Ground crew: did they get medals?
 

Was wondering if and what type these men could have earned.

Re: Ground crew: did they get medals?
 

I would say mainly war merit cross II and I class with swords.

But guess that woundbadges and iron cross II class were also awarded.

Regards, Thomas

Re: Ground crew: did they get medals?
 

Unless they were pressed into combat, I don't think so. Perhaps the War Merit Cross.


https://www.wehrmacht-awards.com/war...ose_combat.htm

Re: Ground crew: did they get medals?
 

I think it also has to do with what you define as ground crew.

If you include flak crew, they would have been awarded combat related medals/awards.

If you are limiting them to "black men" and clerical staff, they would at least been awarded the War Merit Cross

And to my knowledge, all military staff were awarded the wound badge if wounded

Peter

http://www.wehrmacht-awards.com/war_...ss/2_class.htm

Re: Ground crew: did they get medals?
 

100 percent ground crew. Generals got high medals ( yes i know) for pushing papers. I find it difficult to see men in blistering cold or heat, keeping planes in service beyond what could be done have got so limited awards. Guess it is on all fronts, but just wondering

Re: Ground crew: did they get medals?
 

If we don't limit it to "medals" there were also other awards like the campaign shields as an example.

If we look at one of the award critteria for the Eastern Front Medal, 60 days in the combat zone, even if not been in direct combat.

And as an example for the Krim Shield, to serv in the region for 3 months.

I would say that the grund crew got their awards as well.

Peter

Re: Ground crew: did they get medals?
 

My understanding is that the War Merit Cross was intended for those who served but did not directly face the enemy. On that basis ground crew would qualify. I think Wound Badges could be awarded for frostbite, which affected ground crew so badly in the Russian Winter of 1941-42 before winter clothing arrived. No question though that, as with the Allies, the focus of most German awards was for those who met the enemy rather than those who made it possible for them to do so.

Re: Ground crew: did they get medals?
 

Also, later in the war "ordinary" ground crew manned auxiliary anti-aircraft weapons on airfields, so any success could have been rewarded.

Re: Ground crew: did they get medals?
 

I collect these crew photos for quite some time now. Cant remember i saw one of them wth a badge ribbon or medal on there working suits. However i think they would have worn it when they were in regular uniform. So question remains what kind of medals ribbons etc could they have earned according to the rules and do we have some proof of that?

Ground crew: did they get medals?
 

By far the most common (although not without exception) awards I have seen encountered in Soldbucher for 'Black Men' are;

Kreigsverdienstkreuz II Klasse mit Schwerter
Medaille für den Italienisch-Deutschen Feldzug in Afrika

I have also seen,

Verwundetenabzeichen
Romanian Crusade against Communism Medal.

Regards Richard.

Re: Ground crew: did they get medals?
 

Thanks Richard

Re: Ground crew: did they get medals?
 

In rare cases ground crew could receive the Iron Cross. I know of one instance where this happened as a result of saving some aircraft from being destroyed during a strafing attack on an airfield.

Re: Ground crew: did they get medals?
 

Depends largely on where they served.

The comments noting War Merit cross makes complete sense but I have also seen ground crews receiving Afrika cuff title as well as (in rare cases) the EK1 and in one instance the Honor Salvor for a ground crew who served with StG77.

The latter was for defending against a Soviet attack on their airfield.

Jeremy

Re: Ground crew: did they get medals?
 

Not forgetting the Spanish Cross and other related medals for serving in Legion Condor as well as any of the so called Flower War medals (Sudetenland, Anschluss, Memel.)