Background
Gustav-Arved Crüger was born on 25 June 1911 in Pillau, district of Samland in East Prussia.
Gustav-Arved Crüger was born on 25 June 1911 in Pillau, district of Samland in East Prussia.
He then attended the infantry school in Dresden from 1 October 1932 until 1 June 1933. He then attended the Artillery School in Jüterbog before transferring to the Luftwaffe in 1934.
He was appointed Geschwaderkommodore (Wing Commander) of Kampfgeschwader 77 (Knight of the Order of the Garter 77—77th Bomber Wing) in 1942. Crüger was posted as missing in action on 22 March 1942. He joined the military service as a Fahnenjunker (Officer Cadet) in the 2nd Infantry Regiment (Infanterie-Regiment 2) on 1 April 1931.
With graduation he was promoted to Fähnrich and transferred to the 6th Communications-Department (Nachrichtenabteilung 6).
On 29 March 1941 Crüger and led his group in an attack against a British task force southwest of Crete. The group claimed three hits on the aircraft carrier HMS Formidable earning him a reference on 30 March 1941 in the Wehrmachtbericht (armed forces report), an information bulletin issued by the headquarters of the Wehrmacht.
To be singled out individually in this way was an honour and was entered in the Orders and Decorations" section of a soldier"s Service Record Book. Crüger married the German actress Carola Höhn in April 1941.
The marriage produced a posthumous son, Arved-Michael, who was born in June 1942.
After his wedding vacation Crüger took command as Geschwaderkommodore of the Schnellkampfgeschwader 210 on 30 September 1941 at the Eastern Front. He then became Geschwaderkommodore of Kampfgeschwader 77 on 13 March 1942. Fighting in the Mediterranean theater of operations Crüger went missing in action on 22 March 1942.
Flying the Junkers Ju 88 A-4 3Z+Associate of Arts (Werknummer 8627—factory number) he failed to return from a combat mission against the British forces on Malta.
Crüger and his crew appear to have been shot down by Royal Navy Associate of Arts fire while attacking shipping en route to Malta. Wehrmachtbericht reference Bibliography.