Werner Junck


Werner Karl Otto Junck 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.

Early life

Werner Junck was born in Magdeburg, the Province of Saxony, the Kingdom of Prussia, the German Empire, on 28 December 1895. He was interested in aviation, and learned to fly in 1913.

Career

World War I

Junck entered military service as an artillery officer as World War I began. In 1916, he was posted to Flieger-Abteilung 33 of the Die Fliegertruppen.
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 Squadron RAF|20 Squadron] FE.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. His three wounds qualified him for a Silver Wound Badge, though there is no record it was awarded to him.

Interwar period

Werner Junck was an instructor at the Reichswehr's secret Lipetsk fighter-pilot school in the Soviet Union from 1925 to 1928. Junck also participated in the first, third and fourth Fédération Aéronautique Internationale Tourist Plane Contests: Challenge 1929, Challenge 1932, and Challenge 1934.
Later in 1934, he joined the nascent Luftwaffe with the rank of major. By 1938 or 1939, he was an Oberstleutnant commanding Jagdgruppe 334.

World War II

Junck's best-known role in World War II was as Fliegerführer of unit Sonderkommando Junck, the Luftwaffe component of the Sonderstab F mission in Iraq in early May 1941. 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.
Later in the war, Junck led forces as Jagdfliegerführer Deutsche Bucht in the Baltic campaign.

Later years

In 1960 he was appointed honorary chairman of the Gemeinschaft der Jagdflieger, the Association of Fighter Pilots.

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