| Arnold Döring | |
|---|---|
| Born | January 29, 1918 |
| Died | 10 April 2001 (aged 83) |
| Place of birth | Heilsberg |
| Place of death | Düsseldorf |
| Allegiance |
 Nazi Germany (to 1945) West Germany |
| Service/branch | Luftwaffe |
| Years of service |
1938–1945 1957–1972 |
| Rank |
Leutnant (Wehrmacht) Hauptmann (Bundeswehr) |
| Unit |
KG 53 KG 55 JG 300 NJG 2 NJG 3 |
| Battles/wars | |
| Awards | Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross |
Arnold Döring (29 January 1918 – 10 April 2001) was a German Luftwaffe ace and recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross during World War II. The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross was awarded to recognise extreme battlefield bravery or successful military leadership. Arnold Döring was credited with 23 aerial victories.
Career[]
He was born on 29 January 1918 at Heilsberg in Ostpreußen and joined the Luftwaffe in 1938 as ground staff. After pilot training, he was posted in November 1940 to 9./ KG 53. In the summer of 1942 he was transferred to 8./KG 55 based on the Eastern front. During the fighting at Stalingrad, Döring achieved his first victories when shot down three Russian TB-3 four-engine bombers in one night. He destroyed another six on the ground. During the day he shot down seven MiG-1 and MiG-3 fighters, and also flew bombing missions in the He 111.
In the summer 1943 Oberfeldwebel Döring undertook Wilde Sau missions flying single-engine fighters on night interception missions against RAF bombers. He achieved his first victory by night on 27/28 September. During his time with II./JG 300, he claimed five night and three day victories. In May 1944 he was transferred to 7./ NJG 2. Two further victories were claimed on the night of 3/4 March 1945 over England during Operation Gisela. On 17 April 1945 he was finally awarded the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross.
Arnold Döring was credited 23 victories (13 at night) in 392 missions (348 as a bomber pilot).He recorded 13 victories at night, including three victories recorded over the Eastern front. 10 of his victories were by day, including seven claimed over the Eastern front and two USAAF B-17 four-engine bombers over the Western front.
Döring was also very successful against ground targets, destroyed 25 aircraft, 200 vehicles, about 70 wagons and locomotives, 16 tanks, four ammunition wagons, one tank platoon, eight bridges, two ammunition dumps and sinking one gunboat, two tankers and two freighters amounting to 18,000 BRT. After the war he joined the Bundeswehr in 1957 and retired in 1972.
Awards[]
- Aviator badge
- Front Flying Clasp of the Luftwaffe in Gold with Pennant
- Ehrenpokal der Luftwaffe (25 February 1942)
- Iron Cross (1939)
- 2nd Class
- 1st Class
- German Cross in Gold (25 September 1942)
- Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross on 17 April 1945 as Leutnant and pilot in 10./Nachtjagdgeschwader 3[1]
References[]
- Citations
- ↑ Fellgiebel 2000, p. 137.
- Bibliography
- Fellgiebel, Walther-Peer (2000) (in German). Die Träger des Ritterkreuzes des Eisernen Kreuzes 1939–1945 – Die Inhaber der höchsten Auszeichnung des Zweiten Weltkrieges aller Wehrmachtsteile [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]. Friedberg, Germany: Podzun-Pallas. ISBN 978-3-7909-0284-6.
- Obermaier, Ernst (1989) (in German). Die Ritterkreuzträger der Luftwaffe Jagdflieger 1939 – 1945 [The Knight's Cross Bearers of the Luftwaffe Fighter Force 1941 – 1945]. Mainz, Germany: Verlag Dieter Hoffmann. ISBN 978-3-87341-065-7.
- Scherzer, Veit (2007) (in German). 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]. Jena, Germany: Scherzers Miltaer-Verlag. ISBN 978-3-938845-17-2.
External links[]
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The original article can be found at Arnold Döring and the edit history here.