Gerhard Koall

Gerhard "Knall" Koall (7 June 1912 – 27 April 1945) was a 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. Gerhard Koall was killed on 27 April 1945 after being hit by Soviet anti-aircraft fire near Anklam. During his career he was credited with 37 victories, 35 on the Eastern Front and 2 during the Invasion of Yugoslavia.

Gerhard Koall
Nickname(s)	"Knall"
Born	7 June 1912 Königsberg, East Prussia
Died	27 April 1945(1945-04-27) (aged 32) Anklam
Cause of death	Killed in action
Allegiance	Nazi Germany
Service / branch	Luftwaffe
Years of service	?-1945
Rank	Hauptmann (captain)
Unit	JG 54 EJG 1 JG 101 JG 3
Battles / wars	World War II Invasion of Yugoslavia Operation Barbarossa Siege of Leningrad
Awards	Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross

Career

Koall was born on 7 June 1912 in Königsberg in the Kingdom of Prussia of the German Empire. Today it is Kaliningrad in Kaliningrad Oblast, the Russian exclave between Poland and Lithuania on the Baltic Sea.^[1]

On 23 February 1942, Koall was appointed Staffelkapitän (squadron leader) of 3. Staffel of Jagdgeschwader 54 (JG 54—54th Fighter Wing). He replaced Hauptmann Hans Schmoller-Haldy who had been wounded in combat that day. The Staffel was subordinated to I. Gruppe of JG 54 which was headed by Hauptmann Hans Philipp.^[2]

In mid-April 1943, a newly formed Jabostaffel (fighter bomber squadron) was formed and labeled 13.(Jabo) Staffel of JG 54 and placed under the command of Koall.^[3]

In late-February 1944, Koall succeeded Hauptmann Siegfried Schnell as Gruppenkommandeur (group commander) of IV. Gruppe of JG 54 after Schnell had been killed in action on 25 February.^[4]

On 25 April during the Battle of the Oder–Neisse, Koall was appointed Gruppenkommandeur of IV. Sturmgruppe of Jagdgeschwader 3 "Udet" (JG 3—3rd Fighter Wing). He replaced Oberleutnant Oskar Romm who had been severely injured the day before. The next day, the Sturmgruppe retreated from Prenzlau to an airfield at Greifswald. On 27 April, Koall was killed in action when his Fw 190 was shot down by Soviet anti-aircraft artillery near Anklam. Command of the Sturmgruppe was then given to Hauptmann Günther Schack on 1 May.^[5]

Summary of career

Aerial victory claims

Mathews and Foreman, authors of Luftwaffe Aces — Biographies and Victory Claims, researched the German Federal Archives and found documentation for 37 aerial victory claims. This number includes 35 claims on the Eastern Front and two over the Western Allies in Yugoslavia.^[6]

Awards

• Iron Cross (1939) 2nd and 1st Class^[7]
• Honor Goblet of the Luftwaffe on 1 March 1943 as Hauptmann and Staffelkapitän^[8]
• German Cross in Gold o 17 October 1943 as Hauptmann in II./Jagdgeschwader 54^[9]
• Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross on 10 October 1944 as Hauptmann and Gruppenkommandeur of the IV./Jagdgeschwader 54^[10][11]