Fritz Otto Bernert " Oberleutnant " Fritz Otto Bernert ( 6 March 1893 – 18 October 1918 ) was a leading German fighter ace of World War I . He scored 27 victories despite being essentially one - armed . Early life and infantry service . Fritz Otto Bernert was the son of a " Bürgermeister " ( mayor ) . He was born in Ratibor , Silesia , which now is Racibórz , Poland . At the time of his birth , Ratibor was German and part of the Kingdom of Prussia . Bernert was commissioned into the 173rd Infantry Regiment in 1912 . He was serving with them when World War I began . He was wounded in ground combat in both November and December 1914 ; his fourth wound , inflicted by a bayonet , severed the major nerve in his left arm . Upon recovery , it became apparent his left arm was essentially useless , and he was invalided out of the infantry . Aerial service . " Otto " Bernert then applied to the " Luftstreitkräfte " and trained to be an aerial observer . Upon graduation , he flew reconnaissance missions for " Feldflieger Abteilung " 27 from February through July 1915 . He then transferred to FFA 71 , where he served through November . He then applied for pilot ' s training ; he hid his disability successfully and was accepted . The fact that he wore glasses also did not bar him from service . He transferred to " Kampfeinsitzerkommando " Metz , a temporary grouping of pilots mostly from FFA 71 , for his initial assignment to a fighter unit . By March , 1916 , he had his pilot ' s license and was assigned to KEK Vaux . On 17 April 1916 , he scored his first victory while flying a Fokker Eindecker , over a Nieuport fighter . Because KEK Vaux was an ad hoc fighter unit , it was equipped with Halberstadt D . II planes and reorganized into a full - fledged Prussian fighter squadron . It became " Jagdstaffel " 4 on 25 August 1916 . On 6 September , Bernert scored the new squadron ' s first victory . He became an ace on 9 November 1916 , scoring his fifth , sixth , and seventh triumphs . On 1 March 1917 , he was transferred to " Jagdstaffel " 2 . This squadron was named in honor of Oswald Boelcke , the founder of fighter aviation tactics and strategy , and was considered the premier unit of the German Air Service . Bernert scored his first victory in this unit on 19 March ; on 1 April , he achieved the status of double ace with his tenth win . He scored 14 more times in April , including a record five victories on 24 April , all in a twenty minute span , to run his total to 24 . He was awarded the " Pour le Merite " on 24 April . On 1 May , Bernert was appointed to command " Jagdstaffel " 6 . His final three victories came in May , with an unconfirmed 28th on 19 May . In mid - May , Bernert crashlanded behind German lines after his engine quit in mid - combat . A few days later , he landed long , ran out of airfield , and crashed next to his home aerodrome , breaking his jaw and bruising himself severely . Although unable to fly , Bernert did not give up his command . However , he did host some pilots from Austria - Hungary . On 9 June 1917 , Bernert was transferred back to " Jasta " 2 , and would command it to the end of his flying career . The previous commanding officer had scored no victories to inspire his pilots ; as it turned out , because of his injuries , Bernert could do no better . However , he once again hosted several pilots from Austro - Hungary during his tenure , and thus influenced the fighter tactics of Germany ' s allies . He also took some leave during June and July . Bernert was severely wounded again on 18 August 1917 . This wound removed him from command and kept him in the hospital for three months . It took him off flight status . He was promoted to " Oberleutnant " upon release from the hospital , and was transferred to Berlin as Inspector of Air . He died of the Spanish flu in his home town on 18 October 1918 .