Loebel, Walter

Date of birth:: June 23rd, 1902 (Berlin/Brandenburg, Germany)
Date of death:: September 6th, 1941 (Smolensk/Russia, Soviet Union)
Nationality:: German

Biography

Walter Loebel reached the rank of Oberst im Generalstab.

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Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes

Period:: Second World War (1939-1945)
Rank:: Oberstleutnant im Generalstab (Wing Commander with General Staff)
Unit:: Kommodore Kampfgeschwader 30
Awarded on:: July 29th, 1940

The following wartime excerpt (dated 30.08.1940) describes why Loebel received the Knight’s Cross…

“Oberstleutnant Loebel is the Kommodore of a Kampfgeschwader that already has attained a string of proud victories at places such as Scapa Flow, Shetland, Norway and Flanders. The Geschwader has so far sunk 663000 GRT of shipping (248000 GRT of which comprises warships) and heavily damaged a further 528500 GRT (421000 GRT of which comprises warships). The Geschwader was also involved in the first decisive attacks against the defenses and ground facilities of the Dutch air force, a time in which it also facilitated the landing of an air-landing Korps into Holland itself. The successes of this Geschwader (which have been recognized through the awarding of 6 Knight’s Crosses to its members) are of course in many ways creditable to the exemplary and tactically sound leadership of its Kommodore.”