Kuhlmey began his career as a pilot at the age of 15, when he began flying
gliders. In 1934 he joined the
Luftwaffe, which trained him as a pilot. He was commissioned and transferred in 1936 to the 162nd dive bomber division in
Schwerin, where he began flying
Stukas. Kuhlmey was
Staffelkapitän (squadron leader) of 1./
Sturzkampfgeschwader 1 (StG 1) at the outbreak of war and participated in the German campaigns in
Poland,
Norway,
France, and the
Battle of Britain. He also took part in operations against
Malta, including the 10 January 1941 Stuka attack on
Illustrious. As part of I./StG 2 Kuhlmey participated in the invasion of the
Soviet Union in June 1941. He served in North Africa, becoming
Gruppenkommandeur (group commander) of II./StG 3 in April 1942. On 18 October 1943 he was promoted to
Geschwaderkommodore (wing commander),
Schlachtgeschwader 3 (SG 3). On 9 June 1944 the Soviet Union launched a major offensive on the
Karelian Isthmus. The Soviet Army forced the Finns to abandon their defensive lines and on 20 June took
Viipuri, the second largest city of Finland. As a reinforcement SG 3 was posted to
Finland in June 1944, forming
Gefechtsverband Kuhlmey (
Detachment Kuhlmey) with
Oberst Kuhlmey commanding a composite unit comprising elements of I./SG 3, I./
SG 5, II./
JG 54 and NAGr.1.
Detachment Kuhlmey's actions in Finland during 16 June and 21 July 1944 was hugely influential in the outcome of the offensive and of the Finnish
Continuation War. Together Finnish Air Force units and Detachment Kuhlmey made 1,020 bombing sorties against the Soviet troops and armour. The Soviets lost some 300 tanks, 120–280 aircraft and over 20,000 troops. As a result, the Soviet advance stalled, and ensuing peace talks led to a cease-fire between the Soviet Union and Finland on 4 September. Finland was therefore not invaded. Leaving SG 3 in December 1944, by March 1945
Oberst Kuhlmey was
Geschwaderkommodore of
SG 2 "Immelmann", and in the last weeks of the war was on the staff of the
General der Schlachtflieger. After being released from American captivity in July 1945, he rejoined the military in November 1955, as a colonel. Attending courses at
Williams and
Luke Air Force Base in the US, he received flying training on the
F-104 "Starfighter". On 11 September 1959 he was promoted to brigadier general and retired a
major general. He died on 30 April 1993. At his funeral there was a wreath "from a grateful Finland". ==Awards==