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Koch, Walter (Fallschirmjäger)

Date of birth:
September 10th, 1910 (Bonn/Rhineprovince, Germany)
Date of death:
October 23rd, 1943 (Berlin/Brandenburg, Germany)
Buried on:
German War Graves Beuel
Grave: 8.
Nationality:
German (1933-1945, Third Reich)

Biography

Walter Koch finally reached the rank of Oberstleutnant. He died on 23rd October 1943 in a hospital in Berlin beceause of the wounds inflicted in a plane crash in Tunesia. His body was transferred to Bonn and there buried.

Promotions:
?: Leutnant (Landespolizei);
April 20th, 1938: Hauptmann (Luftwaffe);
May 1941: Major;
April 20th, 1942: Oberstleutnant.

Career:
April 3rd, 1929: Landespolizei;
?: Polizeiabteilung z.b.V. Wecke;
November 1939: Fallschirmjäger-Sturm-Abteilung "Koch";
?: I. Bataillon, Luftlande-Sturm-Regiment 1;
March 11th, 1942 - April 21st, 1943: Kommandeur, Fallschirmjäger-Regiment 5.

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Period:
Second World War (1939-1945)
Rank:
Hauptmann (Captain)
Unit:
Fallschirmjäger-Sturm-Abteilung “Koch”, 7. Flieger-Division, Luftwaffe
Awarded on:
May 12th, 1940
Awarded for:
Operation Fall Gelb
Eisernes Kreuz 2. Klasse
Period:
Second World War (1939-1945)
Rank:
Hauptmann (Captain)
Unit:
Fallschirmjäger-Sturm-Abteilung “Koch”, 7. Flieger-Division, Luftwaffe
Awarded on:
May 12th, 1940
Awarded for:
Operation Fall Gelb
Eisernes Kreuz 1. Klasse
Period:
Second World War (1939-1945)
Rank:
Hauptmann (Captain)
Unit:
Fallschirmjäger-Sturm-Abteilung “Koch”, 7. Flieger-Division, Luftwaffe
Awarded on:
May 10th, 1940
Awarded for:
Operation Fall Gelb
The following wartime excerpt (dated 30.08.1940) describes why Koch received the Knight’s Cross…

“Major Walter Koch distinguished himself through his brave and fearless devotion to duty during the capture of Fort Eben-Emael (the strongest fortress in Lüttich). He already received the Knight’s Cross on the first day of the German Western offensive and was promoted to the rank of Major by the Führer.”
Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes
Period:
Second World War (1939-1945)
Rank:
Major
Unit:
Führer, I. Bataillon, Luftlande-Sturm-Regiment 1, Luftwaffe
Awarded on:
March 31st, 1942
Deutsches Kreuz in Gold
Period:
Second World War (1939-1945)
Rank:
Major
Awarded on:
June 9th, 1941
In the battles in Crete parachute units under the leadership of Major Koch, Hauptmann Altmann and Oberleutnant Genz distinguished themselves through boldness and courage.
Wehrmachtbericht
Period:
Second World War (1939-1945)
Awarded on:
1942
Medaille

Sources