(Anerkennungsurkunde des Oberbefehlshabers des Heeres für Flugzeugabschüsse mit Infanteriewaffen)

Date Instituted

6 September 1941

Requirements

Shooting down an aircraft with infantry weapons.

Could be awarded to entire units or even to single soldiers of the Heer and the Waffen-SS if the downing singlehandedly was confirmed.

Number Awarded

591

Recipients

In 1942/43 Infanterie-/Grenadier-Regiment 96 of the 32. Infanterie-Division received 5 Unit-Level certificates :
I./Infanterie-Regiment 96
Date/Place of Downing: 11.08.1942 bei Samoschenka
Award Date: 28.11.1942 (260)
1./Infanterie-Regiment 96
Date/Place of Downing: 21.08.1942 bei Samoschenka (2 aircraft)
Award Date: 28.11.1942 (278)
1./Infanterie-Regiment 96
Date/Place of Downing: 25.08.1942 bei Samoschenka
Award Date: 28.11.1942 (279)
3./Grenadier-Regiment 96
Date/Place of Downing: 26.10.1942 bei Shabje
Award Date: 11.02.1943 (312)
3./Grenadier-Regiment 96
Date/Place of Downing: 21.02.1943 bei Nowy-Gorki
Award Date: 16.08.1943 (372)

Another example of a Unit-Level certificate :
4./Wolgatartarisches Infanterie-Bataillon 826 / 158. Reserve-Division
Date/Place of Downing: 18.05.1943 bei St. Gilles
Award Date: 01.11.1943 (408)

Awarded twice have been the following soldiers :
Harloff, Kurt, 07.11.1941 (20), Obergefreiter, Sturm-Gesch.Batt. 666 / AOK 16
Harloff, Kurt, 24.09.1942 (250), Obergefreiter, 1./Sturm-Gesch.Abt. 184
Christmann, Otto, 24.09.1942 (221), Obergefreiter, 11./Art.Rgt. 86 / 112. Inf.Div.
Christmann, Otto, 24.09.1942 (222), Obergefreiter, 11./Art.Rgt. 86 / 112. Inf.Div.
Kuhna, Bernhard, 16.05.1942 (58), Oberleutnant, 4./Inf.Rgt. 508 / 292. Inf.Div.
Kuhna, Bernhard, 16.05.1942 (58a), Oberleutnant, 4./Inf.Rgt. 508 / 292. Inf.Div.
Holzer, Johann, 16.08.1943 (340), Leutnant, 12./Geb.Jäg.Rgt. 85 / 5. Geb.Div.
Holzer, Johann, 16.08.1943 (370), Leutnant, 12./Geb.Jäg.Rgt. 85 / 5. Geb.Div.

The only non-German recipient :
Pizzato, Guido, 03.08.1944 [Date of Action] (531), Legionär, 1. Kp./29. Btl./49. Legion San Marco / V. SS-Korps

A Gefreiter and musician in a regimental band :
Melech, [first name not listed], 01.11.1943 (423), Gefreiter, Rgt.Musikzug/Gren.Rgt. 479 / 258. Inf.Div.

The following certificates to 302. Infanterie-Division were all rendered for shooting down aircraft on 19.08.1942 during Operation “Jubilee”, the Dieppe Raid :
Böhnisch, Helmut, 28.11.1942 (272), Unteroffizier, 3./Inf.Rgt. 571
Diestel, [first name not listed], 28.11.1942 (281), Leutnant, 4./Art.Rgt. 302
Holz, Bruno, 16.08.1943 (270), Gefreiter, 11./Inf.Rgt. 570
Klepke, [first name not listed], 28.11.1942 (275), Unteroffizier, 12./Inf.Rgt. 571
9./Infanterie-Regiment 570
Date/Place of Downing: 19.08.1942 bei Rainfreville
Award Date: 28.11.1942 (271)
1./Infanterie-Regiment 571
Date/Place of Downing: 19.08.1942 bei Quiberville
Award Date: 28.11.1942 (273)
3./Pionier-Bataillon 302
Date/Place of Downing: 19.08.1942 bei Appeville
Award Date: 28.11.1942 (274)

The holders of this award are listed on the individual unit histories as part of the Holders of high awards project.

Comments

Presented by Generalfeldmarschall Walter von Brauchitsch, OB des Heeres, until December 1941, and signed by him personally. Since Jan 1942 presented by “Der Führer und Oberbefehlshaber des Heeres Adolf Hitler”. Thereby another version of the certificate was introduced having printed the entire text and the signature of Hitler.