Alfred Druschel

Alfred Druschel (4 February 1917 – missing in action 1 January 1945) was a German Luftwaffe combat pilot during World War II. He was a recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves and Swords of Nazi Germany.

Alfred Druschel
Born(1917-02-04)4 February 1917
Bindsachsen, District Büdingen
Died1 January 1945(1945-01-01) (aged 27)  (MIA)
disappeared south of Aachen
AllegianceNazi Germany
Service/branchLuftwaffe
Years of service1936–45
RankOberst
UnitLG 2, Schl.G. 1, SG 4
Commands held4.(Schl)/LG 2, 1./Schl.G. 1 , I./Schl.G. 1, Schl.G. 1, SG 4
Battles/warsWorld War II
AwardsKnight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves and Swords

Military career

Alfred Druschel joined the Luftwaffe on 1 April 1936. He trained as pilot, observer and then as Luftflotte staff officer. In August 1938, Druschel was posted to Fliegergruppe 20, which, after combination with Fliegergruppe 40 was renamed II.(Schl)/Lehrgeschwader 2 (LG 2) on 1 November 1938.

Druschel served with 4.(Schl)/LG 2 during the invasion of Poland and the battle of France, flying the Henschel Hs 123 biplane. During the battle of Britain, he became Staffelkapitän of 4.(Schl)/LG 2 in September 1940, and, flying the Bf 109E, led the unit on fighter-bomber missions against targets in England and shipping in the Channel.

In April 1941, 4.(Schl)/LG 2 operated over southern Yugoslavia and Greece, and from 21 June 1941 the unit took part in the invasion of the Soviet Union.

When on 13 January 1942 II.(Schl)/LG 2 was renamed to I./Schlachtgeschwader 1 (Schl.G.1), Druschel was promoted to Gruppenkommandeur and in June 1943 to Geschwaderkommodore of Schl.G.1. Hauptmann Druschel was awarded the Oakleaves in September 1942 for 600 combat missions and the Swords in February 1943 for over 800 combat missions. He operated over the Eastern Front until October 1943.

On 18 October 1943 I./Sch.G.1 was disbanded and reformed as II./Schlachtgeschwader 77 (II./SG 77). At this moment Druschel left active flying service and was appointed Inspizient der Tag-Schlachtfliegerverbände (supervisor of the day-ground attack air units).

In December 1944 he reentered combat service and was appointed Geschwaderkommodore of Schlachtgeschwader 4 (SG 4) based in the west.

On 1 January 1945, Druschel participated in Unternehmen Bodenplatte, the attack on the Allied airfields in the Netherlands and Belgium. Accompanied by Jagdgeschwader 2 (JG 2), SG 4 commanded by Druschel led an attack on St Trond in Belgium. He became separated from his formation following a heavy flak attack and remains missing to this day in the area south of Aachen.

Alfred Druschel was officially credited with seven aerial victories claimed in over 800 combat missions. He mainly flew ground support missions in Henschel Hs 123, Bf 109E and Fw 190 fighter-bombers.

Druschel's brother Kurt, Oberleutnant Leitender Ingenieur (chief engineer) on U-154, was a key witness in the court martial of Oberleutnant zur See Oskar Kusch. Kusch was sentenced to death for Wehrkraftzersetzung (sedition and defeatism). Kurt was killed in the sinking of U-154 on 3 July 1944.[1]

Awards

See also

Notes
  1. According to Thomas on 17 September 1939.[4]
  2. According to Thomas on 20 May 1940.[4]
  3. According to Scherzer as Staffelkapitän of 4.(Schl)/Lehrgeschwader 2.[7]
  4. According to Scherzer as Oberleutnant.[7]

References

Citations
  1. Walle 1995, pp. 46–53.
  2. Berger 1999, p. 64.
  3. MacLean 2007, p. 112.
  4. Thomas 1997, p. 134.
  5. Fellgiebel 2000, p. 166.
  6. Von Seemen 1976, p. 114.
  7. Scherzer 2007, p. 282.
  8. Fellgiebel 2000, p. 61.
  9. Von Seemen 1976, p. 30.
  10. Fellgiebel 2000, p. 40.
  11. Von Seemen 1976, p. 15.

Bibliography
  • Berger, Florian (1999). Mit Eichenlaub und Schwertern. Die höchstdekorierten Soldaten des Zweiten Weltkrieges [With Oak Leaves and Swords. The Highest Decorated Soldiers of the Second World War] (in German). Vienna, Austria: Selbstverlag Florian Berger. ISBN 978-3-9501307-0-6.
  • Bergström, Christer (2007b). Stalingrad – The Air Battle: 1942 through January 1943. Hinkley: Midland Puplishing. ISBN 978-1-85780-276-4.
  • Bergström, Christer (2007c). Kursk – The Air Battle: July 1943. Hinkley: Midland Puplishing. ISBN 978-1-903223-88-8.
  • de Zeng IV, Henry L.; Stankey, Douglas G. (2009). Dive-Bomber and Ground-Attack Units of the Luftwaffe, 1933–1945: A Reference Source, Vol. 1. Ian Allan Publishing. ISBN 978-1-9065-3708-1.
  • de Zeng IV, Henry L.; Stankey, Douglas G. (2013). Dive-Bomber and Ground-Attack Units of the Luftwaffe, 1933–1945: A Reference Source, Vol. 2. Ian Allan Publishing. ISBN 978-1-9065-3709-8.
  • Fellgiebel, Walther-Peer [in German] (2000) [1986]. Die Träger des Ritterkreuzes des Eisernen Kreuzes 1939–1945 — Die Inhaber der höchsten Auszeichnung des Zweiten Weltkrieges aller Wehrmachtteile [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] (in German). Friedberg, Germany: Podzun-Pallas. ISBN 978-3-7909-0284-6.
  • MacLean, French L (2007). Luftwaffe Efficiency & Promotion Reports: For the Knight's Cross Winners. Atglen, Pennsylvania: Schiffer Military History. ISBN 978-0-7643-2657-8.
  • Obermaier, Ernst (1976). Die Ritterkreuzträger der Luftwaffe 1939–1945 Band II Stuka- und Schlachtflieger [The Knight's Cross Bearers of the Luftwaffe 1939–1945 Volume II Dive Bomber and Attack Aircraft] (in German). Mainz, Germany: Verlag Dieter Hoffmann. ISBN 978-3-87341-021-3.
  • 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 [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] (in German). Jena, Germany: Scherzers Militaer-Verlag. ISBN 978-3-938845-17-2.
  • Thomas, Franz (1997). Die Eichenlaubträger 1939–1945 Band 1: A–K [The Oak Leaves Bearers 1939–1945 Volume 1: A–K] (in German). Osnabrück, Germany: Biblio-Verlag. ISBN 978-3-7648-2299-6.
  • Von Seemen, Gerhard (1976). Die Ritterkreuzträger 1939–1945 : die Ritterkreuzträger sämtlicher Wehrmachtteile, Brillanten-, Schwerter- und Eichenlaubträger in der Reihenfolge der Verleihung : Anhang mit Verleihungsbestimmungen und weiteren Angaben [The Knight's Cross Bearers 1939–1945 : The Knight's Cross Bearers of All the Armed Services, Diamonds, Swords and Oak Leaves Bearers in the Order of Presentation: Appendix with Further Information and Presentation Requirements] (in German). Friedberg, Germany: Podzun-Verlag. ISBN 978-3-7909-0051-4.
  • Walle, Heinrich (1995). Die Tragödie des Oberleutnants zur See Oskar Kusch [The Tragedy of the Lieutenant at Sea Oskar Kusch] (in German). Stuttgart, Germany: Franz Steiner Verlag. ISBN 978-3-515-06841-3.
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