Career Timeline & Decorations

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 Career in Waffen-SS begins. Joins 17. Kompanie, Leibstandarte SS Adolf Hitler at the rank of SS-Mann. SS number 311,623

01.11.37 Promoted to SS-Sturmmann
13.03.38 Awarded Austria reunification (Anschluss) medal

Anschluss Medal, awarded 13th March 1938
Anschluss Medal, awarded 13th March 1938

01.10.38 Awarded Sudetenland medal

Sudetenland Medal, awarded 1st October 1938
Sudetenland Medal, awarded 1st October 1938

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 following successful action in Ukraine

Iron Cross Second Class, awarded 7th July 1941
Iron Cross Second Class, awarded 7th July 1941

20.08.41 Awarded Wound Badge in Black following injury caused by shell fragments

Verwundetenabzeichen (Wound Badge), awarded 20th August 1941
Verwundetenabzeichen (Wound Badge), awarded 20th August 1941

08.09.41 Awarded Iron Cross First Class for further achievements

Iron Cross First Class, awarded 8th September 1941
Iron Cross First Class, awarded 8th September 1941

09.11.41 Promoted to SS-Oberscharführer
21.11.41 Awarded Tank Assault Badge in Silver on claiming twenty-five victims

Panzerkampfabzeichen (Panzer Assault Badge), awarded 21st November 1941
Panzerkampfabzeichen (Panzer Assault Badge), awarded 21st November 1941

04.06.42 Begins officer training at the Junkerschule, Bad Tölz
00.08.42 Awarded Royal Bulgarian Soldiers Cross of the Order of Bravery 2nd Class

Royal Bulgarian Soldiers Cross of the Order of Bravery 2nd Class, awarded August 1942
Royal Bulgarian Soldiers Cross of the Order of Bravery 2nd Class, awarded August 1942

00.08.42 Awarded Eastern Front (“Frozen Flesh”) Medal

Eastern Front Campaign Medal, awarded August 1942
Eastern Front Campaign Medal, awarded August 1942

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 of the Iron Cross, after halting Russian attack near Sherepki

Das Ritterkreuz des Eisernes Kreuzes, awarded 14th January 1944
Das Ritterkreuz des Eisernes Kreuzes, awarded 14th January 1944

30.01.44 Awarded the Oakleaves to the Knight’s Cross of the Iron Cross, for destroying over 60 enemy tanks in less than a month

Das Ritterkreuz des Eisernes Kreuzes mit Eichenlaub, awarded 30th January 1944
Das Ritterkreuz des Eisernes Kreuzes mit Eichenlaub, awarded 30th January 1944

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 to the Knight’s Cross of the Iron Cross, following the successful attack at Villers-Bocage

Das Ritterkreuz des Eisernes Kreuzes mit Eichenlaub und Schwerter, awarded 22nd June 1944
Das Ritterkreuz des Eisernes Kreuzes mit Eichenlaub und Schwerter, awarded 22nd June 1944

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

Michael Wittmann's signature