Oswald Boelcke
With 40 victories to his name at the time of his death, Hauptmann Oswald Boelcke was Germany's greatest fighter pilot and air unit commander. Boelcke was born in Giebichstein, (near Halle, Saxony) the fourth child of six in a schoolteacher's family. Ever an active youth, he excelled at gymnastics, swimming and mountain climbing. In 1911, after he graduated from high school, he joined the Prussian Cadet Corps Communication battalion and was later posted to a Telegraph battalion in Koblenz/Rheine, gaining his commission in 1912. Attracted to the flying corps, he transferred to the Fliegertruppe (pilot-troop) in May of 1914 and learned to fly at the Halberstadt Aeroplane Works. Boelcke passed the third and final pilot's exam on August 15 1914, just days before the outbreak of war. Oswald was initially assigned with his brother Wilhelm to the Fliegerabteilung (pilot-department) # 13. Wilhem was five years older than Oswald and served as his observer. After quarrels with other flyers the brothers decided it would be best to be posted to different units. In May 1915 he was transferred to a unit near Douai, France, Feldfliegerabteilung (field-pilot-department) # 62. Later in 1915, Boelcke was the pilot chosen to test Anth
When the fight breaks up into a series of single combats, take care that several do not go for one opponent. After each downing eight enemy planes, he and Immelmann were awarded the Orden Pour le Merite (Blue Max) on 12 January 1916. Always carry through an attack when you have started it. After this, Boelcke was sent to various air units to raise morale. On October 28, 1916, Boelcke went on an afternoon patrol that was his sixth for the day. They were the first two pilots to receive Prussia's highest award for bravery. It was the predecessor of the Jagdstaffeln (hunting groups). Also while stationed with FFA 62, Boelcke saved a French boy from drowning. After his death, Boelcke was known as "the father of pursuit aviation" and the "creator of the Flying Circus. The grateful villagers wanted the French government to award him the Legion of Honor. He was flying this with Von Richtohofen and Erwin Bohme. When over the enemy's lines, never forget your own line of retreat.
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