Hans-Joachim Kroschinski

Hans-Joachim Kroschinski (11 May 1920 – 7 January 1995) was a former German Luftwaffe fighter 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.

Career

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.

FeldwebelHans-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