The life and legacy of Dezső Szentgyörgyi – Hungary’s top fighter ace

Exactly 80 years ago, on 25 March 1945, the Hungarian Gold Medal for Bravery for Officers was awarded to vitéz Dezső Szentgyörgyi, who remains Hungary’s most successful fighter pilot.

Early years, inspiration and training

Szentgyörgyi was born on 6 January 1915 in Kőkút and developed a passion for aviation from a young age. He consciously pursued a career in flying from childhood, particularly inspired by Charles Lindbergh’s transatlantic flight in 1927. After completing eight years of primary and secondary education, he trained as a mechanic. In 1933, he volunteered at the Börgönd airfield near Székesfehérvár, where he was assigned to a flight testing unit as a junior assistant in the air force. He graduated from fighter pilot school in 1938 with honours, and due to his exceptional intelligence and aptitude, he quickly rose to become one of the Hungarian Air Force’s top pilots.

World War II: Hungary’s highest-scoring fighter pilot

By 1939, holding the rank of sergeant, he joined the 1st Fighter Squadron in Szolnok. He was deployed to the Eastern Front with his unit in the summer of 1942, flying Re.2000 Falco and Bf 109 aircraft as part of the 1/1 “Dongó” squadron. He achieved his first aerial victory on 26 June 1943, against a Soviet Yak–1 near Belgorod, Russia. By the time he returned home in September of that year, he had downed three more enemy fighters and destroyed one ground-attack aircraft and one bomber in the vicinity of Kharkiv.

After completing officer training, Dezső Szentgyörgyi resumed service in May 1944 with the 101st Homeland Fighter Squadron, which later became a regiment.

Dezső Szentgyörgyi’s impressive record is partly due to the fact that he never crashed, nor was his aircraft ever shot down during the war. In addition to his exceptional piloting skills and tactical acumen, Soviet pilots recognised and respected him as a formidable adversary. Over the course of the war, Dezső Szentgyörgyi flew more than 220 missions and achieved 29 confirmed aerial victories, making him the most successful Hungarian fighter pilot of all time.

During the U.S. Air Force bombing raids on Hungary up to late August, he shot down four B–24 heavy bombers and two escort fighters. He went on to achieve 17 more aerial victories against Soviet forces supporting the Red Army, downing his final aircraft on 16 April 1945 over German territory. By that date, Dezső Szentgyörgyi had been awarded the Gold Medal for Bravery, according to Telex.