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Name: Josef "Josi" Kiss
Medal for Bravery Josef Kiss
Country: Austro-Hungarian Empire
Rank: Leutnant
Units: Flik 24, 55J
Victories: 19
Born: 26 January 1896
Place of Birth: Pozsony (Bratislava, Slovakia)
Killed In Action: 24 May 1918 Killed In Action
Place of Death: Near Lamon
 
 
Kiss was killed in action when he was shot down by Canadian ace Gerald Birks. Posthumously promoted to Leutnant in der Reserve, he was the only non-commissioned pilot in the Austro-Hungarian Army Air Service to become an officer. Three days after he was killed in action near Lamon, funeral services for Kiss were underway at Pergine airfield in northern Italy when numerous Allied planes flew over the mourners and dropped a wreath with ribbons and a note. The note read "Our last salute to our courageous foe."
 
Victories
Date Time Unit Aircraft Opponent Location
1 20 Jun 1916 1200 Flik 24 Hansa-Brandenburg C.I (61.23) Farman Monte Cimone
2 25 Aug 1916 a.m. Flik 24 Hansa-Brandenburg C.I (26.29) Caproni Fort Lusern
3 17 Sep 1916 Flik 24 Hansa-Brandenburg C.I Caproni Chizzola
4 10 Jun 1917 Flik 24 Hansa-Brandenburg D.I (28.37) Nieuport Scout Asiago
5 14 Jun 1917 Flik 24 Hansa-Brandenburg D.I (28.37) SAML 2 Roana
6 13 Jul 1917 Flik 24 Hansa-Brandenburg D.I (28.37) Savoia-Pomilio Levico
7 11 Sep 1917 Flik 24 Hansa-Brandenburg D.I SAML 2 Asiago
8 15 Nov 1917 Flik 55J Albatros D.III (153.17) Caproni Near Asiago
9 15 Nov 1917 Flik 55J Albatros D.III (153.17) Caproni Near Asiago
10 17 Nov 1917 Flik 55J Albatros D.III (153.47) SAML 2 SE of Asiago
11 18 Nov 1917 Flik 55J Albatros D.III (153.47) Savoia-Pomilio Monte Cengio
12 18 Nov 1917 Flik 55J Albatros D.III (153.47) EA N of Arsiero
13 27 Nov 1917 Flik 55J Albatros D.III (153.87) SAML 2 N of Asiago
14 27 Nov 1917 Flik 55J Albatros D.III (153.87) SAML 2 Roana
15 07 Dec 1917 Flik 55J Albatros D.III Pomilio PE E of Asiago
16 07 Dec 1917 Flik 55J Albatros D.III SAML 2 Monte Sprung
17 16 Dec 1917 Flik 55J Albatros D.III SAML 2 Near Feltre
18 12 Jan 1918 Flik 55J Albatros D.III R.E.8 Casa Rigoni
19 26 Jan 1918 Flik 55J Albatros D.III (153.47) SAML 2 Monte Magna
 
Books
Above the War Fronts
by Norman L. R. Franks, Russell Guest, Gregory Alegi / Hardcover / Grub Street (September 1997)
Air Aces of the Austro-Hungarian Empire 1914-1918
by Dr. Martin O'Connor / Hardcover / Flying Machines Press (January 1986)
Austro-Hungarian Aces of World War 1
by Chris Chant, Mark Rolfe (Illustrator) / Paperback / Osprey Publishing (February 25, 2002)
 
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