Georg von Hantelmann Leutnant Georg von Hantelmann ( 9 October 1898 - 7 September 1924 ) was a German fighter ace credited with winning 25 victories during World War I . It was notable that these victories included three opposing aces shot down within the same week in September 1918 – David Putnam , Maurice Boyau , and Joseph Wehner . Early life and service . Georg von Hantelmann was born into a minor Junker family on 9 October 1898 . He was born in Rokietnice , Kingdom of Prussia , the German Empire ( present day Rokietnica , Poland ) . He was the eldest son . He joined the army in 1916 . He was commissioned as a Leutnant on 15 June 1917 before he transferred to aerial service with the Luftstreitkräfte . Aerial service . Hantelmann began training at FEA 9 on 20 September 1917 . Upon graduation from this basic aviation training , he moved on to learn to fly a fighter plane at the " Jastaschule " in Valenciennes , France . His initial assignment as a fighter pilot took him to Jagdstaffel 18 , commanded by Rudolf Berthold , on 6 February 1918 . When Berthold changed commands on 18 March 1918 to take charge of Jagdstaffel 15 , he took many of his pilots with him in a highly unusual mass exchange of personnel . Hantelmann was one of the pilots who accompanied Berthold to the new unit . Once he arrived at his new squadron , Hantelmann had his personal insignia of a skull and crossbones painted on his Albatros D . V reflected his prior service in the 17th Braunschweig " Death ' s Head " Hussar Regiment . Hantelmann posted his first victory claim on 29 May 1918 , but it went unconfirmed . Thus , on June 6 , when Jasta 15 dove into battle , he was eager for success . As his squadron - mate Joachim von Ziegsar recalled , " Like a steer unbound , the aircraft with the Braunschweig Hussar ' s crest dived onto the enemy first . " A British Airco DH . 4 fell before the young Prussian ' s guns . It was the first of five wins in June ; on the 26th , Hantelmann became an ace . It was during this period that Kurt Wüsthoff borrowed Hantelmann ' s Fokker and flew his final mission . Hantlemann scored again on 17 August , but it was his second victory on 12 September 1918 that was notable . Hantlemann shot down David Putnam , a leading ace of the nascent US Army Air Service who had 13 victories of his own , for victory number eight . Just four days and six wins later , Hantlemann scored an even more notable triumph when he shot down French ace Maurice Boyau , who had a score list of 21 balloons and 14 airplanes . Two days and two victories after that , Hantlemann shot down Frank Luke ' s wingman , Joseph Wehner , for number 16 . The young German ace ended September with 18 victories . On 21 October 1918 , the day of his 22nd confirmed victory , Hantelmann was awarded the Iron Cross First Class , as well as the Royal House Order of Hohenzollern . He was now past the 20 victories required for the award of Germany ' s highest decoration for valor , the Pour le Merite . Hantelmann was recommended for the Blue Max on 3 November 1918 . However , the German Empire ' s defeat scotched the award . Nevertheless , Hantlemann ended the war with 25 confirmed and 5 unconfirmed aerial victories . Postwar life . Hantelmann settled on a farm in Charcice , Prussia . On 7 September 1924 , Polish poachers crossed the nearby border , and murdered Hantelmann when he discovered them trespassing on his property .