World War I

Habich was one of the early German military pilots, joining Feldflieger Abteilung 47 performing aerial reconnaissance as an Unteroffizier in late 1914. He then transferred to Flieger-Abteilung (Artillerie) 215 for artillery reconnaissance and ranging duties. He was awarded the Military Karl-Friedrich Merit Order by his native Baden on 5 February 1915, followed by both classes of the Iron Cross; his First Class Iron Cross was awarded 18 March 1916. In August 1916, he was promoted to Offizierstellvertreter and applied for duty in a fighter squadron. On 8 January 1918, he joined Jagdstaffel 49 in France. By this time, as a Leutnant, he was senior enough to sometimes assume command as the deputy commander. He scored his first air-to-air victory on 27 March 1918. By war’s end, he had destroyed five more enemy aircraft and an observation balloon.^[1]

Habich is widely credited with being the aviator who shot down and killed French flying ace Roland Garros.^[2]

WWI aerial victories

See also Aerial victory standards of World War I

World War II

By the 1930s, Habich worked as a military pilot and flight instructor in the Luftwaffe. He served on the Eastern Front commanding a Nachtschlachtgruppe in 1944.^[1]