Hans-Karl Stepp

Infobox Military Person
name= Hans-Karl Stepp
lived=birth date|1914|9|14|df=y — death date and age|2006|12|12|1914|9|14|df=y


placeofbirth=Gießen
placeofdeath=Leipzig
allegiance=flagicon|Nazi Germany Nazi Germany
branch=Luftwaffe
serviceyears=1936-1945
rank=Oberstleutnant
commands=StG 2
unit=StG 2
battles=World War II
*Invasion of Poland
*Battle of France
awards=Knight's Cross with Oak Leaves
laterwork=Lawyer

Hans-Karl Stepp (2 September 1914 – 12 December 2006) was a German World War II Luftwaffe Stuka ace. [For a list of Luftwaffe ground attack aces see "List of German World War II Ground Attack aces"]

Biography

Hans-Karl Stepp was born on 2 September 1914 in Gießen as son to a University professor. Stepp studied eight semesters of law in Tübingen, Breslau and Munich before joining the Luftwaffe as Fahnenjunker in 1936.He fought in the Invasion of Poland and Battle of France with Sturzkampfgeschwader 76. He also served in the "Reichsluftwaffenministerium" in Berlin.

Awards

* Iron Cross
** 2nd Class
** 1st Class (15 June 1940)
* German Cross in Gold (15 October 1941) as Gruppen- and Geschwaderadjutant of Sturzkampfgeschwader 2
* Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves
** Knight's Cross (4 February 1942) after 418 combat missions
** Oak Leaves (27 April 1944) as Oberstleutnant and Geschwaderkommodore of SG 2 "Immelmann" after over 800 combat missions

References

* Brütting, Georg. "Das waren die deutschen Stuka-Asse 1939 - 1945". Motorbuch, Stuttgart, 1995. ISBN 3-87943-433-6.
* Fellgiebel, Walther-Peer. "Die Träger des Ritterkreuzes des Eisernen Kreuzes 1939-1945". Podzun-Pallas, 2000. ISBN 3-7909-0284-5.