Luftwaffe ground combat badge (Erdkampfabzeich (All) – findings

Luftwaffe Ground Combat Badge

After the Luftwaffe assembled its field units under the weight of the situation on the Eastern Front, i.e. had to intervene in ground operations with increasing intensity, it was obvious to establish a combat badge for these units.

The Reich Minister for Aviation and Commander-in-Chief of the Luftwaffe issued the following decree:

"In view of the fact that the type of fighting on the various fronts increasingly requires the active participation of all Luftwaffe weapons in ground military operationsch, I authorize the introduction of the "Luftwaffe Ground Combat Badge" as a visible sign of recognition for certification in front-line deployment in the field of ground combat.

The Luftwaffe Ground Combat Badge may be awarded to members of the Luftwaffe for outstanding combat performance in ground combat operations.

The award will only be made to front-line fighting individuals who have bravely participated in a minimum of three combat actions undertaken on three separate days. These combat actions, whether conducted using infantry or artillery weapons, are considered to be either an assault or close-quarters man-to-man combat. An attack is considered to be a military foray in which at least a breach of an enemy position occurs. For units with heavy infantry and artillery weapons, the concept of assault is met if they have taken action in conjunction with &a mp;uacute;spinningmoving units and using their melee weapons to contribute to breaching the enemy position. Counterattacks, as well as combat reconnaissance, may be considered assaults if they led to a breach of an enemy position or to a skirmish.

Simply participating in successful combat operations, especially with heavy infantry and artillery weapons against ground (bunkers, tanks, etc.) and naval targets, without direct participation in offensive action or close combat, is not sufficient to warrant the Ground Combat Badge. Combat against aerial targets does not qualify for the Luftwaffe Ground Combat Badge, but for the Flakkampfabzeichen (Anti-Aircraft Artillery Badge).

Combat actions against land and naval targets which, in conjunction with combat actions against air targets(kills) have already led to the award of the Anti-Aircraft Artillery Badge cannot be counted again for the award of the Luftwaffe Ground Combat Badge. In contrast, the Anti-Aircraft Artillery Badge awarded for combat actions against land and sea targets may becan now be exchanged for the Luftwaffe Land Warfare Badge if the combat actions meet the above conditions.

There are no plans to award the Luftwaffe Ground Combat Badge for meritorious unit command. Commanders, etc. are eligible for award only if they have met the specified conditions.

Here it appears that the intention to award frontline fighters in the original sense of the word originated. On 22 February 1943, it was decided that the badge could also be awarded to the fallen post mortem after the conditions for the award had been fulfilled. The Commander-in-Chief of the Luftwaffe further modified the lines for award to the extent of defining the various terms more precisely. Thus, not every combat action becomes a "combat action" within the meaning of the conditions for awarding the badge. Also, the range of persons involved in combat actions was more precisely described, etc.

Source: www.warcross.cz/wordpress/?p=4266