In Memory of Manfred von Richtofen

On this day in 1918 Rittmeister* Manfred Freiherr** von Richtofen fell in combat over Morlancourt Ridge in north-eastern France. I’ll not go into the story of his short life, legacy and legend other than to say I’ve lived my life, at least partially, in the shadow of this young man who personified devotion, duty and courage.

The fame of being the highest scoring combat flier in the war rested uneasily on his shoulders, for Richtofen it was simply another part of his duty; wearing the hero’s mask to improve morale on the home front and ensure his fliers had the best equipment possible to support their mission of protecting the men in the trenches. A hunter from the time he could walk and shoot, Manfred von Richtofen reveled in his combat victories while never forgetting the accompanying human horror and tragedy suffered in aerial combat by his enemies and fellows. In Richtofen we find the traits that are the best humanity can show: nobility, compassion, courage, generosity, fidelity and good humor in the face of adversity.

For the last months of his life von Richtofen endured the effects of a head wound suffered in combat. Realizing his value to his country as a symbol and to his men as a leader; Richtofen returned to combat before making a full recovery; stoically pulling his tight flying cap over his bandaged head. He would suffer depression, headaches and chronic fatigue for the rest of his life. All factors which probably contributed to the fatal lapse in judgment on the day of his death.

Manfred Freiherr von Richtofen was born seventy years and one day before I was, and died eleven days short of his twenty-sixth birthday. Somewhere in my youth I was touched by the image of his red Fokker tri-plane, and the fascination has grown with each passing decade. There is a real Red Baron who surpasses the fictionalized versions in every respect. His legacy lives to this day with Jagdeschwader 71 (Richtofen) of the German Luftwaffe. In his memory it is fitting to recite again (and hopefully not for the last time) the honors of Rittmeister Manfred Freiherr von Richtofen:

• Order Pour le Merite
• Order of the Red Eagle
• Royal Hohenzollern House Order, Knight’s Cross with Swords
• Iron Cross 1^st Class
• Iron Cross 2^nd Class
• Bavarian Military Merit Order 4^th Class with Swords
• Saxon Military St. Henry Order, Knight’s Cross
• Wurttemburg Military Merit Order, Knight’s Cross
• Saxe-Ernestine Ducal House Order, Knight 1^st Class with Swords
• Hesse General Honor Decoration for Bravery
• Lippe War Honor Cross for Heroism
• Schaumburg-Lippe Cross for Faithful Service
• Bremen Hanseatic Cross
• Lubeck Hanseatic Cross
• Austrian Order of the Iron Crown, 3^rd Class with War Decoration
• Austrian Military Merit Cross, 3^rd Class with War Decoration
• Bulgarian Bravery Order, 4^th Class-1^st Grade
• Turkish Silver Liakat Medal with Swords
• Turkish Silver Imtiaz Medal with Swords
• Turkish Iron Crescent
• German Luftstreitkrafte Pilot’s Badge
• German Luftstreitkrafte Observer Badge
• Austrian Pilot’s Badge

*Literally “Riding Master” or captain of cavalry

** Freiherr is a title of nobility usually translated as Baron