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Name: Oskar von Boenigk Balloon-Buster
Orden Pour le Mérite (Blue Max)
Iron Cross 1st class		 Oskar von Boenigk
Country: Germany
Rank: Oberleutnant
Units: Jasta 4, 21
Kasta 19, 32
Jagdgeschwader 2
Victories: 26
Born: 25 August 1893
Place of Birth: Siegerdorf, Bunzlau, Schlesien
Died: 30 January 1946
Place of Death: Lager Ketschendorf
 
 
   The son of an army officer, Oskar von Boenigk received a commission in the König Friedrich III Grenadier Regiment on 22 March 1912. As a platoon leader during the Battle of Longwy in October 1914, he was badly wounded in the chest. Upon recovering, he returned to his unit in the spring of 1915 and was awarded the Iron Cross, second class. Later that year, his application for a transfer to the air service was accepted and he was sent to observer school in December 1915. In March 1916 he was posted to Kampfstaffel 19. After four months he was reassigned to Kampfstaffel 32. Boenigk applied for Jastaschule in January 1917 and upon graduating he was posted to Jasta 4 on 24 June 1917. With this unit he scored five victories and was awarded the Iron Cross, first class. On 21 October 1917 he assumed command of Jasta 21. Scoring an additional sixteen victories with this unit, he was awarded the Hohenzollern House Order. On 31 August 1918 he was promoted to Oberleutnant and assumed command of Jagdgeschwader II. Stationed on the St. Mihiel Front in September, Boenigk scored five more victories, bringing his total to 26. In October he was awarded the Albert Order, second class, the Saxe-Ernestine House Order, second class, the Order of St. John and the Blue Max.
   Freiherr von Boenigk served with distinction in the post-war revolution and attained the rank of Major General with the Luftwaffe during World War II. Captured by the Russians in May 1945, he died as a prisoner of war in 1946.
 
Victories
Date Time Unit Aircraft Opponent Location
1 20 Jul 1917 2100 Jasta 4   Sopwith NW of Tenbrielen
2 28 Jul 1917 2105 Jasta 4   Sopwith Camel (B3874) Moorslede
u/c 05 Aug 1917 1515 Jasta 4   Sopwith Camel W of Staden
3 23 Aug 1917 0905 Jasta 4   Sopwith Boesinghe
4 03 Sep 1917 2000 Jasta 4   Sopwith Camel Houthem
u/c 03 Sep 1917 2015 Jasta 4   Sopwith Pup Brielen
5 09 Sep 1917 1905 Jasta 4   Sopwith Poelcapelle
6 25 Nov 1917 1646 Jasta 21   Two-seater Pfefferrucken
7 01 Jun 1918 0815 Jasta 21   Bréguet 14 Priez
8 04 Jun 1918 0830 Jasta 21   Balloon Château Thierry
9 05 Jun 1918 0905 Jasta 21   Balloon SW of Château Thierry
10 07 Jun 1918 1435 Jasta 21   Balloon SW of Château Thierry
11 14 Jun 1918 1755 Jasta 21   SPAD N of Villers-Cotterêts
12 28 Jun 1918 0710 Jasta 21   SPAD Missy-aux-Bois
13 08 Jul 1918 1100 Jasta 21   SPAD S of Louatre
14 15 Jul 1918 0630 Jasta 21   Bréguet 14 SW of Pourcey
15 16 Jul 1918 1455 Jasta 21   Balloon Villers Allerand
16 24 Jul 1918 Jasta 21   Balloon  
17 01 Aug 1918 1245 Jasta 21   SPAD Charmel
18 04 Aug 1918 1930 Jasta 21   Balloon Hartnesses
19 04 Aug 1918 1935 Jasta 21   SPAD 2 Ambrief
20 07 Aug 1918 1720 Jasta 21   Balloon S of Fismes
21 11 Aug 1918 1325 Jasta 21   SPAD Arcis
22 12 Sep 1918 JG II   Salmson 2A2 Thiaucourt
23 13 Sep 1918 JG II   SPAD 1 Thiaucourt
24 14 Sep 1918 JG II   SPAD N of Lachaussee
25 14 Sep 1918 JG II   SPAD Lachaussee
26 22 Sep 1918 JG II   D.H.4 Conflans
 
Books
Franks, Norman, Frank Bailey and Russell Guest. Above the Lines: A Complete Record of the Fighter Aces of the German Air Service, Naval Air Service and Flanders Marine Corps, 1914-1918. London: Grub Street, 1993

Treadwell, Terry C. and Alan C. Wood. German Knights of the Air 1914-1918: The Holders of the Orden Pour le Mérite. New York: Barnes & Noble Books, 1998
 
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