World War II German Military Aviator. A bomber pilot, he flew 320 missions, sank around a dozen ships, and shot-down nine Allied aircraft. Originally trained as an infantry officer, he joined the Luftwaffe in 1935 in response to a personal invitation from Herman Goring, and in 1936 was sent to Spain as part of Germany's aid to General Franco in the Spanish Civil War. A member of the Condor Legion, he hit numerous targets before returning home in 1937. Herrmann flew during the invasions of Poland, Norway, and the Low Countries before undertaking numerous raids in the Battle of Britain. Posted to Sicily in 1941, he bombed Malta and in April of that year blew up 11 Allied vessels with one bomb when he hit an ammunition ship, in the process closing the Greek port of Piraeus for several months. Assigned to administrative duty in 1942, he proved an effective tactical innovater, his most noted idea being the Wilde Sau ("wild boar"), a group of experienced aviators who flew daytime fighter aircraft on night missions in defense of German cities; the pilots would remain alone at high altitude, then attack the Allied bombers using the city lights below to illuminate their targets. Flying about 50 of the missions himself, Herrmann recorded his nine "kills", though the opperation was abandoned due to heavy loss of Luftwaffe planes and men. Late in the conflict he conceived the idea of having pilots use light, un-armoured, planes to ram Allied bombers over Germany and then bail out, but little came of the plan. Captured by the Soviets in May, 1945, he was held prisoner for 10 years. After studying law he established a practice in Dusseldorf in 1965 which specialised in defending those accused of political crimes. He published a 1991 autobiography entitled "Eagle's Wings", continued his legal work well into his 90s, and was a frequent guest at conservative political conventions and military memorabilia shows. The Colonel's decorations include the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves and Swords (he was the last surviving holder of this award), the Spanish Cross in Bronze with Swords, and the German Cross in Gold.