Karl-Ludwig Johanssen

Karl-Ludwig Johanssen
Born	15 May 1921 Kiel
Died	11 August 2009 (aged 88)
Allegiance	Nazi Germany
Service/branch	Luftwaffe
Years of service	?–1945
Rank	Leutnant
Unit	NJG 6
Battles/wars	World War II Defense of the Reich
Awards	Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross

Karl-Ludwig Johanssen (15 May 1921 – 11 August 2009) was a highly decorated Leutnant in the Luftwaffe during World War II. He was also a recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross. The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross was awarded to recognise extreme battlefield bravery or successful military leadership.

Awards and decorations

• Aviator badge
• Front Flying Clasp of the Luftwaffe
• Iron Cross (1939)
  • 2nd Class
  • 1st Class
• German Cross in Gold on 25 May 1944 as Unteroffizier in the I./Nachtjagdgeschwader 6^[1]
• Ehrenpokal der Luftwaffe on 19 June 1944 as Unteroffizier and radio operator^[2]
• Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross on 20 March 1945 as Leutnant and radio operator in the I./Nachtjagdgeschwader 6^{[3][Note 1]}
• Mentioned in the Wehrmachtbericht (16 March 1945)

Wehrmachtbericht references

Date	Original German Wehrmachtbericht wording	Direct English translation
16 March 1945 (addendum)	Hauptmann Becker, Kommandeur in einem Nachtjagdgeschwader, und sein Bordfunker, Leutnant Johannsen, brachten in der Nacht vom 14. zum 15. März 9 viermotorige Bomber zum Absturz. Als Hauptmann Becker nach dem 6. Abschuß wegen Ladehemmung nicht mehr weiterschießen konnte, vernichtete sein Bordfunker, Leutnant Johannsen, 3 weitere anglo-amerikanische Bomber.[5]	Captain Becker, commander in a night fighter wing, and his radio operator, Lieutenant Johannsen, brought down to a crash 9 four-engine bombers on the night of 14 to 15 March. When Captain Becker, after the 6 kill could not continue to shoot due to a gun jam, his radio operator, Lieutenant Johannsen, destroyed 3 more Anglo-American bombers.

Notes

1. According to Scherzer as radio operator in the IV./Nachtjagdgeschwader 6.^[4]

References

Citations

1. Patzwall & Scherzer 2001, p. 212.
2. Patzwall 2008, p. 111.
3. Fellgiebel 2000, p. 202.
4. Scherzer 2007, p. 422.
5. Die Wehrmachtberichte 1939–1945 Band 3, p. 490.

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.
• Patzwall, Klaus D.; Scherzer, Veit (2001). Das Deutsche Kreuz 1941 – 1945 Geschichte und Inhaber Band II [The German Cross 1941 – 1945 History and Recipients Volume 2] (in German). Norderstedt, Germany: Verlag Klaus D. Patzwall. ISBN 978-3-931533-45-8.
• Patzwall, Klaus D. (2008). Der Ehrenpokal für besondere Leistung im Luftkrieg [The Honor Goblet for Outstanding Achievement in the Air War] (in German). Norderstedt, Germany: Verlag Klaus D. Patzwall. ISBN 978-3-931533-08-3.
• 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.
• Die Wehrmachtberichte 1939-1945 Band 3, 1. Januar 1944 bis 9. Mai 1945 [The Wehrmacht Reports 1939–1945 Volume 3, 1 January 1944 to 9 May 1945] (in German). München, Germany: Deutscher Taschenbuch Verlag GmbH & Co. KG. 1985. ISBN 978-3-423-05944-2.

External links

• World War 2 Awards.com