Karl-Heinz Krahl

Karl-Heinz Krahl (25 September 1914 – 14 April 1942) was a Luftwaffe ace and recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross during World War II. The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross was awarded to recognise extreme battlefield bravery or successful military leadership. Karl-Heinz Krahl was shot down 14 April 1942, by anti-aircraft fire from the defenses at RAF Luqa during the Siege of Malta. During his career he is credited with between 19 - 24 aerial victories, all against Western forces.

Karl-Heinz Krahl
Born25 September 1914
Breslau
Died14 April 1942(1942-04-14) (aged 27)
near Luqa, Malta
Buried
German war cemetery in Cagliari (reinterred)
Allegiance Nazi Germany
Service/branchArmy (1934)
Luftwaffe (1934–1942)
Years of service1934–1942
RankHauptmann (captain)
UnitCondor Legion
JG 2
JG 3
Commands heldI./JG 2
II./JG 3
Battles/wars
See battles

Spanish Civil War

World War II

AwardsKnight's Cross of the Iron Cross

Career

On 5 September 1940, Krahl succeeded Oberleutnant Helmut Wick as Staffelkapitän (squadron leader) of 3. Staffel of JG 2. Wick had been appointed Gruppenkommandeur (group commander) of I. Gruppe of JG 2. When Wick was appointed Geschwaderkommodore (wing commander) of JG 2 on 20 October, Krahl succeeded him as Gruppenkommandeur of I. Gruppe.[1]

Mediterranean theater and death

Krahl was transferred and appointed Gruppenkommandeur of II. Gruppe of Jagdgeschwader 3 "Udet" (JG 3—3rd Fighter Wing) on 21 November 1941. He succeeded Hauptmann Gordon Gollob who was transferred.[2] Command of I. Gruppe of JG 2 was passed to Hauptmann Ignaz Prestele.[3] At the time, the Gruppe was based at Wiesbaden-Erbenheim Airfield and preparing for deployment to Mediterranean theater. In early January 1942, II. Gruppe received orders to relocate to Sicily where the II. Fliegerkorps (2nd Air Corps) concentrated forces during the Siege of Malta. On 18 January, the first elements of II. Gruppe arrived at Comiso Airfield.[4][5]

On 14 April 1942, he was shot down and killed in action in his Messerschmitt Bf 109 F-4 (Werknummber 8784—factory number) by anti-aircraft artillery near Luqa, Malta.[6][7] The next day, he was replaced by Major Kurt Brändle as commander of II. Gruppe.[2] Following World War II, Krahl was reinterred at the German War Cemetery in Cagliari, the capital of the island of Sardinia.[8]

Summary of career

Aerial victory claims

According to Obermaier, Krahl was with 24 aerial victories.[9] Mathews and Foreman, authors of Luftwaffe Aces — Biographies and Victory Claims, researched the German Federal Archives and found records for 19 aerial victory claims, all of which claimed on the Western Front.[10]

Chronicle of aerial victories
Claim Date Time Type Location Claim Date Time Type Location
– 1. Staffel of Jagdgeschwader 2 "Richthofen" –[10]
"Phoney War" — 1 September 1939 – 9 May 1940
1 21 April 1940 17:26 M.S.406 south of Saarbrücken[11]
– 1. Staffel of Jagdgeschwader 2 "Richthofen" –[10]
Battle of France — 10 May – 25 June 1940
2 19 May 1940 12:50 Hurricane Cambrai[12] 4 21 May 1940 19:12 M.S.406 Compiègne[13]
3 20 May 1940 18:35 Blenheim Péronne[13] 5 26 May 1940 17:00 Spitfire Calais[14]
– 3. Staffel of Jagdgeschwader 2 "Richthofen" –[10]
At the Channel and over England — 26 June – 20 October 1940
6 30 August 1940 12:45 Hurricane[15] 10 28 September 1940 15:44 Hurricane[15] Selsey Bill
7 31 August 1940 18:55 Hurricane[15] 11 5 October 1940 14:50 Hurricane[16] south of Bournemouth
8 31 August 1940 19:30 Curtiss[15] Dover 12 15 October 1940 13:40 Hurricane Portsmouth[16]
9 5 September 1940 16:05 Spitfire[15]
– Stab I. Gruppe of Jagdgeschwader 2 "Richthofen" –[10]
At the Channel and over England — 20 October 1940 – 21 June 1941
13 29 October 1940 15:45 Hurricane[16] 15 5 November 1940 14:35 Hurricane northeast of Portland[16]
14 5 November 1940 14:35 Hurricane northeast of Portland[16]
– Stab I. Gruppe of Jagdgeschwader 2 "Richthofen" –[10]
On the Western Front — 22 June – 20 November 1941
16 24 July 1941 14:23 Spitfire north of Brest[17] 18 24 July 1941 15:25 Wellington 20 km (12 mi) north of Brignogan[17]
17 24 July 1941 15:25 Wellington 20 km (12 mi) north of Brignogan[17]
– Staffel II. Gruppe of Jagdgeschwader 3 "Udet" –[10]
Mediterranean Theater — 7 January – 14 April 1942
19 10 March 1942 17:10 Hurricane[18]

Awards

References

Citations
  1. Prien et al. 2002, p. 98.
  2. Prien & Stemmer 2003, p. 328.
  3. Prien et al. 2003, p. 420.
  4. Prien & Stemmer 2003, pp. 102, 104.
  5. Weal 2013, p. 33.
  6. Prien & Stemmer 2003, pp. 106, 339.
  7. Prien et al. 2004, pp. 77, 90.
  8. Goss 2018, p. 11.
  9. Obermaier 1989, p. 151.
  10. Mathews & Foreman 2015, p. 684.
  11. Prien et al. 2001, p. 61.
  12. Prien et al. 2000, p. 100.
  13. Prien et al. 2000, p. 101.
  14. Prien et al. 2000, p. 102.
  15. Prien et al. 2002, p. 102.
  16. Prien et al. 2002, p. 104.
  17. Prien et al. 2003, p. 424.
  18. Prien et al. 2004, p. 86.
  19. Fellgiebel 2000, p. 271.
  20. Scherzer 2007, p. 470.

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.
  • Goss, Chris (2018). Knights of the Battle of Britain — Luftwaffe Aircrew Awarded the Knight's Cross in 1940. Yorkshire, UK: Pen and Sword Books. ISBN 978-1-52672-651-3.
  • 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.
  • Obermaier, Ernst (1989). Die Ritterkreuzträger der Luftwaffe Jagdflieger 1939 – 1945 [The Knight's Cross Bearers of the Luftwaffe Fighter Force 1939 – 1945] (in German). Mainz, Germany: Verlag Dieter Hoffmann. ISBN 978-3-87341-065-7.
  • Prien, Jochen; Stemmer, Gerhard (2003). Jagdgeschwader 3 "Udet" in WWII: II./JG 3 in Action with the Messerschmitt Bf 109. Atglen, Pennsylvania: Schiffer Military History. ISBN 978-0-7643-1774-3.
  • Prien, Jochen; Stemmer, Gerhard; Rodeike, Peter; Bock, Winfried (2001). Die Jagdfliegerverbände der Deutschen Luftwaffe 1934 bis 1945—Teil 2—Der "Sitzkrieg"—1.9.1939 bis 9.5.1941 [The Fighter Units of the German Air Force 1934 to 1945—Part 2—The "Phoney War"—1 September 1939 to 9 May 1940] (in German). Eutin, Germany: Struve-Druck. ISBN 978-3-923457-59-5.
  • Prien, Jochen; Stemmer, Gerhard; Rodeike, Peter; Bock, Winfried (2000). Die Jagdfliegerverbände der deutschen Luftwaffe 1934 bis 1945 Teil 3—Einsatz in Dänemark und Norwegen 9.4. bis 30.11.1940—Der Feldzug im Westen 10.5. bis 25.6.1940 [Fighter Pilot Association of the German Luftwaffe 1934 to 1945 Part 3—Assignments in Denmark and Norway 9 April to 30 November 1940—The campaign in the West 10 May to 25 June 1940] (in German). Struve-Druck. ISBN 978-3-923457-61-8.
  • Prien, Jochen; Stemmer, Gerhard; Rodeike, Peter; Bock, Winfried (2002). Die Jagdfliegerverbände der Deutschen Luftwaffe 1934 bis 1945—Teil 4/I—Einsatz am Kanal und über England—26.6.1940 bis 21.6.1941 [The Fighter Units of the German Air Force 1934 to 1945—Part 4/I—Action at the Channel and over England—26 June 1940 to 21 June 1941] (in German). Eutin, Germany: Struve-Druck. ISBN 978-3-923457-63-2.
  • Prien, Jochen; Stemmer, Gerhard; Rodeike, Peter; Bock, Winfried (2003). Die Jagdfliegerverbände der Deutschen Luftwaffe 1934 bis 1945—Teil 5—Heimatverteidigung—10. Mai 1940 bis 31 Dezember 1941—Einsatz im Mittelmeerraum—Oktober 1940 bis November 1941—Einsatz im Westen—22. Juni bis 31. Dezember 1941—Die Ergänzungsjagdgruppen—Einsatz 1941 bis zur Auflösung Anfang 1942 [The Fighter Units of the German Air Force 1934 to 1945—Part 5—Defense of the Reich—10 May 1940 to 31 December 1941—Action in the Mediterranean Theater—October 1940 to November 1941—Action in the West—22 June to 31 December 1941—The Supplementary Fighter Groups—Action from 1941 until their Breakup in Early 1942] (in German). Eutin, Germany: Struve-Druck. ISBN 978-3-923457-68-7.
  • Prien, Jochen; Stemmer, Gerhard; Rodeike, Peter; Bock, Winfried (2004). Die Jagdfliegerverbände der Deutschen Luftwaffe 1934 bis 1945—Teil 8/I—Einsatz im Mittelmeerraum—November 1941 bis December 1942 [The Fighter Units of the German Air Force 1934 to 1945—Part 8/I—Action in the Mediterranean Theater—November 1941 to December 1942] (in German). Eutin, Germany: Struve-Druck. ISBN 978-3-923457-74-8.
  • 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.
  • Weal, John (2013). Aces of Jagdgeschwader 3 "Udet". Aircraft of the Aces. Vol. 116. Oxford, UK: Osprey Publishing. ISBN 978-1-78096-300-6.
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