Karl-Gottfried Nordmann - Career

Career

Nordmann was born on 22 November 1915 in Giessen. At the start of the war Nordmann was serving with I./Jagdgeschwader 77 (JG 77—77th Fighter Wing). By March 1940 he was an Oberleutnant and Staffelkapitän (squadron leader) of 3./JG 77. In November 1940 Nordmann, having achieved 8 air victories, was transferred to command 12 Staffel of Jagdgeschwader 51 (JG 51—51st Fighter Wing). In July 1941 Hauptmann Nordmann was appointed to command IV./JG 51 flying on the Eastern Front and in August was awarded the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross after a total of 31 victories. Future 'ace' Unteroffizier Franz-Josef Beerenbrock flew as Nordmann's Rottenflieger (wing man) around this time. In April 1942, now a Major, Nordmann was appointed Geschwaderkommodore (wing commander) of JG 51.

On 17 January 1943 Nordmann's Focke-Wulf Fw 190 was when involved in a collision with Oberleutnant Rudolf Busch, Gruppenkommandeur of I./JG 51. Busch was killed and Nordmann, severely injured, did not fly operationally again.

In April 1944 Oberstleutnant Nordmann was made Jagdfliegerführer Ostpreussen before in May 1944 appointed to Jagdfliegerführer 6. In February 1945 Nordmann was made Inspekteur der Tagjäger Ost until the end of the war.

He died in July 1982 in Greenwich, Connecticut, USA.

Nordmann claimed 78 aerial victories (69 on the Eastern front) in over 800 combat missions and was awarded the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves.

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