Willi Esslinger was a Zugführer in Wiking’s tank destroyer battalion during the first half of 1943. At sometime during this fighting, while en-route to refuel his Marder tank destroyer, he heard about a Soviet tank assault supported by infantry. He rushed to the scene and prepared to face the enemy. He destroyed 3 Soviet tanks, after which the Russians switched their main effort to their infantry and artillery. By constantly repositioning his gun, Esslinger was able to knock out important targets and eventually brought the Soviet attack to a halt. For this action he would receive the Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes on 19 June 1943 as SS-Hauptscharführer and Zugführer in 3.Kompanie / SS-Panzerjäger-Abteilung 5 / SS-Panzergrenadier-Division "Wiking". By the time of his death in 1944, he was credited with over 25 Russian tanks destroyed.
Source :
https://beeldbankwo2.nl/nl/beelden/detail/eddda8ce-0259-11e7-904b-d89d6717b464
https://forum.axishistory.com/viewtopic.php?p=2264074#p2264074
https://www.tracesofwar.com/persons/30031/E%C3%9Flinger-Willi.htm
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