Leutnant Hermann Becker (10 September 1887 – 21 April 1970), was a

World War I World War I or the First World War (28 July 1914 – 11 November 1918), also known as the Great War, was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War I, Allies (or Entente) and the Central Powers. Fighting to ...

German

flying ace A flying ace, fighter ace or air ace is a military aviation, military aviator credited with shooting down a certain minimum number of enemy aircraft during aerial combat; the exact number of aerial victories required to officially qualify as an ...

credited with 23 victories.The Aerodrome website http://www.theaerodrome.com/aces/germany/becker.php

Early life

Hermann Becker was born on 10 September 1887 in Trebus, Upper Silesia.''Above the Lines: The Aces and Fighter Units of the German Air Service, Naval Air Service and Flanders Marine Corps, 1914–1918'', pp. 68–69.

World War I service

Becker joined the air force in 1916 as an

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on the Eastern Front,serving with ''Flieger-Abteilung 2'' (Flier Detachment 2) and ''Flieger-Abteilung 57'' (Flier Detachment 57). After completing his pilot's training, Becker moved to ''Kampfgeschwader 5'' (Tactical Bomber Wing 5), then to ''

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11'' (Protection Squadron 11) in

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, where he was involved in action at the

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and

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. On 12 January 1917, he was awarded the First Class

Iron Cross The Iron Cross (, , abbreviated EK) was a military decoration in the Kingdom of Prussia, the German Empire (1871–1918), and Nazi Germany (1933–1945). The design, a black cross pattée with a white or silver outline, was derived from the in ...

, having been previously given the Second Class award. In May 1917, Becker transferred to '' Jagdstaffel 12'' to fly

fighter aircraft Fighter aircraft (early on also ''pursuit aircraft'') are military aircraft designed primarily for air-to-air combat. In military conflict, the role of fighter aircraft is to establish air supremacy, air superiority of the battlespace. Domina ...

. He scored his first aerial victory on 6 June 1917. On 16 June 1917 he was

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fighting No. 60 Squadron RFC and was unable to fly for several months. He would not resume his string of victories until 23 September 1917. On 13 July 1918, with 11 victories to his credit, he was promoted to squadron command as a ''

Staffelführer ''Staffelführer'' (, " Formation leader") was one of the first paramilitary ranks used by the German ''Schutzstaffel'' (SS) in the early years of that group's existence. The later SS rank of ''Staffelführer'' traces its origins to the First ...

'' and continued to have success in part because he was issued a Fokker D VII. His second victory on 26 September 1918 was especially memorable; when he set an

Airco DH.4 The Airco DH.4 is a British two-seat biplane day bomber of the First World War. It was designed by Geoffrey de Havilland (hence "DH") for Airco, and was the first British two-seat light day-bomber capable of defending itself. It was desig ...

afire, the observer leaped overboard without a parachute just as the bomber exploded. Becker made his 23rd kill on 3 November 1918, when he and his wingmen shot down five SPADs in five minutes. Becker was nominated for a ''

Pour le Mérite The (; , ), also informally known as the ''Blue Max'' () after German WWI flying ace Max Immelmann, is an order of merit established in 1740 by King Frederick II of Prussia. Separated into two classes, each with their own designs, the was ...

'' medal, but never received it because of the abdication of Kaiser Wilhelm on 9 November.

Post World War I

Hermann Becker survived the war; He was the Commercial director of the gliding school Grunau / Silesia from the early 30's until 1945. He died 21 April 1970Hermann Becker bioography
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Decorations and awards

* Prussian military pilot badge *

(1914), 1st and 2nd class * Knight's Cross of the

Royal House Order of Hohenzollern The House Order of Hohenzollern ( or ') was a dynastic order of knighthood of the House of Hohenzollern awarded to military commissioned officers and civilians of comparable status. Associated with the various versions of the order were crosses an ...

with Swords (15 May 1918)

References

* Franks, Norman; Bailey, Frank W.; Guest, Russell. ''Above the Lines: The Aces and Fighter Units of the German Air Service, Naval Air Service and Flanders Marine Corps, 1914–1918''. Grub Street, 1993. , . * — ''Fokker D.VII Aces of World War I Part I'', Osprey Publishing, 2003. , 978-1841765334.

Endnotes

{{DEFAULTSORT:Becker, Hermann 1887 births 1970 deaths German World War I flying aces Luftstreitkräfte personnel Recipients of the Iron Cross (1914), 1st class