Hans-Joachim Kroschinski
Hans-Joachim Kroschinski (11 May 1920 – 7 January 1995) was a former Luftwaffe fighter ace and recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross during World War II.
Hans-Joachim Kroschinski | |
|---|---|
| Born | 11 May 1920 Saalfeld in East Prussia, Germany (now Poland) |
| Died | 7 January 1995 (aged 74) Germany |
| Allegiance | .svg.png.webp){kind=small} Nazi Germany |
| Service/ |  Luftwaffe |
| Years of service | 1939–1945 |
| Rank | Leutnant |
| Unit | JG 54 |
| Battles/wars | World War II |
| Awards | Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross |
Claimed aerial victories
Serving with 2./JG 54 Kroschinski gained his first known Soviet victory, a MiG-3 on 5 August 1942. He had a total of four by the end of 1942. On 21 December 1944 while flying Fw 190 A-9 (W.Nr.380360) "Yellow 6", he shot down five Pe-2 bombers, but was then seriously wounded by return fire from other Pe-2s over Frauenburg.
He bailed out of his Fw-190 but as a result of his wounds lost both eyes and his right leg.
Leutnant Hans-Joachim Kroschinski was credited with at least 76 victories, all recorded over the Eastern Front in 360 missions, including 240 low level attacks. Included in his total is 15 Il-2 Sturmoviks, 2 tanks, a Gun Boat on Lake Ladoga, and 2 MTB's in the Finnish Bay.
Awards
- Iron Cross (1939)
- 2nd Class
- 1st Class
- Wound Badge in Gold
- Front Flying Clasp of the Luftwaffe in Gold
- Ehrenpokal der Luftwaffe (October 11, 1943)
- German Cross in Gold (October 27, 1943)
- Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross (April 17, 1945, After 76 victories)
References
- Die Ordensträger der Deutschen Wehrmacht (CD), VMD-Verlag GmbH, Osnabrück, 2002
- Fellgiebel W.P., Elite of the Third Reich, The recipients of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross 1939-1945: A Reference, Helion & Company Limited, Solihull, 2003, ISBN 1-874622-46-9
- Patzwall K., Scherzer V., Das Deutsche Kreuz 1941-1945, Geschichte und Inhaber Band II, Verlag Klaus D. Patzwall, Norderstedt, 2001, ISBN 3-931533-45-X
- Patzwall K.D., Der Ehrenpokal für besondere Leistung im Luftkrieg, Studien zur Geschichte der Auszeichnungen, Band 6, Verlag Klaus D. Patzwall, Norderstedt, 2008, ISBN 978-3-931533-08-3