Bernhard Jope
| Bernhard Jope | |
|---|---|
Bernhard Jope
|
|
| Born |
10 May 1914 Leipzig |
| Died | 31 July 1995 (aged 81) Königstein im Taunus |
| Buried at | city cemetery at Königstein im Taunus |
| Allegiance |
 Nazi Germany
|
| Service/branch |
 Luftwaffe
|
| Years of service | 1935–45 |
| Rank | Oberstleutnant |
| Unit | KG 30, KG 40, KG 100 |
| Commands held | KG 40, KG 100 |
| Battles/wars | |
| Awards | Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves |
| Other work | Deutsche Luft Hansa pilot |
Bernhard Jope (10 May 1914 – 31 July 1995) was a German World War II Luftwaffe bomber pilot. He was also a recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves (German: Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes mit Eichenlaub). 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. Jope flew the Focke-Wulf Fw 200 Condor of the Kampfgeschwader 40 on missions across the North Sea and Atlantic Ocean in support of the Kriegsmarine, damaging in October 1940 the RMS Empress of Britain. In 1943, he led Kampfgeschwader 100 (KG 100—100th Bomber Wing) in the attacks on the Italian battleship Roma, the British battleship HMS Warspite and cruiser HMS Uganda, and the US cruiser USS Savannah.
Bernhard Jope joined the military service of the Luftwaffe on 1 April 1935 after graduating from the Königliche Technische Hochschule zu Danzig (technical university in Gdańsk-Wrzeszcz) in aircraft construction. Prior to joining the military service he had already almost completed his flight training at the Deutsche Verkehrsfliegerschule (German Air Transport School).
In support of the Kriegsmarine, Jope flew the Fw 200 Condor on experimental missions across the North Sea and Atlantic Ocean on behalf of Deutsche Luft Hansa. On 26 October 1940 he spotted the troop transport RMS Empress of Britain and severely damaged her with two 250 kg bombs. The Empress of Britain was subsequently sunk by U-32, commanded by Hans Jenisch, on 28 October 1940.
...
Wikipedia