Ludwig Becker (pilot)
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Robert-Ludwig Becker (22 August 191126 February 1943) was a German
Luftwaffe The Luftwaffe () was the aerial warfare, aerial-warfare branch of the before and during World War II. German Empire, Germany's military air arms during World War I, the of the Imperial German Army, Imperial Army and the of the Imperial Ge ...
military aviator during World War II, a
night fighter A night fighter (later known as all-weather fighter or all-weather interceptor post-Second World War) is a largely historical term for a fighter aircraft, fighter or interceptor aircraft adapted or designed for effective use at night, during pe ...
ace An ace is a playing card, die or domino with a single pip. In the standard French deck, an ace has a single suit symbol (a heart, diamond, spade, or a club) located in the middle of the card, sometimes large and decorated, especially in the ...
credited with 44 aerial victories claimed in 165 combat missions, making him one of the more successful nocturnal fighter pilots in the Luftwaffe.For a list of Luftwaffe night fighter aces see ''
List of German World War II night fighter aces A flying ace or fighter ace is a military aviator credited with shooting down five or more enemy aircraft during aerial combat. German day and night fighter pilots claimed roughly 70,000 aerial victories during World War II, 25,000 over British ...
''.
All of his victories were claimed over the Western Front in
Defense of the Reich The Defence of the Reich () is the name given to the strategic defensive aerial campaign fought by the Luftwaffe of Nazi Germany over German-occupied Europe and Germany during World War II against the Allied strategic bombing campaign. Its aim ...
missions against the
Royal Air Force The Royal Air Force (RAF) is the Air force, air and space force of the United Kingdom, British Overseas Territories and Crown Dependencies. It was formed towards the end of the World War I, First World War on 1 April 1918, on the merger of t ...
's (RAF)
Bomber Command Bomber Command is an organisational military unit, generally subordinate to the air force of a country. The best known were in Britain and the United States. A Bomber Command is generally used for strategic bombing (although at times, e.g. during t ...
. Born in
Dortmund Dortmund (; ; ) is the third-largest city in North Rhine-Westphalia, after Cologne and Düsseldorf, and the List of cities in Germany by population, ninth-largest city in Germany. With a population of 614,495 inhabitants, it is the largest city ...
-
Aplerbeck Aplerbeck is a borough ('' Stadtbezirk'') of the city of Dortmund in the Ruhr district of North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. Since 1929, it has been a suburb of Dortmund, located in the city's south-east. The river Emscher, a tributary of the Ruh ...
, Becker grew up in the
Weimar Republic The Weimar Republic, officially known as the German Reich, was the German Reich, German state from 1918 to 1933, during which it was a constitutional republic for the first time in history; hence it is also referred to, and unofficially proclai ...
and
Nazi Germany Nazi Germany, officially known as the German Reich and later the Greater German Reich, was the German Reich, German state between 1933 and 1945, when Adolf Hitler and the Nazi Party controlled the country, transforming it into a Totalit ...
. Following graduation from school and university, he joined the military service in 1934. In 1935, he left the military and worked as a civilian pilot and flight instructor. In August 1939, he was again drafted into service and with ''Zerstörergeschwader'' 26 (ZG 26–26th Destroyer Wing), flying a
Messerschmitt Bf 110 The Messerschmitt Bf 110, often known unofficially as the Me 110,Because it was built before ''Bayerische Flugzeugwerke'' became Messerschmitt AG in July 1938, the Bf 110 was never officially given the designation Me 110. is a twin-engined (de ...
heavy fighter A heavy fighter is an historic category of fighter aircraft produced in the 1930s and 1940s, designed to carry heavier weapons or operate at longer ranges than light fighter aircraft. To achieve performance, most heavy fighters were twin-engine ...
during the
Battle of France The Battle of France (; 10 May – 25 June 1940), also known as the Western Campaign (), the French Campaign (, ) and the Fall of France, during the Second World War was the Nazi Germany, German invasion of the Low Countries (Belgium, Luxembour ...
. In June 1940, the Luftwaffe created its first night fighter wing, ''Nachtjagdgeschwader'' 1 (NJG 1–1st Night Fighter Wing), and Becker transferred to this unit. There he claimed his first nocturnal aerial victory on the night of 16/17 October 1940, the first ground-radar controlled victory by the Luftwaffe. His second aerial victory on 8/9 August was the first airborne-radar assisted claim by the Luftwaffe. Becker was appointed squadron leader of 6. '' Staffel'' (1st squadron) of ''Nachtjagdgeschwader'' 2 (NJG 2–2nd Night Fighter Wing) in December 1941. On 1 July 1942, he was awarded the
Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross (), or simply the Knight's Cross (), and its variants, were the highest awards in the military and paramilitary forces of Nazi Germany during World War II. While it was order of precedence, lower in preceden ...
after his 25th aerial victory. In October 1942, Becker was given command of 12. ''Staffel'' of NJG 1 and was awarded the
Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross (), or simply the Knight's Cross (), and its variants, were the highest awards in the military and paramilitary forces of Nazi Germany during World War II. While it was lower in precedence than the Grand C ...
on 26 February 1943. That day, he was
killed in action Killed in action (KIA) is a casualty classification generally used by militaries to describe the deaths of their personnel at the hands of enemy or hostile forces at the moment of action. The United States Department of Defense, for example, ...
on a daytime intercept mission against the
United States Army Air Forces The United States Army Air Forces (USAAF or AAF) was the major land-based aerial warfare service component of the United States Army and ''de facto'' aerial warfare service branch of the United States during and immediately after World War II ...
over the
North Sea The North Sea lies between Great Britain, Denmark, Norway, Germany, the Netherlands, Belgium, and France. A sea on the European continental shelf, it connects to the Atlantic Ocean through the English Channel in the south and the Norwegian Se ...
.


Early life and career

Becker was born on 22 August 1911 in
Dortmund Dortmund (; ; ) is the third-largest city in North Rhine-Westphalia, after Cologne and Düsseldorf, and the List of cities in Germany by population, ninth-largest city in Germany. With a population of 614,495 inhabitants, it is the largest city ...
-Aplerbeck in the
Province of Westphalia The Province of Westphalia () was a Provinces of Prussia, province of the Kingdom of Prussia and the Free State of Prussia from 1815 to 1946. In turn, Prussia was the largest component state of the German Empire from 1871 to 1918, of the Weimar ...
, a
province A province is an administrative division within a country or sovereign state, state. The term derives from the ancient Roman , which was the major territorial and administrative unit of the Roman Empire, Roman Empire's territorial possessions ou ...
of the
Kingdom of Prussia The Kingdom of Prussia (, ) was a German state that existed from 1701 to 1918.Marriott, J. A. R., and Charles Grant Robertson. ''The Evolution of Prussia, the Making of an Empire''. Rev. ed. Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1946. It played a signif ...
. He was the first son of
master builder A master builder or master mason is a central figure leading construction projects in pre-modern times (a combination of a modern expert carpenter, construction site supervisor, and architect / engineer). Historically, the term has generally ref ...
Reinhold Becker. He graduated from a humanities-oriented Gymnasium in Dortmund, a secondary school, with his diploma (''
Abitur ''Abitur'' (), often shortened colloquially to ''Abi'', is a qualification granted at the end of secondary education in Germany. It is conferred on students who pass their final exams at the end of ISCED 3, usually after twelve or thirteen year ...
'') at Easter 1930. From 1930 to 1936, Becker studied
jurisprudence Jurisprudence, also known as theory of law or philosophy of law, is the examination in a general perspective of what law is and what it ought to be. It investigates issues such as the definition of law; legal validity; legal norms and values ...
and
economics Economics () is a behavioral science that studies the Production (economics), production, distribution (economics), distribution, and Consumption (economics), consumption of goods and services. Economics focuses on the behaviour and interac ...
at the
University of Münster The University of Münster (, until 2023 , WWU) is a public research university located in the city of Münster, North Rhine-Westphalia in Germany. With more than 43,000 students and over 120 fields of study in 15 departments, it is Germany's ...
and at the Friedrich Wilhelm University in Berlin. While at university, Becker became interested in flying and took courses in aircraft manufacturing and other aeronautical classes. He then joined the
German Student Corps Corps (or Korps; "''das ~''" ('' n''), (''sg.''), (''pl.'')) are the oldest still-existing kind of '' Studentenverbindung'', Germany's traditional university corporations; their roots date back to the 15th century. The oldest corps still exist ...
, cofounded the "academic flying group" and joined the
German Air Sports Association The German Air Sports Association (''Deutscher Luftsportverband'', or DLV e. V.) was an organisation founded in March 1933, shortly after the Nazi Party came to power. Officially, it served as the national umbrella organisation for air sports in ...
as a member of the SA-''Fliegersturm'' in Münster, and later as a member of the
National Socialist Flyers Corps The National Socialist Flyers Corps (; NSFK) was a paramilitary aviation organization of the Nazi Party. History NSFK was founded 15 April 1937 as a successor to the German Air Sports Association; the latter had been active during the years when ...
(NSFK). The "academic flying group" built a
glider aircraft A glider is a fixed-wing aircraft that is supported in flight by the dynamic reaction of the air against its lifting surfaces, and whose gliding flight, free flight does not depend on an engine. Most gliders do not have an engine, although mot ...
and in 1933, Becker attended the
gliding Gliding is a recreational activity and competitive air sports, air sport in which pilots fly glider aircraft, unpowered aircraft known as Glider (sailplane), gliders or sailplanes using naturally occurring currents of rising air in the atmospher ...
schools in
Rossitten Rybachy (, from ''Рыба́к'', "Fisherman", , ) is a rural settlement in Zelenogradsky District of Kaliningrad Oblast, Russia, located on the Curonian Spit. As of 2010 it has about 839 residents. It was formerly known for the Rossitten Bird Ob ...
, present-day Rybachy in the
Kaliningrad Oblast Kaliningrad Oblast () is the westernmost federal subjects of Russia, federal subject of the Russian Federation. It is a Enclave and exclave, semi-exclave on the Baltic Sea within the Baltic region of Prussia (region), Prussia, surrounded by Pola ...
, and Grunau, present-day Jeżów Sudecki in the
Lower Silesian Voivodeship Lower Silesian Voivodeship (, ) in southwestern Poland, is one of the 16 Voivodeships of Poland, voivodeships (provinces) into which Poland is divided. It covers an area of and has a total population of 2,899,986. It is one of the wealthiest ...
. He volunteered for military service on 1 March 1934 and was trained as fighter pilot at the ''
Jagdfliegerschule The German Luftwaffe of the Wehrmacht had seven ''Jagdfliegerschulen'' or Fighter Pilot Schools. Jagdfliegerschule Werneuchen or Jagdfliegerschule 1 Jagdfliegerschule Werneuchen was formed on 1 November 1937 in Werneuchen consisting of 3 ''Staff ...
'' in
Schleißheim Schleißheim is a municipality in the district Wels-Land in the Austrian state of Upper Austria Upper Austria ( ; ; ) is one of the nine States of Austria, states of Austria. Its capital is Linz. Upper Austria borders Germany and the Czech Rep ...
and as a
dive bomber A dive bomber is a bomber aircraft that dives directly at its targets in order to provide greater accuracy for the bomb it drops. Diving towards the target simplifies the bomb's trajectory and allows the pilot to keep visual contact througho ...
pilot in
Schwerin Schwerin (; Mecklenburgisch-Vorpommersch dialect, Mecklenburgisch-Vorpommersch Low German: ''Swerin''; Polabian language, Polabian: ''Zwierzyn''; Latin: ''Suerina'', ''Suerinum'') is the Capital city, capital and List of cities and towns in Germ ...
. Becker also received training in
instrument flight In aviation, instrument flight rules (IFR) is one of two sets of regulations governing all aspects of civil aviation aircraft operations; the other is visual flight rules (VFR). The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration's (FAA) ''Instrument Fly ...
and handling an aircraft in adverse weather conditions. On 12 October 1935, he was discharged from the military holding the rank of ''
Unteroffizier () is a junior non-commissioned officer rank used by the . It is also the collective name for all non-commissioned officers in Austria and Germany. It was formerly a rank in the Imperial Russian Army. Austria , also , is the collective name to ...
'' (subordinate officer) of the Reserves. He then worked for the
Luftwaffe The Luftwaffe () was the aerial warfare, aerial-warfare branch of the before and during World War II. German Empire, Germany's military air arms during World War I, the of the Imperial German Army, Imperial Army and the of the Imperial Ge ...
as a civilian pilot and
flight instructor A flight instructor is a person who teaches others to operate aircraft. Specific privileges granted to holders of a flight instructor qualification vary from country to country, but very generally, a flight instructor serves to enhance or evaluate ...
at the airfield in Münster-Loddenheide. Following further training at the ''
Deutsche Forschungsanstalt für Segelflug The , or DFS , was formed in 1933 to centralise all gliding activity in Germany, under the directorship of Professor Walter Georgii. It was formed by the nationalisation of the Rhön-Rossitten Gesellschaft (RRG) at Darmstadt.Reitsch, H., 1955, ...
'' (German Institute for Glider Research), Becker was made the head flight instructor for gliding and an official
expert witness An expert witness, particularly in common law countries such as the United Kingdom, Australia, and the United States, is a person whose opinion by virtue of education, training, certification, skills or experience, is accepted by the judge as ...
. In parallel, Becker frequently participated in military exercises. While serving with 3. '' Staffel'' (3rd squadron) of ''Jagdgeschwader'' 134 "Horst Wessel",For an explanation of Luftwaffe unit designations see
Organization of the Luftwaffe during World War II An organization or organisation (Commonwealth English; see spelling differences) is an entity—such as a company, or corporation or an institution (formal organization), or an association—comprising one or more people and having a part ...
.
he was promoted to ''
Feldwebel '' '' (Fw or F, ) is a non-commissioned officer (NCO) rank in several countries. The rank originated in Germany, and is also used in Switzerland, Finland, Sweden, and Estonia. The rank has also been used in Russia, Austria-Hungary, occupied Serbia ...
'' (staff sergeant) of the reserves on 1 June 1937 and to ''
Leutnant () is the lowest junior officer rank in the armed forces of Germany ( Bundeswehr), the Austrian Armed Forces, and the military of Switzerland. History The German noun (with the meaning "" (in English "deputy") from Middle High German «locum ...
'' in the reserves on 1 February 1938. On 25 August 1939, Becker was officially called into military service of the Luftwaffe, joining I. '' Gruppe'' (1st group) of ''Zerstörergeschwader'' 26 (ZG 26–26th Destroyer Wing) based in Dortmund.


World War II

World War II in Europe had begun on Friday 1 September 1939 when German forces
invaded Poland The invasion of Poland, also known as the September Campaign, Polish Campaign, and Polish Defensive War of 1939 (1 September – 6 October 1939), was a joint attack on the Republic of Poland by Nazi Germany, the Slovak Republic, and the Soviet ...
. Until 14 September, Becker flew with 3. ''Staffel'' of ZG 26. This unit was equipped with the
Messerschmitt Bf 109 The Messerschmitt Bf 109 is a monoplane fighter aircraft that was designed and initially produced by the Nazi Germany, German aircraft manufacturer Messerschmitt#History, Bayerische Flugzeugwerke (BFW). Together with the Focke-Wulf Fw 190, the ...
and flew fighter protection from
Varel Varel () is a town in the district of Friesland, in Lower Saxony, Germany. It is situated near the Jade River and the Jade Bight, approximately south of Wilhelmshaven and north of Oldenburg. With a population of 23,984 (2020) it is the bigg ...
. On 28 October, Becker was transferred to
Hanover Hanover ( ; ; ) is the capital and largest city of the States of Germany, German state of Lower Saxony. Its population of 535,932 (2021) makes it the List of cities in Germany by population, 13th-largest city in Germany as well as the fourth-l ...
, later to
Wunstorf Wunstorf () is a town in the district of Hanover, in Lower Saxony, Germany. It is situated approximately west of Hanover. The following localities belong to the town of Wunstorf: Blumenau (with Liethe), Bokeloh, Großenheidorn, Idensen (with Id ...
and
Oldenburg Oldenburg may also refer to: Places * Mount Oldenburg, Ellsworth Land, Antarctica *Oldenburg (city), an independent city in Lower Saxony, Germany **Oldenburg (district), a district historically in Oldenburg Free State and now in Lower Saxony * Ol ...
where the newly formed 10. ''Staffel'' of ZG 26 for night fighting was being formed. From 29 October to 16 December 1939, Becker then attended the Luftwaffe communication school in
Halle (Saale) Halle (Saale), or simply Halle (), is the second largest city of the States of Germany, German state of Saxony-Anhalt. It is the sixth-most populous city in the area of former East Germany after (East Berlin, East) Berlin, Leipzig, Dresden, Chem ...
. Following his return to 3./ZG 26, the unit was converted to the
Messerschmitt Bf 110 The Messerschmitt Bf 110, often known unofficially as the Me 110,Because it was built before ''Bayerische Flugzeugwerke'' became Messerschmitt AG in July 1938, the Bf 110 was never officially given the designation Me 110. is a twin-engined (de ...
heavy fighter A heavy fighter is an historic category of fighter aircraft produced in the 1930s and 1940s, designed to carry heavier weapons or operate at longer ranges than light fighter aircraft. To achieve performance, most heavy fighters were twin-engine ...
. Becker was transferred to the 14.(Z) ''Staffel'', a destroyer squadron, of ''Lehrgeschwader'' 1 (LG 1–1st Demonstration Wing) on 24 April 1940. With this unit Becker participated in the
Battle of France The Battle of France (; 10 May – 25 June 1940), also known as the Western Campaign (), the French Campaign (, ) and the Fall of France, during the Second World War was the Nazi Germany, German invasion of the Low Countries (Belgium, Luxembour ...
. He flew 33 combat missions during this campaign for which he was awarded the
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 ...
2nd Class (), which was presented to him on 3 July 1940.


Night fighter career

Following the 1939 aerial Battle of the Heligoland Bight, RAF attacks shifted to the cover of darkness, initiating the
Defence of the Reich The Defence of the Reich () is the name given to the military strategy, strategic defensive aerial campaign fought by the Luftwaffe of Nazi Germany over German-occupied Europe and Germany during World War II against the Allied Strategic bombing ...
campaign. By mid-1940, ''
Generalmajor is the Germanic languages, Germanic variant of major general, used in a number of Central Europe, Central and Northern European countries. Austria Belgium Denmark is the second lowest general officer rank in the Royal Danish Army and R ...
'' (Brigadier General)
Josef Kammhuber Josef Kammhuber (August 19, 1896 – January 25, 1986) was a career officer who served in the Imperial German Army, the Luftwaffe of Nazi Germany and the post-World War II German Air Force. During World War II, he was the first general of night ...
had established a night
air defense Anti-aircraft warfare (AAW) is the counter to aerial warfare and includes "all measures designed to nullify or reduce the effectiveness of hostile air action".AAP-6 It encompasses surface-based, subsurface (Submarine#Armament, submarine-lau ...
system dubbed the
Kammhuber Line The Kammhuber Line was the name given by the Allies to the German night-fighter air-defence system established in western Europe in July 1940 by Colonel Josef Kammhuber. It consisted of a series of control sectors equipped with radars and se ...
. It consisted of a series of control sectors equipped with
radar Radar is a system that uses radio waves to determine the distance ('' ranging''), direction ( azimuth and elevation angles), and radial velocity of objects relative to the site. It is a radiodetermination method used to detect and track ...
s and
searchlight A searchlight (or spotlight) is an apparatus that combines an extremely luminosity, bright source (traditionally a carbon arc lamp) with a mirrored parabolic reflector to project a powerful beam of light of approximately parallel rays in a part ...
s and an associated night fighter. Each sector named a ''Himmelbett'' (canopy bed) would direct the night fighter into visual range with target bombers. In 1941, the Luftwaffe started equipping night fighters with airborne radar such as the ''Lichtenstein'' radar. This airborne radar did not come into general use until early 1942. After the armistice with France, Becker was transferred to the 2.(J) ''Staffel'' of ''Nachtjagdgeschwader'' 1 (NJG 1–1st Night Fighter Wing), initially based at
Düsseldorf Düsseldorf is the capital city of North Rhine-Westphalia, the most populous state of Germany. It is the second-largest city in the state after Cologne and the List of cities in Germany with more than 100,000 inhabitants, seventh-largest city ...
and
Gütersloh Gütersloh () is a town in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany, in the region of Ostwestfalen-Lippe and the administrative region of Detmold (administrative region), Detmold. Gütersloh is the administrative centre for a Gütersloh (distric ...
, and then to Arnhem-Deelen airfield where he was appointed technical officer. Becker flew his first aerial combat mission on 30 August 1940. The mission resulted in the loss of the aircraft near
Winterswijk Winterswijk (; also known as ''Winterswiek'' or ''Wenters'') is a Municipalities of the Netherlands, municipality and a town in the eastern Netherlands. It has a population of and is situated in the Achterhoek, which lies in the easternmost part ...
, while he and his radio operator managed to save themselves with the parachute. His first victory was
Vickers Wellington The Vickers Wellington (nicknamed the Wimpy) is a British twin-engined, long-range medium bomber. It was designed during the mid-1930s at Brooklands in Weybridge, Surrey. Led by Vickers-Armstrongs' chief designer Rex Pierson, a key feature of t ...
''L7844'' KX-T on the night of 16/17 October 1940. Becker was flying a
Dornier Do 17 The Dornier Do 17 is a twin-engined light bomber designed and produced by the German aircraft manufacturer Dornier Flugzeugwerke. Large numbers were operated by the ''Luftwaffe'' throughout the Second World War. The Do 17 was designed during ...
 Z-10 equipped with a gun-camera. The victory recorded the demise of the No. 311 (Czechoslovak) Squadron aircraft piloted by
Pilot Officer Pilot officer (Plt Off or P/O) is a junior officer rank used by some air forces, with origins from the Royal Air Force. The rank is used by air forces of many countries that have historical British influence. Pilot officer is the lowest ran ...
Bohumil Landa and three of his
Czech Czech may refer to: * Anything from or related to the Czech Republic, a country in Europe ** Czech language ** Czechs, the people of the area ** Czech culture ** Czech cuisine * One of three mythical brothers, Lech, Czech, and Rus *Czech (surnam ...
crew. It was also the first ground radar-controlled "''Dunkle Nachtjagd''" (DuNaJa—dark night fighting, without
search light Searching may refer to: Music * " Searchin", a 1957 song originally performed by The Coasters * "Searching" (China Black song), a 1991 song by China Black * "Searchin" (CeCe Peniston song), a 1993 song by CeCe Peniston * " Searchin' (I Gott ...
s) victory of the war. Becker and Staub were vectored to the target by ''Leutnant'' Hermann Diehl, a Luftwaffe communication officer who had begun experimenting with a ''Freya'' radar on
Wangerooge Wangerooge (; ; Wangerooge Frisian: ) is one of the 32 Frisian Islands in the North Sea off the northwestern coast of Germany. It is a municipality in the district of Friesland (district), Friesland in Lower Saxony in Germany. The island is also l ...
in 1939. On 1 November 1940, Becker was promoted to ''
Oberleutnant (English: First Lieutenant) is a senior lieutenant Officer (armed forces), officer rank in the German (language), German-speaking armed forces of Germany (Bundeswehr), the Austrian Armed Forces, and the Swiss Armed Forces. In Austria, ''Oberle ...
'' (first lieutenant) of the Reserves and was awarded the Iron Cross 1st Class () on 23 December 1940. From December 1940 to April 1941, he was based at Leeuwarden airfield. He was then transferred to the , the testing ground for night fighting tactics at
Werneuchen Werneuchen () is a town in Brandenburg, Germany, in the district of Barnim northeast of Berlin within the metropolitan area. Most of the population of Werneuchen commutes to Berlin. History From 1815 to 1947, Werneuchen was part of the Prussian ...
on 5 April 1941. There, he was tasked with testing airborne radar and received the
Front Flying Clasp of the Luftwaffe The Front Flying Clasp of the Luftwaffe () was a World War II German military decoration awarded to aircrew and certain other Luftwaffe personnel in recognition of the number of operational flights flown. It was instituted by '' Reichsmarschall'' ...
for Night Fighters in Silver () on 1 June. In July, he was transferred back to Leeuwarden, then serving in 4. ''Staffel'' of NJG 1 which was led by ''Oberleutnant''
Helmut Lent Helmut Lent (13 June 1918 – 7 October 1944) was a German night-fighter ace in World War II. Lent shot down 110 aircraft, 102 of them at night.For a list of Luftwaffe night fighter aces see ''List of German World War II night fi ...
at the time. On the night of 8/9 August 1941, Becker and his radio operator (''Bordfunker'') Josef Staub, also became the first Luftwaffe night fighter crew to intercept an enemy bomber using airborne radar. Flying
Dornier Do 215 Dornier may refer to: * Claudius Dornier (1884–1969), German aircraft designer and builder ** Dornier Flugzeugwerke, German aircraft manufacturer founded in 1914 by Claudius Dornier * Dornier Consulting, international consulting and project manag ...
 B-5 "G9+OM" equipped with the FuG 202 ''Lichtenstein'' B/C radar, they tracked and claimed another Wellington bomber shot down. The aircraft shot down was Wellington ''T2625'' GR-B which crashed near Bunde. Becker claimed six victories between 10 August and 30 September 1941 in Do 215 B-5 "G9+OM" before the ''Lichtenstein'' radar became unserviceable in September. On 12 August 1941, he, Staub and
Wilhelm Gänsler The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross () and its variants were the highest awards in the military and paramilitary forces of Nazi Germany during World War II. The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross was awarded for a wide range of reasons and across ...
in the
air gunner An air gunner or aerial gunner is a member of a military aircrew who operates flexible-mount or turret-mounted machine guns or autocannons in an aircraft. Modern aircraft weapons are usually operated automatically without the need for a dedic ...
position, intercepted and shot down the
Avro Manchester The Avro 679 Manchester was a British twin-engine heavy bomber developed and manufactured by the Avro aircraft company in the United Kingdom. While not being built in great numbers, it was the forerunner of the more famed and more successful ...
bomber ''L7381'' EM-R from No. 207 Squadron. The Manchester was on a mission to
Berlin Berlin ( ; ) is the Capital of Germany, capital and largest city of Germany, by both area and List of cities in Germany by population, population. With 3.7 million inhabitants, it has the List of cities in the European Union by population withi ...
and was the second airborne radar assisted aerial victory recorded. Becker developed his own tactics for attacking a bomber. He would trail the aircraft from the stern, just below the height shown on the radar. After sighting the bomber, he dived and accelerated to avoid being spotted by the
tail gunner A tail gunner or rear gunner is a crewman on a military aircraft who functions as a gunner defending against enemy fighter or interceptor attacks from the rear, or "tail", of the plane. The tail gunner operates a flexible machine gun or au ...
. Once underneath the enemy, Becker reduced the throttle and matched the speed of the unsuspecting pilot. Becker then climbed steadily to from the target before he pulled up and opened fire. Because the Do 215 lost speed the bomber would fly ahead and the through the stream of shells. With this method, the gun sight was rarely needed. On 1 October, Becker received the Front Flying Clasp of the Luftwaffe for Night Fighters in Gold ().


Squadron leader and missing in action

Becker was transferred to the II. ''Gruppe'' of ''Nachtjagdgeschwader'' 2 (NJG 2–2nd Night Fighter Wing) on 1 November 1941. He claimed his eighth aerial victory on 8 November and on 26 November was ordered to the Luftwaffe's main testing ground at
Rechlin Rechlin is a municipality in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, Germany, around 100 km (60 mi) northwest of Berlin. The town's airport has a long history and was the Luftwaffe's main testing ground for new aircraft designs in Nazi Germany. ...
. On 1 December, Becker was appointed ''
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 ...
'', a preliminary command position. On 20 January 1942, Becker claimed the destruction of Wellington bombers, all three in the vicinity of
Terschelling Terschelling (; ; Terschelling dialect: ''Schylge'') is a Municipalities of the Netherlands, municipality and an island in the northern Netherlands, one of the West Frisian Islands. It is situated between the islands of Vlieland and Ameland. ...
. Wellington ''Z8370'' from No. 12 Squadron was shot down at 21:00, Wellington ''Z1110'' from No. 101 Squadron at 21:37, and Wellington ''Z1207'' from No. 142 Squadron at 22:07. This achievement earned Becker a named references in the ''
Wehrmachtbericht ''Wehrmachtbericht'' (, literally: "Armed forces report", usually translated as Wehrmacht communiqué or Wehrmacht report) was the daily Wehrmacht High Command mass-media communiqué and a key component of Nazi propaganda during World War II. ...
'' on 21 January, his first of four such mentions. On 1 July 1942, after his 25th aerial victory, Becker was awarded the
Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross (), or simply the Knight's Cross (), and its variants, were the highest awards in the military and paramilitary forces of Nazi Germany during World War II. While it was order of precedence, lower in preceden ...
(). Becker, who was still a member of the NSFK, was promoted to NSFK-''
Sturmführer ''Sturmführer'' (, "storm leader") was a paramilitary rank of the Nazi Party which began as a title used by the ''Sturmabteilung'' (SA) in 1925 and became an actual SA rank in 1928. Translated as "storm leader or assault leader", the origins o ...
'' on 15 September. On 1 October, he took command of 12./NJG 1 as ''
Staffelkapitän ''Staffelkapitän'' is a command appointment, rather than a military rank, in the air force units of German-speaking countries. The rank normally held by a ''Staffelkapitän'' has changed over time. In the present-day German ''Luftwaffe'' – p ...
'' (squadron leader). On the night of 9/10 November 1942, Becker and Staub claimed their 40th aerial victory. At the end of 1942, Becker was one of the leading night fighter pilots of the Luftwaffe, which at the time included Lent (49 nocturnal claims), Reinhold Knacke (40 nocturnal claims),
Werner Streib Werner Streib (13 June 1911 – 15 June 1986) was a German Luftwaffe military aviator during World War II, a night fighter ace credited with 68—one daytime and 67 nighttime—enemy aircraft shot down in about 150 combat missions. All of his ...
(39 nocturnal claims) and Paul Gildner (37 nocturnal claims). On 28 October, ''
Gruppenkommandeur ''Gruppenkommandeur'' is a Luftwaffe position (not rank), that is the equivalent of a commander of a group or wing in other air forces. A ''Gruppenkommandeur'' usually has the rank of Major or ''Oberstleutnant'' (Lieutenant Colonel), and comman ...
'' ''
Hauptmann () is an officer rank in the armies of Germany, Austria, and Switzerland. It is usually translated as ''captain''. Background While in contemporary German means 'main', it also has, and originally had, the meaning of 'head', i.e. ' literall ...
'' (Captain) Lent recommended Becker for promotion to ''Hauptmann''. In his recommendation, Lent emphasized Becker's contribution in the development of night fighter equipment and tactics as well as his strong philosophical roots in
National Socialism Nazism (), formally named National Socialism (NS; , ), is the far-right totalitarian socio-political ideology and practices associated with Adolf Hitler and the Nazi Party (NSDAP) in Germany. During Hitler's rise to power, it was frequ ...
. The recommendation was seconded by ''
Oberstleutnant () (English: Lieutenant Colonel) is a senior field officer rank in several German-speaking and Scandinavian countries, equivalent to lieutenant colonel. It is currently used by both the ground and air forces of Austria, Germany, Switzerland, ...
'' (Lieutenant Colonel) Wilhelm von Friedberg, acting on behalf of the ''
Geschwaderkommodore ''Geschwaderkommodore'' (short also ''Kommodore'') is a ''Luftwaffe'' position or appointment (not rank), originating during World War II. A ''Geschwaderkommodore'' is usually an OF5-rank of ''Oberst'' (colonel) or Kapitän zur See (naval captain ...
'' (wing commander), and finally approved by ''
Generalleutnant () is the German-language variant of lieutenant general, used in some German speaking countries. Austria Generalleutnant is the second highest general officer rank in the Austrian Armed Forces (''Bundesheer''), roughly equivalent to the NATO ...
'' (lit. lieutenant general, equivalent to major general)
Kurt-Bertram von Döring Generalleutnant Kurt-Bertram von Döring (18 February 1889 in Ribbekardt – 9 July 1960 in Medingen (Bad Bevensen), Medingen) was a Nazi Germany, German World War II Generalleutnant of Luftwaffe. He began his career as a flying ace in World War ...
, commander of the 1. ''Jagd-Division'' (1st Fighter Division). Becker was then transferred from the reserve force to active service and promoted to ''Hauptmann'' on 3 February 1943. His promotion was backdated to 1 February and the rank age was dated to 1 April 1942. On 26 February 1943, Becker was informed that he had been awarded the
Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross (), or simply the Knight's Cross (), and its variants, were the highest awards in the military and paramilitary forces of Nazi Germany during World War II. While it was lower in precedence than the Grand C ...
(). He was the 198th member of the German armed forces to be so honored. After he received this information, he and his radio operator ''
Oberfeldwebel (; OFw or OF) is the fourth highest non-commissioned officer (NCO) rank in German Army and German Air Force. History The rank was introduced first by the German Reichswehr in 1920. Preferable most experienced Protégée-NCO of the old ...
'' Staub took off in Bf 110 G-4 (''Werknummer'' 4864—factory number) on a daylight intercept mission over the
North Sea The North Sea lies between Great Britain, Denmark, Norway, Germany, the Netherlands, Belgium, and France. A sea on the European continental shelf, it connects to the Atlantic Ocean through the English Channel in the south and the Norwegian Se ...
against the
United States Army Air Forces The United States Army Air Forces (USAAF or AAF) was the major land-based aerial warfare service component of the United States Army and ''de facto'' aerial warfare service branch of the United States during and immediately after World War II ...
bombers attacking
Wilhelmshaven Wilhelmshaven (, ''Wilhelm's Harbour''; Northern Low Saxon: ''Willemshaven'') is a coastal town in Lower Saxony, Germany. It is situated on the western side of the Jade Bight, a bay of the North Sea, and has a population of 76,089. Wilhelmsha ...
. Following this mission, the two were reported as
missing in action Missing in action (MIA) is a casualty (person), casualty classification assigned to combatants, military chaplains, combat medics, and prisoner of war, prisoners of war who are reported missing during wartime or ceasefire. They may have been ...
, last seen north of
Schiermonnikoog Schiermonnikoog (; ) is an island, a municipality and national park in the Northern Netherlands. Schiermonnikoog is one of the West Frisian Islands, and is part of the province of Friesland. It is situated between the islands of Ameland and Rot ...
. Their exact fate was never determined. On 14 March 1949, Becker was declared dead as of 26 February 1943 by the ''
Amtsgericht An ''Amtsgericht'' (District Court) in Germany is an official court. These courts form the lowest level of the ' ordinary jurisdiction' of the German judiciary (German ''Ordentliche Gerichtsbarkeit''), which is responsible for most criminal and ...
'', an official court, in Dortmund-
Hörde Hörde is a ''Stadtbezirk'' ("City District") and also a ''Stadtteil'' ('' Quarter'') in the south of the city of Dortmund, in Germany. Hörde is situated at 51°29' North, 7°30' West, and is at an elevation of 112 metres above mean sea level. ...
. Becker was succeeded by ''Leutnant'' Lothar Linke as commander of 12. ''Staffel''.


Summary of career


Aerial victory claims

Becker was credited with 44 aerial victories, claimed in about 160 combat missions. Spick lists him with 46 aerial victories. Foreman, Parry and Mathews, authors of ''Luftwaffe Night Fighter Claims 1939 – 1945'', researched the
German Federal Archives The German Federal Archives or Bundesarchiv (BArch) (, lit. "Federal Archive") are the national archives of Germany. They were established at the current location in Koblenz in 1952. They are subordinated to the Federal Commissioner for Culture ...
and found records for 41 nocturnal victory claims. Mathews and Foreman also published ''Luftwaffe Aces — Biographies and Victory Claims'', listing Becker with 44 claims, plus one further unconfirmed claim.


Awards

*
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 ...
(1939) ** 2nd Class (3 July 1940) ** 1st Class (23 December 1940) *
Front Flying Clasp of the Luftwaffe The Front Flying Clasp of the Luftwaffe () was a World War II German military decoration awarded to aircrew and certain other Luftwaffe personnel in recognition of the number of operational flights flown. It was instituted by '' Reichsmarschall'' ...
for night fighter pilots ** in Silver (1 June 1941) ** in Gold (1 October 1941) *
Honour Goblet of the Luftwaffe The ''Ehrenpokal der Luftwaffe'' (Honor Goblet of the Luftwaffe) was a Luftwaffe award established on 27 February 1940 by ''Reichsmarschall'' Hermann Göring, the ''Reich'' Minister of Aviation and Commander-in-Chief of the Luftwaffe. It was ...
on 2 March 1942 as ''
Oberleutnant (English: First Lieutenant) is a senior lieutenant Officer (armed forces), officer rank in the German (language), German-speaking armed forces of Germany (Bundeswehr), the Austrian Armed Forces, and the Swiss Armed Forces. In Austria, ''Oberle ...
'' and pilot *
German Cross The War Order of the German Cross (), normally abbreviated to the German Cross or ''Deutsches Kreuz'', was instituted by Adolf Hitler on 28 September 1941. It was awarded in two divisions: in gold for repeated acts of bravery or military leade ...
in Gold on 24 April 1942 as ''Oberleutnant'' in the 6./''Nachtjagdgeschwader'' 2 *
Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross (), or simply the Knight's Cross (), and its variants, were the highest awards in the military and paramilitary forces of Nazi Germany during World War II. While it was lower in precedence than the Grand C ...
** Knight's Cross on 1 July 1942 as ''Oberleutnant'' and ''
Staffelkapitän ''Staffelkapitän'' is a command appointment, rather than a military rank, in the air force units of German-speaking countries. The rank normally held by a ''Staffelkapitän'' has changed over time. In the present-day German ''Luftwaffe'' – p ...
'' of the 12./''Nachtjagdgeschwader'' 1 ** 198th Oak Leaves on 26 February 1943 as ''
Hauptmann () is an officer rank in the armies of Germany, Austria, and Switzerland. It is usually translated as ''captain''. Background While in contemporary German means 'main', it also has, and originally had, the meaning of 'head', i.e. ' literall ...
'' and ''Staffelkapitän'' of the 12./''Nachtjagdgeschwader'' 1 * Mentioned in the ''
Wehrmachtbericht ''Wehrmachtbericht'' (, literally: "Armed forces report", usually translated as Wehrmacht communiqué or Wehrmacht report) was the daily Wehrmacht High Command mass-media communiqué and a key component of Nazi propaganda during World War II. ...
'' on 21 January 1942, 26 March 1942, 7 June 1942 and on 26 June 1942


Dates of rank

Becker held various ranks in both the Luftwaffe and the NSFK.


Notes


References


Citations


Bibliography

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Becker, Ludwig 1911 births 1943 deaths Military personnel from Dortmund Luftwaffe pilots German World War II flying aces Luftwaffe personnel killed in World War II Recipients of the Gold German Cross Recipients of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves Military personnel from the Province of Westphalia Missing in action of World War II Aerial disappearances of military personnel in action National Socialist Flyers Corps members