Ove C. Terp

Ove C. Terp is trained as pilot in the Danish army before the war. He joins Luftwaffe in 1941, survives the war, works for USAF before joining the Bundesluftwaffe as German citizen in the 1950’s.

Ove C. Terp is born on 10 November 1914 and joins the army in the mid-1930’s. He is trained as a pilot and receives his wings in 1937 (pilot’s certificate No. 210/37). He is then Kornet (Lance corporal) in Livgarden (the Royal Gard). On 9 October 1939, he is appointed Sekondløjtnant (2nd Lieutenant) and he is appointed Løjtnant af Reserven (Lieutenant of the reserve) on 1 April 1940.

Joining the Luftwaffe

On 8 July 1941, an announcement from the Ministry of War permits commissioned officers of the Danish armed forces to volunteer for Frikorps Denmark (Free Corps Denmark). A number of Danish officers enlist; on of these being Ove C. Terp who volunteers for Luftwaffe service. He is in Luftwaffe service until the end of the war.

On 13 August 1941, he arrives in Berlin on his way to Fliegerhorst Prenzlau (Reichüberprufungsstelle Prenzlau). Here he joins other Danish pilots in Luftwaffe training. We know this because he is mentioned in Knud Erik Ravnskovs letters to his family (Ravnskov, 2002).

At the end of training, he is posted to 3. Gruppe, Jagsgeschwader 54 ‘Grünhertz’ until he is badly wounded in combat.

I have not yet been able to trace his exact whereabouts during the nearly four years in Luftwaffe service. A photo confirms his presence in Oldenburg in April 1943 (Held, Trauloft and Bob, 1994).

After the end of the war, he works as technician in USAF. In the 1950’s he becomes German citizen and serves in the Bundesluftwaffe until he retires as Oberstleutnant on 26 March 1979 (Neulen, 2000).