Karl-Heinz Krahl

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.

Karl-Heinz Krahl
Born	25 September 1914 Breslau
Died	14 April 1942(1942-04-14) (aged 27) near Luqa, Malta
Buried	German war cemetery in Cagliari (reinterred)
Allegiance	Nazi Germany
Branch	Army (1934) Luftwaffe (1934–1942)
Years of service	1934–1942
Rank	Hauptmann (captain)
Unit	Condor Legion JG 2 JG 3
Commands	I./JG 2 II./JG 3
Battles / wars	See battles Spanish Civil War World War II Battle of France Battle of Britain Defense of the Reich Siege of Malta †
Awards	Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross

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.^[1]

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.^[2] Command of I. Gruppe of JG 2 was passed to Hauptmann Ignaz Prestele.^[3] 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.^[4][5]

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.^[6][7] The next day, he was replaced by Major Kurt Brändle as commander of II. Gruppe.^[2] Following World War II, Krahl was reinterred at the German War Cemetery in Cagliari, the capital of the island of Sardinia.^[8]

Summary of career

Aerial victory claims

According to Obermaier, Krahl was with 24 aerial victories.^[9] 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.^[10]

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

Awards

• Spanish Cross in Gold with Swords (14 April 1939)^[10]
• Iron Cross (1939) 2nd and 1st Class^[19]
• Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross on 13 November 1940 as Hauptmann and Gruppenkommandeur of the I./Jagdgeschwader 2 "Richthofen"^[20][21]