Heinz Ewald - LW career

[keith A]

In my search for details of the career of Heinz Ewald I found that sources state he was a Gefreiter from the date of his enlistment in the Luftwaffe in December 1941. Is this possible? I would have thought he would be a Flieger until completing his pilot training in early 1943? Is it possible (he was born in 1922) that he had some form of training that would automatically have given him this rank?

regards

Keith

[MechFO]

It is noted in his Ritterkreuz citation that he was Gefreiter.

https://wwii.germandocsinrussia.org/de/ ... ect/zoom/8

pages 232-239, including claims list.