Hans " Assi " Hahn Major Hans " Assi " Hahn ( born 14 April 1914 - 18 December 1982 ) was a German World War II Luftwaffe Flying ace with 108 victories and a recipient of the Knight ' s Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves ( ) . He was shot down and captured by Russian forces in 1943 , and remained a prisoner of war until 1950 . Upon his release , Hahn became a successful businessman before retiring to the south of France . Hahn ' s memoirs " " I Tell the Truth " " recounted his military service and detailed life in Soviet captivity for himself and other Luftwaffe Aces like Hermann Graf . World War II . Hahn was born at Gotha in Thüringen . A talented athlete , he was selected to participate in the 1936 Summer Olympics in Berlin in the Pentathlon , but he had to withdraw due to illness . Hahn enlisted in the army in 1934 as an officer candidate in the Infantry . In November 1935 , Hahn transferred to the " Luftwaffe " , and underwent pilot training . " Leutnant " Hahn was then posted to 4 . / Jagdgeschwader 134 " Horst Wessel " ( JG 134 ) , based near Dortmund . On 1 November 1937 , Hahn was posted as a flying instructor and " Staffelführer " ( flight leader ) of 1 . " Staffel " at the new transferred " Jagdfliegerschule " ( fighter flying school ) at Werneuchen . Promoted to " Oberleutnant " on 1 February 1939 , at the outbreak of World War II , Hahn was assigned to the newly formed II . / Jagdgeschwader 2 " Richthofen " ( JG 2 ) , based at Zerbst , being appointed " Staffelkapitän " of 4 . / JG 2 late in 1939 . Hahn claimed his first two victories on 14 May 1940 during the Battle of France ; two Hawker Hurricane fighters . Hahn would claim five victories during the Battle of France , before becoming even more successful in the Battle of Britain . After 20 claims by September 1940 , Hahn was awarded the " Ritterkreuz " , promoted to the rank of " Hauptmann " and " Gruppenkommandeur " ( group commander ) of III . / JG 2 . " Hauptmann " Hahn was awarded the " Eichenlaub " in August 1941 for 41 victories . Hahn claimed a Supermarine Spitfire on 16 September 1942 to record his 66th claim over the Western Front . Two Spitfires were lost that day ; One was shot down by Jagdgeschwader 26 " Schlageter " ( JG 26 ) near Le Treport , while Spitfire Vb AB859 from No . 122 Squadron , piloted by Sgt G . Nadan crashed , owing to unknown reasons . Hahn was then appointed " Gruppenkommandeur " of II . / Jagdgeschwader 54 " Grünherz " ( JG 54 ) , based near Leningrad on the Eastern front , on 1 November 1942 . In three months he claimed a further 42 Soviet kills . He recorded his 100th victory on 27 January 1943 . On 21 February 1943 , Hahn encountered fighters near Staraya Russa . He shot down a Lavochkin La - 5 fighter for his 108th victory before his aircraft received hits in the left wing . Disengaging from combat , Hahn ' s engine soon began overheating and he force - landed his Bf 109 G - 2 / R6 in enemy territory . Soviet sources claim Hahn was shot down by Soviet ace " Leytenant " Pavel Grazhdaninov ( 13 victories ) of 169 IAP ( 169th Fighter Aviation Regiment ) . Hahn was captured and subsequently made a prisoner of war . Hahn ' s recalcitrant and forceful personality even in the harsh Soviet regime of a prison camp meant he was held captive by the Soviet Union until 1950 . After his release Hahn worked at the International Corporation of Bayer Leverkusen . He later became a director of Wano Schwarzpulver Company , which manufactured gunpowder , at Kunigunde near Goslar . He retired in 1977 and lived in southern France . Hahn died on 18 December 1982 in Munich . Hahn was credited with 108 victories in some 560 missions . He recorded 66 victories over the Western Front , of which 53 were Spitfires . Of the 42 victories he recorded over the Eastern front , at least seven were Il - 2 Sturmovik ground - attack aircraft . External links . town