Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Awarded on:

May 4th, 1940

Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Awarded on:

September 29th, 1940

Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Awarded on:

May 17th, 1941

Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Awarded on:

July 20th, 1942

Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Rank:

Oberfeldwebel (Flight Sergeant)

Unit:

III. Gruppe, Kampfgeschwader 6, Luftwaffe

Awarded on:

November 17th, 1942

Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Awarded on:

February 26th, 1943

Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Awarded on:

May 26th, 1943

Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Rank:

Fahnenjunker-Oberfeldwebel (Flight Sergeant)

Unit:

Beobachter, Stab, Kampfgeschwader 6, Luftwaffe

Awarded on:

January 9th, 1945

Dipberger’s Knight’s Cross recommendation reads as follows…

“Oberfeldwebel Dipberger, combat observer in the crew of Kommodore and Oakleaves Holder Oberstleutnant Hogeback, has so far outstandingly distinguished himself over the course of 337 combat sorties. These are broken down into:

32 against England
7 against Norway
11 against France
30 in the Mediterranean
196 against Russia
27 along the Invasion front
34 in Africa

Here follows a summary of his achievements prior to the award of the German Cross in Gold:

Oberfeldwebel Dipberger flew in 264 operations, during which he

1. Scored a hit on a cruiser in the harbour of Malta,
2. Scored a direct hit against a 3-4000 GRT freighter in the Mediterranean on the 30.04.1941,
3. Scored multiple directs hits during a deep strike against a tank assembly area near Tobruk on the 15.05.1941,
4. Scored direct hits against an ammunition dump in Tobruk, which caused 16 major explosions,
5. Scored a direct hit against a British tank assembly before Sollum on the 17.06.1941,
6. Scored hits against field positions, artillery positions and armoured fortifications during rolling attacks against Fortress Sevastopol. Particularly noteworthy was the high number of missions he flew on a daily basis (as many as 8-10 per day).

Here follows a summary of his achievements after his award of the German Cross in Gold:

Oberfeldwebel Dipberger flew in 107 operations, during which he

1. Flew 34 missions against the Soviet Union during the battle for Fortress Stalingrad.
2. Flew 6 missions in the Mediterranean area against North African ports and the Invasion fleet before Sicily.
3. Flew 6 missions against the English motherland.
4. Flew 27 missions against both the Invasion fleet as well as English/American troop assembly areas and troop movements.

During all of these operations the crew was consistently employed as the flight leader, target finder or marker. Oberfeldwebel Dipberger’s achievements are therefore all the more compelling when this is taken into account. His skill and bravery contributed massively to the success of this crew, whose commander is an Oakleaves Holder and whose gunner (Leutnant Glasner) and radio operator (Oberfeldwebel Lehnert) are both Knight’s Cross Holders.

Oberfeldwebel Dipberger is worthy of being awarded the Knight’s Cross to the Iron Cross.”

Among the appendices in this recommendation includes a summary of Dipberger’s achievements up to date, which reads as follows…

“Successes prior to being awarded the German Cross in Gold:

- Struck a hit against a cruiser in the Malta port
- Set afire a 4000 GRT ship in the Tobruk harbour
- Damaged a 12000 GRT ship off the coast of Sidibarani through a direct hit
- Destruction of an ammunition dump near Tobruk
- Direct hit against an armoured battery before Sevastopol
- 1 coasting vessel heavily damaged in the Black Sea via a direct hit
- 3 direct hits against materiel dumps, which caused great fires and explosions

Successes after being awarded the German Cross in Gold:

- 34 missions against the Soviet Union during the battle for Fortress Stalingrad
- 6 sorties in the Mediterranean area against North African ports and the Invasion fleet before Sicily. Sunk a 10000 GRT ship before Augusta
- 27 missions against both the Invasion fleet as well as English/American troop assembly areas and troop movements.”

Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)