Alfred Grislawski
| Alfred Grislawski | |
|---|---|
Alfred Grislawski
|
|
| Born |
2 November 1919 Wanne-Eickel, Germany |
| Died | 19 September 2003 (aged 83) Herne, Germany |
| Allegiance |
 Nazi Germany
|
| Service/branch |
 Luftwaffe
|
| Rank | Hauptmann |
| Unit | JG 52, JG 50, JG 53, JG 1 |
| Commands held | 1./JG 1, 11./JG 53, III./JG 1 |
| Battles/wars | |
| Awards | Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves |
Alfred Grislawski (2 November 1919 – 19 September 2003) was a former Luftwaffe fighter ace and recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves 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. He was credited with 133 victories claimed in over 800 combat missions. He recorded 24 victories over the Western Front, including 18 United States Army Air Forces (USAAF) four–engine bombers. Of his 109 claims recorded over the Eastern Front, 16 were Il-2 Sturmoviks.
Alfred Grislawski was born 2 November 1919 at Wanne-Eickel in the Ruhrgebiet, the son of Gustav Grislawski, a coal miner and member of the Communist Party of Germany (KPD), and his wife Henriette. He was the second of four children, with an older brother, Walter, a younger sister, Herta, and the youngest brother Horst. His first years of his life were characterized by hardship and starvation caused by the hyperinflation in the Weimar Republic in aftermaths of World War I. On leaving school Grislawski worked on a farm in Pomerania. He applied to join the Navy but was rejected in preference to a posting in Naval Aviation. Grislawski began his training at Fliegerersatzabteilung 16 (16th Flier Replacement Unit) at Schleswig.
In July 1940, the graduated Gefreiter Grislawski was posted into III./Jagdgeschwader 52 (JG 52), based at Zerbst. He was promoted to Unteroffizier in October. The same month III./JG 52 was ordered to Romania and as the redesignated I./JG 28 tasked with training Romanian Air Force personnel. In August 1941, III./JG 52 was ordered to the Eastern Front and based in Ukraine. Grislawski gained his first victory on 1 September 1941, when he shot down a Soviet I-16. By the end of 1941, Grislawski had a victory total 11. At the end of December, III./JG 52 relocated to the Kharkiv area. In April, 9./JG 52 were ordered to the Crimea in support of the Kerch offensive. Grislawski recorded his 20th claim on 30 April, when he shot down a Soviet I-15bis fighter-bomber. Grislawski was particularly successful during May 1942 claiming 22 victories, and in July Grislawski was awarded the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross (Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes) for 43 victories, and sent on leave on 24 July.
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