Diethelm von Eichel-Streiber

Diethelm von Eichel-Streiber (10 August 1914 – 13 May 1996) was a German Luftwaffe officer in the Spanish Civil War and World War II.

During the Spanish Civil War, he flew with Kampfgruppe 88 of the Condor Legion as an air observer.

During World War II, he became a fighter ace credited with 96 aerial victories.

With the exception of two aerial victories claimed over the Western Allies, the majority of his aerial victories were achieved on the Eastern Front.

Eichel-Streiber was born on 10 August 1914 in Oppershausen, at the time in the Province of Saxony within the German Empire, present-day in Thuringia.

He was one of eight children of, a German politician and owner of the family estate in Berka vor dem Hainich, and his mother Hildegard von der Leyen zu Bloemersheim.

In November 1937, he joined the Condor Legion and was posted to Kampfgruppe 88 as an air observer on a Heinkel He 111.

On 14 April 1939, he was awarded the Spanish Cross in Gold with Swords (Spanienkreuz in Gold mit Schwertern), for his service in the Spanish Civil War.

In November 1940, Eichel-Streiber was posted to III.

Gruppe of JG 77 transferred to Deta in western Romania on 1 April 1941, completing the relocation by 4 April.

German forces invaded Greece and Yugoslavia on 6 April.

That day, III.

Gruppe of Jagdgeschwader 77 (JG 77th—77th Fighter Wing) where he served as an adjutant to his commanding officer and uncle Major Alexander von Winterfeldt.

JG 77 had just been ordered to relocate from Norway to airfields near the English Channel.

The Gruppenstab (headquarters unit) of III.

Gruppe arrived in Dinan in northwestern France on 11 December.

In preparation for Operation Marita, the Geschwaderstab, II.

and III.

Gruppe flew fighter escort missions for Junkers Ju 87 dive bombers from Sturzkampfgeschwader 77 (StG 77—77th Dive Bomber Wing) attacking Belgrade.

The next day, the Gruppe was ordered to an airfield named Sofia-Vrba located approximately halfway between Radomir and Sofia to augment the VIII. Fliegerkorps (8th Air Corps) commanded by Generaloberst'' Wolfram Freiherr von Richthofen.

The Gruppe then followed the German advance to Skopje on 10 April.

On 14 April, III.

Gruppe moved to Prilep and then to Axioupoli followed by another relocation to Korinos on 16 April.

On 19 April, operating from Korinos, III.

Gruppe flew close air support missions.

During an attack on the Dadion airfield at Amfikleia, Eichel-Streiber strafed and destroyed two Gloster Gladiator biplane fighters.

The Gruppe then moved to Larissa on 20 April, from Larissa to Almyros on 22 April, and from Almyros to Tanagra on 27 April.

The fighting in Greece ceased on 30 April and JG 77 was given a period of rest.

In preparation for the Battle of Crete, III.

Gruppe was ordered to Molaoi on 11 May.

The Gruppe flew its first combat missions to Crete on 14 May, attacking the airfield at Maleme.

During this early morning attack, Eichel-Streiber claimed his first aerial victory when he shot down a Hawker Hurricane fighter.

Later that day, the Gruppe flew a second mission to Crete.

During this mission, Eichel-Streiber's Messerschmitt Bf 109 E-7 (Werknummer 6435—factory number) was hit by anti-aircraft artillery, tearing off his left horizontal stabiliser and damaging his vertical stabilizer, resulting in a forced landing at Maloi.

In preparation for Operation Barbarossa, the German invasion of the Soviet Union, III.

Gruppe was moved to Bucharest and was located in the sector of Heeresgruppe Süd (Army Group South).

III.

Gruppe arrived in Bucharest on 16 June.

Four days later, III.

Gruppe moved to Roman.