Karl-Heinz Krahl Explained

Karl-Heinz Krahl
Birth Date:	25 September 1914
Birth Place:	Breslau
Death Place:	near Luqa, Malta
Placeofburial:	German war cemetery in Cagliari (reinterred)
Branch:	Army (1934) Luftwaffe (1934–1942)
Serviceyears:	1934–1942
Rank:	Hauptmann (captain)
Unit:	Condor Legion JG 2 JG 3
Commands:	I./JG 2 II./JG 3
Awards:	Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross

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.

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.

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. Command of I. Gruppe of JG 2 was passed to Hauptmann Ignaz Prestele. 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.

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. The next day, he was replaced by Major Kurt Brändle as commander of II. Gruppe. Following World War II, Krahl was reinterred at the German War Cemetery in Cagliari, the capital of the island of Sardinia.

Summary of career

Aerial victory claims

According to Obermaier, Krahl was with 24 aerial victories. 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.

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

Awards

Spanish Cross in Gold with Swords (14 April 1939)
Iron Cross (1939) 2nd and 1st Class
Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross on 13 November 1940 as Hauptmann and Gruppenkommandeur of the I./Jagdgeschwader 2 "Richthofen"

References

Bibliography

Book: Dixon , Jeremy . 2023 . Day Fighter Aces of the Luftwaffe: Knight's Cross Holders 1939–1942 . . 978-1-52677-864-2.
Book: 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 . German . Friedberg, Germany . Podzun-Pallas . 978-3-7909-0284-6.

Book: Goss , Chris . 2018 . Knights of the Battle of Britain — Luftwaffe Aircrew Awarded the Knight's Cross in 1940 . Yorkshire, UK . . 978-1-52672-651-3.
Book: Mathews . Andrew Johannes . Foreman . John . 2015 . Luftwaffe Aces — Biographies and Victory Claims — Volume 2 G–L . Walton on Thames . Red Kite . 978-1-906592-19-6.
Book: Obermaier , Ernst . 1989 . Die Ritterkreuzträger der Luftwaffe Jagdflieger 1939 – 1945 . The Knight's Cross Bearers of the Luftwaffe Fighter Force 1939 – 1945 . German . Mainz, Germany . Verlag Dieter Hoffmann . 978-3-87341-065-7.
Book: Prien . Jochen . Stemmer . Gerhard . 2003 . Jagdgeschwader 3 "Udet" in WWII: II./JG 3 in Action with the Messerschmitt Bf 109 . Atglen, Pennsylvania . . 978-0-7643-1774-3.
Book: Prien . Jochen . Stemmer . Gerhard . Rodeike . Peter . Bock . Winfried . 2001a . 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 . de . Eutin, Germany . Struve-Druck . 978-3-923457-59-5.
Book: Prien . Jochen . Stemmer . Gerhard . Rodeike . Peter . Bock . Winfried . 2001b . 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 . de . Struve-Druck . 978-3-923457-61-8.
Book: 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 . de . Eutin, Germany . Struve-Druck . 978-3-923457-63-2.
Book: 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 . de . Eutin, Germany . Struve-Druck . 978-3-923457-68-7.
Book: 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 . de . Eutin, Germany . Struve-Druck . 978-3-923457-74-8.
Book: 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 . German . Jena, Germany . Scherzers Militaer-Verlag . 978-3-938845-17-2.
Book: Weal , John . 2013 . Aces of Jagdgeschwader 3 "Udet" . Aircraft of the Aces . 116 . Oxford, UK . . 978-1-78096-300-6.