Otto Schmidt

Who was Otto Schmidt?

Doctor Oberleutnant Otto Schmidt HOH, IC was a German patriot who became a World War I fighter ace credited with 20 aerial victories, including eight against enemy observation balloons. He commanded three different jagdstaffeln as well as a jagdgruppe.

After schooling that led him to a doctorate, he performed his military service in 1909-1910. He was an executive in his family's brewery until 1914. Returning to service, he fought in the early stages of World War I and was wounded. After being reassigned to a reserve unit and designated as an ordnance officer, he applied for pilot's training. The aviation service accepted him as an aerial observer in March 1916. He scored two victories while an observer, and survived being shot down.

After being trained as a pilot beginning in October 1916, he was assigned as a fighter pilot to Jasta 7. As his personal victory score mounted, he was appointed to various command positions, including that of one of history's first fighter wings. After ten victories, he was severely wounded on 18 October 1917 while engaged in a highly hazardous attack on an observation balloon. He returned to wing command while on crutches in July 1918, and eventually resumed his string of aerial victories the following month. At war's ending, his Blue Max award was still pending when the order was abolished by the German Empire's defeat.