Introduction
Walter Sigel (12 January 1906 – 8 May 1944) was a highly decorated Oberst in the Luftwaffe during World War II, and one of only 882 recipients of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves. 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. Walter Sigel died on 8 May 1944 after crashing his Fieseler Storch into Trondheim Fjord.
Sigel was the commanding officer of Sturzkampfgeschwader 76 during the Junkers Ju 87 dive bombing demonstration at Neuhammer, present-day Świętoszów, Poland, on 15 August 1939. Observing the demonstration were the senior Luftwaffe commanders, including Generals Hugo Sperrle, Bruno Loerzer, and Wolfram von Richthofen. The lower cloud layer, which was believed to be at 900 metres (3,000 ft), was only at 100 metres (330 ft). While Sigel managed to just barely pull out in time, 13 other Ju 87 crews crashed to their death. The event became known as the "Neuhammer Stuka Disaster" (Neuhammer Stuka-Unglück).
Awards and decorations
- Flugzeugführerabzeichen
- Front Flying Clasp of the Luftwaffe
- Iron Cross (1939)
- 2nd Class (17 September 1939)
- 1st Class (20 June 1940)
- German Cross in Gold on 24 April 1942 as Major in the I./Sturzkampfgeschwader 3
- Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves
- Knight's Cross on 21 July 1940 as Hauptmann and Gruppenkommandeur of I./Sturzkampfgeschwader 3
- 116th Oak Leaves on 2 September 1942 as Oberstleutnant and Geschwaderkommodore of Schlachtgeschwader 3
- Mentioned in the Wehrmachtbericht on 21 June 1942