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Gerhard Koall
View on WikipediaGerhard "Knall" Koall (7 June 1912 – 27 April 1945) 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, and its variants were the highest awards in the military and paramilitary forces of Nazi Germany during World War II. Gerhard Koall was killed on 27 April 1945 after being hit by Soviet anti-aircraft fire near Anklam. During his career he was credited with 37 victories, 35 on the Eastern Front and 2 during the Invasion of Yugoslavia.
Key Information
Early life and career
[edit]Koall was born on 7 June 1912 in Königsberg in the Kingdom of Prussia of the German Empire. Today it is Kaliningrad in Kaliningrad Oblast, the Russian exclave between Poland and Lithuania on the Baltic Sea.[1] Koall, who was nicknamed "Knall" (lit. 'bang'), joined the military of the Luftwaffe in 1935. Initially serving as an aerial observer, he was promoted to Oberleutnant (first lieutenant) in August 1939. Following fighter pilot training at the air combat school in Fürstenfeldbruck,[Note 1] Koall was posted to Jagdgeschwader 54 (JG 54—54th Fighter Wing) in January 1941 where he was assigned to 7. Staffel (7th squadron).[3]
World War II
[edit]On Friday 1 September 1939, German forces had invaded Poland starting World War II in Europe. In January 1941, III. Gruppe (3rd group) of JG 54, the Gruppe to which Koall's 7. Staffel was subordinated, was commanded by Hauptmann Arnold Lignitz while 7. Staffel was headed by Oberleutnant Günther Scholz.[4] The Gruppe had been withdrawn from combat operations at the English Channel and had relocated to Dortmund Airfield on 4 December 1940 for a period of rest and replenishment. On 5 February 1941, III. Gruppe returned to combat on the English Channel.[5]
On 29 March, the Gruppe was ordered to Graz-Thalerhof in preparation for the Balkans campaign.[6] Operating from an airfield at Deta, III. Gruppe escorted bombers and dive bombers attacking Belgrade on 6 April. That day, Koall claimed a Royal Yugoslav Air Force Messerschmitt Bf 109 fighter shot down, his first aerial victory.[7] The next day the Gruppe moved to Pécs, known as Fünfkirchen to the Germans. Flying from Fünfkirchen to the combat area near Banja Luka, Koall claimed a PZL P.11 aircraft shot down.[8][Note 2] On 20 April, III. Gruppe was withdrawn from combat operation, relocating to Belgrad-Semlin.[10] On 4 May, the Gruppe began its transfer to Airfield Stolp-Reitz in Pomerania, present-day Słupsk, by train, arriving at Stolp-Reitz on 10 May.[11]
War against the Soviet Union
[edit]At Stolp-Reitz, JG 54 upgraded their aircraft to the Bf 109 F-2. For the next four weeks, the pilots familiarized themselves with the new aircraft before on 15 June, III. Gruppe was ordered to Blumenfeld in East Prussia, present-day Karczarningken in the Kaliningrad Oblast, in preparation for Operation Barbarossa, the invasion of the Soviet Union. During the upcoming invasion, JG 54 would be deployed in the area of Army Group North, was subordinated to I. Fliegerkorps (1st Air Corps) and supported the 16th and 18th Army as well as the Panzer Group 4 in their strategic objective to reach Leningrad.[11] On 22 June, the first day of the invasion, Koall made a belly landing at Łódź, renamed by the Nazis to Litzmannstadt, which damaged his Bf 109 F-2 (Werknummer 8230—factory number).[12]
On 23 February 1942, Koall was appointed Staffelkapitän (squadron leader) of 3. Staffel of JG 54. He replaced Hauptmann Hans Schmoller-Haldy who had been wounded in combat that day. The Staffel was subordinated to I. Gruppe of JG 54 which was headed by Hauptmann Hans Philipp.[13]
In mid-April 1943, a newly formed Jabostaffel (fighter bomber squadron) was formed and labeled 13.(Jabo) Staffel of JG 54 and placed under the command of Koall. This Staffel was then became the 10.(Jabo) Staffel of Jagdgeschwader 26 on 31 May before it became the 4.(Jabo) Staffel of JG 54 on 1 July. Initially, the Jabostaffel was based at Gatchina and was equipped with the Focke-Wulf Fw 190 A-5. The unit flew its first combat missions on 10 May.[14] While serving in the Jabostaffel, Koall was awarded the German Cross in Gold (Deutsches Kreuz in Gold) on 17 October.[15]
Group commander and death
[edit]In late-February 1944, Koall succeeded Hauptmann Siegfried Schnell as Gruppenkommandeur (group commander) of IV. Gruppe of JG 54 after Schnell had been killed in action on 25 February.[16] In parallel, his former 4.(Jabo) Staffel was integrated into IV. Gruppe, thus becoming the newly formed 12. Staffel of JG 54. Command of this Staffel initially remained vacant until Oberleutnant Rudolf Klemm was appointed on 5 June. On 26 May, command of IV. Gruppe was passed on to Major Wolfgang Späte and Koall transferred to I. Gruppe of Jagdgeschwader 101.[17] On 10 October, he was awarded the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross (Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes). In January 1945, Koall was given command of II. Gruppe of Ergänzungs-Jagdgeschwader 1, a fighter pilot training unit.[15]
On 25 April 1945 during the Battle of the Oder–Neisse, Koall was appointed Gruppenkommandeur of IV. Sturmgruppe of Jagdgeschwader 3 "Udet" (JG 3—3rd Fighter Wing). He replaced Oberleutnant Oskar Romm who had been severely injured the day before. The next day, the Sturmgruppe retreated from Prenzlau to an airfield at Greifswald. On 27 April, Koall was killed in action when his Fw 190 was shot down by Soviet anti-aircraft artillery near Anklam. Command of the Sturmgruppe was then given to Hauptmann Günther Schack on 1 May.[18]
Summary of career
[edit]Aerial victory claims
[edit]According to Obermaier, Koall was credited with at least 38 aerial victories claimed in an unknown number of combat missions. With the exception of two claims over Yugoslavia, all of his aerial victories were claimed on the Eastern Front.[1] Mathews and Foreman, authors of Luftwaffe Aces — Biographies and Victory Claims, researched the German Federal Archives and found documentation for 37 aerial victory claims. This number includes 35 claims on the Eastern Front and two over the Western Allies in Yugoslavia.[19]
Victory claims were logged to a map-reference (PQ = Planquadrat), for example "PQ 1011". The Luftwaffe grid map (Jägermeldenetz) covered all of Europe, western Russia and North Africa and was composed of rectangles measuring 15 minutes of latitude by 30 minutes of longitude, an area of about 360 square miles (930 km2). These sectors were then subdivided into 36 smaller units to give a location area 3 km × 4 km (1.9 mi × 2.5 mi) in size.[20]
| Chronicle of aerial victories | |||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
This and the ? (question mark) indicates information discrepancies listed by Prien, Stemmer, Rodeike, Bock, Mathews and Foreman.
| |||||||||||
| Claim | Date | Time | Type | Location | Claim | Date | Time | Type | Location | ||
| – 7. Staffel of Jagdgeschwader 54 –[21] Balkan Campaign — 29 March – 3 May 1941 | |||||||||||
| 1 | 6 April 1941 | 17:15 | Bf 109[22] | 2 | 7 April 1941 | 14:25 | PZL P.11[22] | ||||
| – Stab III. Gruppe of Jagdgeschwader 54 –[21] Operation Barbarossa — 22 June – 5 December 1941 | |||||||||||
| 3 | 23 June 1941 | 11:50?[Note 3] | I-15[23]?[Note 3] | 6 | 24 July 1941 | 17:20 | SB-2 | west of Dno[24] | |||
| 4 | 7 July 1941 | 08:02 | SB-3[25] | 7 | 19 November 1941?[Note 4] | 08:40?[Note 4] | PS-84[26] | ||||
| 5?[Note 5] | 14 July 1941 | 16:15 | DB-3[24] | 8 | 30 November 1941 | 10:15 | I-16[26] | ||||
| ?[Note 6] | 23 July 1941 | 11:50 | SB-2[21] | ||||||||
| – Stab III. Gruppe of Jagdgeschwader 54 –[21] Eastern Front — 6 December 1941 – 20 February 1942 | |||||||||||
| 9 | 27 February 1942 | 10:30 | P-40 | Krupitschina/Poroschki[27] | |||||||
| – 3. Staffel of Jagdgeschwader 54 –[21] Eastern Front — 23 February – 30 April 1942 | |||||||||||
| 10 | 13 March 1942 | 11:25 | P-40[28] | 11 | 15 March 1942 | 11:50 | I-16[28] | ||||
| – 3. Staffel of Jagdgeschwader 54 –[19] Eastern Front — 1 May 1942 – 3 February 1943 | |||||||||||
| 12 | 20 July 1942 | 19:05 | I-180 (Yak-7)[29] | 18 | 26 September 1942 | 10:00 | I-16 | PQ 1011[30] | |||
| 13 | 20 July 1942 | 19:08 | LaGG-3[29] | 19 | 15 January 1943 | 07:50 | Hurricane | PQ 00252[31] 15 km (9.3 mi) west-southwest of Shlisselburg | |||
| 14 | 2 August 1942 | 13:00 | I-180 (Yak-7) | PQ 00154[29] 10 km (6.2 mi) south of Leningrad |
20 | 15 January 1943 | 08:00 | La-5 | PQ 00233[31] 10 km (6.2 mi) west of Shlisselburg | ||
| 15 | 2 August 1942 | 13:20 | MiG-3 | PQ 00161[29] 10 km (6.2 mi) southeast of Leningrad |
21 | 15 January 1943 | 13:30 | Il-2 | PQ 10164[31] southeast of Shlisselburg | ||
| 16 | 24 August 1942 | 17:31 | Yak-1 | PQ 47842[29] 10 km (6.2 mi) south of Zubtsov |
22 | 23 January 1943 | 13:49 | Il-2 | PQ 10153[32] southeast of Shlisselburg | ||
| 17 | 25 August 1942 | 08:00 | Yak-1 | PQ 47852[29] 10 km (6.2 mi) southeast of Zubtsov |
23 | 23 January 1943 | 14:05 | I-16 | PQ 00262[32] 10 km (6.2 mi) southwest of Shlisselburg | ||
| – 3. Staffel of Jagdgeschwader 54 –[21] Eastern Front — 4 February – 17 April 1943 | |||||||||||
| 24 | 9 February 1943 | 09:15 | I-16 | PQ 36 Ost 00412[33] 10 km (6.2 mi) east of Pushkin |
27 | 16 March 1943 | 07:12 | LaGG-3 | PQ 35 Ost 18242[34] 20 km (12 mi) southeast of Staraya Russa | ||
| 25 | 9 February 1943 | 11:25 | Spitfire | PQ 36 Ost 00274[33] 15 km (9.3 mi) northeast of Pushkin |
28 | 16 March 1943 | 07:15 | La-5 | PQ 35 Ost 18271[34] 25 km (16 mi) southeast of Staraya Russa | ||
| 26 | 19 February 1943 | 11:22 | La-5 | PQ 36 Ost 00273[33] 15 km (9.3 mi) northeast of Pushkin |
|||||||
| – 4.(Jabo) Staffel of Jagdgeschwader 54 –[21] Eastern Front — 1 July – 31 December 1943 | |||||||||||
| 29 | 27 July 1943 | 08:20 | LaGG-3 | PQ 36 Ost 00263[35] 10 km (6.2 mi) southwest of Shlisselburg |
31 | 7 September 1943 | 14:40 | Il-2 | PQ 35 Ost 18113[35] 15 km (9.3 mi) southwest of Staraya Russa | ||
| 30 | 14 August 1943 | 06:48 | LaGG-3 | PQ 36 Ost 00431[35] 10 km (6.2 mi) southwest of Mga |
32 | 7 September 1943 | 14:42 | Il-2 | Tuleblja - Aleksino[35] | ||
| – Stab IV. Gruppe of Jagdgeschwader 54 –[36] Eastern Front — 26 February – 26 May 1944 | |||||||||||
| 33 | 25 March 1944 | 11:00 | Yak-4 | PQ 25 Ost 79243[37] Lake Peipus |
36 | 4 April 1944 | 16:00 | Il-2 | PQ 25 Ost 88363[38] 20 km (12 mi) southwest of Selo | ||
| 34 | 1 April 1944 | 09:30 | Yak-9 | southeast of Pleskau[37] | 37 | 20 May 1944 | 12:35 | Il-2 | PQ 25 Ost 98724[38] 55 km (34 mi) southeast of Ostrov | ||
| 35 | 4 April 1944 | 09:05 | Il-2 | PQ 25 Ost 88362[37] 20 km (12 mi) southwest of Selo |
|||||||
Awards
[edit]- Iron Cross (1939) 2nd and 1st Class[15]
- Honor Goblet of the Luftwaffe on 1 March 1943 as Hauptmann and Staffelkapitän[39]
- German Cross in Gold o 17 October 1943 as Hauptmann in II./Jagdgeschwader 54[40]
- Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross on 10 October 1944 as Hauptmann and Gruppenkommandeur of the IV./Jagdgeschwader 54[41][42]
Notes
[edit]- ^ Flight training in the Luftwaffe progressed through the levels A1, A2 and B1, B2, referred to as A/B flight training. A training included theoretical and practical training in aerobatics, navigation, long-distance flights and dead-stick landings. The B courses included high-altitude flights, instrument flights, night landings, and training to handle the aircraft in difficult situations.[2]
- ^ According to Shores, Cull and Malizia, the aircraft shot down was a Ikarus IK-2 fighter.[9]
- ^ a b According to Mathews and Foreman claimed at 16:15 over a Curtiss P-40 Warhawk.[21]
- ^ a b According to Mathews and Foreman claimed on 11 November 1941 at 08:46.[21]
- ^ This claim is not listed by Mathews and Foreman.[21]
- ^ This claim is not listed by Prien, Stemmer, Rodeike and Bock.[24]
References
[edit]Citations
[edit]- ^ a b Obermaier 1989, p. 147.
- ^ Bergström, Antipov & Sundin 2003, p. 17.
- ^ Dixon 2023, p. 154.
- ^ Prien et al. 2002, p. 332.
- ^ Prien et al. 2002, p. 329.
- ^ Prien et al. 2002, p. 330.
- ^ Weal 2001, p. 39.
- ^ Prien et al. 2003a, pp. 248, 254.
- ^ Shores, Cull & Malizia 1987, p. 217.
- ^ Prien et al. 2003a, p. 248.
- ^ a b Prien et al. 2003b, p. 246.
- ^ Prien et al. 2003b, p. 269.
- ^ Prien et al. 2005, p. 195.
- ^ Prien et al. 2012, pp. 289, 315.
- ^ a b c Dixon 2023, p. 155.
- ^ Weal 2001, p. 118.
- ^ Prien et al. 2022, pp. 517, 547.
- ^ Prien 1996, pp. 321–322, 324.
- ^ a b Mathews & Foreman 2015, pp. 655–656.
- ^ Planquadrat.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j Mathews & Foreman 2015, p. 655.
- ^ a b Prien et al. 2003a, p. 254.
- ^ Prien et al. 2003b, p. 262.
- ^ a b c Prien et al. 2003b, p. 264.
- ^ Prien et al. 2003b, p. 263.
- ^ a b Prien et al. 2003b, p. 268.
- ^ Prien et al. 2005, p. 250.
- ^ a b Prien et al. 2005, p. 201.
- ^ a b c d e f Prien et al. 2006, p. 89.
- ^ Prien et al. 2006, p. 94.
- ^ a b c Prien et al. 2006, p. 98.
- ^ a b Prien et al. 2006, p. 99.
- ^ a b c Prien et al. 2012, p. 169.
- ^ a b Prien et al. 2012, p. 172.
- ^ a b c d Prien et al. 2012, p. 318.
- ^ Mathews & Foreman 2015, p. 656.
- ^ a b c Prien et al. 2022, p. 552.
- ^ a b Prien et al. 2022, p. 553.
- ^ Patzwall 2008, p. 120.
- ^ Patzwall & Scherzer 2001, p. 239.
- ^ Fellgiebel 2000, p. 263.
- ^ Scherzer 2007, p. 455.
Bibliography
[edit]- Bergström, Christer [in Swedish]; Antipov, Vlad; Sundin, Claes (2003). Graf & Grislawski – A Pair of Aces. Hamilton MT: Eagle Editions. ISBN 978-0-9721060-4-7.
- Bergström, Christer [in Swedish]. "Bergström Black Cross/Red Star website". Identifying a Luftwaffe Planquadrat. Archived from the original on 22 December 2018. Retrieved 23 September 2025.
- Dixon, Jeremy (2023). Day Fighter Aces of the Luftwaffe: Knight's Cross Holders 1943–1945. Barnsley: Pen and Sword Books. ISBN 978-1-39903-073-1.
- Fellgiebel, Walther-Peer [in German] (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.
- Mathews, Andrew Johannes; Foreman, John (2015). Luftwaffe Aces — Biographies and Victory Claims — Volume 2 G–L. Walton on Thames: Red Kite. ISBN 978-1-906592-19-6.
- 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.
- Patzwall, Klaus D. (2008). Der Ehrenpokal für besondere Leistung im Luftkrieg [The Honor Goblet for Outstanding Achievement in the Air War] (in German). Norderstedt, Germany: Verlag Klaus D. Patzwall. ISBN 978-3-931533-08-3.
- Prien, Jochen (1996). IV./Jagdgeschwader 3—Chronik einer Jagdgruppe—1943 – 1945 [IV./Jagdgeschwader 3—Chronic of a Fighter Group—1943 – 1945] (in German). Eutin, Germany: Struve-Druck. ISBN 978-3-923457-36-6.
- Prien, Jochen; Stemmer, Gerhard; Rodeike, Peter; Bock, Winfried (2002). Die Jagdfliegerverbände der Deutschen Luftwaffe 1934 bis 1945—Teil 4/II—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/II—Action at the Channel and over England—26 June 1940 to 21 June 1941] (in German). Eutin, Germany: Struve-Druck. ISBN 978-3-923457-64-9.
- Prien, Jochen; Stemmer, Gerhard; Rodeike, Peter; Bock, Winfried (2003a). 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] (in German). Eutin, Germany: Struve-Druck. ISBN 978-3-923457-68-7.
- Prien, Jochen; Stemmer, Gerhard; Rodeike, Peter; Bock, Winfried (2003b). Die Jagdfliegerverbände der Deutschen Luftwaffe 1934 bis 1945—Teil 6/II—Unternehmen "BARBAROSSA"—Einsatz im Osten—22.6. bis 5.12.1941 [The Fighter Units of the German Air Force 1934 to 1945—Part 6/II—Operation "BARBAROSSA"—Action in the East—22 June to 5 December 1941] (in German). Eutin, Germany: Struve-Druck. ISBN 978-3-923457-70-0.
- Prien, Jochen; Stemmer, Gerhard; Rodeike, Peter; Bock, Winfried (2005). Die Jagdfliegerverbände der Deutschen Luftwaffe 1934 bis 1945—Teil 9/I—Winterkampf im Osten—6.12.1941 bis 30.4.1942 [The Fighter Units of the German Air Force 1934 to 1945—Part 9/I—Winter War in the East—6 December 1941 to 30 April 1942] (in German). Eutin, Germany: Struve-Druck. ISBN 978-3-923457-76-2.
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- Prien, Jochen; Stemmer, Gerhard; Rodeike, Peter; Bock, Winfried (2012). Die Jagdfliegerverbände der Deutschen Luftwaffe 1934 bis 1945—Teil 12/III—Einsatz im Osten—4.2. bis 31.12.1943 [The Fighter Units of the German Air Force 1934 to 1945—Part 12/III—Action in the East—4 February to 31 December 1943] (in German). Eutin, Germany: Buchverlag Rogge. ISBN 978-3-942943-07-9.
- Prien, Jochen; Stemmer, Gerhard; Balke, Ulf; Bock, Winfried (2022). Die Jagdfliegerverbände der Deutschen Luftwaffe 1934 bis 1945—Teil 15/II—Einsatz im Osten—1.1. bis 31.12.1944 [The Fighter Units of the German Air Force 1934 to 1945—Part 15/II—Action in the East—1 January to 31 December 1944] (in German). Eutin, Germany: Buchverlag Rogge. ISBN 978-3-942943-28-4.
- 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.
- Shores, Christopher F.; Cull, Brian; Malizia, Nicola (1987). Air War for Yugoslavia, Greece, and Crete, 1940–41. London: Grub Street. ISBN 978-0-948817-07-6.
- Weal, John (2001). Jagdgeschwader 54 "Grünherz". Aviation Elite Units. Vol. 6. Oxford, UK: Osprey Publishing. ISBN 978-1-84176-286-9.
