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Joachim Kirschner
Joachim Kirschner
Joachim Kirschner
Born (1920-06-07)7 June 1920
Died 17 December 1943(1943-12-17) (aged 23)
Place of birth Niederlössnitz, Saxony
Place of death Metković, Croatia
Allegiance Nazi Germany Nazi Germany
Service/branch Heer, Luftwaffe
Rank Hauptmann
Unit JG 3, JG 27
Commands held III./JG 27
Battles/wars World War II
Awards Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves

Hauptmann Joachim Kirschner (7 June 1920 – 17 December 1943) was a German World War II Luftwaffe 188 victories Flying ace. A flying ace or fighter ace is a military aviator credited with shooting down five or more enemy aircraft during aerial combat.[1] He was also a recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves (German language: Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes mit Eichenlaub). The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross and its higher grade Oak Leaves was awarded to recognise extreme battlefield bravery or successful military leadership.

Career[]

Joachim Kirschner joined the military service in the Luftwaffe on 26 August 1939. He received the Ehrenpokal der Luftwaffe and the German Cross in Gold afer claiming 51 aerial victories. He claimed his 150th aerial victory on 5 Juli 1943. Following his 170th aerial victory he received the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves on 2 August 1943. On 17 December 1943 his Messerschmitt Bf 109 G-6 (Werknummer 20618—factory number) was shot down by a Republic P-47D Thunderbolt of the 57th Fighter Group over Croatia. He bailed out safely and landed on his parachute between villages Bjelojevići and Donje Hrasno. He was killed by a firing squad from the 29. Hrcegovacka Udarna Divizjia (29th Herzegovina Striking Division) at Metković.

Awards[]

References[]

Citations
  1. Spick 1996, pp. 3–4.
  2. Patzwall and Scherzer 2001, p. 229.
  3. 3.0 3.1 Thomas 1997, p. 365.
  4. Fellgiebel 2000, p. 257.
  5. Fellgiebel 2000, p. 70.
Bibliography
  • Fellgiebel, Walther-Peer (2000) (in German). Die Träger des Ritterkreuzes des Eisernen Kreuzes 1939–1945 – Die Inhaber der höchsten Auszeichnung des Zweiten Weltkrieges aller Wehrmachtsteile [The Bearers of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross 1939–1945 — The Owners of the Highest Award of the Second World War of all Wehrmacht Branches]. Friedberg, Germany: Podzun-Pallas. ISBN 978-3-7909-0284-6. 
  • Obermaier, Ernst (1989) (in German). Die Ritterkreuzträger der Luftwaffe Jagdflieger 1939 – 1945 [The Knight's Cross Bearers of the Luftwaffe Fighter Force 1941 – 1945]. Mainz, Germany: Verlag Dieter Hoffmann. ISBN 978-3-87341-065-7. 
  • Patzwall, Klaus D.; Scherzer, Veit (2001) (in German). Das Deutsche Kreuz 1941 – 1945 Geschichte und Inhaber Band II [The German Cross 1941 – 1945 History and Recipients Volume 2]. Norderstedt, Germany: Verlag Klaus D. Patzwall. ISBN 978-3-931533-45-8. 
  • Schaulen, Fritjof (2004) (in German). Eichenlaubträger 1940 – 1945 Zeitgeschichte in Farbe II Ihlefeld - Primozic [Oak Leaves Bearers 1940 – 1945 Contemporary History in Color II Ihlefeld - Primozic]. Selent, Germany: Pour le Mérite. ISBN 978-3-932381-21-8. 
  • Scherzer, Veit (2007) (in German). Die Ritterkreuzträger 1939–1945 Die Inhaber des Ritterkreuzes des Eisernen Kreuzes 1939 von Heer, Luftwaffe, Kriegsmarine, Waffen-SS, Volkssturm sowie mit Deutschland verbündeter Streitkräfte nach den Unterlagen des Bundesarchives [The Knight's Cross Bearers 1939–1945 The Holders of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross 1939 by Army, Air Force, Navy, Waffen-SS, Volkssturm and Allied Forces with Germany According to the Documents of the Federal Archives]. Jena, Germany: Scherzers Miltaer-Verlag. ISBN 978-3-938845-17-2. 
  • Spick, Mike (1996). Luftwaffe Fighter Aces. New York: Ivy Books. ISBN 978-0-8041-1696-1. 
  • Thomas, Franz (1997) (in German). Die Eichenlaubträger 1939–1945 Band 1: A–K [The Oak Leaves Bearers 1939–1945 Volume 1: A–K]. Osnabrück, Germany: Biblio-Verlag. ISBN 978-3-7648-2299-6. 

External links[]



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