Anton Döbele Explained

Anton Döbele
Birth Date:	16 November 1910
Birth Place:	Ehrensberg
Death Place:	Vitebsk, Belarus
Placeofburial:	German War Cemetery at Vilnius-Vingio, Lithuania
Rank:	Leutnant (Posthumously)
Unit:	Condor Legion JG 54
Battles:	Spanish Civil War World War II Operation Barbarossa
Awards:	Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross

Anton Döbele (16 November 1910 – 11 November 1943) was a German 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. On 11 November 1943, Döbele was killed in a mid-air collision with an Ilyushin Il-2 ground-attack aircraft, at the time of his death he was credited with 94 victories claimed in 458 combat missions. He was posthumously promoted to an officers rank and awarded the Knight's Cross on 26 March 1944.

Career

Döbele was born on 16 November 1910 in Ehrensberg, present-day part of Bad Waldsee, at the time in the Kingdom of Württemberg within the German Empire. As an Unteroffizier (Staff Sergeant), he volunteered for service in the Condor Legion and participated in the Spanish Civil War with the ground staff. Following flight training, Döbele was posted to the Ergänzungsgruppe, a supplementary training group, of Jagdgeschwader 54 (JG 54—54th Fighter Wing) in late 1940. Döbele claimed his first aerial victory on 28 July 1941 when he shot down a Chyetverikov MDR-6 aerial reconnaissance flying-boat near the island Ösel.

On 9 March 1942, the Ergänzungsgruppe of JG 54 was disbanded and the pilots were transferred to I. Gruppe (1st group) of JG 54. In consequence, Döbele assigned to 1. Staffel (1st squadron) of JG 54. At the time, 1. Staffel was commanded by Oberleutnant Heinz Lange and part of I. Gruppe of JG 54, which was headed by Hauptmann Hans Philipp. The Gruppe was based at Krasnogvardeysk and was fighting in the siege of Leningrad. Here, Döbele claimed a Polikarpov I-16 fighter shot down on 17 March. Döbele then served as a fighter pilot instructor before returning to JG 54. He then joined Walter Nowotny, his wingman Karl Schnörrer, and Rudolf Rademacher, forming a team known as the "chain of devils" (Teufelskette) or the Nowotny Schwarm, which during the course of the war was credited with 524 combined aerial victories, making them the most successful team in the Luftwaffe. Following his eighth aerial victoriy claimed on 13 January 1943, Döbele was awarded the Iron Cross 1st Class (German: Eisernes Kreuz erster Klasse) on 3 February.

Operation Citadel

In early July, I. Gruppe of JG 54 was ordered to move to Oryol, in the southern sector of Army Group Centre, where it fought in Operation Citadel which initiated the Battle of Kursk. Subordinated to Luftflotte 6 (Air Fleet 6), the Gruppe began relocating on 2 July and arrived at the airfield name Panikowo, a makeshift airfield created for the attack on the Kursk salient, on 4 July. The next day, the Wehrmacht launched Operation Citadel and I. Gruppe supported the attack of the 9th Army on the northern sector of the salient, escorting bombers of Kampfgeschwader 4, 51 and KG 53 (KG 4, KG 51—4th, 51st Bomber Wing), as well as Junkers Ju 87 dive bombers of Sturzkampfgeschwader 1 (StG 1—1st Dive Bomber Wing) to their target areas. That day, I. Gruppe claimed 59 aerial victories, including a Curtiss P-40 Warhawk fighter by Döbele in the vicinity of Maloarkhangelsk. On 6 July, I. Gruppe targeted the airspace near Ponyri and during multiple combat missions claimed 29 aerial victories which included two Lavochkin-Gorbunov-Gudkov LaGG-3 and three Lavochkin La-5 fighters shot down by Döbelle, making him an ace-in-a-day. The following morning, Döbele claimed a Yakovlev Yak-7 fighter shot down.

Battle at Kharkiv, Smolensk and Nevel

On 9 August, I. Gruppe was ordered 400abbr=offNaNabbr=off south to Poltava Airfield where they were placed under the control of Luftflotte 4 (Air Fleet 4). The reason for this was a response to the successful Soviet Belgorod–Kharkiv offensive operation following the Battle of Kursk. On 11 August, Nowotny was temporarily appointed commander of I. Gruppe, a position he held until 15 September when he was officially assigned as Gruppenkommandeur. The next day, the Gruppe flew multiple combat air patrols and fighter escort for Ju 87 dive bombers in the area west of Kharkiv. That day, Döbele shot down a La-5 and a Yakovlev Yak-1 fighter. On 31 August, Döbele was awarded the German Cross in Gold (German: Deutsches Kreuz in Gold) and the Honor Goblet of the Luftwaffe (German: Ehrenpokal der Luftwaffe) on 13 September.

On 11 September, Döbele was nominated for the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross (German: Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes). Five days later, Nowotny submitted a report, requesting that Döbele be promoted to Leutnant (second lieutenant) for bravery before the enemy. At the time, Döbele had flown 418 combat missions and had been credited with 80 aerial victories to date. On 22 September, the Geschwaderkommodore (wing commander) of JG 54, Major Hubertus von Bonin, seconded the request, arguing that Döbele was an exceptional fighter pilot and leader.

On 23 October, during the Battle of Nevel, I. Gruppe moved to an airfield at Vitebsk where they supported Army Group Centre. Flying Focke-Wulf Fw 190 A-4 (Werknummer 7082—factory number) on 11 November 1943 at 10:42, Döbele was killed in a mid-air collision with an Ilyushin Il-2 ground-attack aircraft east of Vitebsk. At his funeral, the guard of honour was made up of Rademacher, Schnörrer, Fritz Tegtmeier, and Otto Kittel, with Nowotny and von Bonin giving an eulogy. Posthumously, Döbele was promoted to Leutnant and awarded the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross on 26 March 1944. He is interred at the German War Cemetery at Vilnius-Vingio.

Summary of career

Aerial victory claims

According to Spick, Döbele was credited with 94 aerial victories claimed in over 458 combat missions. Mathews and Foreman, authors of Luftwaffe Aces — Biographies and Victory Claims, researched the German Federal Archives and found records for 93 aerial victory claims, all of which claimed on the Eastern Front.

Victory claims were logged to a map-reference (PQ = Planquadrat), for example "PQ 25 Ost 1956". The Luftwaffe grid map (German: 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 360sqmi. These sectors were then subdivided into 36 smaller units to give a location area 3x in size.

Chronicle of aerial victories
Claim	Date	Time	Type	Location	Claim	Date	Time	Type	Location
– 1. Staffel of the Ergänzungsgruppe of Jagdgeschwader 54 – Operation Barbarossa — 22 June – 5 December 1941
1	28 July 1941	07:43	MBR-2?	PQ 25 Ost 1956 over sea, west of Ösel	2	30 July 1941	14:02	I-15	PQ 25 Ost 18461 30km (20miles) west of Demyansk
– 1. Staffel of the Ergänzungsgruppe of Jagdgeschwader 54 – Eastern Front — 6 December 1941 – 9 March 1942
4	4 February 1942	09:38	I-18 (MiG-1)	8km (05miles) northwest of Malaya Vishera
– 1. Staffel of Jagdgeschwader 54 – Eastern Front — March 1942 – 11 November 1943
4	17 March 1942	17:57	I-16		50	7 August 1943	08:44	Yak-9	PQ 35 Ost 54821 25km (16miles) southwest of Bolkhov
5	30 December 1942	13:25	Yak-4	PQ 2863	51	7 August 1943	08:59	Yak-9	PQ 35 Ost 54732 25km (16miles) east-northeast of Karachev
6	7 January 1943	09:41	I-16	PQ 1964	52	7 August 1943	11:41	La-5	PQ 35 Ost 54641 25km (16miles) west-southwest of Bolkhov
7?	12 January 1943	13:33	Il-2	vicinity of Mga	53	12 August 1943	09:15	La-5	PQ 35 Ost 41693
8	13 January 1943	13:25	Il-2	PQ 10173 vicinity of Mga	54	12 August 1943	14:02	Yak-1	PQ 35 Ost 51343, Boromlia 45km (28miles) northwest of Grayvoron
9	23 February 1943	07:10	La-5	PQ 36 Ost 10152 southeast of Shlisselburg	55	14 August 1943	09:50	La-5	PQ 35 Ost 51734 10km (10miles) northwest of Bohodukhiv
10	7 March 1943	16:25	LaGG-3	PQ 35 Ost 28382 15km (09miles) southwest of Demyansk	56	15 August 1943	07:05	La-5	PQ 35 Ost 51821 15km (09miles) northeast of Bohodukhiv
11	15 March 1943	08:10	Il-2	PQ 35 Ost 18251 20km (10miles) southeast of Staraya Russa	57	19 August 1943	15:44	Il-2	PQ 35 Ost 51511 northeast of Bohodukhiv
12	15 March 1943	10:59	La-5	PQ 35 Ost 18253 20km (10miles) southeast of Staraya Russa	58	19 August 1943	15:53	Il-2	PQ 35 Ost 51394 15km (09miles) southwest of Belgorod
13	17 March 1943	13:42	LaGG-3	PQ 35 Ost 18133 10km (10miles) southeast of Staraya Russa	59	20 August 1943	09:50	La-5	PQ 35 Ost 41454
14	19 March 1943	09:47	La-5	PQ 36 Ost 10189 southeast of Shlisselburg	60	20 August 1943	14:42	Il-2	PQ 35 Ost 51383 30km (20miles) west-northwest of Grayvoron
15	19 March 1943	10:05	LaGG-3	PQ 36 Ost 00283 20km (10miles) west of Mga	61	20 August 1943	14:53	Il-2	PQ 35 Ost 51523 northeast of Bohodukhiv
16	22 March 1943	08:44	Yak-1	PQ 36 Ost 00332 vicinity of Gatchina	62	21 August 1943	16:46	Il-2	PQ 35 Ost 51861 25km (16miles) east of Bohodukhiv
17?	11 April 1943	18:25	Il-2	3km (02miles) south of Leningrad	63	23 August 1943	06:02	La-5	PQ 35 Ost 51541 northeast of Bohodukhiv
18	26 April 1943	14:15?	Il-2	PQ 36 Ost 00181 vicinity of Leningrad	64	23 August 1943	17:01	Pe-2	PQ 35 Ost 60154 Gulf of Finland, north of Kunda
19	26 April 1943	14:16	I-16	PQ 36 Ost 00181 15km (09miles) northwest of Pushkin	65	23 August 1943	17:04	La-5	PQ 35 Ost 60164 Gulf of Finland, north of Kunda
20?	28 April 1943	19:33	Il-2	PQ 26 Ost 90224	66	23 August 1943	17:10	La-5	PQ 35 Ost 60273 Gulf of Finland, north of Kunda
21	8 June 1943	16:15	LaGG-3	PQ 36 Ost 10254 30km (20miles) west-southwest of Shlisselburg	67	24 August 1943	07:37	La-5	PQ 35 Ost 51384 30km (20miles) west-northwest of Grayvoron
22	17 June 1943	10:55	LaGG-3	PQ 26 Ost 90241 10km (10miles) south of Lomonosov	68	28 August 1943	11:48	Pe-2	PQ 35 Ost 43822 15km (09miles) east-northeast of Sevsk
23	19 June 1943	20:53	LaGG-5	PQ 36 Ost 20121, Volkhovstroy southwest of Volkhov	69	28 August 1943	11:52	LaGG-3	PQ 35 Ost 43822 15km (09miles) east-northeast of Sevsk
24	21 June 1943	15:33	La-5	PQ 36 Ost 21754, Novaya Ladoga 20km (10miles) north-northwest of Volkhov	70	1 September 1943	06:22	Yak-1	PQ 35 Ost 35371 5km (03miles) northeast of Yelnya
25	21 June 1943	20:05	LaGG-3	PQ 36 Ost 20374 20km (10miles) west-northwest of Volkhov	71	1 September 1943	12:13	Pe-2	PQ 35 Ost 35343 10km (10miles) southeast of Yelnya
26	24 June 1943	06:30	LaGG-3	PQ 36 Ost 10224 40km (30miles) west of Volkhov	72	1 September 1943	12:17	Pe-2	PQ 35 Ost 35392 15km (09miles) east of Yelnya
27	24 June 1943	06:40	LaGG-3	PQ 36 Ost 10253 30km (20miles) west-southwest of Shlisselburg	73	2 September 1943	11:00	Il-2	PQ 35 Ost 35343 10km (10miles) southeast of Yelnya
28	24 June 1943	07:02	Yak-1?	PQ 36 Ost 20121, Volkhovstroy west of Volkhov	74	2 September 1943	11:08	Il-2	PQ 35 Ost 25494 15km (09miles) west of Yelnya
29	5 July 1943	12:46	P-40	PQ 35 63732 25km (16miles) south-southwest of Maloarkhangelsk	75	2 September 1943	11:12	Il-2	PQ 35 Ost 35574 30km (20miles) south-southwest of Yelnya
30♠	6 July 1943	08:16	La-5	PQ 35 Ost 63581 20km (10miles) southwest of Maloarkhangelsk	76	2 September 1943	15:17	Il-2	PQ 35 Ost 35393 15km (09miles) east of Yelnya
31♠	6 July 1943	14:08	La-5	PQ 35 Ost 63713 40km (30miles) southwest of Maloarkhangelsk	77	6 September 1943	10:50	La-5	PQ 35 Ost 26881 vicinity of Yartsevo
32♠	6 July 1943	14:53	La-5	PQ 35 Ost 63732 25km (16miles) south-southwest of Maloarkhangelsk	78	6 September 1943	10:51	La-5	PQ 35 Ost 26882 vicinity of Yartsevo
33♠	6 July 1943	18:34	LaGG-3	PQ 35 Ost 63862 45km (28miles) north-northwest of Kursk	79	7 September 1943	11:33	Yak-9	PQ 35 Ost 26673 25km (16miles) northeast of Moschna
34♠	6 July 1943	18:45	LaGG-3	PQ 35 Ost 63574 35km (22miles) southwest of Maloarkhangelsk	80	10 September 1943	13:15	Yak-9	PQ 35 Ost 44152 25km (16miles) south of Kirov
35	7 July 1943	08:43	Yak-7	PQ 35 Ost 63712 40km (30miles) southwest of Maloarkhangelsk	81	14 September 1943	11:53	Yak-9	PQ 35 Ost 26482 25km (16miles) north of Yartsevo
36	7 July 1943	18:12	LaGG-3	PQ 35 Ost 63748 45km (28miles) southwest of Maloarkhangelsk	82	14 September 1943	15:32	P-39	PQ 35 Ost 44354 10km (10miles) west of Datkovo
37	8 July 1943	17:41	La-5	PQ 35 Ost 63582 20km (10miles) southwest of Maloarkhangelsk	83	13 October 1943	08:02	La-5	PQ 35 Ost 15543 south of Lenin
38	10 July 1943	10:37	LaGG-3	PQ 35 Ost 53833 55km (34miles) north-northwest of Kursk	84	13 October 1943	08:05	La-5	PQ 35 Ost 15534 northeast of Gorki
39	13 July 1943	07:30	Il-2	PQ 35 Ost 64857 20km (10miles) southeast of Mtsensk	85	15 October 1943	15:00	LaGG-3	PQ 35 Ost 15642 20km (10miles) south-southeast of Krassnyj
40?	13 July 1943	14:02	Il-2	PQ 35 Ost 54441	86	21 October 1943	11:17	Yak-9	PQ 35 Ost 03842
41	16 July 1943	08:55	LaGG-3	PQ 35 Ost 54766 20km (10miles) north-northwest of Bolkhov	87	22 October 1943	14:55	Yak-9	PQ 35 Ost 15341 20km (10miles) west of Krassnyj
42	18 July 1943	04:52	LaGG-3	PQ 35 Ost 54493 10km (10miles) northwest of Bolkhov	88	29 October 1943	14:03	Il-2	PQ 35 Ost 05461
43	21 July 1943	19:54	Il-2	PQ 35 Ost 54542 25km (16miles) north-northwest of Karachev	89	29 October 1943	14:16	Il-2	PQ 35 Ost 05453, northeast of Orsha
44	23 July 1943	12:34	Il-2	PQ 35 Ost 54398 40km (30miles) west-northwest of Bolkhov	90	4 November 1943	13:17	Yak-9	PQ 25 Ost 97874, south of Nevel 20km (10miles) west of Nevel
45	23 July 1943	12:37	La-5	PQ 35 Ost 54533 40km (30miles) west of Bolkhov	91	4 November 1943	13:22	Il-2	PQ 25 Ost 97883 10km (10miles) west of Nevel
46	2 August 1943	16:50	LaGG-3	PQ 35 Ost 54653 20km (10miles) west-southwest of Bolkhov	92	6 November 1943	14:44	Yak-9	PQ 35 Ost 06173
47	2 August 1943	17:00	P-40	PQ 35 Ost 54633 10km (10miles) west of Bolkhov	93	10 November 1943	09:16	Yak-9	PQ 25 Ost 96234 10km (10miles) south of Nevel
48	3 August 1943	11:45	LaGG-3	PQ 35 Ost 54723 10km (10miles) northeast of Woronowo	94	11 November 1943	10:38	Il-2	PQ 35 Ost 06723
49	4 August 1943	15:31	Il-2	PQ 35 Ost 44862 vicinity of Karachev	95	11 November 1943	10:42	Il-2	PQ 35 Ost 06762

Awards

• Iron Cross (1939)
  • 2nd Class (March 1942)
  • 1st Class (3 February 1943)
• Honor Goblet of the Luftwaffe on 13 September 1943 as Oberfeldwebel and pilot
• German Cross in Gold on 31 August 1943 as Oberfeldwebel in the I./Jagdgeschwader 54
• Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross on 26 March 1944 as Oberfeldwebel and pilot in the 3./Jagdgeschwader 54

References

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