# Anton Döbele

Anton Döbele (16 November 1910 – 11 November 1943) was a German 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. On 11 November 1943, Döbele was killed in a mid-air collision with an Ilyushin Il-2 ground-attack aircraft, at the time of his death he was credited with 94 victories claimed in 458 combat missions. He was posthumously promoted to an officers rank and awarded the Knight's Cross on 26 March 1944.

## Career

Döbele was born on 16 November 1910 in Ehrensberg, present-day part of Bad Waldsee, at the time in the Kingdom of Württemberg within the German Empire. As an Unteroffizier (Staff Sergeant), he volunteered for service in the Condor Legion and participated in the Spanish Civil War with the ground staff. Following flight training, Döbele was posted to the Ergänzungsgruppe, a supplementary training group, of Jagdgeschwader 54 (JG 54—54th Fighter Wing) in late 1940. Döbele claimed his first aerial victory on 28 July 1941 when he shot down a Chyetverikov MDR-6 aerial reconnaissance flying-boat near the island Ösel.
On 9 March 1942, the Ergänzungsgruppe of JG 54 was disbanded and the pilots were transferred to I. Gruppe (1st group) of JG 54. In consequence, Döbele assigned to 1. Staffel (1st squadron) of JG 54. At the time, 1. Staffel was commanded by Oberleutnant Heinz Lange and part of I. Gruppe of JG 54, which was headed by Hauptmann Hans Philipp. The Gruppe was based at Krasnogvardeysk and was fighting in the siege of Leningrad. Here, Döbele claimed a Polikarpov I-16 fighter shot down on 17 March. Döbele then served as a fighter pilot instructor before returning to JG 54. He then joined Walter Nowotny, his wingman Karl Schnörrer, and Rudolf Rademacher, forming a team known as the "chain of devils" (Teufelskette) or the Nowotny Schwarm, which during the course of the war was credited with 524 combined aerial victories, making them the most successful team in the Luftwaffe. Following his eighth aerial victoriy claimed on 13 January 1943, Döbele was awarded the Iron Cross 1st Class (Eisernes Kreuz erster Klasse) on 3 February.

### Operation Citadel

In early July, I. Gruppe of JG 54 was ordered to move to Oryol, in the southern sector of Army Group Centre, where it fought in Operation Citadel which initiated the Battle of Kursk. Subordinated to Luftflotte 6 (Air Fleet 6), the Gruppe began relocating on 2 July and arrived at the airfield name Panikowo, a makeshift airfield created for the attack on the Kursk salient, on 4 July. The next day, the Wehrmacht launched Operation Citadel and I. Gruppe supported the attack of the 9th Army on the northern sector of the salient, escorting bombers of Kampfgeschwader 4, 51 and KG 53 (KG 4, KG 51—4th, 51st Bomber Wing), as well as Junkers Ju 87 dive bombers of Sturzkampfgeschwader 1 (StG 1—1st Dive Bomber Wing) to their target areas. That day, I. Gruppe claimed 59 aerial victories, including a Curtiss P-40 Warhawk fighter by Döbele in the vicinity of Maloarkhangelsk. On 6 July, I. Gruppe targeted the airspace near Ponyri and during multiple combat missions claimed 29 aerial victories which included two Lavochkin-Gorbunov-Gudkov LaGG-3 and three Lavochkin La-5 fighters shot down by Döbelle, making him an ace-in-a-day. The following morning, Döbele claimed a Yakovlev Yak-7 fighter shot down.

### Battle at Kharkiv, Smolensk and Nevel

On 9 August, I. Gruppe was ordered 400 kilometers (250 miles) south to Poltava Airfield where they were placed under the control of Luftflotte 4 (Air Fleet 4). The reason for this was a response to the successful Soviet Belgorod–Kharkiv offensive operation following the Battle of Kursk. On 11 August, Nowotny was temporarily appointed commander of I. Gruppe, a position he held until 15 September when he was officially assigned as Gruppenkommandeur. The next day, the Gruppe flew multiple combat air patrols and fighter escort for Ju 87 dive bombers in the area west of Kharkiv. That day, Döbele shot down a La-5 and a Yakovlev Yak-1 fighter. On 31 August, Döbele was awarded the German Cross in Gold (Deutsches Kreuz in Gold) and the Honor Goblet of the Luftwaffe (Ehrenpokal der Luftwaffe) on 13 September.
On 11 September, Döbele was nominated for the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross (Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes). Five days later, Nowotny submitted a report, requesting that Döbele be promoted to Leutnant (second lieutenant) for bravery before the enemy. At the time, Döbele had flown 418 combat missions and had been credited with 80 aerial victories to date. On 22 September, the Geschwaderkommodore (wing commander) of JG 54, Major Hubertus von Bonin, seconded the request, arguing that Döbele was an exceptional fighter pilot and leader.
On 23 October, during the Battle of Nevel, I. Gruppe moved to an airfield at Vitebsk where they supported Army Group Centre. Flying Focke-Wulf Fw 190 A-4 (Werknummer 7082—factory number) on 11 November 1943 at 10:42, Döbele was killed in a mid-air collision with an Ilyushin Il-2 ground-attack aircraft east of Vitebsk. At his funeral, the guard of honour was made up of Rademacher, Schnörrer, Fritz Tegtmeier, and Otto Kittel, with Nowotny and von Bonin giving an eulogy. Posthumously, Döbele was promoted to Leutnant and awarded the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross on 26 March 1944. He is interred at the German War Cemetery at Vilnius-Vingio.

## Summary of career
### Aerial victory claims

According to Spick, Döbele was credited with 94 aerial victories claimed in over 458 combat missions. Mathews and Foreman, authors of Luftwaffe Aces — Biographies and Victory Claims, researched the German Federal Archives and found records for 93 aerial victory claims, all of which claimed on the Eastern Front.
Victory claims were logged to a map-reference (PQ = Planquadrat), for example "PQ 25 Ost 1956". The Luftwaffe grid map (Jägermeldenetz) covered all of Europe, western Russia and North Africa and was composed of rectangles measuring 15 minutes of latitude by 30 minutes of longitude, an area of about 360 square miles (930 km$^2$). These sectors were then subdivided into 36 smaller units to give a location area 3 km × 4 km (1.9 mi × 2.5 mi) in size.
Chronicle of aerial victories :
| This and the ♠ (Ace of spades) indicates those aerial victories which made Döbele an ace-in-a-day, a term which designates a fighter pilot who has shot down five or more airplanes in a single day.  This and the ? (question mark) indicates information discrepancies listed by Prien, Stemmer, Rodeike, Bock, Mathews and Foreman. ||||||||||
| Claim | Date | Time | Type | Location | Claim | Date | Time | Type | Location |
| – 1. Staffel of the Ergänzungsgruppe of Jagdgeschwader 54 – Operation Barbarossa — 22 June – 5 December 1941 ||||||||||
| 1 | 28 July 1941 | 07:43 | MBR-2? | PQ 25 Ost 1956 over sea, west of Ösel | 2 | 30 July 1941 | 14:02 | I-15 | PQ 25 Ost 18461 30 km (19 mi) west of Demyansk |
| – 1. Staffel of the Ergänzungsgruppe of Jagdgeschwader 54 – Eastern Front — 6 December 1941 – 9 March 1942 ||||||||||
| 4 | 4 February 1942 | 09:38 | I-18 (MiG-1) | 8 km (5.0 mi) northwest of Malaya Vishera | | | | | |
| – 1. Staffel of Jagdgeschwader 54 – Eastern Front — March 1942 – 11 November 1943 ||||||||||
| 4 | 17 March 1942 | 17:57 | I-16 | | 50 | 7 August 1943 | 08:44 | Yak-9 | PQ 35 Ost 54821 25 km (16 mi) southwest of Bolkhov |
| 5 | 30 December 1942 | 13:25 | Yak-4 | PQ 2863 | 51 | 7 August 1943 | 08:59 | Yak-9 | PQ 35 Ost 54732 25 km (16 mi) east-northeast of Karachev |
| 6 | 7 January 1943 | 09:41 | I-16 | PQ 1964 | 52 | 7 August 1943 | 11:41 | La-5 | PQ 35 Ost 54641 25 km (16 mi) west-southwest of Bolkhov |
| 7? | 12 January 1943 | 13:33 | Il-2 | vicinity of Mga | 53 | 12 August 1943 | 09:15 | La-5 | PQ 35 Ost 41693 |
| 8 | 13 January 1943 | 13:25 | Il-2 | PQ 10173 vicinity of Mga | 54 | 12 August 1943 | 14:02 | Yak-1 | PQ 35 Ost 51343, Boromlia 45 km (28 mi) northwest of Grayvoron |
| 9 | 23 February 1943 | 07:10 | La-5 | PQ 36 Ost 10152 southeast of Shlisselburg | 55 | 14 August 1943 | 09:50 | La-5 | PQ 35 Ost 51734 10 km (6.2 mi) northwest of Bohodukhiv |
| 10 | 7 March 1943 | 16:25 | LaGG-3 | PQ 35 Ost 28382 15 km (9.3 mi) southwest of Demyansk | 56 | 15 August 1943 | 07:05 | La-5 | PQ 35 Ost 51821 15 km (9.3 mi) northeast of Bohodukhiv |
| 11 | 15 March 1943 | 08:10 | Il-2 | PQ 35 Ost 18251 20 km (12 mi) southeast of Staraya Russa | 57 | 19 August 1943 | 15:44 | Il-2 | PQ 35 Ost 51511 northeast of Bohodukhiv |
| 12 | 15 March 1943 | 10:59 | La-5 | PQ 35 Ost 18253 20 km (12 mi) southeast of Staraya Russa | 58 | 19 August 1943 | 15:53 | Il-2 | PQ 35 Ost 51394 15 km (9.3 mi) southwest of Belgorod |
| 13 | 17 March 1943 | 13:42 | LaGG-3 | PQ 35 Ost 18133 10 km (6.2 mi) southeast of Staraya Russa | 59 | 20 August 1943 | 09:50 | La-5 | PQ 35 Ost 41454 |
| 14 | 19 March 1943 | 09:47 | La-5 | PQ 36 Ost 10189 southeast of Shlisselburg | 60 | 20 August 1943 | 14:42 | Il-2 | PQ 35 Ost 51383 30 km (19 mi) west-northwest of Grayvoron |
| 15 | 19 March 1943 | 10:05 | LaGG-3 | PQ 36 Ost 00283 20 km (12 mi) west of Mga | 61 | 20 August 1943 | 14:53 | Il-2 | PQ 35 Ost 51523 northeast of Bohodukhiv |
| 16 | 22 March 1943 | 08:44 | Yak-1 | PQ 36 Ost 00332 vicinity of Gatchina | 62 | 21 August 1943 | 16:46 | Il-2 | PQ 35 Ost 51861 25 km (16 mi) east of Bohodukhiv |
| 17? | 11 April 1943 | 18:25 | Il-2 | 3 km (1.9 mi) south of Leningrad | 63 | 23 August 1943 | 06:02 | La-5 | PQ 35 Ost 51541 northeast of Bohodukhiv |
| 18 | 26 April 1943 | 14:15? | Il-2 | PQ 36 Ost 00181 vicinity of Leningrad | 64 | 23 August 1943 | 17:01 | Pe-2 | PQ 35 Ost 60154 Gulf of Finland, north of Kunda |
| 19 | 26 April 1943 | 14:16 | I-16 | PQ 36 Ost 00181 15 km (9.3 mi) northwest of Pushkin | 65 | 23 August 1943 | 17:04 | La-5 | PQ 35 Ost 60164 Gulf of Finland, north of Kunda |
| 20? | 28 April 1943 | 19:33 | Il-2 | PQ 26 Ost 90224 | 66 | 23 August 1943 | 17:10 | La-5 | PQ 35 Ost 60273 Gulf of Finland, north of Kunda |
| 21 | 8 June 1943 | 16:15 | LaGG-3 | PQ 36 Ost 10254 30 km (19 mi) west-southwest of Shlisselburg | 67 | 24 August 1943 | 07:37 | La-5 | PQ 35 Ost 51384 30 km (19 mi) west-northwest of Grayvoron |
| 22 | 17 June 1943 | 10:55 | LaGG-3 | PQ 26 Ost 90241 10 km (6.2 mi) south of Lomonosov | 68 | 28 August 1943 | 11:48 | Pe-2 | PQ 35 Ost 43822 15 km (9.3 mi) east-northeast of Sevsk |
| 23 | 19 June 1943 | 20:53 | LaGG-5 | PQ 36 Ost 20121, Volkhovstroy southwest of Volkhov | 69 | 28 August 1943 | 11:52 | LaGG-3 | PQ 35 Ost 43822 15 km (9.3 mi) east-northeast of Sevsk |
| 24 | 21 June 1943 | 15:33 | La-5 | PQ 36 Ost 21754, Novaya Ladoga 20 km (12 mi) north-northwest of Volkhov | 70 | 1 September 1943 | 06:22 | Yak-1 | PQ 35 Ost 35371 5 km (3.1 mi) northeast of Yelnya |
| 25 | 21 June 1943 | 20:05 | LaGG-3 | PQ 36 Ost 20374 20 km (12 mi) west-northwest of Volkhov | 71 | 1 September 1943 | 12:13 | Pe-2 | PQ 35 Ost 35343 10 km (6.2 mi) southeast of Yelnya |
| 26 | 24 June 1943 | 06:30 | LaGG-3 | PQ 36 Ost 10224 40 km (25 mi) west of Volkhov | 72 | 1 September 1943 | 12:17 | Pe-2 | PQ 35 Ost 35392 15 km (9.3 mi) east of Yelnya |
| 27 | 24 June 1943 | 06:40 | LaGG-3 | PQ 36 Ost 10253 30 km (19 mi) west-southwest of Shlisselburg | 73 | 2 September 1943 | 11:00 | Il-2 | PQ 35 Ost 35343 10 km (6.2 mi) southeast of Yelnya |
| 28 | 24 June 1943 | 07:02 | Yak-1? | PQ 36 Ost 20121, Volkhovstroy west of Volkhov | 74 | 2 September 1943 | 11:08 | Il-2 | PQ 35 Ost 25494 15 km (9.3 mi) west of Yelnya |
| 29 | 5 July 1943 | 12:46 | P-40 | PQ 35 63732 25 km (16 mi) south-southwest of Maloarkhangelsk | 75 | 2 September 1943 | 11:12 | Il-2 | PQ 35 Ost 35574 30 km (19 mi) south-southwest of Yelnya |
| 30♠ | 6 July 1943 | 08:16 | La-5 | PQ 35 Ost 63581 20 km (12 mi) southwest of Maloarkhangelsk | 76 | 2 September 1943 | 15:17 | Il-2 | PQ 35 Ost 35393 15 km (9.3 mi) east of Yelnya |
| 31♠ | 6 July 1943 | 14:08 | La-5 | PQ 35 Ost 63713 40 km (25 mi) southwest of Maloarkhangelsk | 77 | 6 September 1943 | 10:50 | La-5 | PQ 35 Ost 26881 vicinity of Yartsevo |
| 32♠ | 6 July 1943 | 14:53 | La-5 | PQ 35 Ost 63732 25 km (16 mi) south-southwest of Maloarkhangelsk | 78 | 6 September 1943 | 10:51 | La-5 | PQ 35 Ost 26882 vicinity of Yartsevo |
| 33♠ | 6 July 1943 | 18:34 | LaGG-3 | PQ 35 Ost 63862 45 km (28 mi) north-northwest of Kursk | 79 | 7 September 1943 | 11:33 | Yak-9 | PQ 35 Ost 26673 25 km (16 mi) northeast of Moschna |
| 34♠ | 6 July 1943 | 18:45 | LaGG-3 | PQ 35 Ost 63574 35 km (22 mi) southwest of Maloarkhangelsk | 80 | 10 September 1943 | 13:15 | Yak-9 | PQ 35 Ost 44152 25 km (16 mi) south of Kirov |
| 35 | 7 July 1943 | 08:43 | Yak-7 | PQ 35 Ost 63712 40 km (25 mi) southwest of Maloarkhangelsk | 81 | 14 September 1943 | 11:53 | Yak-9 | PQ 35 Ost 26482 25 km (16 mi) north of Yartsevo |
| 36 | 7 July 1943 | 18:12 | LaGG-3 | PQ 35 Ost 63748 45 km (28 mi) southwest of Maloarkhangelsk | 82 | 14 September 1943 | 15:32 | P-39 | PQ 35 Ost 44354 10 km (6.2 mi) west of Datkovo |
| 37 | 8 July 1943 | 17:41 | La-5 | PQ 35 Ost 63582 20 km (12 mi) southwest of Maloarkhangelsk | 83 | 13 October 1943 | 08:02 | La-5 | PQ 35 Ost 15543 south of Lenin |
| 38 | 10 July 1943 | 10:37 | LaGG-3 | PQ 35 Ost 53833 55 km (34 mi) north-northwest of Kursk | 84 | 13 October 1943 | 08:05 | La-5 | PQ 35 Ost 15534 northeast of Gorki |
| 39 | 13 July 1943 | 07:30 | Il-2 | PQ 35 Ost 64857 20 km (12 mi) southeast of Mtsensk | 85 | 15 October 1943 | 15:00 | LaGG-3 | PQ 35 Ost 15642 20 km (12 mi) south-southeast of Krassnyj |
| 40? | 13 July 1943 | 14:02 | Il-2 | PQ 35 Ost 54441 | 86 | 21 October 1943 | 11:17 | Yak-9 | PQ 35 Ost 03842 |
| 41 | 16 July 1943 | 08:55 | LaGG-3 | PQ 35 Ost 54766 20 km (12 mi) north-northwest of Bolkhov | 87 | 22 October 1943 | 14:55 | Yak-9 | PQ 35 Ost 15341 20 km (12 mi) west of Krassnyj |
| 42 | 18 July 1943 | 04:52 | LaGG-3 | PQ 35 Ost 54493 10 km (6.2 mi) northwest of Bolkhov | 88 | 29 October 1943 | 14:03 | Il-2 | PQ 35 Ost 05461 |
| 43 | 21 July 1943 | 19:54 | Il-2 | PQ 35 Ost 54542 25 km (16 mi) north-northwest of Karachev | 89 | 29 October 1943 | 14:16 | Il-2 | PQ 35 Ost 05453, northeast of Orsha |
| 44 | 23 July 1943 | 12:34 | Il-2 | PQ 35 Ost 54398 40 km (25 mi) west-northwest of Bolkhov | 90 | 4 November 1943 | 13:17 | Yak-9 | PQ 25 Ost 97874, south of Nevel 20 km (12 mi) west of Nevel |
| 45 | 23 July 1943 | 12:37 | La-5 | PQ 35 Ost 54533 40 km (25 mi) west of Bolkhov | 91 | 4 November 1943 | 13:22 | Il-2 | PQ 25 Ost 97883 10 km (6.2 mi) west of Nevel |
| 46 | 2 August 1943 | 16:50 | LaGG-3 | PQ 35 Ost 54653 20 km (12 mi) west-southwest of Bolkhov | 92 | 6 November 1943 | 14:44 | Yak-9 | PQ 35 Ost 06173 |
| 47 | 2 August 1943 | 17:00 | P-40 | PQ 35 Ost 54633 10 km (6.2 mi) west of Bolkhov | 93 | 10 November 1943 | 09:16 | Yak-9 | PQ 25 Ost 96234 10 km (6.2 mi) south of Nevel |
| 48 | 3 August 1943 | 11:45 | LaGG-3 | PQ 35 Ost 54723 10 km (6.2 mi) northeast of Woronowo | 94 | 11 November 1943 | 10:38 | Il-2 | PQ 35 Ost 06723 |
| 49 | 4 August 1943 | 15:31 | Il-2 | PQ 35 Ost 44862 vicinity of Karachev | 95 | 11 November 1943 | 10:42 | Il-2 | PQ 35 Ost 06762 |

### Awards

* Iron Cross (1939)
** 2nd Class (March 1942)
** 1st Class (3 February 1943)
* Honor Goblet of the Luftwaffe on 13 September 1943 as Oberfeldwebel and pilot
* German Cross in Gold on 31 August 1943 as Oberfeldwebel in the I./Jagdgeschwader 54
* Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross on 26 March 1944 as Oberfeldwebel and pilot in the 3./Jagdgeschwader 54