Gerhard Hauck
| Gerhard Hauck | |
|---|---|
 Küstenflieger-Gruppe 406 | |
| Birth date | 1 January 1915 |
| Place of birth | Elberfeld near Wuppertal, Rhine Province, Kingdom of Prussia, German Empire |
| Death date | ⚔ 10 April 1940 (aged 25) |
| Place of death | Farsund, Norway |
| Resting place | War Cemetery Oslo-Alfaset |
| Allegiance |  National Socialist Germany
|
| Service/branch |  Sturmabteilung Reichsmarine Kriegsmarine Luftwaffe
|
| Rank | Feldwebel |
| Battles/wars | World War II |
| Awards | Iron Cross |
| Relations | ∞ 1939 Ruth Weißfeld |
| Other work | Mechanical engineering |
Gerhard Hauck (1 January 1915 – 10 April 1940) was a German naval and air force NCO, finally pilot and sergeant in World War II.
Contents
Life
After attending elementary school and the Hindenburg-Realgymnasium in Elberfeld until 1930, he attended a private evening school until 1933 and achieved his Obersekundareife. At the same time, since 30 June 1930, he completed a mechanical engineering apprenticeship until 29 June 1934. At this time, he was a member of the Marine-SA, the naval wing of the Sturmabteilung. After only five months occupation with the Machine Factory Mühleisen in Wuppertal until 1 December 1934, he joined the Reichsmarine on 1 January 1935 and received basic training at the naval school in Wesermünde, then with the 9th Test Company Travemünde.
The main focus of the testing activities in Travemünde was the testing of seaplanes and their equipment, sea mines and aerial torpedoes, as well as special ships and boats for sea flight operations. This also included the testing of seaplanes, landing on icy and snowy ground, landing attempts on aircraft carriers and rescue operations on the open sea by aircraft. It was here that Hauck first forged the plan to become a sea pilot (Seeflieger). Nevertheless, he was initially trained as an on-board mechanic in Nordeney. He then served with the 6. Fliegergruppe (See) in Neumünster and would become an Unteroffizier (NCO/Corporal/Junior Sergeant) in 1937.
Dream of flying
In Stettin and Parow his dream would come true, he was trained as a naval pilot and achieved his license in early 1939. As a pilot, he was transferred on 2 April 1939 to the 8th Coastal Reconnaissance Squadron Dievenow which would become the 2nd Squadron/Küstenfliegergruppe 506 in Dievenow equipped with the flying boat Dornier Do 18. On 26 August 1939, the 2./Kü.Fl.Gr. 506 became 1st Squadron/Küstenfliegergruppe 406 (1./Kü.Fl.Gr. 406) in Hörnum on the island of Sylt equipped with Heinkel He 60 and Heinkel He 115.
Death
KIA
Sea pilot Hauck was shot down on 10 April 1940 during Operation Weserübung in the area of Farsund, Norway. It is not confirmed, if his airplane crashed on land or into the sea. The body of the fallen aviator was recovered, possibly after it has been washed ashore.
Burial
Feldwebel Gerhard Hauck rests in the German war cemetery (Deutsche Kriegsgräberstätte) in Oslo-Alfaset; Final burial location: Block A, Row 4, Grave 15.
Family
Marriage
In 1939, Gerhard Hauck married his fiancée Ruth Weißfeld (13 July 1914 in Leverkusen) who grew up in Elberfeld, where her father owned a carpentry workshop (Franzenstraße 44, later Wülfrather Straße 36). She moved into his apartment on the island of Sylt. He died, before they were able to have children. Widow Ruth, who returned to her parents and hometown, was a saleswoman as well as a member of the Deutsches Frauenwerk (DFW) from 1933 to 1939, the German Labour Front (DAF) from 1934 to 1939 and the National Socialist People's Welfare (NSV) from 1941 to 1945.
Awards and decorations
- Wehrmacht Long Service Award (Wehrmacht-Dienstauszeichnung), 4th Class on 1 January 1939
- Pilot Badge (Flugzeugführerabzeichen)
- Iron Cross (1939), 2nd Class
