Willi Koch

Willi Koch
Willi Koch
Born	28 January 1917 Schlieben
Died	29 April 1945 (aged 28) Ferch Schwielowsee, near Potsdam
Allegiance	Nazi Germany
Service/branch	Heer
Years of service	1938–45
Rank	Oberfeldwebel
Unit	Grenadier-Regiment 32
Battles/wars	World War II Invasion of Poland Battle of France Operation Barbarossa Battle of Kiev (1941) Crimean Campaign (1941–1942) Siege of Sevastopol (1941-1942) Siege of Leningrad Battle of Berlin †
Awards	Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves

Willi Koch (28 January 1917 – 29 April 1945) was a highly decorated Oberfeldwebel in the Wehrmacht during World War II, and one of only 882 recipients of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves. The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross and its higher grade Oak Leaves was awarded to recognise extreme battlefield bravery or successful military leadership. Willi Koch was killed on 29 April 1945, during the Battle of Berlin

Awards and decorations

• Iron Cross (1939)
  • 2nd Class (2 November 1939)^[1]
  • 1st Class (13 July 1942)^[1]
• Close Combat Clasp
  • in Bronze
• Eastern Front Medal
• Wound Badge (1939)
  • in Black or in Silver
• Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves
  • Knight's Cross on 16 April 1944 as Feldwebel and commander of 6./Grenadier-Regiment 32^[2]
  • 612th Oak Leaves on 16 October 1944 as Oberfeldwebel and commander of 6./Grenadier-Regiment 32^[3]

References

Citations

1. Thomas 1997, p. 383.
2. Fellgiebel 2000, p. 217.
3. Fellgiebel 2000, p. 76.

Bibliography

• Fellgiebel, Walther-Peer (2000) [1986]. Die Träger des Ritterkreuzes des Eisernen Kreuzes 1939–1945 — Die Inhaber der höchsten Auszeichnung des Zweiten Weltkrieges aller Wehrmachtteile [The Bearers of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross 1939–1945 — The Owners of the Highest Award of the Second World War of all Wehrmacht Branches] (in German). Friedberg, Germany: Podzun-Pallas. ISBN 978-3-7909-0284-6.
• Scherzer, Veit (2007). Die Ritterkreuzträger 1939–1945 Die Inhaber des Ritterkreuzes des Eisernen Kreuzes 1939 von Heer, Luftwaffe, Kriegsmarine, Waffen-SS, Volkssturm sowie mit Deutschland verbündeter Streitkräfte nach den Unterlagen des Bundesarchives [The Knight's Cross Bearers 1939–1945 The Holders of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross 1939 by Army, Air Force, Navy, Waffen-SS, Volkssturm and Allied Forces with Germany According to the Documents of the Federal Archives] (in German). Jena, Germany: Scherzers Miltaer-Verlag. ISBN 978-3-938845-17-2.
• Thomas, Franz (1997). Die Eichenlaubträger 1939–1945 Band 1: A–K [The Oak Leaves Bearers 1939–1945 Volume 1: A–K] (in German). Osnabrück, Germany: Biblio-Verlag. ISBN 978-3-7648-2299-6.

External links

• Lexikon der Wehrmacht