Joachim Kirschner

Joachim Kirschner
Joachim Kirschner
Born	(1920-06-07)7 June 1920 Niederlössnitz, Saxony
Died	17 December 1943(1943-12-17) (aged 23) Metković, Croatia
Allegiance	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. He was also a recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves (German: 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

• Front Flying Clasp of the Luftwaffe for Fighter Pilots in Gold with Pennant
• Ehrenpokal der Luftwaffe (21 December 1942)
• German Cross in Gold on 3 December 1942 as Leutnant in the 5./JG 3
• Iron Cross (1939)
  • 2nd Class (27 January 1942)
  • 1st Class (12 April 1942)
• Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves
  • Knight's Cross on 23 December 1942 as Leutnant and Staffelführer of the 5./JG 3 "Udet"
  • 267th Oak Leaves on 2 August 1943 as Oberleutnant and Staffelkapitän of the 5./JG 3 "Udet"

References

Citations

Bibliography

• Fellgiebel, Walther-Peer (2000). Die Träger des Ritterkreuzes des Eisernen Kreuzes 1939-1945. Friedburg, Germany: Podzun-Pallas. ISBN 3-7909-0284-5.
• Obermaier, Ernst (1989). Die Ritterkreuzträger der Luftwaffe Jagdflieger 1939 - 1945 (in German). Mainz, Germany: Verlag Dieter Hoffmann. ISBN 3-87341-065-6.
• Patzwall, Klaus D. and Scherzer, Veit (2001). Das Deutsche Kreuz 1941 - 1945 Geschichte und Inhaber Band II. Norderstedt, Germany: Verlag Klaus D. Patzwall. ISBN 3-931533-45-X.
• Schaulen, Fritjof (2004). Eichenlaubträger 1940 - 1945 Zeitgeschichte in Farbe II Ihlefeld - Primozic (in German). Selent, Germany: Pour le Mérite. ISBN 3-932381-21-1.
• Scherzer, Veit (2007). 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 (in German). Jena, Germany: Scherzers Miltaer-Verlag. ISBN 978-3-938845-17-2.
• Spick, Mike (1996). Luftwaffe Fighter Aces. Ivy Books. ISBN 0-8041-1696-2.
• Thomas, Franz (1997). Die Eichenlaubträger 1939–1945 Band 1: A–K (in German). Osnabrück, Germany: Biblio-Verlag. ISBN 3-7648-2299-6.

External links

• "Lexikon der Wehrmacht". Joachim Kirschner. Retrieved 15 May 2007.