serviceyears branch death_place death_date birth_place allegiance unit awards battles birth_date alt rank article_title name
1937-45 18px oldenburg 16 july 1983 schwiebus , province of brandenburg nazi germany jg 27 jg 104 knight 's cross of the iron cross world war ii 9 september 1914 luftwaffe oberleutnant karl-heinz bendert
 karl-heinz bendert
karl-heinz bendert

karl-heinz bendert -lrb- 9 september 1914 -- 16 july 1983 -rrb- was a german luftwaffe ace and recipient of the knight 's cross of the iron cross during world war ii .
the knight 's cross of the iron cross was awarded to recognize extreme battlefield bravery or successful military leadership .
karl-heinz bendert claimed 55 victories in 610 missions .
during his time with jg 27 in africa he was involved in scandal with falsifying claims ; his victories were mostly false because he would claim to have shot down enemy aircraft during missions in which other squadron members did shoot down aircraft to save face .
despite this , he was given credit to the victories .
after a confrontation with his squadron leader , gustav roedel , who did not interfere with his knight 's cross of the iron cross nomination , he did not score any more victories .
