Werner Junck (28 December 1895 – 6 August 1976) was a German general in the Luftwaffe during World War II, serving in Iraq and later in the Baltic campaign. He claimed five aerial victories during World War I.[1]
Junck entered military service as an artillery officer as World War I began. In 1916, he was posted to Flieger-Abteilung (Flier Detachment) 33 of the Die Fliegertruppen (the flying troops).[2]
In October 1916, as Die Fliegertruppen morphed into the Luftstreitkräfte, Junck was transferred to a fighter squadron, Jagdstaffel 8. He achieved his first aerial victory on 24 April 1917, downing a 20 SquadronFE.2d east of Ypres. He rose to command of the jasta on 4 April 1918 and stayed with it through the war's end. Junck was wounded three times and shot down four SPADs in northern France before the Armistice. His five victories made him an ace.[2] His three wounds qualified him for a Silver Wound Badge, though there is no record it was awarded to him.[3]
Later in 1934, he joined the nascent Luftwaffe with the rank of major. By 1938 or 1939, he was an Oberstleutnant commanding Jagdgruppe 334.[2]
World War II
Junck's best-known role in World War II was as Fliegerführer (squadron commander) of unit Sonderkommando Junck (Special Force Junck), the Luftwaffe component of the Sonderstab F mission in Iraq in early May 1941.[6] The purpose of Special Staff F was to aid General Rashid Ali's rebel government after it overthrew the pro-British regime the previous month. On 29 May, the mission retreated from Iraq.[6]
Later in the war, Junck led forces as Jagdfliegerführer Deutsche Bucht (Fighter Leader German Bight) in the Baltic campaign.
Later years
In 1960 he was appointed honorary chairman of the Gemeinschaft der Jagdflieger, the Association of Fighter Pilots.[7]
Franks, Norman; Bailey, Frank W.; Guest, Russell (1993). Above the Lines: The Aces and Fighter Units of the German Air Service, Naval Air Service and Flanders Marine Corps, 1914–1918. Oxford:Grub Street. ISBN0-948817-73-9, ISBN978-0-948817-73-1.
Krzyżan, Marian (1988). Międzynarodowe turnieje lotnicze 1929-1934. Warsaw: WKiŁ. ISBN83-206-0637-3.
Obermaier, Ernst (1989). Die Ritterkreuzträger der Luftwaffe Jagdflieger 1939 – 1945 [The Knight's Cross Bearers of the Luftwaffe Fighter Force 1939 – 1945] (in German). Mainz, Germany: Verlag Dieter Hoffmann. ISBN978-3-87341-065-7.
Scherzer, Veit (2007). Die Ritterkreuzträger 1939–1945: Die Inhaber des Ritterkreuzes des Eisernen Kreuzes 1939 von Heer, Luftwaffe, Kriegsmarine, Waffen-SS, Volkssturm sowie mit Deutschland verbündeter Streitkräfte nach den Unterlagen des Bundesarchives [The Knight's Cross Bearers 1939–1945 The Holders of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross 1939 by Army, Air Force, Navy, Waffen-SS, Volkssturm and Allied Forces with Germany According to the Documents of the Federal Archives] (in German). Jena, Germany: Scherzers Militär-Verlag. ISBN978-3-938845-17-2.
