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Heichele, Josef Anton(Füselier-Bataillon 129)

Date of birth:
October 15th, 1914 (Lauingen an der Donau/Bavaria, Germany)
Date of death:
November 8th, 2001 (Kempten im Allgäu/Bavaria, Germany)
Nationality:
German (1933-1945, Third Reich)

Biography

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Period:
Second World War (1939-1945)
Awarded on:
August 15th, 1941
Eisernes Kreuz 2. Klasse
Period:
Second World War (1939-1945)
Awarded on:
November 6th, 1941
Eisernes Kreuz 1. Klasse
Period:
Second World War (1939-1945)
Rank:
Oberleutnant (1st Lieutenant)
Unit:
II. / Grenadier-Regiment 430 / 129.Infanterie-Division
Awarded on:
February 14th, 1943

Award 302/6.
Deutsches Kreuz in Gold
Period:
Second World War (1939-1945)
Rank:
Hauptmann (Captain)
Unit:
Führer Divisions-Füselier-Bataillon (A.A.) 129 / 20.Panzer-Division / IX.Armee-Korps / 3.Panzer-Armee / Heeresgruppe Mitte
Awarded on:
January 31st, 1944
In December 1943 the Soviets manage to penetrate the defenses of the Füsilier-Bataillon 129 (located south of Newel) and capture the hill it was occupying. With 30 Füsiliers under his command, Hauptmann Heichele was able to smash this enemy force in a nocturnal counterattack. Despite being wounded in the process he succeeded in restoring the old German line. Heichele would receive the Knight’s Cross for this action.

2603rd Award.
Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes
Period:
Second World War (1939-1945)
Rank:
Major
Unit:
Kommandeur Füselier-Bataillon 129 / 129.Infanterie-Division / XX.Armee-Korps / 4.Armee / Heeresgruppe Nord
Awarded on:
February 17th, 1945
Ritterkreuz mit Eichenlaub
Awarded for once again distinguishing himself during the heavy fighting along the Narew near Rozan.

742nd Award.
Period:
Second World War (1939-1945)

Silver version.
Infanterie-Sturmabzeichen

Sources

  • Photo 1: Wehrkundearchiv
  • Photo: Deutsches Wehrkundearchiv
  • - THOMAS, FRANZ & WEGMANN, GÜNTER, Die Eichenlaubträger 1940-1945, Biblio-Verlag, 1997.
    - Die Ordensträger der Deutschen Wehrmacht (CD), VMD-Verlag GmbH, Osnabrück, 2002
    - Kwasny A., Kwasny G., Die Eichenlaubträger 1940-1945 (CD), Deutsches Wehrkundearchiv, Lage-Waddenhausen, 2001
    - Bender R.J., Breyette T., Tank Killers, RJ Bender Publications, 2000, ISBN 0-912138-83-1
    - Fellgiebel W.P., Elite of the Third Reich, The recipients of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross 1939-1945: A Reference, Helion & Company Limited, Solihull, 2003, ISBN 1-874622-46-9
    - Patzwall K., Scherzer V., Das Deutsche Kreuz 1941-1945, Geschichte und Inhaber Band II, Verlag Klaus D. Patzwall, Norderstedt, 2001, ISBN 3-931533-45-X
    - Scheibert, H., Die Träger des Deutschen Kreuzes in Gold (Das Heer), Podzun-Pallas Verlag, Friedberg, Germany, 1983

Photo