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The Kracker Luftwaffe Archive: Axis Powers Pilots and Crew




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You searched for: “marseille”

#Pilot/Crew
SORT (↑)		RankBornPlaceScore
SORT (↑)		PhotoUnitsAircraftAwards*************Notes*************LinksAuthorComments
1 Wendel, FritzHptmEKdo-262, JG-7Bf 109, Me 262V-3 Werk # 000003 "PC + UC", Me 163Fighter Operational ClaspMesserschmidt Factory Test Pilot (7/42). Set a Worlds Speed Record of 469.24 mph in Bf 109R (Bf 109 V1) on 11 April, 1939. Pictured with Me 262 and Me 163 pilots at a post-war reunion, Jager Blatt 6/2003.


Fritz Wendel - Pöhs - Jochen Marseille discuss Me 262

First flight, in Leipheim, of the Messerschmitt Me-262 V3, coded "PC+UC", powered by its Jumo 004 engines alone, in the hands of test pilot Fritz Wendel.



Courtesy Christian König
2 Volke, MaximilianFhjOfw5/23/1915Monaco (Munich CK)374/JG-77 (7/42 S.U.), 5/JG-77 (1/43), 6/JG-77 (3/43), 4/JG-77 (3/43), 6/JG-77 (9/44 Ghedi No. Italy)Bf 109F & G (Trop), Bf 109G-6/U4 Werk # 441456 (lost 9/5/44)
Deutsches Kreuz - Gold(7/12/43)
EP (05/06/43 CK)


EK 1 & 2

Fighter Operational Clasp in Gold
KilledInAction (KIA) 5 September, 1944 during aerial combat with American fighters (DK-G Awards List), location Mirandola (Bf 109 Loss List). His first known Soviet victory, said to be nos. 14, 15 & 16, a Hurricane and two DB-7s on 28 July, 1942. A DB-7 on 6 August, 1942. A LaGG-3 on 7 August, 1942. Two LaGG-3s on 11 August, 1942. An Il-2 and a LaGG-3 on 13 August, 1942. A Yak-1 on 21 August, 1942. A Pe-2 on 26 August, 1942. A Hurricane and a Yak-1 on 13 September, 1942. One known western victory, his 28th, a Kittyhawk 5 km northwest of Buerat on 2 January, 1943. In 6 Staffel, he downed a Spitfire 38 km southeast of Medenine on 7 March, 1943. On 10 March, 1943, he downed two Kittyhawks 60 km southwest of Gabes. Transferred to 4 Staffel, he downed a P-38 80 km northwest of Kairouan on 12 March, 1943. He and his ac were recovered in July 2007.


Ernst Reinert (L) Maximilian Volke (R) by Hans-Joachim Marseille's Kübelwagen 'Otto' April 1943		Operational Record

YouTube Recovery

Archive Report
3 Sy, SiegfriedLt3
EKdo Orange (Marignac/Marseille), II/JG-26 (joins 3/44), 7/JG-26 (10/44), 6/JG-26 (Deputy Kdr. under A. Glunz, 1/45), 7/JG-26 (4/45)Bf 109G-6/R6/Trop "White 1" in EKdo, Fw 190A-8 in 7 Staffel, Fw 190D-9 "Brown 9", formerly Gomanns (lost 4/45)
EK 1 & 2
Fighter Operational Clasp		Bodenplatte pilot. Shot down five times as of 4 April, 1945, when he was shot down in "Brown 9" w/o injury, on 4 April, 1945 at Itterbek. His three victories; a Spitfire of RAF No. 416 Sq. S of Brussels-Evere airfield on 1 January, 1945. A P-47 of 366FG near Mönchen-Gladbach on 1 March, 1945. His 3rd, a P-39 E of Oranienburg on 25 April, 1945. His 3rd victory was the 902nd, and last, air victory for II Group. A veteran of the Wehrmacht , who received his pilot rating in 1943, was embittered that he was never given command of a Staffel. Sy flew into Aalborg Denmark on 5 May, 1945. He was a POW until August, 1945, when he and many others from the group walked back to Germany, including Jan Schild and Werner Molge.syxx
4 Steinhausen, GüntherLt (postm.)1917/15/09Lobkevitz Insel Rügen40


1./JG 27Bf 109 E-7 "White 10" (Trop) (8/41), Bf 109 F-4 (Trop.) Werk # 13272 "White 5" (lost 06/09/42) RK (03/11/42 Post.)

Deutsches Kreuz - Gold (21/08/42)
EP (05/08/42)

EK 1 & 2

Fighter Operational Clasp in Gold with Star pendant
Italian Pilot wings		KilledInAction (KIA) 6 September, 1942 after crashing his "White 5" S of El Alamein following aerial combat with Hurricanes of RAF No. 127 Sq.. Promoted to Lt. posthumously after his death. All victories in North Africa, including one bomber. His first victory was a Hurricane of RAF No. 73 Sq. north of Tobruk on 9 June, 1941. One of the great aces in N. Africa with Marseille. Carried as MIA by Eric Mombeek. Bowers/Lednicer, 40 victories. Added: Steinhausen claimed four victories on 16 June, 1942. It has been suggested that Major John Frost, Cmdr SAAF No.5 Sq, may have been one of the four (Wikipedia).

5 Schröer, WernerMaj2/12/1918Mülheim Ruhr114


1, 2, 3/JG-27(41), Stafkpt 8/JG-27(6/42), Kdr II/JG-27(4/43), Kdr III/JG-54(3/44), Kdr JG-3(2/45)Bf 109E-7 Wk#s 3790 & 4170 in 2/JG-27, Bf 109F-4/Trop Werk #s 8497 ( 1/30/42); later destroyed 2/26/42 by while flown by Stahlschmidt, flak hit), Werk # 7027 "RK (21/10/42) - EL (02/08/43) - Sw (19/04/45)

Deutsches Kreuz - Gold (09/09/42)
EP (06/08/42)
EK 1 (15/09/41) & 2 (19/04/41)
Wound Badge

Fighter Operational Clasp in Gold
Medaglia d'argento al Valore Militare
Italian Pilot Badge		26 Bombers. EL on 2 Aug., 1943. Only 197 combat missions! 61 victories in the Desert. A close friend of Marseille from their training days to their Desert assignment. The E-7 bore the "Black 8" flown in Libya in August, 1941. Flew Bf 109G-2 "Brown 1" in 8/JG-27. His first victory, a Hurricane west of Tobruk on 19 April, 1941. One of the few pilots to score over 100 victories against the RAF and the USAAF. 12 victories in the East. Force landed his damaged Wk# 3790 on 4/19/41 after aerial combat with RAF Hurricanes, taking 48 bullet hits. Force landed Wk# 4170 after suffering injuries from a collision during aerial combat on 4/21/41. Shot down w/o wounds 4 August, 1944 in a Bf 109G while he was Kdr III/JG-54. Victories Nos. 103 to 105, a P-39 and two Pe-2s on 11 March, 1945. A P-39, an La-5 and a Yak-3 on 15 March, 1945. Nos 109 & 110, an Il-2 and a Yak-3 on 19 April, 1945. Nos. 111 & 112, a Yak-3 and a Yak-9 on 24 April, 1945. His last two victories, both La-5s on 26 April, 1945. Flugbuch (5/40 to 4/45). Alternate spelling: Schroer. Postwar home: Ottobrunn, outside Munich. Deceased 10 February, 1985. Photo


L-R: Major Gustav Rödel (Kommodore JG 27) - Hptm. Werner Schroer (Kommandeur ll./JG 27) - Major Rudolf Sinner (Kommandeur lV./JG 27)



Courtesy Christian König
6 Schellwanner,Lt11/JGr-200Bf 109G, Fw 190A
EK 1 & 2
Fighter Operational Clasp		One known victory, a B-24 SW of Marseille on 24 July, 1944.
7 Rippert, HorstFw5/24/1922284/JGr Süd (Italy 3/44), 6/Kdo JGr Süd (5/44), 3/JGr-200 (6/44), 13/JG-27 (11/44), 5/JG-27 (4/45)Bf 109F & GEP


EK 1 & 2
Fighter Operational Clasp		10 bombers. One known victory, as an Ogefr in JGr Süd, a B-17 120 km S of Toulon on 7 March, 1944. another, a B-24 40 km S of Toulon on 11 March, 1944. A B-26 near Charleville on 7 May, 1944. A Mosquito MM256 over southern France on 13 May, 1944. A B-24 at Draguignan on 25 May, 1944. Another B-24 on 26 May, 1944 a S of Cape Cameret Fr.. A B-24 (HSS) at Marseille on 25 June, 1944. A P-51 S of Marseille on 5 July, 1944. A B-24 SW of Marseille on 24 July, 1944. In 2008, Rippert told a French daily newspaper, "Le Provence", that he had been the pilot who shot down French poet and editor, Antoine de Saint Exupery, a USAAF volunteer. The poet was on a recon flight in a P-38 over the Med, in the Marseille area in July, 1944. A Spitfire NE of Hyeres on 12 August, 1944. A P-51 in the Halle area on 2 November, 1944. His 21st, a B-26 SW of Münster on 22 February, 1945. His 22nd, a Typhoon NE of Düsseldorf on 24 February, 1945. His 23rd & 24th, two Yak-3s 10 km W of Nauen on 25 April, 1945. His 25th, a Yak-9 on 26 April, 1945. His 26th, an Il-2 on 27 April, 1945. Nos. 27 & 28, both Spitfires on 4/30/45. His late war wingman was Herbert Knobbe. Deceased 19 April, 2013 (P. Bastin).
8 Reinert, Ernst Wilhelm 'Erwi'Hptm1919/02/02Cologne-Lindenthal174

Courtesy Christian König

4./JG 77 (01/43), 6./JG 77 (04/43), Stfkpt 1. & 3./JG 77, Stfkpt 14./JG 27, Kdr IV./JG 27 (01/45), III./JG-7 (03/45)Bf 109 E-3 "White 12", Bf 109 F-4 Werknr 13117 (lost 14/07/42, coll w/ Erwin Clausen), Bf 109 F-4 Werknr 13137 (lost 23/04/42 downed by a Pe-2), Bf 109 F-4 Werknr 8280 (lost 26/07/42; crash due to tech prob), Bf 109 G-2 "White 10" in 4./JG-77, Bf 109 G-6 "Yellow 7 + -" (04/43), Bf 109 G-6 "White 1" Werknr 20380 (13/08/43), Bf 109 K-4, Me 262 in JG 7
RK (01/07/42)
EL (No. 131, 07/10/42, CK)
Swords (No. 130, 01/02/45, CK)

Deutsches Kreuz in Gold (18/05/42)
EP (07/02/42)

EK 1 (29/09/41 CK) & EK 2
Wound Badge

Fighter Operational Clasp in Gold with pendant
Medaille "Winterschlacht im Osten 1941/42" (Ostmedaille)		2 Bombers. Knights Cross with Swords! 103 victories in the East. His first victory came on 8 August, 1941, shortly after joining 4/JG-77 in N. Africa. Downed three Soviet fighters on 19 March, 1942 in the Kerch Peninsula. His 50th victory, a Soviet I-16 Rata on 9 June, 1942. His 65th, a Yak-4 on 11 July, 1942. His 80th, a Pe-2 on 19 July, 1942. A Yak-1 on 30 September, 1942. By the end of 1942, he had scored over 100 victories. 51 victories in North Africa. On 13 August, 1943 he was shot down by a P-40 after his 158-160 victories over Italy and made a water landing and was rescued. His 169th victory, a P-51 W of Caen on 27 June, 1944. His 172nd, a P-51 NE of Leipzig on 2 November, 1944. 715 combat missions. In addition, 16 AC destroyed on the ground and 10 Tanks. Deceased 5 September, 2007. Added: WIA on 05/07/44. 71 Western victories and 103 on East (CKönig)



Ernst Reinert (L) Maximilian Volke (R) by Hans-Joachim Marseille's Kübelwagen 'Otto' April 1943
9 Pöttgen, RainerOfw7


3/JG-27 (12/41 Africa), 1 Jagdlehrer Gr. (2/44)Bf 109F "Yellow 2", Bf 109F-4 (Trop) Werk # 10059 "Yellow 12" (lost 9/15/42), Bf 109G-4 Werk # Unk "Yellow 10" (10/43 Fels)EP


EK 1 & 2

Fighter Operational Clasp in Gold
Werk # 10059 was also flown by Marseille and others, and was eventually lost in a collision with a 5/JG-27 AC on 9/15/42; pilot at the time not named. Marseilles wingman. His first victory, a P-40 northwest of Gadd-el-Ahmar N. Africa on 1 June, 1942. This victory came after flying wingman for Marseille on 100 missions. A second, was another P-40 (actually a Spitfire of RAF No. 145 Sq., but mis-identified) east of Sidi Barrani on 26 June, 1942. A Spitfire 22 km southeast of Poix on 13 March, 1943. Another known victory, his 4th, a Stranraer seaplane on 14 April, 1943. His 5th, a Spitfire on 15 May, 1943. His 6th, a Spitfire IV into the sea 15 km W of Berck on 15 July, 1943. Downed a B-24 (n.b.?) in the Wiener Neustadt area, 1 October, 1943. A B-17 SE of Toulon on 4 February, 1944. Added: He later flew as a fighter instructor in a Jagdlehrergruppe and survived the war. Deceased 1994. (CKönig)


10 Pöhs, Joachim 'Joschi' aka 'Josef'Oblt1912/03/14Altkettenhof bei Wien (Vienna)43

Austrian Air Force, 4./JG 54 (08/40), 2./JG 76 then became 5./JG 54 (Russia), ErpKdo 16 (12/43)Bf 109E-1 "Red 13" (09/39) in 2./JG-76 & 4./JG-54, Bf 109E-4 "Black 2" (03/41 France) in 5./JG 54, Bf 109F-2 "Black 9" (08/41 in 5./JG 54), Me 163 A V-8 Werknr. 0005 "CD + IM" (CK, lost 30/12/43)
RK (06/08/41)

Deutsches Kreuz in Gold (20/12/41)
EP (09/08/41)

EK 1 & 2

Fighter Operational Clasp in Gold
KilledInAction (KIA) 30 December, 1943 in Bad Zwischenahn, testing the Me 163. 40 victories in the East (Operation Barbarossa). One known victory, his 1st, a Hawk-75A on 14 May, 1940, no location. His 2nd, a Fairey Battle on 20 May, 1940, no location. A 3rd, a Spitfire in the Dover-Lympne area on 12 August, 1940. A 4th, a Spitfire SW of Dover on 28 August, 1940. Nos.5 & 6 (referred to as 6 & 7 by OKL), both Spitfires near London on 27 September, 1940. About 300 combat missions. Photo


Fritz Wendel - Pöhs - Jochen Marseille discuss Me 262
11 Mentnich, KarlOfw73/JG-27 (6/41), 4/JG-27 (1/44)Bf 109F(Trop.) & G, Bf 109 G (lost 22/04/44)EP


EK 1 & 2
Fighter Operational Clasp		5 victories in the Desert. An occasional wingman for Marseille. His first victory, a Hurricane northeast of Gambut on 17 June, 1941. Another known victory, a Boston III southeast of Hafen (Tobruk) on 23 May, 1942. A P-40 of SAAF No. 4 Sq. in the Acroma-Mteifel-Harmat area on 31 May, 1942. On 2 November, 1942, he downed a Spitfire southeast of Sanyet Quotaifiya N. Africa. His 6th, a B-24 S of Leeuwarden on 11 January, 1944. His 7th, a P-38 SW of Sankt Goar in the Koblenz-Bingen area on 29 January, 1944. Bowers/Lednicer, 8 victories. Added: Bailed from his 109 on 22/04/44 after air combat, ac crashed near Nesselbrunn (CKönig)
12 Marseille, Hans-Joachim 'Jochen'Hptm12/13/1919Berlin - Charlottenburg158

Courtesy Christian Konig

1(J)/LG-2 (8/40 Calais-Marck), JG-52 (9/40 Pas de Calais), 3/JG-27 (4/41 Gazala), Stfkpt 3/JG-27 (6/42Bf 109E-4 Werk # 3579 "Wh 14" (50% dam, uninj aft crash at Calais aft combat), Bf 109E-4/B Werk # 2032 (25% dam 10/29/40; crashed at Wissant airfield after combat, pilot OK), Bf 109E-7 Wk# 5579 (75% dam Emer Land Wissant, pilot OK 9/11/40), Bf 109E-7 Werk # 5094 (shot down into Channel 9/23/40; rescued), Bf 109E-7/B Werk # 4091 "White 7" (9/28/40), Bf 109E-7/Trop Werk # 5160 "Yellow 6" (5/41), Bf 109F/Trop Werk# 8693 "Yellow 14", Bf 109F Werk# 8673 "Yellow 14" as Stfkpt., Bf 109F-4/Trop Wk#s 10059 & 10137 (6/17/42), both "Yellow 14"s, Bf 109G-2/Trop Werk # 14256 "Yellow 14" (lost 9/30/42)
RK(2/22/42)
Br(9/2/42)

Italian Gold Medal for Valor

Deutsches Kreuz - Gold(12/1/41)
EP(11/3/41)

EK 1 & 2

Fighter Operational Clasp in Gold
"The Star of Afrika" Killed in a flying accident 30 Sept. 1942 at Sidi-Abid-el-Rahman. Returning from a mission, the new 109 G-2 #14256 he was flying had a fractured oil line and the AC caught fire. When he bailed out, he struck the horizontal stabilizer and failed to open his chute. He was buried 2 October, 1942 at Derna, N. Africa, later reinterred at Memorial Gardens in Tobruk. He flew 383 combat missions. His first victory, a Spitfire over southeast England on 8 September, 1940. 151 victories in the Desert. His 100th, a Hurricane shot down over Gambut airfield, the AC crashing in flames into an AA gun emplacement. EL(6/6/42), S(6/18/42). He shot down an unprecedented 17 AC in one day, 1 September, 1942! Gunther Rall referred to Marseille as the "best shot in the Luftwaffe, a brilliant marksman, using an average of only 15 bullets per kill". Flew 109 Werk # 5237 also. Most of the "F" models were F-4s. His three trusty wingmen were: Rainer Pöttgen, Karl Mentnich and Josef Schlang. Benito Mussolini conferred the Italian Gold Medal for Valor to Marseille for his 1941 Mediterranean service. Hoehler Personality Photo/Profile.


Fritz Wendel - Pöhs - Jochen Marseille discuss Me 262

Marseille (L) with friend Mathew 'Matias' Letulu

Rare photo of Marseille with Italian fighter pilots

Courtesy Christian König

Extended Record

Marseille's Claims
13 Lüth,Uffz14/JGr Süd (4/44)Fw 190A EK 2
Fighter Operational Clasp		One known victory, a P-38 100 km SW of Marseille on 29 April, 1944.
14 Lünsmann,Fw23/JGr-200Bf 109G, Fw 190A
EK 1 & 2
Fighter Operational Clasp		One known victory, a B-24 (HSS) at Marseille on 25 June, 1944. A 2nd, a B-24 SW of Cassis on 5 July, 1944.
15 Kugelbauer, KarlLt4/20/192053/JG-27 (9/41)Bf 109E & F (Trop)
EK 1 & 2

probably Fighter Operational Clasp in Bronze
KilledInAction (KIA) 8 July, 1942 when he was shot down with wounds near El Daba by a P-40 of RCAF No. 250 Sq., piloted by P/O W.J. Whitside. Wounded in the chest and right arm, he bailed out, but the shoulder strap of his parachute had been severed, and he fell out of the harness when the chute snapped open. One known victory, a Martin 167, on 27 September, 1941. Good friend of Marseille. Alternate spelling: Kügelbauer. His second victory was a Hurricane of RAF No. 73 Sq., piloted by Sgt Foster, on 10 February, 1942. Third, a P-40 on 2 March, 1942. He was shot down on 25 April, 1942 during aerial combat with a P-40 of the SAAF near Gazala. He survived the incident. His 4th and 5th victories were P-40s 20 km east southeast of El Alamein on 3 July, 1942.
16 Kroseberg, Heinz-GustavMaj23/02/99Berlin


Kroseberg with Marseille

Stab/ Fl.Fü. Afrika (003/41), 1. Wüstennotstaffel/ JG 27 (Stfkpt 11/41-05/42)Caudron Ca-445, Fi-156 C-3 trop of 2.(H)/ 14 "5f + UK" (27/03/41 CK)
RK (19/06/42)
Wound badge (1918)		MIA on 12/05/42 approx. 80 km N of Derna/Libya while searching for survivors at sea of downed Ju 52s. Posthumously awarded Ritterkreuz and promo to Major. "“Hauptmann Heinz Kroseberg has done extraordinary work in salvaging aircraft crews who’d been shot down in either the desert or the ocean. Deeply fulfilled by his task of recovering his downed comrades, he was able to save the lives of many German soldiers through quiet heroism before sacrificing himself during a salvage flight far over the sea, from which he did not return.”CKönig
17 Krenkel, KarlOgefrJGr Süd (France)Bf 109F-4 Werk # 9239 (60% dam 12/2/43)Wound Badge
Fighter Operational Clasp		Injured in an emergency sea landing in bight off La Ciorat 25 km ESE of Marseille on 2 December, 1943 due to an engine fire. The aircraft was recovered later.
18 Körner, FriedrichOblt1921/01/24Schwerte, Westfalen36



FFS Oschatz (11/39 CK), JFS 1 Werneuchen, Erg Gr JG 27 (01/01/41 CK), 2./JG 27 (07/41 CK), 3./JG 27 (02/42), 2./JG 27 (07/42)Bf 109 F (Trop) "Blk 11" in 2 Staffel (04/41), Bf 109 F-4/Trop "Red 2" (06/42), Bf 109G (Trop) "Red 11" in 3 Staffel, Bf 109 F-4/Trop Wk# 8696 "Red 9" (lost 04/07/42)
RK (06/09/42 in captivity)

Deutsches Kreuz - Gold (21/08/42)
EP (10/08/42)

EK 1 & 2
Wound Badge

Fighter Operational Clasp in Gold
All victories in the Desert. Four tanks destroyed. The 7th highest scoring Ace in North Africa. Multiple victories seven times. Close friend of Marseille. Scored JG-27s 1000th victory, A Curtis P-40 on 21 March, 1942 (and his 10th victory, CK). One known victory, a Boston near Laib Esem on 10 December, 1941. Another, an Albacore of RAF No. 826 Sq. SW of Sidi Barrani on 9 March, 1942. Two P-40s in the Martuba/Ain el Gazala area on 20 March, 1942. Shot down with wounds 4 July, 1942 (exactly one year to the day after his arrival in Africa) by a Hurricane II of SAAF No. 1 Sq., flown by South African ace Lt. Lawrence Waugh. He bailed successfully from his "Red 9" and was a POW in Canada until 1947. Bowers/Lednicer, 36 victories. In 2001, a retired W. Ger Air Force Brig. Gen. living in Paris. Deceased 3 September, 1998 in Paris. Added: He managed to shoot down 5 e/a on 26/06/42 - 3 P-40s and 2 Spitfires. He was shot down in his Bf-109 F-4/ trop (W.Nr.8696) "Red 11" on an intercept mission against bombers (CK)




Archive Report SAAF Boston Z2225
19 Knichel, KarlUffz10/29/1919Bottrop6
Sch Komp/JG-2 (9/41), 3(Erg)/JGr-Süd (10/42)8/JG-53 (joins 12/42; 2/43 Sicily; 6/43 Med), 3/JGr-Süd (4/1/44)Bf 109G-4 Trop Werk # 16208 (lost 2/5/43), Bf 109G-6 Werk # 18716 "Black 12 + I" (lost 8/29/43), Bf 109G-6/AS Werk # Unk "Black 13" (lost 4/29/44)
EK 1 & 2
Class "C" Glider Badge, Wound Badge
Fighter Operational Clasp		WIA 29 August, 1943 during aerial combat with a B-26 west of Acropoli. WIA 5 February, 1943 east of Sta. Croce due to engine damage (Bf 109 Loss List). His 1st known victory was in Sicily, a P-38F 20 km west of Pantellaria on 7 June, 1943. His 2nd, a Spitfire 30 km west of Larmonte on 5 July, 1943. His 3rd, a Beaufighter 10 km southwest of Insel Ventotene Italy on 12 August, 1943. His 4th, a P-38 over southern Italy, 20 August, 1943. His 5th, another P-38 50 km south of Insel Capri, 23 August, 1943. His 6th, a B-25 north of Capri, 27 August, 1943. Added: Uffz Karl Knichel joined the Luftwaffe in October, 1939, and served in a Flak unit until September, 1941, when he entered School Co. JG-2 for pilot training. He was KilledInAction (KIA) 29 April, 1944 during aerial combat with American bombers, crashing at sea 20km south of Port-de-Bouc, France, near Marseille. No trace of he or his "Blk 13" were found by ASR, and he was declared MIA 4 August, 1944, and memorialized 16 September, 1944 at Cynakus Kirche (Jörg F.Knichel, Grand Nephew).
(Added by Pietrzak Youngs)

Karl Knichel Images
20 Hoffmann, FriedrichOblt (postmortem)15/12/1916 (CK)W.B.K. Naumburg /Saale (CK)118./JG 26 and 4./JG 26 (1940, CK), JFS 1(06/41, CK) ( 3./JG 27 (02-08/42 Africa)Bf-109 F-4/trop (dam 08/07/42, CK), Bf-109 F-4/trop Werk # 10059 "Yellow 12" (lost 9/15/42)EP


EK 1 & 2
Wound Badge
Fighter Operational Clasp		WIFA/DOW 15 September, 1942 when he accidentally rammed another Bf 109F-4 Wk# 9665 of 5/JG-27 (Marseilles old ac) piloted by Uffz Prein, losing a wing. He bailed out but broke both legs badly, hitting the tail unit. He died five weeks later due to complications with the injuries. All victories in the Desert. A Maryland of RAF No. 39 Sq. in the Rabia area on 14 June, 1941. Downed a British fighter of RAF No. 229 Sq., piloted by P/O D. Allcock, near Mechili N. Africa on 17 December, 1941. His 10th victory was a P-40 10 km southeast of Fort Acroma, on 16 February, 1942. Another victory was a P-40 15 km south of El-Alamein on 18 August, 1942. Added: 08.07.42 Lt., 3./JG 27 unhurt - Bf 109 F-4/trop belly-landed near El Daba, unhurt (CK).


Hoffmann Fiedrich with Marseille
21 Hinnenthal, HelmutFw1914/07/24Brackwede (CK)


Courtesy CK

1./JG 2 (Channel)Fw 190 A-3 Werknr 2272 (lost 03/12/42)KIC on 3 December, 1942 due to engine failure approx 5 km E of Marseille-Marignane airfield during a maintenance flight. Added: Buried Cimetière militaire allemand de Dagneux Block 32 Reihe 1 Grab 1 (CK)
22 Harbort, RudolfLt93/JGr-200 (6/44), III/EJG-2 (2/45), JG-7Bf 109G, Me 262A-1a Werk # 170061 "White 4" in III/EJG-2
EK 1 & 2
Fighter Operational Clasp		One known victory, while in JGr-200, a P-51 S of Marseille on 15 June, 1944. A P-38 on 5 February, 1945. Four piston-engine victories and five jet victories. Magnus Report.
23 Grosse, Hans WernerOblt11/28/1922Swinemünde (now Swinoujscie, Poland)I/KG-77 (7/43), 3/KG-77 (6/44 France)Ju 88A-4 Werk # 140129 "3Z + LK" (lost 7/23/43), Ju 88A-17 Werk # Unk "3Z + MK" (lost 6/6/44), Ju 88A-17 Werk # Unk "1H + NL" (lost 2/1/45) Wound Badge
Bomber Operational Clasp 		Pilot and one other unnamed crew injured when they crashed at sea north of Kolberg 23 July, 1943 due to engine trouble, Two other unnamed crew MIA (Ju 88 Loss List). Injured a second time, 6 June, 1944 when he ditched 50m S of Marseille due to engine failure. Uninjured 1 February, 1945 when he made water contact over the Barents Sea (LOCS).

Courtesy Christian König
24 Gerten, Josef JuppUffz9/20/1921Köln Brück14/JG-27 (5/43 Med), 2/JGr-Süd (12/43)Bf 109G-4 (Trop) Werk # 19592 "White 19" (85% dam 5/13/43), Bf 109G-4 Werk # 16232 "Red 3" (lost 12/2/43) EK 2
Wound Badge
Fighter Operational Clasp		KilledInAction (KIA) 2 December, 1943 during aerial combat with bombers over Marseille; buried at Dagneux, France (Jager Blatt 2/2004). WIA 13 May, 1943, crashing near Monserato, after being hit by Italian flak. One known Desert victory, a P-38 15 km west of Insel Ustica (N. Palermo) on 9 May, 1943.
25 Freytag, Siegfried Gustav "der Löwe von Malta (The Lion of Malta)", "Robinson"Maj11/10/1919Danzig, Langfuhr102I./LG 2 (CK); 6./JG 77 (1940-41 Greece), Stfkpt 1./JG 77 (06/42), Kdr II./JG 77 (03/43), Acting Kdr JG 77 after Wiese (12/44), Kdr II./JG 77 (1944-03/45), JG 51 (04/04/45), JG 7 (04/45), Légion Etrangère (1952-1970)Bf 109E, Bf 109E-4 Werk # 1576 (lost 4/24/41), Bf 109G-6 Wk# 18025 (lost 7/12/43), Me 262 in JG-7 (5/45)
RK(7/3/42)

Deutsches Kreuz - Gold(2/15/43)
EP(5/18/42)

EK 1 & 2
Wound Badge

Fighter Operational Clasp in Gold with pendant "500"
Medaille "Winterschlacht im Osten 1941/42" (Ostmedaille)
Medaglia commemorativa della campagna italo-tedesca in Africa
879 combat missions by July 1942. His first known victory, a Hudson W of Lister (Norway?) on 31 October, 1940. He was injured in a crash on 24 April, 1941 in his E-4 after being hit by flak in the Athens area. About 70 of his victories were in Russia. One known victory was an I-16 of the 55th Fighter Aviation Regt., shot down 24 July, 1941 during Operation Barbarossa. A Soviet Yak-1 on 23 March, 1942. His 50th, a Soviet fighter on 3 June, 1942 while in 6/JG-77. Numerous victories in the Med. areas. He was the most successful German pilot over Malta (nickname The Lion of Malta, CK). Shot down with wounds by P-38s in his G-6 on 12 July, 1943 over Gela Sicily. Bailed successfully. His 99th victory, a B-24 over Italy on 29 May, 1944. His 100th victory, a B-24 SE of Pieve Italy on 13 June, 1944. His 101st, a Spitfire at Doesburg on 27 September, 1944. Nominated for the EL. After the war, he was known to have flown for the French in Indochina under the name Dichters Gustav Freytag. Due to failing health, he lives since 1970 in a soldiers home for Legionairres in Puylobier France. Deceased 1 June, 2003 at Laveran Hospital in Marseille. Bowers/Lednicer, 102 victories. Added: Shot down on 27/07/42 over the Med, was rescued by a German boat minutes before British troops reached him. Seriously WIA again in 01/44 in US bombing raid against the airfield. His character against foolish orders was famous: whenn Göring ordered to nominate one "coward" in each Staffel to be court-martialed for lack of results against the US bombers, Freytag volunteered. Last aerial victory on 02/01/45. Acting Geschwaderkommodore when only 25 years old! (CK)


Courtesy Christian König
26 Fischer, AdolfOfw1/5/1915HeilbronnFFS A/B Wels Austria (1941), Jagdfliegerschule 2 (Instructor 12/41), 2(Jabo)/JGr-Süd (France)Bf 109F-4 Werk # 5515 "Red 26" (lost 1/22/43)Pilot BadgeKIC 22 January, 1943, when his engine caught fire and he crashed near the Avignon/Pujaut airfield in southern France. First buried in the Military Cemetery Marseille-St Jerome, St Jerome France. Exhumed in 1963, and buried in the War Graves Cemetery, Dagneux, France. Adolf joined the Army in 1933. In the 1936/37 timeframe, he transferred to the Luftwaffe Technical area, before flight training in 1941. He flew no combat missions. Source: Klaus Fischer, nephew to Adolf Fischer.
27 Dowhan, HeinzUffz1918/12/11 (CK)Bensberg (CK)1


Courtesy CK

1./JG 2 (08/42 Channel)Fw 190 A-3 Werknr 5523 (lost 21/11/42) EK 2

probably at least Fighter Operational Clasp in Bronze		KIC 21 November, 1942; crashed at the Marseille-Marignane airfield due to engine failure, during a transfer flight to southern France. One known victory, a Spitfire on 8 September, 1942. Pictured with the wounded Erich Leie, August, 1942. "Luftwaffe.cz." Alternate spelling: Dowhane (appearing on the KilledInAction (KIA) detail).
28 Bauch,Uffz12/JGr-200Bf 109G-6 EK 2
Fighter Operational Clasp		One known victory, a P-51 at Marseille on 25 June, 1944.

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