Biography
Michael Wittmann's Career Timeline
- 22.04.12 Born in Vogelthal, Landkreis (District) Beilngries, Oberpfalz, Bayern
- 01.02.34 Joins Freiwillige Arbeitsdienst (FAD, later Reichsarbeitsdienst or RAD)
- 30.10.34 Assigned to 10. Kompanie of the 19th Army Infantry Regiment, Freising
- 01.11.35 Promoted to Gefreiter
- 30.09.36 Period of Army service ends
- 01.04.37 Joins 17. Kompanie, Leibstandarte SS Adolf Hitler at the rank of SS-Mann
- 01.11.37 Promoted to SS-Sturmmann
- 13.03.38 Awarded Austria reunification medal
- 01.10.38 Awarded Sudetenland medal
- 20.04.39 Promoted to SS-Unterscharführer
- 03.09.39 War declared. Wittmann is at this time an armoured car commander
- 16.07.40 Concludes assault gun training. Posted to new StuG unit in Paris-Clarmant
- 06.04.41 Start of campaign in the Balkans and Greece
- 22.06.41 Operation "Barbarossa", the invasion of the USSR, begins
- 12.07.41 Awarded Iron Cross 2nd Class for his success in Greece
- 20.08.41 Awarded Wound Badge in Black following injury caused by shell fragments
- 08.09.41 Awarded Iron Cross First Class for further achievements
- 09.11.41 Promoted to SS-Oberscharführer
- 21.11.41 Awarded Tank Assault Badge in Silver on claiming twenty-five victims
- 04.06.42 Begins officer training at the Jünkerschule, Bad Tölz
- 00.08.42 Awarded Royal Bulgarian Soldiers Cross of the Order of Bravery 2nd Class
- 00.08.42 Awarded Eastern Front ("Frozen Flesh") Medal
- 05.09.42 Completes training, posted to Panzers as Officer Candidate
- 21.12.42 Promoted to SS-Untersturmführer
- 25.12.42 Assigned Commander of Light Platoon, 4. Kompanie, LSSAH
- 31.03.43 Moved to Tiger Company as commander of the 3rd Platoon, 4. Kompanie
- 05.07.43 Beginning of Operation "Zitadelle", the battle of Kursk
- 05.08.43 Given command of 2nd Platoon, 3. Kompanie 101. Panzerbattalion LSSAH
- 30.12.43 Given command of 2. Kompanie 101. Panzerbattalion LSSAH
- 14.01.44 Awarded the Knight's Cross after halting Russian attack near Sherepki
- 30.01.44 Awarded the Oakleaves for destroying over 60 enemy tanks in less than a month
- 30.01.44 Promoted to SS-Obersturmführer
- 02.02.44 Officially Awarded Oakleaves by Hitler at the Wolfsschanze in Rastenburg
- 01.03.44 Marries Hildegard Burmester in Erbstdorf
- 21.06.44 Promoted to SS-Hauptsturmführer
- 22.06.44 Awarded the Swords following the successful attack at Villers-Bocage
- 25.06.44 Receives the Swords from Hitler at the Berghof
- 10.07.44 Assigned Battalion Commander, 101. Panzerbattalion LSSAH
- 08.08.44 Killed in Action around St. Aignan-de-Cramesnil, Normandy
Major Awards and Decorations
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