(Photo courtesy of Gareth Collins)
Generalfeldmarschall Hugo Sperrle
Born: 07 Feb 1885 in Ludwigsburg
Died: 02 Apr 1953 in Munich (München)
Promotions:
Fähnrich (25 Feb 1904); Leutnant (18 Oct 1904); Oberleutnant (18 Oct 1912); Hauptmann (28 Nov 1914); Major (01 Oct 1926); Oberstleutnant (01 Feb 1931); Oberst (01 Aug 1933); Generalmajor (01 Oct 1935); Generalleutnant (01 Apr 1937); General der Flieger (01 Nov 1937); Generalfeldmarschall (19 Jul 1940)
Career:
Entered the Army as an Fahnenjunker and Company-Officer in the 126th Infantry-Regiment (06 Jul 1903-31 Mar 1910)
Adjutant of the II. Battalion of the 126th Infantry-Regiment (01 Apr 1910-30 Sep 1913)
Detached to the War Academy and Flying-Training (01 Oct 1913-01 Aug 1914)
Observer and Pilot in the 4th Field-Flying-Battalion (02 Aug 1914-09 Dec 1915)
Leader of the 42nd Field-Flying-Battalion (10 Dec 1915-23 Feb 1916)
Crashed and Wounded, in Hospital (23 Feb 1916-27 Apr 1916)
Placed to the Disposal of Inspection Of Flying (28 Apr 1916-04 May 1916)
With the 1st Flying-Replacement-Battalion (05 May 1916-02 Jul 1916)
Leader of the 60th Field-Flying-Battalion (03 Jul 1916-23 Oct 1916)
Leader of the Flying-Battalion A 249 (24 Oct 1916-01 Mar 1917)
Flying-Group-Leader 13 with Army High Command 7 (02 Mar 1917-14 Aug 1917)
Detached to Exercise-Course at Sedan (15 Aug 1917-28 Sep 1917)
Placed to the Disposal of the Inspection of Flying (29 Sep 1917-28 Oct 1917)
Commander of the Flying-Observer-School Cologne (29 Oct 1917-20 Jan 1918)
Commander of Flying of the 7th Army (21 Jan 1918-09 Jan 1919)
Commander of Flying with Corps Lüttwitz (Reichswehr-Group-Command 1) (10 Jan 1919-30 Sep 1919)
Commander of the Württemberg Command-Office (01 Oct 1919-26 Sep 1920)
Flying-Advisor with the Staff of the 5th Division (Military-District-Command V) (27 Sep 1920-28 Feb 1924)
Hauptmann in the 4th Artillery-Regiment and Detached to the RWM (01 Apr 1924-28 Feb 1925)
Advisor in the Organisation-Department of the RWM (01 Mar 1925-31 Jan 1929)
Commander of the III. Battalion of the 14th Infantry-Regiment (01 Feb 1929-31 Oct 1930)
With the Regiments-Staff of the 8th Infantry-Regiment (01 Nov 1930-30 Sep 1933)
Commander of the 8th Infantry-Regiment (01 Oct 1933-28 Feb 1934)
Transferred into the Luftwaffe as Officer with Special Duties in the RLM (01 Mar 1934-31 Mar 1934)
Commander of Army-Flying and of the (camouflaged) 1st Flying-Division (01 Apr 1934-31 Mar 1935)
Higher Flying Commander 2, Berlin (01 Apr 1935-30 Sep 1935)
Commanding General and Commander in Air-District V, Munich (01 Oct 1935-31 Mar 1938)
Detached to Operations-Staff 88 (Legion Condor) (01 Nov 1936-05 Nov 1936)
At the same time, Commander of Operations-Staff 88 (Legion Condor) (06 Nov 1936-31 Oct 1937)
Commander of Luftwaffe-Group-Command 3 (01 Apr 1938-31 Jan 1939)
Chief of Air-Fleet 3 (01 Feb 1939-23 Aug 1944)
At the same time, Commander West (08 Jul 1940-23 Jul 1944)
Führer-Reserve OKL (24 Aug 1944-04 Oct 1944)
Placed to the Disposal of the Reichsmarschall (05 Oct 1944-20 Apr 1945)
Führer-Reserve OKL and Placed to Disposal of the Commander-in-Chief of the Luftwaffe (20 Apr 1945-08 May 1945)
In Captivity, Tried at Nuremberg for Alleged War Crimes (Case Number 12) and Acquitted (08 May 1945-1946)
Released (1946)

Decorations & Awards:
- Ritterkreuz: am 17.05.1940 als General der Flieger und Chef der Luftflotte 3
- Ritterkreuz des kgl. Preuss. Hausordens von Hohenzollern mit Schwertern: 31.03.1917
- 1914 EK I
- 1914 EK II
- Ritterkreuz II Klasse des Grossherzoglich-Badischen Ordens vom Zähringer Löwen mit Eichenlaub und Schwertern: 18.05.1915
- Ritterkreuz des Kgl. Württembg. Militär-Verdienstordens: 21.06.1915
- Ritterkreuz I Klasse des Kgl. Württembg. Friedrichs-Ordens mit Schwertern: 21.06.1917
- Reussisches Ehrenkreuz III Klasse mit der Krone und Schwertern
- Kgl. Preuss. Flugzeugführer-Abzeichen
- Kgl. Preuss Flieger Erinnerungs-Abzeichen
- Ehrenkreuz für Frontkämpfer
- Wehrmacht-Dienstauszeichnung IV. Klasse bis I Klasse
- Medalla de la Campaña de España
- Cruz de Guerra de España
- Kgl. Spanische Flugzeugführer-Abzeichen
- Medalla Militar Individual de España con Diamantes
- Gemeinsames Flugzeugführer- und Beobachterabzeichen in Gold mit Brillanten: 01.11.1937
- Spanienkreuz mit Schwertern in Gold mit Brillanten: 04.06.1939
- Spange zum EK I
- Spange zum EK II


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