Joachim Blechschmidt

Joachim Blechschmidt
Born	28 December 1912 Schleiz
Died	13 July 1943(1943-07-13) (aged 30) M.I.A. disappeared near Orel, Russia
Allegiance	Nazi Germany
Service/branch	Luftwaffe
Years of service	? – 1943
Rank	Oberstleutnant (Posthumously)
Unit	ZG 1
Battles/wars	World War II Invasion of Poland Battle of France Battle of Britain Operation Barbarossa Battle of Stalingrad Battle of Kursk
Awards	Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross

Joachim Blechschmidt (28 December 1912 – 13 July 1943) was a German 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. On 13 July 1943, Joachim Blechschmidt was last seen exiting his aircraft after being shotdown near Orel behind enemy lines. Joachim Blechschmidt was posthumously promoted to Oberstleutnant

Awards

Front Flying Clasp of the Luftwaffe
Iron Cross (1939)
- 2nd Class
- 1st Class
German Cross in Gold (4 February 1942)
Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross
- Knight's Cross on 17 March 1943 as Major and Gruppenkommandeur I./Zerstörergeschwader 1^[1]

References

Citations

^ Fellgiebel 2000, p.115.

Bibliography

Fellgiebel, Walther-Peer (2000). Die Träger des Ritterkreuzes des Eisernen Kreuzes 1939–1945. Friedburg, Germany: Podzun-Pallas. ISBN 3-7909-0284-5.
Obermaier, Ernst (1989). Die Ritterkreuzträger der Luftwaffe Jagdflieger 1939–1945 (in German). Mainz, Germany: Verlag Dieter Hoffmann. ISBN 3-87341-065-6.
Patzwall, Klaus D. and Scherzer, Veit (2001). Das Deutsche Kreuz 1941–1945 Geschichte und Inhaber Band II. Norderstedt, Germany: Verlag Klaus D. Patzwall. ISBN 3-931533-45-X.
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 (in German). Jena, Germany: Scherzers Miltaer-Verlag. ISBN 978-3-938845-17-2.
Spick, Mike (1996). Luftwaffe Fighter Aces. New York: Ivy Books. ISBN 0-8041-1696-2.

External links

Military offices
Preceded by Oberstleutnant Alfred Druschel (acting)	Commander of Zerstörergeschwader 1 12 April 1943 – 13 July 1943	Succeeded by Oberstleutnant Lothar von Janson

Persondata
Name	Blechschmidt, Joachim
Alternative names
Short description	German fighter ace and Knight's Cross recipient
Date of birth	28 December 1912
Place of birth	Schleiz, Germany
Date of death	13 July 1943
Place of death	disappeared near Orel, Russia