Konrad “Pitt” Bauer was born on the 9th of February 1919 at Gelsenkirchen. In March 1943, Bauer was serving with JG 51 based on the Eastern Front. Unteroffizier Bauer was assigned to 10./JG 51. He recorded his first victory on the 20th of March, when he shot down a Russian Pe-2 twin-engine bomber. By September 1943, Bauer was serving with the Geschwaderstab of JG 51. On the 15th of December 1943, he claimed six enemy aircraft, five of which he shot down in five minutes on one mission. He gained a total of 18 victories over the Eastern front. Bauer was transferred to 2./JG 3 “Udet”, operating on Reichsverteidigung duties, in March 1944. He recorded his first victory over a four-engine bomber on the 18th of April, when he shot down a USAAF B-17. He shot down another two B-17s on the 24th of May. In June 1944, Bauer was transferred to 5.(Sturm)/JG 300. This unit was mostly equipped with Focke-Wulf 190 A-8/R2 or R8 with two 30mm cannon Mk 108 and two 20mm cannon MG 151/20 to combat the increasing number of USAAF four-engine bombers raiding Germany. With this unit he became one of the best Viermottöters (four engine bombers) recording 29 four-engine bombers shot down. On the 7th of July 1944, Bauer shot down two USAAF B-24 four-engine bombers and escorting USAAF P-38 twin-engine fighter in the Oschersleben area