Gerhard Friedrich (officer)

Gerhard Friedrich
Born	17 October 1909 Breslau
Died	8 May 1945(1945-05-08) (aged 35) Trautenau, East Prussia
Allegiance	Weimar Republic (to 1933) Nazi Germany
Service/branch	Heer
Years of service	1929–45
Rank	Oberst
Commands held	Panzergrenadier-Regiment 13
Battles/wars	World War II Invasion of Poland Battle of France Invasion of Yugoslavia Operation Barbarossa Battle of Moscow Battles of Rzhev Battle of Kursk East Prussian Offensive Samland Offensive
Awards	Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves

Gerhard Friedrich (17 October 1909 – Missing in action as of 8 May 1945) was a highly decorated Oberst in the Wehrmacht during World War II. He was also a recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves. The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross and its higher grade Oak Leaves was awarded to recognise extreme battlefield bravery or successful military leadership. Gerhard Friedrich was listed as missing in action as of 8 May 1945.

Awards and decorations

• Iron Cross (1939)
  • 2nd Class (1 December 1939)
  • 1st Class (6 September 1940)
• Infantry Assault Badge
• Eastern Front Medal (28 August 1942)
• Honour Roll Clasp of the Army (19 September 1943)
• German Cross in Gold on 10 January 1944 as Major in the I./Panzergrenadier-Regiment 13
• Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves
  • Knight's Cross on 6 April 1943 as Hauptmann and commander of the I./Panzergrenadier-Regiment 13
  • 642nd Oak Leaves on 3 November 1944 as Oberstleutnant and commander of Panzergrenadier-Regiment 13

References

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 (in German). Friedberg, Germany: Podzun-Pallas. ISBN 978-3-7909-0284-6. CS1 maint: unrecognized language (link)
• Patzwall, Klaus D.; Scherzer, Veit (2001). Das Deutsche Kreuz 1941 – 1945 Geschichte und Inhaber Band II (in German). Norderstedt, Germany: Verlag Klaus D. Patzwall. ISBN 978-3-931533-45-8. CS1 maint: unrecognized language (link)
• 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 (in German). Jena, Germany: Scherzers Miltaer-Verlag. ISBN 978-3-938845-17-2. CS1 maint: unrecognized language (link)
• Thomas, Franz (1997). Die Eichenlaubträger 1939–1945 Band 1: A–K (in German). Osnabrück, Germany: Biblio-Verlag. ISBN 978-3-7648-2299-6. CS1 maint: unrecognized language (link)

External links

• World War 2 Awards.com