He served in the Spanish Civil War 1936-39 and then the Polish and French campaigns 1939 and the Battle of Britain 1940. By June 1941 he had claimed 70 enemy aircraft and was the first German pilot to be awarded the Swords to the Knight's Cross. He was promoted to general in charge of fighter operations on all European fronts Nov 1941 but found that the administrative role was not his forte, particularly as he was faced with increasing Allied air strength, bureaucratic interference, and internal political wrangling. He was relieved of his post late 1944 and at Hitler's personal request trained and led a jet fighter squadron. He raised his score to 104 enemy aircraft before injuries put an end to his flying career.
