Horst Carganico | |
|---|---|
| Born | 27 September 1917 Breslau, Lower Silesia, Province of Silesia, Kingdom of Prussia, German Empire |
| Died | 27 May 1944 (aged 26) Chevry, French State |
| Cause of death | Killed in action |
| Buried | |
| Allegiance |  Nazi Germany |
| Service | Luftwaffe |
| Years of service | 1937–1944 |
| Rank | Major (major) |
| Unit | JG 5 |
| Commands | II./JG 5 I./JG 5 |
| Battles / wars | |
| Awards | Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross |
Horst Carganico (27 September 1917 – 27 May 1944) was a German Luftwaffe military aviator and fighter ace during World War II. He is credited with 60 aerial victories achieved in over 600 combat missions. This figure includes 54 aerial victories on the Eastern Front, and further six victories over the Western Allies.
Born in Breslau, Carganico grew up in the Weimar Republic and Nazi Germany. He joined the military service in the Luftwaffe in 1937. Following flight training, he was posted to Jagdgeschwader 1 (JG 1—1st Fighter Wing). In April 1940, he became Adjutant of II. Gruppe (2nd group) of Jagdgeschwader 77 (JG 77—77th Fighter Wing), serving in Norway. He claimed his initial victory on 21 June 1940. Following his 27th aerial victory, he was awarded the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross on 25 September 1941. Carganico commanded the II. Gruppe of Jagdgeschwader 5 (JG 5—5th Fighter Wing) and later I. Gruppe of JG 5 fighting in Defense of the Reich.[1] On 27 May 1944, he was killed in action when his aircraft hit high tension cables while attempting a forced landing.