Full name: Alfred Druschel
Nickname: No information
Date of Birth: February 4, 1917 - Bindsachsen (now part of Kefenrod), Germany
Date of Death: January 1, 1945 - Missing in action south of Aachen, Germany
Promotions:
1 April 1936: Fahnenjunker
1 October 1938: Leutnant
1940: Oberleutnant
1942: Hauptmann
1943: Major
1 April 1944: Oberstleutnant
December 1944: Oberst
Career:
1 April 1936 - 1938: Joined Luftwaffe as Fahnenjunker, trained as pilot and observer at Luftkriegschule in Berlin-Gatow and Rangsdorf, then Kampffliegerschule.
1 July 1938 - 1 November 1938: Posted to Fliegergruppe 20 as observer in a Kampfgeschwader, briefly served as Ordonnanzoffizier.
1 November 1938 - September 1939: Assigned to 4. Staffel of II.(Schl.)/Lehrgeschwader 2 (LG 2) after reorganization.
September 1939: Participated in invasion of Poland with 4.(Schl.)/LG 2, flying Henschel Hs 123 for ground support.
May - June 1940: Served in Battle of France with same unit, supporting Ardennes thrust and Meuse crossing.
September 1940: Became Staffelkapitan of 4.(Schl.)/LG 2, flew Bf 109E on fighter-bomber missions over England and Channel during Battle of Britain.
April 1941: Operated over Yugoslavia and Greece with unit.
21 June 1941: Participated in invasion of Soviet Union with unit.
13 January 1942: Unit renamed to I./Schlachtgeschwader 1 (Schl.G.1), promoted to Gruppenkommandeur of I./Schl.G.1.
June 1943: Promoted to Geschwaderkommodore of Schl.G.1.
October 1943: I./Schl.G.1 disbanded and reformed as II./Schlachtgeschwader 77, appointed Inspizient der Tag-Schlachtfliegerverbande (supervisor of day-ground attack units).
December 1944: Appointed Geschwaderkommodore of Schlachtgeschwader 4 (SG 4) on Western Front.
1 January 1945: Led SG 4 in Operation Bodenplatte, missing in action.
Awards and Decorations:
September 17, 1939: Eisernes Kreuz 2. Klasse
May 20, 1940: Eisernes Kreuz 1. Klasse
November 30, 1940: Luftwaffe Ehrenpokale fur besondere Leistungen im Luftkrieg
April 1941: Verwundetenabzeichen 1939 in Schwarz
August 21, 1941: Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes, as as Oberleutnant and Staffelkapitän 2.Staffel (Schlacht) / I.Gruppe / Lehrgeschwader 2 (LG 2). This honor came during the intense early phases of the Eastern Front campaign, where German forces advanced rapidly toward Moscow. Druschel's unit supported Army Group Center, providing close air support during battles around Smolensk and the Dnieper River crossings. His squadron's missions involved destroying Soviet tanks, artillery, supply columns, and troop concentrations, often at great personal risk. By this point, Druschel had flown hundreds of sorties, demonstrating exceptional piloting skills and tactical acumen. His ability to lead effective strikes while minimizing losses contributed to the Luftwaffe's air superiority in the sector. The award citation highlighted his role in disrupting Soviet defenses, enabling ground advances. This was a testament to his early contributions in Barbarossa, where ground-attack pilots like him were crucial in breaking through fortified positions.
1942: Medaille "Winterschlacht im Osten 1941/42" (Ostmedaille)
September 3, 1942: Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes mit Eichenlaub #118, as Hauptmann and Gruppenkommandeur I.Gruppe / Schlachtgeschwader 1 (SG 1). This award recognized his accumulated achievements, including over 600 combat missions by mid-1942. Druschel's group operated under Luftflotte 4 on the southern Eastern Front, supporting operations in the Crimea, the Kerch Peninsula, and the advance toward the Caucasus and Stalingrad.
February 19, 1943: Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes mit Eichenlaub und Schwertern #24, as Hauptmann Gruppenkommandeur I.Gruppe / Schlachtgeschwader 1 (SG 1). This made him the first ground-attack pilot to achieve this level of the award, underscoring his unique status. By early 1943, Druschel had surpassed 700 missions, operating in the aftermath of the Stalingrad disaster. His unit, now equipped with Hs 129 anti-tank aircraft alongside Bf 109s, focused on defensive operations in the Donets Basin and the lead-up to the Third Battle of Kharkov. Amid Soviet winter offensives, Druschel's group conducted anti-tank strikes against advancing Red Army armor, buying time for German retreats and counteroffensives.
Gemeinsames Flugzeugfuhrer-Beobachter Abzeichen (ohne brillianten)
Gemeinsames Flugzeugfuhrer-Beobachter Abzeichen mit Brillianten
Frontflugspange fur Kampfflieger in Gold mit Anhang "800"
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Alfred Druschel was born on February 4, 1917, in Bindsachsen, a small village in Upper Hesse, Germany. He joined the Luftwaffe on April 1, 1936, as a Fahnenjunker and underwent extensive training as both a pilot and observer, attending the Luftkriegschule in Berlin-Gatow and Rangsdorf, followed by specialized instruction at the Kampffliegerschule. By July 1938, he was posted to Fliegergruppe 20, which was reorganized into II.(Schl.)/Lehrgeschwader 2 (LG 2) on November 1, 1938, where he served in the 4. Staffel. LG 2 was a demonstration unit focused on testing dive-bombing and ground support tactics, primarily using the Henschel Hs 123 biplane.
Druschel's combat career began with the invasion of Poland in September 1939, where his unit conducted low-level bombing and strafing against Polish forces, supporting German panzer advances. He earned the Iron Cross 2nd Class on September 17, 1939, for these actions. In May-June 1940, during the Battle of France, he supported the Ardennes offensive, suppressing French artillery and infantry, and received the Iron Cross 1st Class on May 20, 1940. Promoted to Staffelkapitan of 4.(Schl.)/LG 2 in September 1940, he flew Bf 109E fighter-bomber missions over England and the Channel. He was awarded the Ehrenpokal der Luftwaffe on November 30, 1940. In April 1941, he operated over Yugoslavia and Greece, and suffered a wound in a takeoff accident with Bf 109E Werknummer 4196, earning the Wound Badge in Black.
On June 22, 1941, Druschel participated in Operation Barbarossa with Army Group South, flying ground support missions. A key action occurred on June 24, 1941, when he and his Staffel attacked 30-40 Soviet tanks south of Grodno advancing from Sokolka, destroying 11 tanks and forcing the enemy to retreat south, protecting German flanks. On July 6, 1941, they secured the Ulla bridgehead by smashing Soviet forces around Lohwsa train station and Gubiza. After over 200 sorties and 7 aerial victories with the Hs 123, plus these ground successes, he received the Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes on August 21, 1941, as Oberleutnant and Staffelkapitan of 2./I./LG 2. His unit was renamed I./Schl.G.1 in January 1942, and he became Gruppenkommandeur.
In 1942, Druschel led operations at Kerch, Sevastopol, and the Caucasus, flying over 600 sorties. On June 12, 1942, he destroyed an ammunition train on the Kharkov-Kupyansk railway, 60 km ESE of Kharkov. For these achievements, he was awarded the Ritterkreuz mit Eichenlaub on September 3, 1942, as Hauptmann and Kommandeur of I./Schl.G.1, the 118th recipient. He earned the Ostmedaille in 1942 for the winter campaign. Promoted to Geschwaderkommodore of Schl.G.1 in June 1943, he oversaw missions at Voronezh, Rostov, the Don, and Stalingrad, flying over 700 sorties. During the Battle of Kursk in July 1943, his group used Hs 129 B-2s with 30 mm cannons to disrupt Soviet T-34 advances. For these successes, he received the Ritterkreuz mit Eichenlaub und Schwertern on February 19, 1943, as Hauptmann and stellv. Kommandeur of I./Schl.G.1, the 24th recipient and first dedicated ground-attack pilot to earn the Swords.
In October 1943, Druschel became Inspizient der Tag-Schlachtfliegerverbande, a staff role in Berlin. Promoted to Oberstleutnant on April 1, 1944, he returned to combat in December 1944 as Kommodore of SG 4 on the Western Front, flying Fw 190F-8s against Allied forces. On January 1, 1945, during Operation Bodenplatte, he led an attack on Sint-Truiden airfield in Belgium but was shot down by German flak south of Aachen in Fw 190F-8 Werknummer 584400, and remains missing. Over his career, he flew more than 800 missions, claimed 7 aerial victories, and earned the Frontflugspange in Gold with "800" pendant and Combined Pilot-Observer Badge with diamonds.
Unique and interesting facts include: Druschel was the first combat pilot honored with the Knight's Cross with Oak Leaves and Swords specifically for ground-attack roles, his brother Kurt was a U-boat engineer killed on U-154 in 1944 after testifying in a controversial court martial, and Druschel's disappearance during Bodenplatte was due to friendly fire, highlighting the chaos of the Luftwaffe's final major operation.
Source:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alfred_Druschel
https://www.tracesofwar.com/persons/29144/Druschel-Alfred.htm
https://grokipedia.com/page/alfred_druschel
https://www.lexikon-der-wehrmacht.de/Personenregister/D/DruschelA.htm
https://www.ww2.dk/air/attack/schg1.htm
https://www.ww2.dk/air/attack/sg4.htm
https://web.archive.org/web/20091027052912fw_/http://geocities.com/orion47.geo/index2.html
https://forum.axishistory.com/
https://www.bundesarchiv.de/en/
https://www.geni.com/
John Weal, Luftwaffe Schlachtgruppen, Osprey Publishing, 2003.
Chris Goss, Ju 87 Dive-Bomber Units 1942-1945, Osprey Publishing, 2018.
Edward Westermann, Arming the Luftwaffe: The German Aviation Industry in World War II, McFarland, 2011.
Veit Scherzer, Die Ritterkreuztrager 1939-1945, Scherzers Militaer-Verlag, 2007.
