serviceyears branch death_place death_date birth_place allegiance unit awards battles birth_date rank image article_title name
1937 -- 44 luftwaffe cassino , italy 24 may 1944 bechtolsheim nazi germany nazi germany 6 . / fallschirmjäger-regiment 1 knight 's cross of the iron cross world war ii 9 may 1917 leutnant bundesarchiv bild 146-2006-0081 , otto menges.jpg otto menges
 otto menges
otto menges

otto menges -lrb- 9 may 1917 -- 24 may 1944 -rrb- was a highly decorated leutnant in the fallschirmjäger during world war ii and a oberst in the bundeswehr .
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 .
otto menges was killed in action on 24 may 1944 near cassino , italy .
he was posthumously promoted to leutnant and on 9 june 1944 was awarded the knight 's cross .
