Kurt Grosschopff

Flight Captain on board of the flying boat Samum / D-AFAR

Kurt Grosschopff became famous rescuing the Italian flight record holder Mario Stoppani after Stoppani’s plane crashed in the South Atlantic.

"Kurt was one of three
non-italians to receive
the Medaglia d'Oro"

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Award of the gold medal for flying valor Cielo dell’Atlantico, 2 febbraio 1938 - A. XVI.

"Commander of the German aircraft, participating in the search and rescue operations of an Italian aircraft that had to ditch in the ocean and was subsequently destroyed by a fire developing on board, with rare skill and in spite of the difficult sea conditions, performed a dangerous ditching at the crash site to rescue the commander of the crashed aircraft, the only survivor of the crew. Admirable example of self-sacrifice, comradeship and sublime disregard for danger."

Award of the gold medal for flying valor (original wording) Cielo dell’Atlantico, 2 febbraio 1938 - A. XVI.

"Comandante die aeromobile tedesco, pertecipante alle ricerche e alle operazioni di soccorso di un velivolo italiano ammarato nell’Oceano per avaria e successivamente distruito da un incendia sviluppatosi a bordo, con rara perizia e nnostante le difficili condizioni del mare, effettuava un pericoloso ammaraggio sul luogo dell’incidente per trarre in salvo il comandante dell’apparecchio incidentato, unico superstite dell’equipaggio. Esemio mirabile di abnegazione, di cameratismo e di sublime sprezzo del pericolo."

Flight Captain on board of the flying boat Samum / D-AFAR