18 years old Wilhelm Crinius joined the Wehrmacht on 28 August 1939, three days befor the WWII started. However already in January 1940 he was transferred ot the Luftwaffe, and underwent fighter pilot training.

In February of 1942, Gefr. Crinius got his first posting ending up in Oblt. Wolfgang Tonne´s 3./JG 53 based in Sicily. By this time the I Gruppe was with its 26 Bf 109s based at Gela in the southern part of Sicily ready for action against the British based at Malta some 120 km to the south.

Here, in a period of four and a half months the pilots in the Gruppe would file claims for a meager 19 RAF aircraft, mostly Hurricanes, losing four pilots and 11 Messershmitts, one of them in air-combat.

Gefr. Wilhelm Crinius did not managed to file any own claims during his two months stay at Gela. However after being transferred to the Eastern Front, operating in the Kursk area, his scoring would take off, claiming his first victories on 9 June 1942 when he shot down two Russian Il-2 Sturmoviks.

He would be a steady scorer and on 27 August claimed his 49th victory which was also the 1,000th victory for I./JG 53. In total he amassed 40 victories in August and another 46 victories between 1 and 22 September, including his 100th victory on 22 September.

He was then promoted to Leutnant and on 23 September became the only German fighter pilot to be awarded the Knight's Cross and the Knight's Cross with Oak Leaves simultaneously.

Transferred back to the Mediterranean theater and Tunisia Lt. Crinius would fly his last combat mission on 13 January 1943. Engaged in combat with RAF Spitfires over Tunisia, Crinius' aircraft was hit and he was wounded in the thigh.

Breaking off combat, he headed for his base but his engine soon caught fire. He ditched his stricken Bf 109 G-2 in the sea near La Calle and spent 24 hours in the water before being rescued by French and Arab sailors. After hospitalization for his wounds, Crinius became a POW.

In total Wilhelm Crinius was credited with a total of 114 confirmed victories in approximately 400 combat missions. Note, his rather tiered looking "Gelbe 13" wears the typical Gray camouflage of RLM 74/75/76.

Please note that during the last week I have been able to make five new profiles, Crinius profile was finished this Saterday. The profile would be included in my upcoming Luftwaffe Fighters Profile Book No 18.