serviceyears branch commands death_place death_date birth_place allegiance unit awards battles birth_date alt rank article_title name
1935 -- 45 18px ii . / sg 2 `` immelmann '' pirmasens 1 july 1999 pirmasens nazi germany zg sg 152 , sg 2 26 , zg 2 , sg 1 , knight leaves 's cross of the iron cross with oak world war ii 7 january 1914 luftwaffe major karl kennel
 karl kennel
karl kennel

karl kennel -lrb- 7 january 1914 -- 1 july 1999 -rrb- was a german world war ii luftwaffe ground attack pilot and flying ace .
he flew 957 combat missions and is credited with 34 victories , including 3 on the western front .
he was also a recipient of the knight 's cross of the iron cross with oak leaves -lrb- -rrb- .
the knight 's cross of the iron cross and its higher grade oak leaves was awarded to recognise extreme battlefield bravery or successful military leadership .
kennel is also believed to have shot down soviet fighter ace nikolay abramashvili over stalingrad on 30 november 1942 .
