12th Army...
, before being sent to a PoW camp by the Allies.
Helmuth Bode enlisted again in the Bundeswehr
Bundeswehr
The Bundeswehr consists of the unified armed forces of Germany and their civil administration and procurement authorities...
in 1955. He became colonel (Oberst
Oberst
Oberst is a military rank in several German-speaking and Scandinavian countries, equivalent to Colonel. It is currently used by both the ground and air forces of Austria, Germany, Switzerland, Denmark and Norway. The Swedish rank överste is a direct translation, as are the Finnish rank eversti...
) in the new West German Air Force, the Bundesluftwaffe
Luftwaffe
Luftwaffe is a generic German term for an air force. It is also the official name for two of the four historic German air forces, the Wehrmacht air arm founded in 1935 and disbanded in 1946; and the current Bundeswehr air arm founded in 1956....
. After his military retirement, Helmuth Bode died on 13 April 1985
Decorations
- Knight's Cross of the Iron CrossKnight's Cross of the Iron CrossThe Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross was a grade of the 1939 version of the 1813 created Iron Cross . The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross was the highest award of Germany to recognize extreme battlefield bravery or successful military leadership during World War II...
on October 10, 1941. - Eisernes Kreuz IIe et Ire classe
- Flugzeugführer-Abzeichen
- Frontflugspange für Schlachtflieger
Sources
- de Zeng, H.L; Stanket, D.G; Creek, E.J. Bomber Units of the Luftwaffe 1933-1945; A Reference Source, Volume 1. Ian Allan Publishing, 2007. ISBN 978-1-85780-279-5
- de Zeng, H.L; Stanket, D.G; Creek, E.J. Bomber Units of the Luftwaffe 1933-1945; A Reference Source, Volume 2. Ian Allan Publishing, 2007. ISBN 978-1-903223-87-1
External links
- (de) Ritterkreuzträger Helmuth Bode on ritterkreuztraeger-1939-45.de