Career
The Knight"s Cross of the Iron Cross was awarded to recognise extreme battlefield bravery or successful military leadership. Benning joined the Luftwaffe in 1938 and was initially posted as a flying instructor. As a transport pilot flying the Junkers Ju 52, he took part in supplying the Stalingrad pocket in early 1943, before retraining as a single engined fighter pilot with Jagdgeschwader 106 (JG 106).
In June 1943 Oberfeldwebel Benning was transferred to 2.
(JG 301) to operate as a "Wilde Sau" night fighter. He was transferred to 2./Jagdgeschwader 302 (JG 302) as a Leutnant, before becoming Staffelkapitän of 10./JG 301 in late 1944.
He received the Ritterkreuz on 13 April 1945. Benning was credited with 28 victories (inc 18 four engined bombers, of which 3 were Royal Air Force Lancasters), all on the Western Front.
He died 29 September 2013, aged 95 in Recklinghausen.
Bibliography.
