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Wednesday, June 1, 2022

Bio of Oberstleutnant Georg Dörffel (1914-1944)



Full name: Georg Dörffel
Nickname: Orge
Date of Birth: 27 July 1914 in Rengersdorf, Kreis Görlitz, Niederschlesien (German Empire)
Date of Death: 26 May 1944 in Rome (Italy)
NSDAP Number: unknown
SS Number: unknown
Academic Title: unknown
Family Member: unknown
Physical Feature: unknown

Beförderungen (Promotion):
00.00.1939 Leutnant
01.09.1943 Major
00.00.1944 Oberstleutnant (posthumous)

Karriere (Career):
00.00.1937 transferred from the Heer to the Luftwaffe and trained as a Beobachter (observer/navigator) in a Kampfgruppe before being approved for the Stuka branch
01.07.1939 transferred from II.(Schl.)/LG 2 to III.(Aufkl.)/LG 2
10.05.1940 Flugzeugführer in 5.Staffel (Stuka) / II.Gruppe / Lehrgeschwader 2 (LG 2)
30.10.1940 Staffelkapitän 5.Staffel (Stuka) / II.Gruppe / Lehrgeschwader 2 (LG 2)
13.01.1942 Staffelkapitän 5.Staffel (Stuka) / II.Gruppe / Schlachtgeschwader 1 (SG 1)
02.03.1943 Gruppenführer I.Gruppe / Schlachtgeschwader 1 (SG 1)
11.06.1943 Gruppenkommandeur I.Gruppe / Schlachtgeschwader 1 (SG 1)
24.09.1943 Kommandeur Ergänzungs-Schlachtgruppe
07.10.1943 flew his 1,001st combat mission and was banned from further operational flying
15.11.1943 Gruppenkommandeur I.Gruppe / Schlachtgeschwader 152 (SG 152)
00.05.1944 Geschwaderkommodore Schlachtgeschwader 4 (SG 4)
25.05.1944 KIA – shot down north of Rome while engaging a formation of P-47 escorted 4-engine bombers from 15th USAAF. Another and better researched account states that he engaged P-47 fighter-bombers in the vicinity of Lake Bracciano on 26.05.44 and baled out 15 km NW of Rome, and that no 4-engine bombers operated that day). Posthumously promoted to Oberstleutnant. Credited with 1,004 combat missions and at least 30 air victories

Orden und Ehrenzeichen (Medals and Decorations):
00.00.19__ Flugzeugführerabzeichen
21.05.1940 Eisernes Kreuz II.Klasse
21.05.1940 Eisernes Kreuz I.Klasse
21.08.1941 Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes, as Oberleutnant and Staffelkapitän 5.Staffel (Stuka) / II.Gruppe / Lehrgeschwader 2 (LG 2)
17.11.1941 Luftwaffe Ehrenpokale für besondere Leistungen im Luftkrieg
24.01.1942 Deutsches Kreuz in Gold
00.00.1942 Medaille "Winterschlacht im Osten 1941/42" (Ostmedaille)
00.00.194_ Frontflugspange für Kampfflieger in Gold mit Sternanhänger "1000"
14.04.1943 Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes mit Eichenlaub #231, as Hauptmann and Gruppenführer I.Gruppe / Schlachtgeschwader 1 (SG 1)

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Georg Dörffel joined the military service in Infanterie-Regiment 22 (22nd infantry regiment) in 1933. In 1935 he transferred to the Luftwaffe holding the rank of Oberfähnrich (senior officer candidate). At first he served as an observer in a Kampfgeschwader (ground attack wing) before transferring as to the 5.(Schlacht)/Lehrgeschwader 2 (5.(S)/LG 2—5th ground attack squadron of the 2nd demonstration wing) flying the Henschel Hs 123 ground attack aircraft.

With this squadron as part of the II.(Schlacht)/LG 2 (2nd ground attack group of the 2nd demonstration wing) he flew as a Leutnant (Second Lieutenant) and pilot during the Invasion of Poland and Battle of France. The group was responsible of repelling a large enemy tank formation north of Cambrai on 17 May 1940 which threatened the flank of the German advance. Dörffel received the Iron Cross 2nd and 1st Class for this action on 21 May 1940.

Dörffel was shot down twice during the campaign in the west, the first time on 14 May 1940 near Tirlemont, Belgium and in June 1940 near Dunkirk. He was wounded on both occasions. In October 1940 he was appointed Staffelkapitän (squadron leader) of the 5.(S)/LG 2, which was re-designated 5./Schlachtgeschwader 1 (5th squadron of the 1st ground attack wing) in early 1942. In this role and position he flew in the Battle of Britain and from April 1941 in the Balkans Campaign.

With the beginning of Operation Barbarossa, the German invasion of the Soviet Union in June 1941, Dörffel was transferred to the Eastern Front, particularly in support of the central and southern sectors, providing air support to the German ground forces. Together with the squadron leader of the 2.(S)/LG 2, Oberleutnant Alfred Druschel, he was awarded the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross on 21 August 1941 after over 200 combat missions. He was shot down near Skvorin at the Don River on 1 July 1942. Dörffel flew his 600th combat mission on 16 August 1942. He was appointed acting Gruppenkommandeur (group commander) of the I./SG 1 (1st group of the 1st ground attack wing) on 2 March 1943 followed by his official appointment as group leader on 11 June 1943.

Dörffel flew his 800th mission of the war in July 1943 followed by his 900th mission one month later. He was promoted to Major on 1 September 1943. In early October 1943 he flew 19 combat missions on one day against the attacking Red Army forces crossing the Dnieper River near Kiev. He flew his 1,000th combat mission of the war on 6 October 1943, claiming his 30th aerial victory on that flight. He was grounded one day later and transferred and appointed commander of the Schlachtfliegerschule (ground attack fliers school) at Prossnitz. In early May 1944 he took command of Schlachtgeschwader 4 (SG 4—4th ground attack wing) stationed in Italy as Geschwaderkommodore (wing commander).

Georg Dörffel was killed in action on 26 May 1944 north-west of Rome, Italy. Dörffel was forced to bail out of his Focke-Wulf Fw 190 F-8 (Werknummer—factory number—580 464) following an attack on a four-engined bomber formation. He probably struck his head on the tailplane; his parachute failed to open. He was buried in Pomezia, Italy, and posthumously promoted to Oberstleutnant (Lieutenant Colonel).



Source :
"Luftwaffe Officer Career Summaries" by Henry L. deZeng IV and Douglas G. Stankey
https://www.bild.bundesarchiv.de/dba/de/search/?yearfrom=&yearto=&query=D%C3%B6rffel#
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Georg_D%C3%B6rffel
https://forum.axishistory.com/viewtopic.php?p=2412079#p2412079
https://www.tracesofwar.com/persons/29083/D%C3%B6rffel-Georg.htm

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