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Full image - THIS ITEM IS SOLD

Ritterkreuz grouping pertaining to Luftwaffe Hauptmann Heinrich Jung, Kommandeur of II.JG 54 Grünherz, Hauptmann Jung was Kommandeur of II.JG 54 of the famous Jagdgeschwader 54 ‘Grünherz' fighter wing until he failed to return from a mission near Mga on 30 July 1943 (thereafter Hauptmann Erich Rudorffer assumed command), Hauptmann Jung achieved 68 aerial victories and was awarded the Ritterkreuz posthumously on 12 November 1943, the grouping includes Jung's cased Ritterkreuz, with full folded neck ribbon, unworn, being an ‘A’ type S&L micro 800 example, the cross itself is in unworn condition and is tarnished from age, the postwar '57 era case also is in excellent condition with completely functional hardware and only a couple of minor dings, further included is Jung’s comprehensively filled out Wehrpass dated 23 May 1938 with photo of subject wearing service blouse with Oberleutnant rank, all of Jung’s service assignments and promotions from April ’34 to the date of his death are meticulously recorded, Jung was qualified on numerous infantry weapons to include MGs as well as aircraft such as Bf-109E, F and G plus Fw-190A 4-5, awards noted include both grades of the Iron Cross, Pilot Observer Badge, separate entries for Fighter Clasp in Bronze, Silver and Gold plus Gold with Pendant, Ostmedaille, Ehrenpokal, German Cross in Gold as well as the Ritterkreuz and other awards, combat assignments from Spain (Malaga, Madrid, Bilbao) to the channel coast (during the Battle of Britain Jung served in a reconnaissance squadron and the Wehrpass notes he made seven solo reconnaissance flights during over Britain in this period) to the east (Riga, Pleskau, Leningrad, Ladoga See, Demjansk, Rshew, etc.) were carefully recorded along with notes such as the entry below the date 1 June 1942 listing 14 Abschüsse, touchingly the Wehrpass’ back pocket has a small sprig from some bush or shrub that has been pressed flat taken from a plant growing where Jung crash-landed his Fw190 (full details to buyer), also included is the Vorläufiges Besitzzeugnis for RK, 12.11.1943, this document is watermarked and in pen signed by Bruno Loerzer, Generaloberst- Der Chef des Luftwaffenpersonalamts, the document has been punched and was once folded but has a clear stamping and is in fine condition, next is a personal letter to Frau Jung dated 13 November 1943, this letter was enclosed with the RK and the Vorläufiges Besitzzeugnis and was also signed by Loerzer, this document too was folded and is slightly age yellowed, additionally there is a letter to Frau Jung dated 01.03.44 from the Dienststelle JG54, signed by the Duty Officer (Einheitsführer) with a photo of the grave marker where her husband was buried, there is another photo of his crashed Fw190, at one time the original photos were displayed along with the letter in a frame, as seen by the unfaded areas on the letter where the original photos were placed, the photo of the crashed aircraft shows that Jung was able to crash-land it, ending up in a ditch and therefore presumably he died at the scene from injuries), the engagement with Russian aircraft took place over Mga, southeast of Leningrad behind German lines (the photos had been taped to backing cardboard by the Jung family), another original photo from the family shows Jung sitting in the cockpit of a Bf-109, not captioned for time and place but presumably made on the Ostfront 1941/1942, included as well is another framed photo from the family that looks to be taken in the east, probably in summer 1942 (before award of DKiG), Jung is wearing a Fliegerbluse and sidecap, the two Hauptmann rank pips are just visible on the shoulder boards, the consignor has also included three photos purchased from the Bundesarchiv, these three photos were made on 4 April 1942, on the occasion of the 2000th victory scored by JG54, the victory was credited to Oberfeldwebel Rudolf Klemm, who later won the RK, standing in the middle of the group of three, the officer on the left is Oberleutnant Günter Fink, also later an RK winner, KIA in May 1943, Hauptmann Heinrich Jung stands on the right in each photo, the photo was taken on the airfield at Gatschina, 50 km south of Leningrad, the lot is accompanied by a copy of the Manion’s Catalogue, Volume 16-3, Auction 123 of 19th April 1990, the lots comprising the items belonging to the Heinrich Jung grouping are listed from lot I-428 to lot I-435 and the set offered here represent lots I-429 and I-434, due to space limitations only selected photos can be displayed here, seriously interested parties may inquire to info@virtualgrenadier.com for additional information and for other detailed photos, USD $20,000 SOLD