(Photo courtesy of Gareth Collins)
Generaloberst Otto Deßloch
Born: 11 06 1889 in Bamberg, Unterfranken
Died: 13 05 1977 in Munich (München)
Promotions:
Fähnrich (03 Mar 1911); Leutnant (28 Oct 1912); Oberleutnant (16 Mar 1916); Hauptmann (01 Jul 1921); Major (01 Jun 1932); Oberstleutnant (01 Oct 1934); Oberst (01 Apr 1936); Generalmajor (01 Jan 1939); Generalleutnant (19 Jul 1940); General der Flakartillerie (01 Jan 1942); Generaloberst (01 Mar 1944)
Career:
Entered the Army as Fahnenjunker and Platoon-Leader in the 5th Bavarian Chevaulegers-Regiment (20 Jul 1910-21 Aug 1914)
Wounded – in Hospital (21 Aug 1914-17 Oct 1914)
With the Replacement-Squadron of the 5th Bavarian Chevaulegers-Regiment (18 Oct 1914-30 Nov 1914)
Aircraft-Observer-Training with the I. Bavarian Flying-Replacement-Battalion, Schleißheim (01 Dec 1914-28 Jan 1915)
Aircraft-Observer in the Field-Flying-Battalion 8b (29 Jan 1915-02 Dec 1915)
Pilot-Training (03 Dec 1915-19 Apr 1916)
With Army-Flight-Park Gaede (20 Apr 1916-09 May 1916)
Pilot in the Flying-Battalion 8b (10 May 1916-02 Jun 1916)
Re-Schooling on Single-Seat-Aircraft with the 1st Bavarian Flying-Replacement-Battalion, Schleißheim (03 Jun 1916-28 Jun 1916)
Pilot with the Flying-Replacement-Battalion 9b (29 Jun 1916-13 Oct 1916)
Made an emergency landing in Switzerland and Interned (13 Oct 1916-16 Jan 1917)
Detached to the Flying-School Schleißheim (17 Jan 1917-19 Jan 1917)
Pilot in the 16th Fighter-Squadron (20 Jan 1917-14 Apr 1917)
Detached to the 35th Fighter-Squadron (15 Apr 1917-20 Apr 1917)
Leader of the 35th Fighter-Squadron (21 Apr 1917-29 Sep 1917)
With the 1st Bavarian Flying-Replacement-Battalion (29 Sep 1917-01 Oct 1917)
With the 2nd Bavarian Flying-Replacement-Battalion (01 Oct 1917-02 Oct 1917)
With Flying-School 3 (02 Oct 1917-03 Dec 1917)
With the 1st Bavarian Flying-Battalion (03 Dec 1917-08 Dec 1917)
Leader of Flying-School 1 (09 Dec 1917-04 Feb 1918)
Leader of Flying-School 5 (05 Feb 1918-08 Nov 1918)
Air-Base-Commandant Sonthofen (09 Nov 1918-20 Apr 1919)
Leader of the Volunteer Flying-Battalion Deßloch with Freikorps Epp (23 Apr 1919-01 Sep 1919)
With the Processing-Office 2 of the Bavarian Flying-Troop (02 Sep 1919-03 Oct 1919)
Commander of the Processing-Office 2 of the Bavarian Flying-Troop (03 Oct 1919-15 Dec 1919)
With the 23rd Signals-Battalion (16 Dec 1919-30 Sep 1920)
Signals-Officer in the 46th Infantry-Regiment (01 Oct 1920-31 Dec 1920)
Signals-Officer in the 21st Infantry-Regiment (01 Jan 1921-10 Apr 1921)
Detached to the Staff of the Infantry-Leader VII (11 Apr 1921-14 Dec 1921)
With the Staff of the 17th Mounted-Regiment (15 Dec 1921-31 Jan 1925)
Squadron-Chief in the 17th Mounted-Regiment (01 Feb 1925-25 Apr 1926)
Secret Tactical Flying Training in Berlin and in the USSR (26 Apr 1926-28 Feb 1927)
Advisor with Special Duties with the Staff of the 7th Division (01 Mar 1927-30 Sep 1932)
Major with the Staff of the 18th Mounted-Regiment (01 Oct 1932-30 Nov 1933)
Transferred to Luftwaffe Service and Commander of the Pilot-School and Air-Base-Commandant Cottbus (01 Dec 1933-31 Mar 1935)
Commander of Pilot-Schools Land of the Luftwaffe (01 Apr 1935-30 Sep 1935)
Commander of Flying-Group 155, Ansbach (01 Oct 1935-11 Mar 1936)
Commodore of Bomber-Wing 155 (12 Mar 1936-30 Sep 1936)
Commodore of Bomber-Wing 158 (01 Oct 1936-31 Dec 1938)
Officer with Special Duties of the RLM and C-in-C Luftwaffe (01 Jan 1939-31 Jan 1939)
Commander of the 32nd Flying-Division (01 Feb 1939-31 Mar 1939)
Commander of the 6th Flying-Division (01 Apr 1939-02 Oct 1939)
Commanding General of the II. Flak-Corps (03 Oct 1939-31 Mar 1942)
Commanding General of the I. Flak-Corps (12 Apr 1942-03 Sep 1943)
At the same time, Commander of Luftwaffe-Command Caucasus (25 Nov 1942-06 Feb 1943)
At the same time, Commander of Luftwaffe-Command Kuban (07 Feb 1943-00 Mar 1943)
Commander-in-Chief of Air-Fleet 4 (04 Sep 1943-21 Aug 1944)
Commander-in-Chief of Air-Fleet 3 (22 Aug 1944-21 Sep 1944)
Commander-in-Chief of Air-Fleet 4 (22 Sep 1944-07 Apr 1945)
Commander-in-Chief of Luftwaffe-Command 4 (08 Apr 1945-26 Apr 1945)
Commander-in-Chief of Air-Fleet 6 (27 Apr 1945-08 May 1945)
In Captivity (08 May 1945-1948)
Released (1948)

Decorations & Awards:
- Ritterkreuz (74): am 24.06.1940 als Generalmajor und Kommandierender General des II. Flak-Korps
- Eichenlaub (470): am 10.05.1944 als Generaloberst und Oberbefehlshaber der Luftflotte 4
- 1914 EK I: 29.09.1915
- 1914 EK II: 20.08.1914
- Kgl. Bayer. Flugzeugbeobachter-Abzeichen: 01.02.1915
- Kgl. Bayer. Militär-Verdienstorden IV Klasse mit Schwertern: 19.04.1915
- Kgl. Bayer Flugzeugführer-Abzeichen: 08.08.1916
- “Ehrenbecher für dem Sieger im Luftkampf”
- Kgl. Bayer. Militär-Verdienstorden IV Klasse mit der Krone und Schwertern: 09.11.1917
- Kgl. Bayer. Prinz-Regent-Luitpold Jubiläums-Medaille
- Verwundetenabzeichen, 1918 in Schwarz: 15.05.1918
- Ehrenkreuz für Frontkämpfer
- Wehrmacht-Dienstauszeichnung IV. bis I Klasse
- Gemeinsames Flugzeugführer- und Beobachterabzeichen in Gold mit Brillanten
- Spange zum EK I: 24.05.1940
- Spange zum EK II: 13.05.1940
- Medaille “Winterschlacht im Osten 1941/1942”
- Komturkreuz der Kgl. Rumän. Aeronautischen Tugend mit der Kriegsdekoration und Schwertern
- Wehrmachtsbericht: 04.08.1943; 09.04.1944; 30.10.1944; 29.11.1944


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