Career
The Knight"s Cross of the Iron Cross was awarded to recognise extreme battlefield bravery or successful military leadership. Marquardt was credited with 121 aerial victories—that is, 121 aerial combat encounters resulting in the destruction of the enemy aircraft—with a further 16 unconfirmed victories in 320 combat missions. All but one of his victories were claimed over the Eastern Front.
Marquardt was posted to the Jagdfliegerschule 5 (fighter pilot school), stationed at the Le Havre – Octeville airfield in France, on 15 September 1941.
There on 1 February 1942, he served as a fighter pilot instructor. He flew a number of operational sorties on the Channel Front in 1942.
On 1 August 1943, he was transferred to the 10. Staffel (10th squadron) of Jagdgeschwader 51 "Mölders" (JG 51—51st Fighter Wing) operating on the Eastern Front.
On 14 April 1945, Marquardt was credited with his 100th aerial victory.
On a transfer flight of new Focke-Wulf Fw 190 Doctorate-9 to his unit, he was credited with four aerial victories over Yakovlev Yak-3 on 25 April 1945. On 1 May 1945 Marquardt became Jagdgeschwader 51"s last casualty of the war when he was shot down by Royal Air Force Spitfires north of Berlin. Marquardt had led a flight of six Focke Wulf Fw 190 Doctorate-9 on an escort mission of 12 Fw 190 F-8 ground attack aircraft from Redlin on a mission to Berlin.
After completing the mission the aircraft returned to Schwerin.
During the landing approach the flight came under attack of 6 Spitfire Mk XIV from Number. 41 Squadron. Marquardt ordered his flight to cover the landing of the ground attack fighters while he and his wingman, Feldwebel Radlauer, attacked the Spitfires from below.
Marquardt claimed one of the attackers but was shot down as well along with two other Fw 190s. Radlauer saw Marquardt"s Fw 190 crash in flames but did not observe any sign of life.
Marquardt was initially reported as killed in action but he had bailed out injured and was taken to a hospital in Schwerin, where he was taken prisoner of war shortly after.
Following, Marquardt served in the newly established West German Luftwaffe in the Bundeswehr. He joined the Bundesluftwaffe, with the rank of Leutnant (Second Lieutenant) on 16 August 1956. He served with Jagdgeschwader 73 (JG 73—73rd Fighter Wing) and Leichtes Kampfgeschwader 42 (LeKG 42—42nd Light Combat Wing).
Marquardt retired on 30 September 1973, having risen to the rank of Oberstleutnant (Lieutenant Colonel).
He died on 19 December 2003. Bibliography.
