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Major Fritz Losigkeit

Losigkeit volunteered for service in the Condor Legion. during the Spanish Civil War On 25 March 1938, he was assigned to 3. Staffel (3rd squadron) of Jagdgruppe 88. On 31 May 1938, during the second mission of the day Losigkeit was shot down by 20 mm anti-aircraft guns and taken prisoner of war. He spent eight months in captivity in Valencia and Barcelona before returning to Germany in February 1939 For his actions in Spain, he was awarded the Spanish Cross in Silver with Swords. When World war To began and German forces invaded Poland. Losigkeit on 23rd September 1939, was appointed Staffelkapitan (squadron leader) of 2. Staffel of JG 26, He claimed his first victory on 28 May 1940 during the Battle of Dunkirk, as part of the Battle of France, over a Royal Air Force (RAF) Supermarine Spitfire between Dover and Ostend On 1 June, the fighting over the beachhead at Dunkirk continued. In combat with RAF fighters from No. 19 Squadron, No. 222 Squadron and No. 616 Squadron, Losigkeit shot down a Spitfire near Dunkirk, his last during the Battle of France. During the battle of Britain he achieved four more victories to become an ace in September 1940. For the next 8 months, Losigkeit commanded 2nd Staffel of JG 26 and flew more than 100 combat missions. In May 1941, he was assigned as a diplomatic courier to Japan. During this time and until January 1942, he practiced German air combat tactics with Japanese pilots flying the Mitsubishi 96 and the Me-109. Wanting to rejoin the European war, he made the treacherous voyage back to Germany via the German blockade-runner MSS Elsa Essberger. Travelling 23,300 nautical miles, Losigkeit arrived in time to form up Special Command Losigkeit at the orders of General Adolf Galland. Command Losigkeit conducted fighter operations in Norway to support the Navy and the heavy battle cruiser Scharnhorst. He took command of IV./JG 1 at Berlin-Werneuchen, which later became I./JG 1. Deployed to bases in the West, his unit flew missions against de Havilland Mosquito reconnaissance aircraft and USAAF heavy bomber formations attacking targets in Germany. In June 1943 Major Losigkeit commanded III./JG 51 "Molders" flying the Bf-109 in the Orel area of the Eastern Front. Taking part in the arial war over the Battle of Kursk in July 1943, his unit then covered the retreat of the German Army. On 1 April 1944 he became Geschwaderkommodore of JG 51 and continued to fight against the Russians advanced. awarded the Knight's Cross in April 1945, He took command of JG 77 at Beneschau, present-day Benesov, in the Czech Republic. With the arrival of Losigkeit, Freytag resumed command of II. Gruppe of JG 77. Command of JG 51 was passed on to Major Heinz Lange. Losigkeit was awarded the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross (Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes) on 28 April 1945. The Geschwaderstab and II. Gruppe were based at Skutsch (Skutec) on 8 May. Losigkeit ordered the destruction of all remaining aircraft before boarding a Junkers Ju 52 transport aircraft, filled up with fuel from salvaged aircraft, heading west to avoid capture by the Red Army As a fighter ace, he is credited with 68 aerial victories in approximately 750 combat missions. This figure includes 13 aerial victories over the Western Allies, the remaining victories were claimed over the Eastern Front. He Died on the 14th of January, 1994.