Description
WARTIME KNIGHTS CROSS WINNER PORTRAIT & SIGNATURE – HUBERTUS HITSCHOLD – STUKA ACE
Wartime portrait photo & signature. 9x13cm.\
Hubertus Hitschold (July 7, 1912 – March 10, 1966) was a German Luftwaffe dive-bomber commander during the Second World War, flying over 400 combat missions.
Military Role:
- Served in Sturzkampfgeschwader 2 “Immelmann” (a Stuka dive-bomber wing).
- Commanded the I. Group (I./StG 2), leading coordinated air-ground attack operations.
Notable Achievements:
- Played a major role in the Battle of France (1940), attacking fortifications, artillery, armored units, and Allied shipping.
- His unit significantly contributed to German breakthroughs and inflicted heavy losses on British and French forces, including damaging or sinking numerous ships during evacuations.
- Continued success in the Balkans Campaign and Operation Barbarossa, including sinking British destroyers during the Battle of Crete.
Awarded in recognition of his unit’s performance during the Battle of France, which included:
- Carrying out attacks on the forts at Eben Emael, Pontisse, and Flamelle.
- Destroying important French defensive positions and artillery near Gembloux, helping enable the German armored breakthrough of the Dyle line.
- Conducting strikes against withdrawing British forces and shipping at Boulogne, Calais, Dunkirk, and Gravelines, where his unit severely damaged 3 destroyers, 3 cruisers, and 10 transports, and inflicted heavy losses on approximately 164,000 tons of shipping.
- Eliminating six enemy artillery batteries during the Aisne River crossing near Soissons.
- Halting an enemy armored counterattack in the Nesle–Roye area.
- Neutralizing additional enemy batteries in the Aisne sector around Vailly-Bourg.
- Flying operations against targets in the Marne region, including Château-Thierry and along the Seine River.
Awards & Recognition:
- Knight’s Cross of the Iron Cross (1940)
- Oak Leaves to the Knight’s Cross (1941)
- Iron Cross (2nd Class 1939; 1st Class 1940)
