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Mischke, Gerd Paul Ludwig

Date of birth:
March 16th, 1920 (Barmen/Rhineprovince, Germany)
Date of death:
November 5th, 1992 (Wuppertal-Barmen/North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany)
Nationality:
German (1933-1945, Third Reich)

Biography

Gerd Mischke finally reached the rank of Hauptmann.

00.04.1939: entered the Luftwaffe, and began training with Fl.Ausb.Rgt. 82
00.07.1940: transferred to 2. /Flak-Btl. 7
00.00.1940: transferred to the Fallschirmtruppe
00.12.1940: transferred to 2./ Fsch.MG-Btl. 1
19.06.1942: promoted to Leutnant d.R.
00.11.1942: Lt., Zugführer in 9./ Lw.-Jäger-Rgt. Barenthin
01.03.1943: with Fsch.MG-Btl., promoted to Oberleutnant d.R. / A1
18.05.1943: Oblt. and Zugführer in 2./ Fsch.MG-Btl. 1, awarded the Ritterkreuz
01.09.1944: promoted to Hauptmann d.R.
01.01.1945: rank upgraded to Hptm. (Kr.O) in 4./ Fsch.Pz.Jg.Abt. 2, and awarded the DKiG

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Period:
Second World War (1939-1945)
Rank:
Leutnant (2nd Lieutenant)
Unit:
Zugführer, 2. Kompanie, Fallschirm-Flak-M.G.-Bataillon 1
Awarded on:
May 18th, 1943
Awarded for his actions in North Africa, where he played a major role in the German defensive efforts. His most noteworthy deeds are described in the following chronology…

26.11.1942: Prevented the further advance of US tanks to the north with his Zug in a fight south of Mateur.

09.03.1943: Destroyed an enemy tank at a range of 50 metres during a hostile armoured counterattack. After a further enemy tank ran over a mine Mischke prevented an Allied breakthrough against the German line 7 km west of Sedjenane, which had been badly weakened by fighting on the day before.

05.05.1943: With his remaining 4 Pak 38s, destroyed 6 enemy tanks near Sidi Abdallah while positioned in the sector of Marsch-Bataillon A 30. In doing so he prevented an Allied armoured breakthrough in this sector.

06.05.1943: Allies attempted to break through along the boundary of the Panzergrenadier-Regiment 160 and the Luftwaffe-Regiment Barenthin in the early morning. Here Mischke destroyed 8 enemy tanks. More than this he prevented the encirclement of the neighbouring formations and simultaneously helped create the preconditions for a counterthrust by the 15. Panzer-Division.
Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes
Period:
Second World War (1939-1945)
Rank:
Oberleutnant (1st Lieutenant)
Unit:
4. Kompanie, Fallschirm-Panzerjäger-Abteilung 2
Awarded on:
January 1st, 1945
Deutsches Kreuz in Gold

Sources

Photo