Paletta, Harry Horst (Waffen SS)
- Date of birth:
- August 29th, 1922 (Scholastikowo, West Prussia, Poland)
- Date of death:
- November 17th, 1944 (near Batina, Vinkovci , Baranja, Croatia)
- Buried on:
- German War Graves Zagreb
Grave: UNK. - Service number:
- SS-Nr.: 391.948 // NSDAP-Nr.:
- Nationality:
- German (1933-1945, Third Reich)
Biography
Promotions:
20.04.1941: SS-Untersturmführer
21.06.1943: SS-Obersturmführer
Career:
01.10.1932-24.10.1935: Hitlerjugend
24.10.1939: joined the SS SS-Standarte "Deutschland"
02.09.1940-10.04.1941: SS-Junker, SS-Junkerchule Bad Tölz
20.04.1941-15.02.1943: SS-Ustuf, 14. Kompanie, SS-Infanterie-Regiment "Nordland", 5. SS-Panzer-Division "Wiking"
15.02.1943-22.03.1943: SS-Ustuf, SS-Panzerjager-Ersatz-Abteilung, 5. SS-Panzergrenadier-Division "Wiking"
22.03.1943-12.07.1943: SS-Ustuf, SS-Sturmgeschütz-Ersatz-Abteilung 5, 5. SS-Panzergrenadier-Division "Wiking"
12.07.1943: SS-Ostuf, SS-Sturmgeschütz-Batterie, ,7. SS-Freiwilligen-Gebirgs-Division "Prinz Eugen"
00.11.1944: SS-Ostuf, Führer, SS-Sturmgeschütz-Batterie, SS-Panzerjäger-Abteilung 7, 7.SS-Freiwilligen-Gebirgs-Division "Prinz Eugen"
Tank ace credited with 12 tank kills
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Ehrendegen des Reichsführers-SS
- Period:
- Second World War (1939-1945)
- Rank:
- SS-Untersturmführer (2nd Lieutenant)
- Unit:
- Zugführer, 14. Kompanie, SS-Infanterie-Regiment "Nordland", 5. SS-Panzer-Division “Wiking”
- Awarded on:
- August 29th, 1941
- Period:
- Second World War (1939-1945)
- Rank:
- SS-Untersturmführer (2nd Lieutenant)
- Unit:
- Zugführer, 14. Kompanie, SS-Infanterie-Regiment "Nordland", 5. SS-Panzer-Division “Wiking”
- Awarded on:
- September 5th, 1941
- Period:
- Second World War (1939-1945)
- Rank:
- SS-Untersturmführer (2nd Lieutenant)
- Unit:
- Zugführer, 14. Kompanie, SS-Infanterie-Regiment "Nordland", 5. SS-Panzer-Division “Wiking”
- Awarded on:
- December 15th, 1941
- Period:
- Second World War (1939-1945)
- Rank:
- SS-Untersturmführer (2nd Lieutenant)
- Unit:
- Zugführer, 14. Kompanie, SS-Infanterie-Regiment "Nordland", 5. SS-Panzer-Division “Wiking”
- Awarded on:
- February 22nd, 1942
- Period:
- Second World War (1939-1945)
- Rank:
- SS-Untersturmführer (2nd Lieutenant)
- Unit:
- Zugführer, 14. Kompanie, SS-Infanterie-Regiment "Nordland", 5. SS-Panzer-Division “Wiking”
- Awarded on:
- April 15th, 1943
- Period:
- Second World War (1939-1945)
- Rank:
- SS-Untersturmführer (2nd Lieutenant)
- Unit:
- Zugführer, 14. Kompanie, SS-Infanterie-Regiment "Nordland", 5. SS-Panzer-Division “Wiking”
- Awarded on:
- May 1st, 1943
- Period:
- Second World War (1939-1945)
- Rank:
- SS-Obersturmführer (Lieutenant)
- Unit:
- Kdr, SS-Sturmgeschütz-Batterie, 7. SS-Freiwilligen-Gebirgs Division “Prinz Eugen”
- Awarded on:
- August 21st, 1944
- Period:
- Second World War (1939-1945)
- Rank:
- SS-Obersturmführer (Lieutenant)
- Unit:
- Chef, SS-Sturmgeschütz-Abteilung 7 "Prinz Eugen", 7. SS-Freiwilligen-Gebirgsjäger-Division "Prinz Eugen"
- Awarded on:
- November 26th, 1944
“SS-Obersturmführer Paletta, commander of the SS-Sturmgeschütz-Batterie of the SS-Panzer-Jäger-Abteilung 7 (SS-Gebirgs-Division “Prinz Eugen”), has overseen the destruction of 31 T-34s in just 4 days. He alone destroyed 10 T-34s with his Sturmgeschütz. The other 21 tanks were knocked out by his subordinate Sturmgeschütz crews.
Throughout this decisive success he repeatedly demonstrated great personal daring and bravery. And by it he permitted the formation of a bridgehead over the Save river according to plan, which was held until the arrival of those divisions fighting south of Belgrade.”
To this was added a note of approval by Generalfeldmarschall Freiherr von Weichs…
“I support this recommendation. As a result of the destruction of 31 enemy tanks by SS-Obersturmführer Paletta and his subordinated Sturmgeschütze the Belgrade bridgehead could be held long enough for the hard pressed troops south of here to retreat over the Save.”
posthumously awarded
Sources
- Photo 1:
- Photo 2:
- - THOMAS, FRANZ & WEGMANN, GÜNTER, Die Ritterkreuzträger der Deutschen Wehrmacht 1939-1945, Biblio-Verlag, 1993.
- Kumm, O, The History of the 7. SS-Mountain Division "Prinz Eugen", J.J. Fedorowicz Publishing Inc., U.S.A., 1995
- Fellgiebel, Walther-Peer, Elite if the Third Reich - The Recipients of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross 1939-45, Helion & Company Limited (English edition), England, 2003
- Axis Biographical Research
- das-ritterkreuz.de
- Axis History Biographical Research via Axis History Forum
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