This Date in History: July 7

 

On July 7, 1943, the commanding general of the 11th Air Corps, Kurt Student, submitted a request for an accelerated promotion for Major Friedrich-August von der Heydte.  Student wrote:

“The corps command applies for a preferential promotion of Major Friedrich-August Freiherr von der Heydte, 2nd Paratroop Division.  Major Freiherr von der Heydte excelled in the campaign in Crete as a battalion commander with outstanding courage.  For that he was awarded the Knight’s Cross of the Iron Cross on July 9, 1941.  From October 4, 1941 to November 16, 1941, he took part in the battles at the Newa and was awarded the German Cross in Gold for additional, repeated examples of his courage.  As the commander of the 1st Battalion 3rd Parachute Regiment from December 16, 1941 to February 15, 1943, particularly from August 3, 1942 to January 11, 1943, he participated with the 1st Luftwaffe Jägerbrigade in operations in North Africa (battles in the El Alamein defensive positions and the withdrawal of Rommel’s Army up to Buerat).  During those battles, Major von der Heydte distinguished himself through prudent leadership of his battalion and ruthless personal action.”  (Luftwaffe Efficiency and Promotion Reports for the Knight’s Cross Winners)

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Otto Hoffmann von Waldau, Luftwaffe Lieutenant General, born July 7, 1898 in Bankau (Upper Silesia), chief of the Operations Branch of the General Staff of the Luftwaffe, died in a plane crash May 17, 1943 in Greece, on Dunkirk:

“Here is the grave of the British hopes of this war!”  (2,000 Quotes From Hitler’s 1,000-Year Reich)