Karl Kennel

Karl Kennel
Born	(1914-01-07)7 January 1914 Pirmasens
Died	Pirmasens
Allegiance	Nazi Germany
Service/branch	Luftwaffe
Years of service	1935–45
Rank	Major
Unit	ZG 26, ZG 2, SG 1, SG 152, SG 2
Commands held	II./SG 2 “Immelmann”
Battles/wars	World War II
Awards	Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves

Karl Kennel (7 January 1914 – 1 July 1999) was a German World War II Luftwaffe ground attack pilot and flying ace. He flew 957 combat missions and is credited with 34 victories, including 3 on the Western Front. He was also a recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves (German: Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes mit Eichenlaub). The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross and its higher grade Oak Leaves was awarded to recognise extreme battlefield bravery or successful military leadership. Kennel is also believed to have shot down Soviet fighter ace Nikolay Abramashvili over Stalingrad on 30 November 1942.

Awards

• Iron Cross (1939)
  • 2nd Class (26 May 1940)
  • 1st Class (24 June 1940)
• German Cross in Gold (6 March 1942)
• Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves
  • Knight's Cross on 19 September 1943 as Oberleutnant (war officer) and Staffelkapitän of the 5./SG 1
  • 666th Oak Leaves on 25 November 1944 as Hauptmann and Gruppenkommandeur of II./SG 2 "Immelmann"