August Hanko (military personnel)

Last updated
August Hanko
BornUnknown
DiedUnknown
Allegiance German Empire
Service/branch Army; flying service
RankLeutnant
Unit Feldflieger Abteilung (Field Flier Detachment) 38;
Kampfgeschwader (Tactical Bomber Wing) II;
Jagdstaffel 20 (Fighter Squadron 20);
Jagdstaffel 28 (Fighter Squadron 28)
Commands held Jagdstaffel 64 (Fighter Squadron 64)
Awards Military Merit Cross

Leutnant August Hanko was a German World War I flying ace credited with five aerial victories.

Contents

Biography

August Hanko's origins are unknown. He first served in the German infantry in the early stages of World War I. In 1915, he joined Die Fliegertruppen (Imperial German Air Service). He first served with Feldflieger Abteilung (Field Flier Detachment) 38, then with Kampfgeschwader (Tactical Bomber Wing) 2. Hanko then progressed to fighter pilot's training. Upon graduation, he was posted to his first fighter squadron, Jagdstaffel 20 , on 2 November 1916. [1]

On 24 January 1917, he transferred to Jagdstaffel 28 . He scored his first aerial victory on 22 April 1917, downing a Nieuport 17 from No. 1 Squadron RFC in a morning fight. Lieutenant AW Wood, the pilot, was wounded, but survived to be taken prisoner. Another 1 Squadron Nieuport followed on 7 May. On 25 May, he shot down a Royal Aircraft Factory FE.2d from No. 20 Squadron RFC piloted by eventual 11-kill ace Lt. Campbell Hoy who was injured. He was awarded Germany's highest decoration for enlisted men, the Military Merit Cross, on 28 June 1917. [1] [2]

Hanko went on to down an Airco DH.4 from No. 57 Squadron RFC on 21 August 1917. On 16 September, he became an ace when he shot down a Martinsyde Elephant from No. 27 Squadron RFC. [1]

On 24 January 1918, having been commissioned a Leutnant, he was given command of Jagdstaffel 64 . He led them without personal result until being removed from duty for illness on 7 July 1918. [1]

Hanko's subsequent life is unknown.

Endnotes

  1. 1 2 3 4 Franks et al 1993, p. 123.
  2. Note: It was highly irregular under German regulations to award higher decorations without first awarding both classes of the Iron Cross. It is a safe assumption Hanko won such, though no source refers to them.

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Karl Allmenröder</span> German World War I flying ace

LeutnantKarl Allmenröder was a German World War I flying ace credited with 30 aerial victories. The medical student son of a preacher father was seasoned in the trenches as an 18-year-old artilleryman in the early days of the First World War, earning promotion via battlefield commission to Leutnant on 30 March 1915. After transferring to aviation and serving some time as an artillery spotter in two-seater reconnaissance airplanes, he transferred to flying fighter aircraft with Jagdstaffel 11 in November 1916. As Manfred von Richthofen's protege, Karl Allmenröder scored the first of his 30 confirmed victories on 16 February 1917. Flying a scarlet Albatros D.III trimmed out with white nose and elevators, Allmenröder would score a constant string of aerial victories until 26 June 1917, the day before his death. On 27 June 1917, Karl Allmenröder fell to his death near Zillebeke, Belgium. His posthumous legacy of patriotic courage would later be abused as propaganda by the Nazis.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Adolf Ritter von Tutschek</span>

Adolf Ritter von Tutschek (16 May 1891 – 15 March 1918) PlM, MOMJ was a professional soldier turned aviator. As German air strategy turned towards concentrated air power, he was entrusted with one of the world's first fighter wings.

Leutnant Hermann Becker, was a World War I German flying ace credited with 23 victories.

Leutnant Hans-Georg August von der Osten began his career as a World War I flying ace credited with five aerial victories. He later rose to command of all Luftwaffe bases in Germany, during World War II.

LeutnantTheodor Rumpel was a World War I flying ace credited with five aerial victories.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hans Imelmann</span>

Leutnant Hans Imelmann was a World War I flying ace credited with six aerial victories. As a founding member of one of Germany's original fighter squadrons, he was shot down and killed before he reached his twentieth birthday.

Vizefeldwebel Max Kahlow was a German World War I flying ace credited with six aerial victories.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kurt Küppers</span> German flying ace

Leutnant Kurt Küppers was a World War I flying ace credited with six aerial victories.

Leutnant Fritz Gerhard Anders was a World War I flying ace credited with seven aerial victories. He was the world's first night fighter ace.

Leutnant Kurt Adolf Monnington (1891–1939) was a World War I flying ace credited with eight aerial victories.

Leutnant Wolfgang Güttler was a World War I flying ace credited with eight aerial victories. He would score the first four while flying with Jagdstaffel 24, and the last four while flying as commander of Jagdstaffel 13. He was killed in a midair collision over his home airfield on 20 February 1918.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hartmuth Baldamus</span> German World War I flying ace

Leutnant Hartmuth Baldamus was a German World War I flying ace credited with 18 aerial victories.

LeutnantWalter Böning was a German World War I flying ace from the Grand Duchy of Oldenburg credited with 17 aerial victories. He began his World War I military service as an infantryman. He distinguished himself by winning both the Gold Medal for Bravery and the Second Class Iron Cross. He then transferred to aviation duty, training originally as a reconnaissance pilot before advancing to become a fighter pilot. Between 6 April 1917 and 30 May 1918, he was credited with 17 aerial victories. On 31 May 1918, he survived a midair collision while being attacked by British fighters. Although he coaxed his damaged machine home, the serious leg wound he had suffered sidelined him through war's end.

Leutnant Ernst Hess HOH IC was a World War I flying ace credited with 17 confirmed and four unconfirmed aerial victories. Hess was one of a few World War I pilots involved in aviation prewar, as he gained his civil pilot's license on 26 September 1913. He was already enrolled in Die Fliegertruppen of the Imperial German Army when World War I began. He qualified for his military pilot's license on 21 November 1914, and was launched on his flying career as one of Germany's first fighter pilots. He would score his first aerial victory in tandem with Oswald Boelcke on 5 January 1916. He would rotate through four assignments before scoring a dozen victories within July–September 1917 while flying an Albatros D.Va for Jagdstaffel 28. On 19 September 1917, he was promoted to command of Jagdstaffel 19. He had just been appointed to command of a Jagdgruppe being formed by Germany's First Army when he was killed in combat on 23 December 1917.

LeutnantFranz Piechulek was a German World War I flying ace credited with 14 aerial victories.

Leutnant Johannes Max Janzen was a World War I flying ace credited with thirteen aerial victories. He returned to Germany's military service during World War II, and died in a Russian prison camp on 18 October 1945.

Leutnant Heinrich Arntzen was a German World War I flying ace credited with eleven aerial victories.

LeutnantHermann Pfeiffer IC was a German World War I flying ace credited with eleven aerial victories.

Leutnant Hans von Keudell was a World War I flying ace credited with twelve aerial victories.

Leutnant Hanns Joachim Wolff was a World War I German flying ace credited with ten aerial victories.

References