Joachim Blechschmidt

Joachim Blechschmidt
Born	28 December 1912 Schleiz
Died	13 July 1943 (aged 30) M.I.A. disappeared near Orel, Russia
Allegiance	Nazi Germany
Service/branch	Luftwaffe
Years of service	? – 1943
Rank	Oberstleutnant (Posthumously)
Commands held	I./ZG 1 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, Blechschmidt was last seen exiting his aircraft after being shot down near Orel behind enemy lines. He was posthumously promoted to Oberstleutnant

Awards

• Front Flying Clasp of the Luftwaffe
• Iron Cross (1939)
  • 2nd Class
  • 1st Class
• German Cross in Gold on 4 February 1942 as Hauptmann in Kampfgruppe zbV 9^[1]
• Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross on 17 March 1943 as Major and Gruppenkommandeur of I./Zerstörergeschwader 1^[2]

References

Citations

1. Patzwall & Scherzer 2001, p. 45.
2. Fellgiebel 2000, p.115.

Bibliography

• Fellgiebel, Walther-Peer (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.
• 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.
• 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.
• 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.