Karl-Heinz Greisert
Encyclopedia
Major
Karl-Heinz Greisert (2 February 1908 – 22 July 1942) was German
World War II Luftwaffe
Ace and a Geschwaderkommodore
of JG 2
and recipient of the German Cross
in Gold on 5 June 1942.
During the Spanish Civil War
Leutnant Greisert was assigned to 2. Staffel of J 88. He claimed his first and only, victory during this conflict on 30 November 1937 when he shot down a Russian made Republican flown Polikarpov I-16
fighter.
After fighting on the Western Front
for two years and accumulating 22 victories over the French and British, Greisert was transferred to JG 3 on the Eastern Front
in the spring of 1942. Beginning in May 1942 he continued his aerial success with victories against the Soviet Air Force
. In July 1942, while involved in a low level dogfight, Greisert was shot down and killed when he attempted to bail out of his aircraft and his parachute failed to open before he struck the ground.
Greisert was credited with 34 victories. He recorded 11 victories over the Eastern front, including six Il-2 Sturmoviks
. Included in his total are eleven Spitfires
.
Major
Major is a rank of commissioned officer, with corresponding ranks existing in almost every military in the world.When used unhyphenated, in conjunction with no other indicator of rank, the term refers to the rank just senior to that of an Army captain and just below the rank of lieutenant colonel. ...
Karl-Heinz Greisert (2 February 1908 – 22 July 1942) was German
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
World War II Luftwaffe
Luftwaffe
Luftwaffe is a generic German term for an air force. It is also the official name for two of the four historic German air forces, the Wehrmacht air arm founded in 1935 and disbanded in 1946; and the current Bundeswehr air arm founded in 1956....
Ace and a Geschwaderkommodore
Geschwaderkommodore
Geschwaderkommodore is a Luftwaffe position , originating during World War II, that is the equivalent of a RAF Group Commander or USAF Wing Commander. A Geschwaderkommodore is usually of Oberstleutnant or Oberst rank...
of JG 2
Jagdgeschwader 2
Jagdgeschwader 2 "Richthofen" was a World War II Luftwaffe wing. It was named after World War I fighter ace Manfred von Richthofen.-History:...
and recipient of the German Cross
German Cross
The German Cross was instituted by Adolf Hitler on 17 November 1941 as an award ranking higher than the Iron Cross First Class but below the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross respectively ranking higher than the War Merit Cross First Class with Swords but below the Knight's Cross of the War Merit...
in Gold on 5 June 1942.
During the Spanish Civil War
Spanish Civil War
The Spanish Civil WarAlso known as The Crusade among Nationalists, the Fourth Carlist War among Carlists, and The Rebellion or Uprising among Republicans. was a major conflict fought in Spain from 17 July 1936 to 1 April 1939...
Leutnant Greisert was assigned to 2. Staffel of J 88. He claimed his first and only, victory during this conflict on 30 November 1937 when he shot down a Russian made Republican flown Polikarpov I-16
Polikarpov I-16
The Polikarpov I-16 was a Soviet fighter aircraft of revolutionary design; it was the world's first cantilever-winged monoplane fighter with retractable landing gear. The I-16 was introduced in the mid-1930s and formed the backbone of the Soviet Air Force at the beginning of World War II...
fighter.
After fighting on the Western Front
Western Front (World War II)
The Western Front of the European Theatre of World War II encompassed, Denmark, Norway, Luxembourg, Belgium, the Netherlands, France, and West Germany. The Western Front was marked by two phases of large-scale ground combat operations...
for two years and accumulating 22 victories over the French and British, Greisert was transferred to JG 3 on the Eastern Front
Eastern Front (World War II)
The Eastern Front of World War II was a theatre of World War II between the European Axis powers and co-belligerent Finland against the Soviet Union, Poland, and some other Allies which encompassed Northern, Southern and Eastern Europe from 22 June 1941 to 9 May 1945...
in the spring of 1942. Beginning in May 1942 he continued his aerial success with victories against the Soviet Air Force
Soviet Air Force
The Soviet Air Force, officially known in Russian as Военно-воздушные силы or Voenno-Vozdushnye Sily and often abbreviated VVS was the official designation of one of the air forces of the Soviet Union. The other was the Soviet Air Defence Forces...
. In July 1942, while involved in a low level dogfight, Greisert was shot down and killed when he attempted to bail out of his aircraft and his parachute failed to open before he struck the ground.
Greisert was credited with 34 victories. He recorded 11 victories over the Eastern front, including six Il-2 Sturmoviks
Ilyushin Il-2
The Ilyushin Il-2 was a ground-attack aircraft in the Second World War, produced by the Soviet Union in very large numbers...
. Included in his total are eleven Spitfires
Supermarine Spitfire
The Supermarine Spitfire is a British single-seat fighter aircraft that was used by the Royal Air Force and many other Allied countries throughout the Second World War. The Spitfire continued to be used as a front line fighter and in secondary roles into the 1950s...
.