Wilhelm Crinius

Wilhelm Crinius (2 December 1920 – 26 April 1997) was a Luftwaffe fighter ace during World War II. A flying ace or fighter ace is a military aviator credited with shooting down five or more enemy aircraft during aerial combat. Crinius is credited with 114 aerial victories claimed in approximately 400 combat missions. He recorded 100 victories over the Eastern Front. Of his 14 victories claimed over the Western Front, one was a four-engined bomber. On 23 September 1942, Crinius became the only German fighter pilot to be awarded the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross and the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves simultaneously.

Early life and career Wilhelm Crinius was born in Hohenhausen, Kalletal on 2 December 1920. His father, also named Wilhelm, was a master craftsman and house painter and decorator, his mother née Tölle. Crinius attended the Volksschule, a primary school, in Hohenhausen from 1927 until 1935. In 1935 he started his merchant apprenticeship at the savings and loans bank in Hohenhausen. Parallel to his apprenticeship, he attended the vocational school. He worked at the saving and loans bank in Hohenhausen as an employee from Easter 1938 until November 1938.

In the summer of 1939, Crinus served in the compulsory labour service (Reichsarbeitsdienst), working in a construction unit on the Westwall, a fortified defensive line on Germany's western border. In January 1940, Crinius joined the Luftwaffe and was trained as a pilot.

World War II In February 1942, Gefreiter (lance corporal) Crinius was posted to 3. Staffel (3rd squadron) of Jagdgeschwader 53 (JG 53—53rd Fighter Wing) based in Sicily. In March and April 1942, he flew 60 missions over Malta. On 1 April, he was promoted to Unteroffizier (non-commissioned officer). In May 1942, I./JG 53 was transferred to the Eastern Front near Kursk. Crinius achieved his first victories on 9 June when he shot down two Il-2 Sturmoviks. On 8 July, Crinius shot down two Douglas Boston bombers west of Voronezh, although his aircraft was hit by Russian anti-aircraft fire and he was forced to belly-landed his Messerschmitt Bf 109 F-4 (Werknummer 10243—factory number) between the enemy lines, where he was rescued by a German patrol and safely returned to his unit.

In July 1942, I./JG 53 was sent to the southern sector of the Eastern Front, where Crinius claimed his 15th kill on 1 August. He claimed his 24th victory on 11 August 1942. The next day I./JG 53 relocated from Bereska to Tusov, closer to the front and Crinius shot down three Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-3s, bringing his total to 27 victories. Crinius recorded his 49th victory on 27 August which was also the 1,000th victory for I. Gruppe (1st group) of JG 53. After his 55th victory on 1 September he was promoted to Feldwebel (Sergeant). Hereafter Crinius was particularly successful, claiming some 40 victories in August and 46 victories in the timeframe 1–22 September, including his 100th on 22 September. He was the 22nd Luftwaffe pilot to achieve the century mark.

Together with Friedrich-Karl Müller, Crinius was awarded the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves on 23 September 1942. Crinius was awarded the Oak Leaves the same day he was awarded the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross . In consequence, Crinius travelled to the presentation ceremony wearing a makeshift Knight's Cross made from an Iron Cross second Class. He was the 127th member of the German armed forces to be so honored. The presentation was made by Adolf Hitler in October at the Führerhauptquartier Werwolf, Hitler's headquarters located in a pine forest about north of Vinnytsia, in Ukraine. Three other Luftwaffe officers were presented with the Oak Leaves that day by Hitler, Oberleutnant Müller, Oberleutnant Wolfgang Tonne and Leutant Hans Beißwenger. Crinius was promoted to Leutnant der Reserve (second lieutenant of the reserves) on 1 October 1942. Following the presentation, Müller, Tonne and Crinius were ordered to Berlin where they made a propaganda appearance at the "House of the Press". At the same time, I. Gruppe of JG 53 relocated from the Eastern Front to Comiso Airfiled in Sicily where they arrived on 10 October.

In November 1942, Crinius relocated with I./JG 53 to Tunisia. In Africa, Crinius claimed another 14 victories, including a B-17 Flying Fortress on 26 December 1942 over Bizerte. On 13 January 1943, he engaged in aerial combat with Royal Air Force (RAF) Supermarine Spitfire fighters near El Kala, Crinius' aircraft was hit and he was wounded in the thigh. Breaking off combat, he headed for his base but his engine then caught fire. He ditched his damaged Bf 109 G-2 (Werknummer 10805) in the sea. He spent 24 hours in the water before being rescued by French sailors and Arabs. After hospitalisation for his wounds, Crinius became a prisoner of war.

Later life After World War II, Wilhelm Crinius worked in private industry, serving as a director in the German branch of the Dutch Philips GmbH. He was appointed chairman of the board of directors of the Ernst Düllmann GmbH in 1971. On 18 June 1989, as a pensioner, Crinius ran for the European Parliament in Hesse as candidate for the right-wing German People's Union (Deutsche Volksunion). He died on 26 April 1997 in Stuhr-Fahrenhorst, Lower Saxony.

Summary of career

Aerial victory claims According to US historian David T. Zabecki, Crinius was credited with 114 aerial victories. Mathews and Foreman, authors of Luftwaffe Aces — Biographies and Victory Claims, researched the German Federal Archives and found records for 114 aerial victory claims. This figure includes 100 aerial victories on the Eastern Front and 14 over the Western Allies, including one four-engined bomber.

Victory claims were logged to a map-reference (PQ = Planquadrat), for example "PQ 39242". The Luftwaffe grid map covered all of Europe, western Russia and North Africa and was composed of rectangles measuring 15 minutes of latitude by 30 minutes of longitude, an area of about . These sectors were then subdivided into 36 smaller units to give a location area in size.

Chronicle of aerial victories Claim Date Time Type Location Claim Date Time Type Location – 3. Staffel of Jagdgeschwader 53 –Eastern Front — 28 May 1942 – 27 September 1942 1 9 June 1942 17:25 Il-2 51 28 August 1942 14:41 LaGG-3 PQ 50792 east-northeast of Stalingrad 2 9 June 1942 17:30 Il-2 52 28 August 1942 14:44 LaGG-3 PQ 50792 east-northeast of Stalingrad 3 21 June 1942 19:10 LaGG-3 53 30 August 1942 05:27 MiG-3 PQ 4921 northeast of Grebenka 4 23 June 1942 18:20 LaGG-3 54 30 August 1942 05:31 MiG-3 PQ 4921 northeast of Grebenka 5 23 June 1942 18:40 R-5vicinity of Yelets 55 1 September 1942 07:43 Pe-2 PQ 4935 south of Bassargino 6 23 June 1942 19:10 MiG-3 56 2 September 1942 09:43 P-40 PQ 4948 southeast of Stalingrad 7 28 June 1942 18:30 R-10 (Seversky) 57 2 September 1942 12:17? LaGG-3 PQ 4921 northeast of Grebenka 8 28 June 1942 18:33 R-10 (Seversky) north of Tschurnawa 58 2 September 1942 12:35 LaGG-3 PQ 4923 east-northeast of Stalingrad 9 3 July 1942 18:42 P-39 south of Walinow 59 2 September 1942 15:23 P-40 PQ 4933vicinity of Stalingrad 10 3 July 1942 18:53 P-39 Kriwonka 60 3 September 1942 14:12 La-5 PQ 4942 east-southeast of Stalingrad 11 5 July 1942 07:55 MiG-3 east of Voronezh 61 4 September 1942 05:12? Yak-1 PQ 4992 east of Stalingrad 12 8 July 1942 04:50 Boston 62 4 September 1942 10:25? Yak-1 PQ 4923 east-northeast of Stalingrad 13 8 July 1942 08:50? Boston east of Podgonnoje 63 4 September 1942 13:20 LaGG-3 PQ 49251 east of Stalingrad 14 27 July 1942 17:40 R-5 PQ 1761 64 5 September 1942 13:20 Yak-1 PQ 49274 east of Stalingrad 15 1 August 1942 14:19 LaGG-3 PQ 3941 southeast of Kalach 65 5 September 1942 13:22? Yak-1 PQ 49283 east of Stalingrad 16 3 August 1942 10:54 Il-2 PQ 3919vicinity of Kalach 66 6 September 1942 13:31 Yak-1 PQ 4912 north of Gumrak 17 3 August 1942 10:57 Il-2 PQ 3919vicinity of Kalach 67 6 September 1942 13:32 Yak-1 PQ 4912 north of Gumrak 18 3 August 1942 11:03 Il-2 PQ 3927vicinity of Kalach 68 6 September 1942 13:33 Yak-1 PQ 4912 north of Gumrak 19 5 August 1942 09:36 Il-2 PQ 4971 northeast of Aksay 69 6 September 1942 13:57 LaGG-3 PQ 5992 east of Stalingrad 20 6 August 1942 08:47 R-5 PQ 3965 north of Shutow 70 7 September 1942 05:23? La-5 PQ 4925 east of Grebenka 21 6 August 1942 16:40 Il-2 PQ 4958 northeast of Aksay 71 7 September 1942 13:35? Il-2 PQ 4925 east of Grebenka 22 8 August 1942 06:00 Il-2 PQ 4961 south-southeast of Stalingrad 72 7 September 1942 16:45 Il-2 PQ 49274 east of Stalingrad 23 8 August 1942 12:01 MiG-3 PQ 3945 southeast of Kalach 73 7 September 1942 16:49 Il-2? PQ 4925 east of Grebenka 24 9 August 1942 18:26 Il-2 PQ 3947 south-southeast of Kalach 74 8 September 1942 10:20 Il-2 PQ 4916vicinity of Grebenka 25 12 August 1942 04:23 MiG-3 PQ 39714 north-northwest of Kotelnikovo 75 8 September 1942 10:27 Yak-1 PQ 4924 east of Grebenka 26 12 August 1942 04:24 MiG-3 PQ 39711vicinity of Shutow 76 9 September 1942 10:17? LaGG-3 PQ 4924 east of Grebenka 27 12 August 1942 04:34 Il-2 PQ 3959 southeast of Nizhny Chir 77 9 September 1942 10:45 Yak-1 PQ 4059 east of Grebenka 28 13 August 1942 10:14 LaGG-3 PQ 49422 east of Stalingrad 78 9 September 1942 10:48 Yak-1 PQ 4059 east of Grebenka 29 13 August 1942 16:35 LaGG-3 PQ 3942 east-southeast of Kalach 79 10 September 1942 06:15 Yak-1 PQ 4927 east of Stalingrad 30 13 August 1942 17:55 LaGG-3 PQ 3942 east-southeast of Kalach 80 10 September 1942 06:19 Yak-1 PQ 4925 east of Grebenka 31? 14 August 1942 04:44 R-5 81 10 September 1942 14:10 LaGG-3 PQ 4947 east-southeast of Stalingrad 32 14 August 1942 14:15 Il-2 82 11 September 1942 11:40 LaGG-3 PQ 4079 north of Grebenka 33 15 August 1942 11:43? LaGG-3 PQ 4943 east-southeast of Stalingrad 83 11 September 1942 11:45 Yak-1 PQ 4087 north-northeast of Stalingrad 34 16 August 1942 06:10 MiG-3 PQ 4921 northeast of Grebenka 84 11 September 1942 14:27? Yak-1 PQ 4079 35 17 August 1942 15:45? R-5 PQ 49263 east of Stalingrad 85 15 September 1942 14:52? La-5 southeast of Stalingrad 36 18 August 1942 08:05 R-5 PQ 49253 east of Stalingrad 86 16 September 1942 12:05? LaGG-3 PQ 49422 37 19 August 1942 15:25 Boston PQ 59173 east of Stalingrad 87 17 September 1942 09:46 Yak-1 PQ 4075 north of Gumrak 38 19 August 1942 15:28 Il-2 PQ 59173 east of Stalingrad 88 17 September 1942 09:48 Yak-1 PQ 4076 north of Grebenka 39 20 August 1942 04:26 LaGG-3 PQ 49533 north of Grebenka 89 17 September 1942 09:51 Yak-1 PQ 4076 north of Grebenka 40 20 August 1942 04:49? Er-2 PQ 4078 north of Gumrak 90 17 September 1942 14:48 Yak-1 PQ 40731 north of Grebenka 41 21 August 1942 13:17 Boston PQ 5077 northeast of Stalingrad 91 19 September 1942 07:08 Yak-1 PQ 49124 north of Gumrak 42 23 August 1942 10:14 U-2 PQ 49223 northeast of Stalingrad 92 19 September 1942 07:11 Yak-1 PQ 49122 north of Gumrak 43 23 August 1942 10:22 R-5 PQ 4927 east of Stalingrad 93 20 September 1942 07:15 Yak-1 PQ 49291 east of Stalingrad 44 23 August 1942 12:50 I-180 (Yak-7) PQ 4916vicinity of Grebenka 94 20 September 1942 09:56 Yak-1 PQ 40761 north of Grebenka 45 23 August 1942 16:22 MiG-3 PQ 4924 east of Grebenka 95 20 September 1942 09:58 Yak-1 PQ 4076 north of Grebenka 46 24 August 1942 06:13 MiG-3 PQ 5914 east-northeast of Stalingrad 96 20 September 1942 16:10 LaGG-3 PQ 5911 47 24 August 1942 06:17 MiG-3 PQ 5915 east-northeast of Stalingrad 97 21 September 1942 06:07 Pe-2 PQ 49241 northeast of Stalingrad 48 26 August 1942 08:24 MiG-3 PQ 4916vicinity of Grebenka 98 21 September 1942 17:15 Yak-1 PQ 40792 north of Grebenka 27 August 1942 11:15 MiG-3 southeast of Stalingrad 99 21 September 1942 17:16 Yak-1 PQ 40792 north of Grebenka 49 27 August 1942 17:35 Yak-4 PQ 4911 north-northeast of Pitomnik 100 22 September 1942 06:45 Yak-1 PQ 49132south of Akhtuba 50 28 August 1942 08:12 P-40 PQ 4943 east-southeast of Stalingrad – 3. Staffel of Jagdgeschwader 53 –Mediterranean Theater — 1 October – 31 December 1942 101 1 December 1942 16:34 Spitfire south of Cap Scaramia 105 26 December 1942 13:28 B-17 Bizerte 102 1 December 1942 16:38 Spitfire south of Cap Scaramia 106 28 December 1942 14:07 Spitfire south of Souk El Arba 103 18 December 1942 11:55 P-38 south of Tunis 107 29 December 1942 14:35 Spitfire east-northeast of Bône 104 18 December 1942 11:56 P-38 south of Tunis – 3. Staffel of Jagdgeschwader 53 –North Africa — 1 January – May 1943 108 1 January 1943 11:15 Spitfire southeast of Bône 112 7 January 1943 15:03 Spitfire PQ 03 Ost 8582 109 1 January 1943 15:54 Spitfire south-southwest of Bône 113 8 January 1943 13:45 P-38 northeast of Béja 110 4 January 1943 10:36 Boston southwest of Sbeitla 114 8 January 1943 13:56 Spitfire northeast of Souk El Arba 111 6 January 1943 13:15 P-40 northeast of Cap Rosa

Awards Front Flying Clasp of the Luftwaffe for Fighter Pilots in Gold Bronze (30 March 1942) Silver (29 April 1942) Gold (18 August 1942) Iron Cross (1939) 2nd class (19 June 1941) 1st class (20 July 1941) Ehrenpokal der Luftwaffe on 13 September 1942 as Unteroffizier and pilot Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves Knight's Cross on 23 September 1942 and Feldwebel and pilot in the 3./Jagdgeschwader 53 127th Oak Leaves on 23 September 1942 and Feldwebel and pilot in the 3./Jagdgeschwader 53