Pieper, Willi (Grenadier-Regiment 478)

Date of birth:: October 30th, 1912 (Greifswald/Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Germany)
Date of death:: July 13th, 1943 (near Trosna northwest of Kursk/Russia, Soviet Union)
Nationality:: German (1933-1945, Third Reich)

Biography

Willi Pieper was posthumously promoted to Sanitäter-Feldwebel.

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Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes

Period:: Second World War (1939-1945)
Rank:: Sanitäts-Unteroffizier der Reserve (Medical Corporal of Reserves)
Unit:: Pionier-Zug, Stabskompanie, Grenadier-Regiment 478, 258. Infanterie-Division, Heer
Awarded on:: April 8th, 1943

Awarded for his actions on the 23.02.1943.

On this day a Soviet force advanced out of the Belyi—Nemed valley and utilized the cover of a snowstorm to capture a fruit garden at Nish. Grankina. The German defenders in this area were from the 7./Grenadier-Regiment 478, and in the resultant battle the Kompanie lost both its commander as well as all Zugführer. The seizure of the fruit garden meant that the Soviets now had access to a ravine that led straight to Trossna, which was only 4 km away. The Germans thus anticipated that the Soviets would reinforce and follow through with this initial success.

At this time Sanitätsunteroffizier Pieper was located at the Kompanie command post, and here he learned of how important the fruit garden was for the holding of the entire German defensive position in the area. As the only immediately available NCO, he decided to gather up the remaining soldiers of the Kompanie and launch a counterthrust during the evening hours. This counterthrust was a success, and the fruit garden was back in German hands by 23:00. 40 Soviet soldiers were killed during the counterthrust at a cost of only 3 casualties for the German side.

With this a potential collapse of the German position at this important location was averted.