He and his crew, Oberfeldwebel Josef Renette and Unteroffizier Kurt Röber, were killed in a flying accident on 12 March 1944 on a routine flight from Parchim to Athies-sous-Laon.
He then joined Flieger-Abteilung (Flier Detachment) 9 as an Unteroffizier, when they were operating in the vicinities of Lille and Arras, France.
In 1905, he joined the Reichswehr and was stationed until 1907 in the Unteroffiziers school in Neubreisach, subsequently from 1907 to 1909 he was at the corporal school in Jülich.
After he left school he worked as a miller in Landshut until he joined the 16th Bavarian Infantry Regiment in 1916; there, he then saw active service in World War I and reached the rank of Unteroffizier.