Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Awarded on:

September 18th, 1939

Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Awarded on:

July 23rd, 1940

Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Rank:

Oberleutnant (Flying Officer)

Unit:

Flugzeugführer, 1.(Fern) Staffel, Aufklärungsgruppe 121, Luftwaffe

Awarded on:

April 21st, 1941

Awarded for his achievements as a reconnaissance pilot on all fronts.

Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Rank:

Oberleutnant (Flying Officer)

Unit:

Flugzeugführer, 1.(Fern) Staffel, Aufklärungsgruppe 121, Luftwaffe

Awarded on:

February 26th, 1942

Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Rank:

Hauptmann (Flight Lieutenant)

Unit:

Staffelkapitän, 1.(Fern) Staffel, Aufklärungsgruppe 121, Luftwaffe

Awarded on:

February 8th, 1943

The following newspaper article (dated 11.02.1943) describes why Fischer was awarded the Oakleaves…

“First reconnaissance pilot with the Oakleaves - The distinguished Staffelkapitän Hauptmann Fischer

The Führer has awarded the Oakleaves to the Knight’s Cross of the Iron Cross to Hauptmann Erwin Fischer, Staffelkapitän in a Fernaufklärergruppe. He is the 191st soldier of the German Wehrmacht to be so honoured.

Hauptmann Fischer is the very first reconnaissance flyer to receive the Oakleaves. During the Polish campaign he flew operational reconnaissance flights as far as the Romanian and Polish border. In the western campaign he managed to endure an intense engagement with 3 Hurricanes while flying an He 111. He conducted additional reconnaissance missions that included flights to the Firth of Forth and Belfast as well as over the industrial areas in Northern Ireland and England. He sunk several patrol boats while conducting armed reconnaissance sorties over the ocean. In the Mediterranean Sea he flew hours-long sorties as far as the Suez Canal, and over the course of numerous sorties he obtained valuable information about enemy movements in Cyrenaica and Malta. His Staffel has just recently reported flying its 3000th combat sortie.”

Fischer had flown 273 combat sorties by the time he was awarded the Oakleaves.

191st Award