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(1920-05-11)11 May 1920
Saalfeld in East Prussia, Germany (now Poland)
Died7 January 1995(1995-01-07) (aged 74)
Germany
Allegiance Nazi Germany
Service/branchBalkenkreuz (Iron Cross) Luftwaffe
Years of service1939–1945
RankLeutnant
UnitJG 54
Battles/warsWorld War II
AwardsKnight'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 Focke Wulf Fw 190 A-9 (Werknummer380360—factory number) "Yellow 6", he shot down five Petlyakov Pe-2 bombers, making him an "ace-in-a-day", but was then seriously wounded by return fire from other Pe-2s over Frauenburg.[1] He bailed out of his Fw 190 but as a result of his wounds lost both eyes and his right leg.[2]

Lieutenant 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.

Summary of career

Aerial victory claims

According to Heaton, Lewis, Olds and Schulze, Kroschinski was credited with 76 aerial victories.[3] Spick also lists him with 76 aerial victories claimed in 360 combat missions.[4] Mathews and Foreman, authors of Luftwaffe Aces — Biographies and Victory Claims, researched the German Federal Archives and found documentation for 74 aerial victories, plus two further unconfirmed claims, all of which claimed on the Eastern Front.[5]

Awards

References
  1. Weal 2001, p. 114.
  2. Theotokis 2020, p. 124.
  3. Heaton et al. 2011, p. 236.
  4. Spick 1996, p. 236.
  5. Mathews & Foreman 2015, pp. 693–694.
  6. Patzwall 2008, p. 126.
  7. Patzwall & Scherzer 2001, p. 256.
  8. Fellgiebel 2000, p. 275.
  9. Scherzer 2007, p. 477.

Bibliography
  • 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.
  • Heaton, Colin D.; Lewis, Anne-Marie; Olds, Robin; Schulze, Kurt (2011). The German Aces Speak: World War II Through the Eyes of Four of the Luftwaffe's Most Important Commanders. Voyageur Press. ISBN 978-1-61059-748-7.
  • Mathews, Andrew Johannes; Foreman, John (2015). Luftwaffe Aces — Biographies and Victory Claims — Volume 2 G–L. Walton on Thames: Red Kite. ISBN 978-1-906592-19-6.
  • Patzwall, Klaus D.; Scherzer, Veit (2001). Das Deutsche Kreuz 1941 – 1945 Geschichte und Inhaber Band II [The German Cross 1941 – 1945 History and Recipients Volume 2] (in German). Norderstedt, Germany: Verlag Klaus D. Patzwall. ISBN 978-3-931533-45-8.
  • Patzwall, Klaus D. (2008). Der Ehrenpokal für besondere Leistung im Luftkrieg [The Honor Goblet for Outstanding Achievement in the Air War] (in German). Norderstedt, Germany: Verlag Klaus D. Patzwall. ISBN 978-3-931533-08-3.
  • 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.
  • Spick, Mike (1996). Luftwaffe Fighter Aces. New York: Ivy Books. ISBN 978-0-8041-1696-1.
  • Theotokis, Nikolaos (2020). Airborne Landing to Air Assault: A History of Military Parachuting. Pen and Sword Books. ISBN 978-1-5267-4702-0.
  • Weal, John (2001). Jagdgeschwader 54 "Grünherz". Aviation Elite Units. Vol. 6. Oxford: Osprey Publishing. ISBN 978-1-84176-286-9.
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