• Junker Ju 88

Date of birth:

December 22nd, 1912 (Gelsenkirchen/Westernphalia, germany)

Date of death:

1996

Nationality:

German (1933-1945, Third Reich)

Alfred Schmittka joined the Luftwaffe at the age of 21 years on 10th April 1934. On 9th December he signed a contract for twelve years from date of entering, until 30th September 1946.
When war started he acted as Radio Operator with Kampfgruppe z.b.V. 106. He was involved in supply missions during the Polish campaign and three bombardment missions on Warsaw (25th September 1939), when aircrew manhandled bombs out of the side doors of their Ju 52/3m's. In April 1940, he dropped paratroopers at Narvik
Retrained on Junkers Ju 88 after campaign in the West with pilot Ernst Wieble (Weible - posthumous RK 6th April 1944, killed over London 24th March 1944) he was transferred to 2. / Kampfgeschwader 54 'Totenkopf' with Weible for Operation 'Barbarossa' and as part of the first wave of attacks on the Soviet Union. In October 1941 he was transferred with Weible to 5. / Kampfgeschwader 54. On 1st December 1941 he was promoted Oberfeldwebel. Schmittke participated in 'Baedeker Raids' on Birmingham and Aberdeen in July and August 1942, before returning to the Soviet Union.
On 19th September 1942, his aircraft (Ju88A-14, Werk Nr 144155) received direct hit in the crew compartment from a Soviet anti-aircraft shell. They succeded in an emergencylanding Witebsk but the Observer and Air Gunner died of their wounds, Weible was injured in the arm, and Schmittka was unharmed. Schmittka subsequently suffered from a breakdown and was transferred as an instructor.
He survived war and died in 1996.

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• Photo 1: Tim Oliver
• - Die Ordensträger der Deutschen Wehrmacht (CD), VMD-Verlag GmbH, Osnabrück, 2002
  - Patzwall K., Scherzer V., Das Deutsche Kreuz 1941-1945, Geschichte und Inhaber Band II, Verlag Klaus D. Patzwall, Norderstedt, 2001, ISBN 3-931533-45-X
  - Patzwall K.D., Der Ehrenpokal für besondere Leistung im Luftkrieg, Studien zur Geschichte der Auszeichnungen, Band 6, Verlag Klaus D. Patzwall, Norderstedt, 2008, ISBN 978-3-931533-08-3
  - Verleihungsurkunde Frontflugspange mit Anhänger, DKiG, Ehrenpokal