Josef Kociok


Josef Kociok 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 by night, claimed in 200 combat missions. His shooting down four Polikarpov Po-2s of the famed 46th Guards Night Bomber Aviation Regiment, nicknamed the "Night Witches", 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".

Awards