German Service Awards

[lufttiger]

I met this one: Hans-Ulrich Rudel was the only person to be awarded the Knight's Cross with Golden Oak Leaves, Swords, and Diamonds.

Hans-Ulrich Rudel - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Was the foreign guy Finish?

Ok i just noticed that it said: the only person to become more highly decorated was Hermann Göring who was awarded the Grand Cross of the Iron Cross) What the???

[cyberia]

Originally Posted by lufttiger

I met this one: Hans-Ulrich Rudel was the only person to be awarded the Knight's Cross with Golden Oak Leaves, Swords, and Diamonds.

Hans-Ulrich Rudel - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

See above, LT. I think you will realize where the confusion in this lies.

[cyberia]

Originally Posted by lufttiger

Was the foreign guy Finish?

He was not even European.

[Jim O]

Wolfgang Lüth was a Baltic German born in Riga in the Russian empire. He joined the Kriegsmarine in 1933.

[cyberia]

Originally Posted by Jim O

Wolfgang Lüth was a Baltic German born in Riga in the Russian empire. He joined the Kriegsmarine in 1933.

Sorry Jim, but no. This person was not even in German service, and the award was posthumous on behalf of the German military.

[Jim O]

Originally Posted by cyberia

He was not even European.

Your information and mine do not correlate. These are the 27 holders of the Knight's Cross with Oak Leaves, Swords and Diamonds:

1 – Molders, Werner. 5-16-41, LW, Oberst, Kommodor JG 51
2 – Galland, Adolf. 1-28-42, LW, Generalleutnant, Kommodor JG 26
3- Gollob, Gordon. 6-28-42, LW, Major, Kommodor JG 77
4- Marseiller, Hans-Joachim. 9-2-42, LW, Hauptmann, JG 27
5- Graf, Hermann. 9-26-42, LW, Oberst, JG 52
6- Rommel, Erwin. 3-11-43, Heer, Generalfeldmarshall, Afrika Korp.
7- Luth, Wolfgang. 8-9-43, KM, Kapitan zur See, Kommader U-181.
8- Notwotny, Walter. 10-19-43, LW, Major, JG 54
9- Schulz, Adalbert. 11-14-43, Heer, Generalmajor, Pz Reg 17
10- Rudel, Hans-Ulrich. 3-29-44, LW, Oberst,Kommodore Schlachtgeschwader 2 "Immelmann"
11- Strachwitz, Hyazinth Graf. 4-15-44, Heer, Generalleutnant, Panzer-Kampfgruppe bei der Heeresgruppe Nord.
12 – Gille, Herbert Otto. 4-19-44, SS, General der Waffen-SS, Kommandierender General des IV. SS-Panzer-Korps.
13- Hube, Hans. 4-20-44, Heer, Generaloberst, 1.Panzer-Armee
14 – Kessinring, Albert. 6-19-44, Heer, Generalfeldmarshall, OB Sud
15- Lent, Helmut. 7-31-44, LW, Oberst, Kommodore Nachtjagdgeschwader 3
16- Dietrich, Joseph. 8-6-44, SS, Generaloberst der Waffen-SS, 6.SS-Panzer-Armee.
17- Model , Walter. 8-17-44, Heer, Generalfeldmarschall, OB Heeresgruppe B
18- Hartmann, Erich. 8-25-44, LW, Oberst, Kommodore Jagdgeschwader 71 "Richthofen"
19- Balck, Hermann. 8-31-44, Heer, General der Panzertruppen, OB Heeresgruppe G
20- Ramcke, Hermann-Bernhard. 9-20-44, LW, General der Fallschirmtruppen, Kommandant Festung Brest
21- Schnaufer, Wolfgang. 10-16-44, LW, Major, Kommodore Nachtjagdgeschwader.
22- Brandi, Albercht. 11-24-44, KM, Fregattenkapitan, Chef der Kleinkampfverbände Holland
23- Schörner, Ferdinand. 1-1-45, Heer, Generalfeldmarschall, OB Heeresgruppe Mitte
24- von Manteuffel, Hasso. 2-18-45, Heer, General der Panzertruppen, OB 3.Panzer-Armee
25- Tolsdorf , Theodor. 3-18-45, Heer, Generalleutnant, Kommandierender General des LXXXII. Armee-Korps.
26- Mauss, Karl Dr.. 4-15-45, Heer, General der Panzertruppen, Kommandeur 7.Panzer-Division
27- von Saucken, Dietrich. 5-8-45, Heer, General der Panzertruppen, OB Armeegruppe Ostpreussen

I believe that all are European. The highest award held by a non-European was Fleet Admiral Isoroku Yamamoto who was awarded the Knight's Cross with Oak Leaves and Swords

Rudel was also awarded the next higher award, the Knight's Cross with Golden Oak Leaves, Swords, and Diamonds nine months after he received the Knight's Cross with Oak Leaves, Swords, and Diamonds (12/29/44) along with a promotion to Oberst.

Hermann Göring was the only recipient of the Grand Cross, on 7/19/40 when he was promoted to Reichsmarschall.

[cyberia]

When one say Diamonds what is meant is that the award was given with all three additional ranks, being The Knights Cross with Oak Leaves, Swords and Diamonds.
One could not receive the Diamonds without the Oak Leaves and Swords awarded first, or all at the same time.

I should have been clearer.

So there were 27 recipients of the Diamonds. Our do figures match.

Rudel was awarded the next level up, the Golden Swords. I just checked and wiki is listing it as the Golden Oak Leaves. That is not the case.

And you are correct, Jim. The only non-German military recipient of the Swords, that being the Knights Cross with Oak Leaves and Swords, was to Japanese Admiral Isoroka Yamamoto on May 27, 1943, shortly after his death, as a gesture on the part of the German military.

[cyberia]

Infanterie-Sturmabzeichen/Infantry Assault Badge

The Infanterie-Sturmabzeichen was instituted on 20 Dec 1939.

Requirements for the award in Silver were:
Participation in three or more infantry assaults, or
Participation in three or more infantry counter-attacks, or
Participation in three or more armed reconnaissance, or
Participation in three or more days in restitution of combat positions, or
Participation in hand to hand combat in an assault position.

Requirements for the award in Bronze were the same as Silver, but for reserved for motorized infantry.

[The Shadow]

Originally Posted by cyberia

Anyone know who that was?

Isoroku Yamamoto, Ritterkreuz am 27.5.1943, Eichenlaub am 27.5.1943, Schwerter am 27.5.1943
Großadmiral und Oberbefehlshaber der japanischen Seestreitkräfte

[cyberia]

Erdkampfabzeichen der Luftwaffe
Luftwaffe Ground Assault Badge

Instituted 31 Mar 1942

Requirements
Having been awarded General Assault Badge, Infantry Assault Badge or Tank Combat Badge (this award replaced these for members of the Luftwaffe),
Participation in three assaults,
Having been wounded during an assault, or
Having earned an award during an assault