Siegfried Freytag Siegfried Freytag ( 10 November 1919 – 1 June 2003 ) was a German World War II fighter ace and member of the French Foreign Legion . He was also a recipient of the Knight ' s Cross of the Iron Cross ( ) . The Knight ' s Cross of the Iron Cross was awarded to recognise extreme battlefield bravery or successful military leadership . World War II . Freytag was born on 10 November 1919 in Danzig - Langfuhr , then in the German Empire , present - day Wrzeszcz in Poland . He grew up in the Free City of Danzig . During World War II , he served in the Luftwaffe , beginning with 6 . / Jagdgeschwader 77 ( JG 77 — 77th Fighter Wing ) in the summer of 1940 . His first victory was on 31 October 1940 when he claimed a Lockheed Hudson of Coastal Command . Along with JG 77 , he then took part in the invasion of Greece and Crete in March – May 1941 . JG 77 next operated over the Eastern front . By June 1942 " Oberleutnant " ( First Lieutenant ) Freytag had 57 victories to his credit , with some 12 aircraft destroyed on the ground , and he was awarded the prestigious " Ritterkreuz " on 3 July 1942 . Freytag was by now " Staffelkapitän " ( Squadron Leader ) of 1 . / JG 77 , and relocated to the Mediterranean theatre , operating against Malta from July until October 1942 . Freytag was one of the most successful aces during these operations , claiming 21 victories , and raising his total to 78 . He was shot down by Spitfire s on 27 July , but was rescued from the sea off Valletta by a Dornier Do 24 flying boat . Operating over North Africa and Tunisia , Freytag scored 16 more victories . On 13 March 1943 , Freytag was made " Gruppenkommandeur " ( Group Commander ) of II . / JG 77 . He flew over Sicily , but was shot down over Gela by P - 38 Lightning fighters on 12 July , bailing out wounded from his stricken Bf 109 G - 6 . Following his recovery , Freytag commanded II . / JG 77 , on " Reichsverteidigung " ( Defense of the Reich ) duties based in Germany . On 25 December , Freytag was appointed acting " Geschwaderkommodore " ( Wing Commander ) of JG 77 , when " Major " Johannes Wiese was shot down and wounded . Freytag may have shot down RCAF fighter ace Flt / Lt . Henry Wallace McLeod . Freytag claimed the only Spitfire for his 101st claim on 27 September 1944 in the Duisburg area , which probably was flown by McLeod . He recorded his last ( 102nd ) victory and 2nd Spitfire on 1 January 1945 . Freytag was again appointed acting " Geschwaderkommodore " of JG 77 on 7 March , following the death of " Major " Erich Leie . On 4 April 1945 , Freytag was transferred to the " Geschwaderstab " ( headquarters unit ) of Jagdgeschwader 51 ( JG 5 — 5th Fighter Wing ) , but was soon transferred to Jagdgeschwader 7 ( JG 7 — 7th Fighter Wing ) , flying the Messerschmitt Me 262 jet fighter , where it was intended he become a " Gruppenkommandeur " . However , the war ended before he could assume the position . Siegfried Freytag was officially credited with 102 victories of which 49 victories were claimed over the Eastern front . Among his victories over the Western front are at least 2 four - engine bombers . Freytag had been nominated for the Oak Leaves to Knight ' s Cross of the Iron Cross , but the war ended before the paperwork had been processed . After the war . Captured near Regensburg by U . S . troops , he was initially employed as an interpreter . After discovering all his family and friends had died and his family ' s property had been seized by the Polish authorities when Danzig was annexed by Poland , he worked for a time as a taxi driver before joining the French Foreign Legion in 1952 as an infantry soldier . Assigned to the 5th Infantry Regiment after his basic training at Sidi Bel Abbes , he served for 12 years with the 13th Demi - Brigade of the Foreign Legion . He fought in Indochina as a private and also served in Algeria and Djibouti . He was promoted to Sergent Chef in 1962 . After his retirement in 1970 , he resided in the French Foreign Legion retirement home in Puyloubier , where he died in 2003 at the age of 83 .