(Photo courtesy of Gareth Collins)
Generalmajor Friedrich Kless
Born: 07 Oct 1906 in Bayreuth
Died: 06 Apr 1994
Promotions:
Fahnenjunker-Gefreiter (01 Aug 1926); Fahnenjunker-Unteroffizier (01 Nov 1926); Fähnrich (01 Sep 1927); Oberfähnrich (01 Aug 1928); Leutnant (01 Dec 1928); Oberleutnant (01 Dec 1932); Hauptmann (01 Mar 1936); Major (01 Jun 1940); Oberstleutnant (01 Apr 1942); Oberst (01 Apr 1943); Generalmajor (20 Apr 1945)
Career:
Entered the Army as an Fahnenjunker, Company-Officer and Platoon-Leader in the 21st Infantry-Regiment (07 Apr 1925-14 Oct 1935)
I. Course at the Infantry-School (18 Nov 1926-31 Aug 1927)
II. Course at the Infantry-School (15 Oct 1927-12 Aug 1928)
Granted Leave – Language-Studies in Russia (01 Jun 1933-03 Sep 1933)
Detached as Supervision-Officer to the War School in Dresden (04 Sep 1933-31 Jul 1935)
Course-Adjutant at the War School in Potsdam (15 Oct 1935-05 Oct 1936)
General-Staff-Training at the War Academy (06 Oct 1936-31 Jul 1938)
Transferred to Luftwaffe Service as Officer with Special Duties of the RLM and Luftwaffe High Command and Training at the Sport Flying School Rangsdorf (01 Aug 1938-31 Aug 1938)
At the same time, Detached to the Air War Academy in Berlin-Gatow (22 Aug 1938-26 Aug 1938)
Detached to the Staff of the 5th Flying-Division (01 Sep 1938-31 Oct 1938)
Chief Of Operations (Ia) in the General-Staff of the 5th Flying-Division (01 Nov 1938-25 Aug 1939)
Chief Of Operations (Ia) in the General-Staff of the V. Flying-Corps (26 Aug 1939-10 Mar 1940)
Detached to the General-Staff of Luftwaffe-Command 3 (11 Mar 1940-12 Mar 1940)
Chief Of Operations (Ia) in the Staff of Close-Combat-Leader II (13 Mar 1940-01 Jun 1940)
Detached to I. Group of Bomber-Wing 55 (03 Jun 1940-03 Jul 1940)
Detached to II. Group of Bomber-Wing 55 (03 Jul 1940-12 Jul 1940)
Detached to the Staff of Bomber-Wing 55 (13 Jul 1940-26 Jul 1940)
Commander of II. Group of Bomber-Wing 55 (27 Jul 1940-27 Oct 1940)
Chief Of Operations (Ia) in the General-Staff of the IV. Flying-Corps (28 Oct 1940-24 Mar 1941)
Chief Of Operations (Ia) in the General-Staff of the V. Flying-Corps (25 Mar 1941-09 Apr 1942)
Leader of Operations-Staff I in the General-Staff of Luftwaffe-Command East (10 Apr 1942-25 Feb 1943)
Chief Of The General Staff of Luftwaffe-Command East (26 Feb 1943-10 May 1943)
Chief Of The General Staff of Air-Fleet 6 (11 May 1943-08 May 1945)
In Captivity (08 May 1945-22 Dec 1947)
Released (22 Dec 1947)

Decorations & Awards:
- Ritterkreuz: am 14.10.1940 als Major und Kommandeur der II. Gruppe/ Kampfgeschwader 55
- Deutsches Kreuz in Gold: am 12.01.1943 als Oberstleutnant i.G. und Leiter der Führungsabteilung im Generalstab der Luftwaffen-Kommandos Ost
- Wehrmacht-Dienstauszeichnung IV. bis III. Klasse
- 1939 EK II
- 1939 EK I
- Frontflugspange


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