Herbert Kaminski

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Herbert Kaminski
Herbert Kaminski I.jpg
Birth date 24 May 1909(1909-05-24)
Place of birth Ohmswalde, Kreis Ortelsburg, Province of East Prussia, Kingdom of Prussia, German Empire
Death date 16 July 1971 (aged 62)
Place of death Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Bavaria, West Germany
Allegiance  Weimar Republic
 National Socialist Germany
 West Germany
Service/branch Polizei in der Weimarer Republik.jpg Police
Luftwaffe eagle.jpg Luftwaffe
Bundeswehr cross.png Bundeswehr (Luftwaffe)
Rank Leutnant (Polizei)
Major (Wehrmacht)
Oberstleutnant (Bundeswehr)
Unit Zerstörergeschwader 26
Jagdgeschwader 53
Zerstörergeschwader 76
Commands held I./ZG 26
I./JG 53
II./ZG 76
Battles/wars Spanish Civil War
World War II
Awards Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross

Herbert Kaminski (1909–1971) was a German officer of the Police, the Wehrmacht and the Bundeswehr. The flying ace was credited with seven air victories (Luftsiege) as a destroyer (Zerstörer = heavy fighter) pilot in some 300 combat missions (Feindflüge) having been wounded five times. The retired Lieutenant Colonel tragically died in an auto accident.[1]

Life

Kaminski receiving flowers from an Italian youth leader while he was recovering in a Berlin hospital. His wounds were the result of a crash landing in July 1942 while serving with JG 53 on the Eastern Front. Note his Knights Cross hanging on the wall above his head.

In c. 1930, Kaminski joined the police force and was commanded to the police school in Sensburg from 1 April 1931 to 31 March 1932. From 1 April 1932 to 30 April 1935, he served with the State Police Hundred (Hundertschaft) in Elbing. On 1 May 1935, he transferred to the Luftwaffe and was trained as a pilot until 30 April 1935. From 1 May 1936 to 31 December 1938, he attended the Blind Flying (instrument flying) School in Celle, as of 1937 in Wesendorf (the school was relocated). According to several secondary sources, he served with the Condor Legion as a courier pilot (S/88) for several months in 1937 and 1938, but this cannot be confirmed.

On 15 March 1939, he was transferred to the I. Group/Zerstörergeschwader 26 "Horst Wessel" where he would become commander of the 2nd Squadron flying the heavy fighter Messerschmitt Bf 110 (de). He claimed his first victory during the Western campaign; he flew extensively during the Battle of Britain, claiming two more fighters. On 18 August 1940, his Messerschmitt Bf 110 was crippled during combat with RAF Hawker Hurricanes, and he was forced to ditch the aircraft in the English Channel. He and his Bordfunker (radio operator) were rescued by a German minesweeper of the Kriegsmarine.

Kaminski led 2./ZG 26 in the 1941 Balkans campaign. He was again shot down over Serbia, was captured and imprisoned for 11 days (constantly threatened with being shot) before being freed by advancing German forces.[2] During the Battle of Crete, he claimed a Gloster Gladiator of the Royal Air Force. On 22 May 1941, Hauptmann Kaminski was appointed commander of the I. Group/ZG 26, and led the unit during Operation Barbarossa. The I. Group claimed 51 Soviet aircraft destroyed on the ground, and 11 aircraft in aerial combat. Kaminski was awarded the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross on 6 August 1941 for five victories but especially for his ground attack support of the infantry and Panzer units. Among those who congratulated him with a telegram were Generalfeldmarschall Albert Kesselring, Generalfeldmarschall Erhard Milch, General der Flieger Wolfram von Richthofen and General der Flieger Helmuth Förster.

Kaminski, transferred to the Reich Air Ministry on 27 June 1941, briefly served with the staff of the General der Jagdflieger as an advisor on Zerstörer operations and on 7 November 1941, he was appointed commander of the I. Group/Jagdgeschwader 53 based in Sicily as successor of the fallen Franz von Werra. On 28 November 1941, Kaminski belonged to the guard of honour for the state ceremony for Werner Mölders. After returning to his wing group, he shot down a Hurricane over Malta on 20 December 1941. In May 1942, I./JG 53 was posted to the Eastern Front. Kaminski claimed a LaGG-3 fighter on 28 June 1942. On 24 July 1942, Kaminski forced landed his Bf 109 G-2, resulting in crash injuries that hospitalized him for some time.

On his recovery, Kaminski was appointed commander of the II. Group/ZG 76 on 5 October 1943 and led the II. Group (equipped with Messerschmitt Me 410) during the defense of the Reich operations until 9 August 1944, claiming a USAAF Boeing B-17 bomber shot down during this time. Karl-Fritz Schlossstein took over his II. Group and Kaminski was granted leave for recuperation. On 15 December 1944, Kaminski was appointed commander of the Pilot School (Flugzeugführerschule) A/B 41 near Frankfurt an der Oder, until 16 February 1945, when the airfield was given up due to the invasion of the Red Army. Kaminski would spend a short time as a POW of the Western Allies.

In 1956, Kaminski joined the new Luftwaffe of the Bundeswehr as a major, served in several different positions, finally with the Air Force Office (Luftwaffenamt; LwA), the high command authority of the German Air Force of the Bundeswehr, responsible for the conceptual planning as well as the training, supply, and equipment of the Air Force. Lieutenant Colonel Kaminski retired on 30 September 1965.

Promotions

  • 6.4.1932 Polizei-Wachtmeister (Police Sergeant)
  • 22.2.1935 Oberwachtmeister der Landespolizei (Sergeant Major of the State Police)
  • 20.4.1935 Polizei-Leutnant (Police 2nd Lieutenant)
  • 1.10.1936 Oberleutnant (1st Lieutenant)
  • 1.1.1940 Hauptmann (Captain)
  • 1.4.1942 Major
  • 14.12.1957 Oberstleutnant (Lieutenant Colonel of the Bundeswehr)

Awards and decorations

Gallery

  • Herbert Kaminski III.jpg
  • Herbert Kaminski V.jpg
  • Herbert Kaminski VI.jpg
  • Herbert Kaminski, Luftwaffe der Bundeswehr I.jpg
  • Herbert Kaminski, Luftwaffe der Bundeswehr II.jpg
  • Herbert Kaminski, Luftwaffe der Bundeswehr III.jpg

Sources

References

  1. ↑ Career Summaries – Luftwaffe Officers 1935–1945, Section G–K
  2. ↑ Herbert Kaminski
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