Hans-Joachim Buddecke

Hans-Joachim Buddecke
Hans-Joachim Buddecke, in Turkish uniform, with the Pour le Mérite at his neck
Born	22 August 1890 Berlin, Germany
Died	10 March 1918(1918-03-10) (aged 27) near Lille, France
Allegiance	German Empire
Service/branch	Infantry, Luftstreitkräfte
Years of service	1904-1910, 1914-1918
Rank	Hauptmann
Unit	FA 23, FA 6, Jasta 4, Jasta 30, Jasta 18
Awards	Pour le Mérite, Iron Cross 1st & 2nd Class, Military Order of Saint Henry, Turkish Golden Liakat Medal and Gold and Silver award of the Imtiaz Medal

Hans-Joachim Buddecke (22 August 1890 – 10 March 1918) was a German flying ace in World War I, credited with thirteen victories. He was the third ace, after Max Immelmann and Oswald Boelcke, to earn the Blue Max (Pour le Mérite). He saw combat in three theaters during the First World War: Bulgaria, Turkey, and the Western Front.

Buddecke was born in Berlin and followed his father's footsteps into the Army. In 1904, he started as a Cadet; in 1910, he received his commission as Leutnant in the 115th Life Guards Infantry Regiment. He left the army in 1913 due to his little time for a social life and his new enthusiasm for flying. In the same year, he moved to the USA to start a new life. There, he worked as a mechanic at a car factory in Indianapolis. By saving his earnings, he soon was able to buy his own aircraft (a Nieuport monoplane) and he immediately taught himself how to fly. On the day Buddecke started his own aircraft production company, war was declared and he abandoned his business plans and returned to Germany. Travelling under a fake name, Buddecke crossed the Atlantic in the Greek ship Athene to Palermo (Italy). After he arrived in Europe, he immediately made his way home to join the German Flying Service.

Buddecke was sent to the Western Front in September 1914. Initially he flew as an observer but soon he would become a single-seater fighter pilot with FFA 23. Because of his previous experience on monoplanes, Buddecke's good friend, Rudolph Berthold, suggested that he should fly the first of the Fokker Eindecker aircraft delivered to the unit. Buddecke and Berthold, flying the Eindecker and an AEG G.II, respectively, formed a small Kampfstaffel within the unit, intercepting British reconnaissance aircraft. Buddecke scored his first three victories during this assignment.