Josef Kociok (26 April 1918 – 26 September 1943) was a German Luftwaffe pilot during World War II and a recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross of Nazi Germany. He was killed in an air collision.
Aerial victory claims Kociok was credited with 33 aerial victories on the Eastern Front, 21 of which were by night, claimed in 200 combat missions. His shooting down of four Polikarpov Po-2s of the famed 46th Guards Night Bomber Aviation Regiment, nicknamed the "Night Witches", (German: Nachthexen), on the night of 31 July 1943, resulted in the entire regiment being grounded for the first time. For this feat, he was nicknamed Hexenjäger, or "Witch Hunter".
Chronicle of aerial victories Victory Date Time Type Location – 4./Schnellkampfgeschwader 210 – 1 25/26 July 1941 SB-2 Russia – 10(N)./Zerstörergeschwader 1 – 2 25 February 1943 09:35 unknown 3 12 March 1943 21:43 MBR-2 Russia 4 12 March 1943 21:45 DB-3 Russia 5 26 April 1943 22:25 SB-2 Russia 6 26 April 1943 22:30 Yak-4 Russia 7 15 May 1943 11:34 PS-84 Russia 8 15 May 1943 21:41 PS-84 Russia 9 15 May 1943 22:05 SB-2 Russia 10 15 May 1943 22:54 PS-84 Russia 11 16 June 1943 21:00 Boston Russia 12 16 June 1943 21:20 Boston Russia – 10./Nachtjagdgeschwader 200 – 13 27 July 1943 21:20 R-5 Russia1431 July 1943NightPo-2Russia1531 July 1943NightPo-2Russia1631 July 1943NightPo-2Russia1731 July 1943NightPo-2Russia – 5./Nachtjagdgeschwader 200 – 18 17 September 1943 14:00 Boston Russia 19 17 September 1943 14:01 Boston Russia 20 17 September 1943 14:04 MiG-1 Russia 21 18 September 1943 10:05 LaGG Russia
Awards Iron Cross (1939) 2nd and 1st Class Honour Goblet of the Luftwaffe (Ehrenpokal der Luftwaffe) on 1 June 1942 as Unteroffizier and pilot German Cross in Gold on 2 December 1942 as Feldwebel in the 4./Zerstörergeschwader 1 Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross on 31 July 1943 as Oberfeldwebel and pilot in the 10.(NJ)/Zerstörergeschwader 1
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