Hubert Pölz

Hubert Pölz
Born	(1917-01-24)24 January 1917 Austria
Died	Spain
Allegiance	Nazi Germany
Service/branch	Luftwaffe
Years of service	1938–45
Rank	Hauptmann
Unit	StG 3 and SG 151
Commands held	6./StG 3
Battles/wars	World War II
Awards	Ritterkreuz mit Eichenlaub

Hauptmann Hubert Pölz (born 1 January 1917 – missing 7 January 1994 in Spain; declared dead in 2002) was a German World War II Luftwaffe Stuka ace and flew over 1,000 missions during the war.

Luftwaffe career

Hubert Pölz joined the Luftwaffe in 1938. He served on most of the German theatres of operations, taking part in the Polish Campaign, French Campaign, Battle of Britain, Siege of Malta and North African Campaign. On 24 June 1941 he sank HMS Auckland off Tobruk. In May 1942 he took command of 6 Staffel. During the later stage of the campaign in Tunisia in 1943 he was shot down and spent four months in hospital. Returning to combat operations he took part in the fighting on the Eastern Front. He later flew the Focke-Wulf Fw 190 as the Geschwader converted to the type. By the end of the war he was commanding I./Schlachtgeschwader 151. He surrendered with his unit to British forces, in Denmark, on 8 May 1945. Hubert Pölz went missing while swimming in Spain on 7 January 1994, he was never found. He was declared dead in 2002.

Awards

• Iron Cross (1939)
  • 2nd Class (12 April 1941)
  • 1st Class (18 October 1941)
• Ehrenpokal der Luftwaffe (15 June 1942)
• German Cross in Gold on 25 September 1942 as Leutnant in the III./Sturzkampfgeschwader 3
• Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves
  • Knight's Cross on 5 February 1944 as Leutnant of the reserve and Staffelführer of the 7./Sturzkampfgeschwader 3
  • 661st Oak Leaves on 25 November 1944 as Hauptmann and acting Gruppenkommandeur of the I./Schlachtgeschwader 151

References

Bibliography

• Ward, John. (2004). Hitler's Stuka Squadrons: The Ju 87 at war, 1936 - 1945. Eagles of War. London. ISBN 1-86227-246-8