Detlev Rohwer

Detlev Rohwer (14 November 1917 – 30 March 1944) was a German Luftwaffe ace and recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross during World War II. The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross, and its variants were the highest awards in the military and paramilitary forces of Nazi Germany during World War II. During his career he was credited with 38 aerial victories, 12 on the Western Front and 26 on the Eastern Front.

Career Rohwer was born on 14 November 1917 in Kiel, at the time in the Province of Schleswig-Holstein, a province of the Kingdom of Prussia.

Following aerial combat with Royal Air Force (RAF) Hawker Hurricane fighters on 2 September 1940, Rohwer made a forced landing in his Messerschmitt Bf 109 E in the English Channel off of Maidstone. He was later rescued unhurt by the Seenotdienst (air-sea rescue). Rohwer was awarded the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross on 5 October 1941 for 28 aerial victories claimed.

On 12 May 1942, Rohwer was appointed Staffelkapitän of 6. Staffel of Jagdgeschwader 1 (JG 1—1st Fighter Wing). He succeeded Oberleutnant Eberhard Bock who had been transferred. On 20 June, Rohwer was temporarily appointed Gruppenkommandeur (group commander) of II. Gruppe of JG 1. He replaced Hauptmann Hans von Hahn who had been relieved of his command on 15 June following the shooting of a sentry. On 4 October, Rohwer was transferred and appointed Staffelkapitän of 2. Staffel of JG 3. He succeeded Oberleutnant Erwin Straznicky who was killed in action. In consequence, command of II. Gruppe of JG 1 was passed to Major Herbert Kijewski. On 29 November, Rohwer was shot down and wounded when his Messerschmitt Bf 109 G-2/R1 (Werknummer 13910—factory number) was hit by ground fire south of the Chir. During his convalescence, he was replaced by Leutnant Franz Daspelgruber as head of 3. Staffel.

Defense of the Reich and death In March 1943, I. Gruppe had assembled at Döberitz, located approximately west of Staaken, for a period of rest, replenishment and preparation for defense of the Reich missions. In early April, the Gruppe was ordered to Mönchengladbach after it had received 37 factory new Bf 109 G-4 fighter aircraft equipped with a pair of 20 mm MG 151/20 cannons installed in conformal gun pods under the wings. There, the pilots trained formation flying, operating in Staffel and Gruppen strength, required to combat the United States Army Air Forces (USAAF) heavy bomber formations. A few of the more experienced fighter pilots were sent to Brandenburg-Briest for additional training on Y-Control for fighters, a system to control groups of fighters intercepting USAAF bomber formations. In early May, the Gruppe had completed its training period and was subordinated to Stab of JG 3 which was under control of 3. Jagd-Division (3rd Fighter Division).

In February 1944, Rohwer was appointed Gruppenkommandeur of II. Gruppe of JG 3. He replaced Hauptmann Heinrich Sannemann who had temporarily led the Gruppe. In consequence, command of 2. Staffel was given to Leutnant Harro Schlüter. Rohwer was wounded on 29 March 1944 following a forced landing west of Osnabrück when he was strafed by marauding Lockheed P-38 Lightning fighters. Sustaining wounds to his leg, he was taken to a hospital where he succumbed to his wounds the following day. Command of II. Gruppe was again given to Sannemann.

Summary of career Aerial victory claims According to Obermaier, Rohwer was credited with 38 aerial victories, 26 of which on the Eastern Front, 12 over the Western Front, and further destroying six aircraft on the ground. Mathews and Foreman, authors of Luftwaffe Aces — Biographies and Victory Claims, researched the German Federal Archives and found records for 36 aerial victories, 26 of which on the Eastern Front and ten over the Western Allies.

Victory claims were logged to a map-reference (PQ = Planquadrat), for example "PQ 35 Ost 30541". The Luftwaffe grid map covered all of Europe, western Russia and North Africa and was composed of rectangles measuring 15 minutes of latitude by 30 minutes of longitude, an area of about . These sectors were then subdivided into 36 smaller units to give a location area in size.

Chronicle of aerial victories Claim Date Time Type Location Claim Date Time Type Location – Stab I. Gruppe of Jagdgeschwader 3 –Battle of France — 10 May – 25 June 1940 1 6 June 1940 Blenheim Saint-Valery-Abbeville – Stab I. Gruppe of Jagdgeschwader 3 –Battle of Britain and on the English Channel — 26 June 1940 – 9 June 1941 2 15 September 1940 Hurricane vicinity of London 4 9 October 1940 Hurricane southeast of London 3 15 September 1940 Hurricane north of London – Stab I. Gruppe of Jagdgeschwader 3 –Operation Barbarossa — 22 June – 16 September 1941 5 25 June 1941 15:05 I-153 northeast of Dubno 17 16 July 1941 15:25 SB-3 east of Berdychiv 6 26 June 1941 06:15 DB-3 northeast of Brody 18 16 July 1941 15:28 SB-3 east of Berdychiv 7 26 June 1941 14:20 SB-2 Szczurowcze 19 16 July 1941 15:30 SB-3 east of Berdychiv 8 26 June 1941 14:20 SB-2 Szczurowcze 20 31 July 1941 17:05 I-16 west of Cherkasy 9 29 June 1941 18:05 Pe-2 south of Ostriv 21 11 August 1941 06:46 SB-2 west of Boryspil 10 29 June 1941 18:10 Pe-2 southeast of Ostriv 22 12 August 1941 I-16 over Kiev 11 2 July 1941 09:50 V-11 (Il-2) southeast of Zwiatel 23 14 August 1941 13:00 I-16 southeast of Kaniv 12 6 July 1941 15:40 SB-2 southeast of Shepetivka 24 15 August 1941 17:50 I-153 north of Kaniv 13 6 July 1941 15:45 DB-3 southeast of Shepetivka 25 16 August 1941 10:02 DB-3 east of Kaniv 14 13 July 1941 16:15 SB-2 east of Berdychiv 26 16 August 1941 10:05 DB-3 east of Kaniv 15 13 July 1941 16:16 SB-2 Oschadowka 27 16 August 1941 10:08 DB-3 east of Kaniv 16 13 July 1941 16:19 SB-2 east of Oschadowka 28 7 September 1941 13:10 R-10 (Seversky) southeast of Kremenchuk – 2. Staffel of Jagdgeschwader 3 "Udet" –Eastern Front — 4 October – 29 November 1942 29 13 November 1942 11:35 MiG-3 PQ 35 Ost 30541 west of Kletskaya 30 21 November 1942 11:42 Il-2 PQ 35 Ost 49372southwest of Werchnedjeprow – 2. Staffel of Jagdgeschwader 3 "Udet" –Defense of the Reich — 1 May – 22 October 1943 31 20 May 1943 12:58 P-47 PQ 05 Ost 2211 33 14 October 1943 14:08 P-47 PQ 05 Ost S/KJ-4, west of WeertRosendaal 32 8 October 1943 15:00 P-47 PQ 05 Ost S/EN-8, northwest of MeppelHavelte east of Steenwijk – 2. Staffel of Jagdgeschwader 3 "Udet" –Western Front — 21 October – 31 December 1943 34 24 October 1943 12:20 Spitfire PQ 05 Ost S/QE-1Auxi-le-Château – Stab II. Gruppe of Jagdgeschwader 3 "Udet" –Defense of the Reich — February – 29 March 1944 35 6 March 1944 14:20 P-38 PQ 15 Ost S/ED-15 west of Wittenberge 36 8 March 1944 15:12 P-38 PQ 15 Ost S/GUHannover

Awards Iron Cross (1939) 2nd and 1st Class Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross on 5 October 1941 as Leutnant and pilot in the I./Jagdgeschwader 3