Werner Junck

Werner Karl Otto Junck (28 December 1895 – 6 August 1976) was a German general in the Luftwaffe during World War II, serving in Iraq and later in the Baltic campaign. He claimed five aerial victories during World War I.

Early life

Werner Junck was born in Magdeburg, the Province of Saxony, the Kingdom of Prussia, the German Empire, on 28 December 1895. He was interested in aviation, and learned to fly in 1913.

Career

World War I

Junck entered military service as an artillery officer as World War I began. In 1916, he was posted to Flieger-Abteilung (Flier Detachment) 33 of the Die Fliegertruppen (the flying troops).

In October 1916, as Die Fliegertruppen morphed into the Luftstreitkräfte, Junck was transferred to a fighter squadron, Jagdstaffel 8. He achieved his first aerial victory on 24 April 1917, downing a 20 Squadron FE.2d east of Ypres. He rose to command of the Jasta on 4 April 1918 and stayed with it through the war's end. Junck was wounded three times and shot down four SPADs in northern France before the Armistice. His five victories made him an ace. His three wounds qualified him for a Silver Wound Badge, though there is no record it was awarded to him.

Interwar period

Werner Junck was an instructor at the Reichswehr's secret Lipetsk fighter-pilot school in the Soviet Union from 1925 to 1928. Junck also participated in the first, third and fourth Fédération Aéronautique Internationale (FAI) Tourist Plane Contests: Challenge 1929 (27th place), Challenge 1932 (14th place), and Challenge 1934 (6th place).

Later in 1934, he joined the nascent Luftwaffe with the rank of major. By 1938 or 1939, he was an Oberstleutnant commanding Jagdgruppe 334.

World War II

Junck's best-known role in World War II was as Fliegerführer (squadron commander) of unit Sonderkommando Junck (Special Force Junck), the Luftwaffe component of the Sonderstab F mission in Iraq in early May 1941. The purpose of Special Staff F was to aid General Rashid Ali's rebel government after it overthrew the pro-British regime the previous month. On 29 May, the mission retreated from Iraq.

Later in the war, Junck led forces as Jagdfliegerführer Deutsche Bucht (Fighter Leader German Bight) in the Baltic campaign.

Later years

In 1960 he was appointed honorary chairman of the Gemeinschaft der Jagdflieger, the Association of Fighter Pilots.

Promotions

• 10 August 1914 Kriegsfreiwilliger (War Volunteer)
• 2 March 1915 Gefreiter (Private E-2 / Lance Corporal)
• 21 July 1915 Fahnenjunker-Unteroffizier (Officer Candidate with Corporal/NCO/Junior Sergeant rank)
• 2 September 1915 Fähnrich (Officer Cadet)
• 30 September 1913 Leutnant (2nd Lieutenant) without Patent 28 June 1917 received Patent from 12 November 1914 1 July 1922 received Reichswehr Rank Seniority (RDA) from 1 September 1915 (145)
• 24 May 1923 Charakter als Oberleutnant (Honorary 1st Lieutenant) with effect from 31 May 1923
• 1 July 1934 DLV-Fliegerkapitän (Captain) with Rank Seniority (RDA) from 1 May 1930 German Air Sports Association ranks were awarded because the Luftwaffe was still "camouflaged". 26 February with effect from 1 March 1935 rank renamed Hauptmann (Captain)
• 1 April 1935 Major (5)
• 20 April 1937 Oberstleutnant (Lieutenant Colonel) with effect from 1 April 1937 (17)
• 30 September 1939 Oberst (Colonel) with effect and RDA from 1 October 1939 (6)
• 1 April 1943 Generalmajor (Major General)
• 1 December 1944 Generalleutnant (Lieutenant General)

Awards and decorations

• Iron Cross (1914), 2nd and 1st Class 2nd Class on 8 April 1916 1st Class on 28 August 1917
• Prussian Military Pilot Badge on 15 February 1917
• Wound Badge (1918) in Black on 3 October 1918
• Silesian Eagle Order, II. and I. Grade with Swords on 15 September 1919
• Aviator Commemorative Badge on 11 May 1920
• Honour Cross of the World War 1914/1918 with Swords on 21 December 1934
• Pilot's Badge (Wehrmacht) on 16 April 1935
• Wehrmacht Long Service Award, 4th to 3rd Class on 2 October 1936
• Repetition Clasp 1939 to the Iron Cross 1914, 2nd and 1st Class 1st Class on 31 March 1941
• Imperial Order of the Yoke and Arrows, Commander on 20 March 1941
• Front Flying Clasp of the Luftwaffe for Fighters in Bronze on 31 March 1941
• Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross on 9 June 1944 as Generalmajor and Commanding General of the II. Jagdkorps

See also

• Fliegerführer Irak
• Special Staff F

Endnotes

• Franks, Norman; Bailey, Frank W.; Guest, Russell (1993). Above the Lines: The Aces and Fighter Units of the German Air Service, Naval Air Service and Flanders Marine Corps, 1914–1918. Oxford:Grub Street. ISBN 0-948817-73-9, ISBN 978-0-948817-73-1.
• Krzyżan, Marian (1988). Międzynarodowe turnieje lotnicze 1929-1934. Warsaw: WKiŁ. ISBN 83-206-0637-3.
• Obermaier, Ernst (1989). Die Ritterkreuzträger der Luftwaffe Jagdflieger 1939 – 1945 [The Knight's Cross Bearers of the Luftwaffe Fighter Force 1939 – 1945] (in German). Mainz, Germany: Verlag Dieter Hoffmann. ISBN 978-3-87341-065-7.
• Scherzer, Veit (2007). Die Ritterkreuzträger 1939–1945: Die Inhaber des Ritterkreuzes des Eisernen Kreuzes 1939 von Heer, Luftwaffe, Kriegsmarine, Waffen-SS, Volkssturm sowie mit Deutschland verbündeter Streitkräfte nach den Unterlagen des Bundesarchives [The Knight's Cross Bearers 1939–1945 The Holders of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross 1939 by Army, Air Force, Navy, Waffen-SS, Volkssturm and Allied Forces with Germany According to the Documents of the Federal Archives] (in German). Jena, Germany: Scherzers Militär-Verlag. ISBN 978-3-938845-17-2.