Heinz Sachsenberg

Heinz Sachsenberg (12 July 1922 – 17 June 1951) was a German World War II fighter ace who served in the Luftwaffe. He was also a recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross, the highest award in the military and paramilitary forces of Nazi Germany during World War II. Sachsenberg claimed 104 aerial victories, all of which on the Eastern Front. He was severely injured on 23 August 1944 in aerial combat with United States Army Air Forces. At the end of the war, Sachsenberg briefly led the Platzschutzstaffel, or airfield-protection squadron, of Jagdverband 44, an elite unit flying the Messerschmitt Me 262 jet fighter. He died on 17 June 1951 of complications from wounds he had received on 23 August 1944.

Early life Sachsenberg was born on 12 July 1922 in Dessau then in the Free State of Anhalt within the Weimar Republic. "Heino", also called "Wimmersal" by his comrades, was the nephew of Gotthard Sachsenberg, a World War I fighter pilot and recipient of the Pour le Mérite. He had a brother also named Gotthard, who also served in the Luftwaffe, and was killed in action on 8 March 1944 during a night fighter mission. Sachsenberg had been nicknamed "Wimmersal" for his sharp tongue, and his love for crude songs and poems. "Wimmersal", alternatively "Vimasal", is a character from a poem, a Middle Ages squire. The poem was written with ambiguous wording about manhood. Sachsenberg joined the military service of the Luftwaffe and following flight training, he was posted to the 6. Staffel (6th squadron) of Jagdgeschwader 52 (JG 52—52nd Fighter Wing) in late 1942. At the time, the Staffel was under the command of Oberleutnant Rudolf Resch and subordinated to II. Gruppe (2nd group) of JG 52 headed by Hauptmann Johannes Steinhoff.

World War II World War II in Europe had begun on Friday, 1 September 1939 when German forces invaded Poland. In June 1941, German forces had launched Operation Barbarossa, the invasion of the Soviet Union, which created the Eastern Front. On 13 March 1943, II. Gruppe of JG 52 moved to an airfield at Anapa. The commanding officers had also changed, 6. Staffel was now led by Oberfeldwebel Willi Nemitz while the Gruppe was commanded by Hauptmann Helmut Kühle. Here on 21 April, Sachsenberg claimed his first aerial victory, shooting down an Ilyushin Il-2 ground attack aircraft southwest of Novorossiysk. On 5 May, Sachsenberg was shot down in his Messerschmitt Bf 109 G-4, (Werknummer 14956—factory number) by a Supermarine Spitfire in combat northeast of Anapa. By end of May, he had claimed eight aerial victories and had been awarded both classes of the Iron Cross .

By the end of July 1943, Sachsenberg had claimed 22 aerial victories in air combat over the Kuban bridgehead. His unit was then transferred to cover the retreat from the southern Kursk salient where he scored a further 16 victories. After a spell of leave from September to November due to overstress, he returned to the Crimea and the intense air-battles over the Kerch Straits. During this period, Sachsenberg was awarded the Honor Goblet of the Luftwaffe on 11 October followed by the German Cross in Gold on 17 October. On 2 November, the Gruppe moved to Baherove on the Crimean peninsula where they were based until 19 March 1944. By the end of December 1943, Sachsenberg's number of aerial victories claimed had increased to 52, making him the seventh most successful active fighter pilot in II. Gruppe at the time.

After 76 victories, and on leave, Sachsenberg was recommended for the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross in March 1944. Upon returning to the Crimea at the beginning of May, he shot down 25 aircraft in just a month including six aircraft on 7 May, making him an "ace-in-a-day" for the first time. On 31 May, over Iași, in the battles for Romania, he claimed four aerial victories, three Bell P-39 Airacobra and a single Yakovlev Yak-1. On 8 June, Sachsenberg claimed five further aerial victories, another "ace-in-a-day" achievement, bringing his total to 101 airial victories. He was the 76th Luftwaffe pilot to achieve the century mark. Fahnenjunker-Feldwebel Sachsenberg was awarded the Knight's Cross on 9 June 1944, at the time credited with 101 aerial victories.

Returning from leave, his unit was then transferred to cover the Ploiești oilfields in Romania. On 23 August 1944, he was seriously wounded during an air battle with United States Army Air Forces (USAAF) North American P-51 Mustang fighters, fighters resulting in a forced landing of his Bf 109 G-6, (Werknummer 166233) "Yellow 1". Following hospitalization, Sachsenberg was sent to the fighter pilot recreation facility at Bad Wiessee for a period of rest and recovery. The pyrotechnic flare material of a tracer round slowed the healing process.

Promoted to Leutnant (second lieutenant), Sachsenberg returned to his unit in early 1945. At the time, II. Gruppe was based at Veszprém in Hungary. Here on 3 March, Sachsenberg claimed a USAAF P-51 shot down. Following a series of relocations, the Gruppe reached Brünn, now Brno, on 14 April. Here, Sachsenberg claimed his final aerial victory, a Soviet Bell P-39 Airacobra shot down on 16 April.

The Sachsenberg Schwarm

In 1945, he transferred briefly to jet fighters in Jagdgeschwader 7 (JG 7—7th Fighter Wing) as Staffelkapitän (squadron leader) of 9. Staffel of JG 7, but in April 1945 he joined Jagdverband 44 (JV 44—44th Fighter Detachment) based at Munich-Riem. His task was to provide top cover for the Messerschmitt Me 262 jet fighters during takeoff and landing. Sachsenberg was assigned as Staffelkapitän of the Platzschutzstaffel or airfield-protection squadron, flying the Focke-Wulf Fw 190 D-9 fighter. As squadron commander, his particular aircraft was known as "Red 1". The inscription on his Fw 190 D-9 was "Verkaaft's mei Gwand I foahr in Himmel!" meaning "Sell my clothes I'm going to heaven" in a Bavarian dialect. The Me 262 jet was vulnerable to strafing attacks during takeoff and landing. Generalleutnant Adolf Galland, the commanding officer of JV 44, ordered the formation of the Platzschutzstaffel. Already in 1944, III. Gruppe of Jagdgeschwader 54 (JG 54—54th Fighter Wing), flying the Fw 190 D, had provided fighter protection to Kommando Nowotny, the first experimental Me 262 jet fighter unit.

The aircraft in the protection squadron were painted red on their underbelly with prominent white stripes to help in their identification by ground crews. On 28 April, Galland moved JV 44 to Maxglan Airfield, near Salzburg while the remaining aircraft of the Platzschutzstaffel were to fly to Ainring. The next day, Sachsenberg led four Fw 190 D-9 to Ainring. His flight included Oberleutnant Klaus Faber, Hauptmann Waldemar Wübke and Leutnant Karl-Heinz Hofmann. On 4 May, JV 44 surrendered to U.S. forces, the pilots taken prisoner of war. Sachsenberg, accompanied by Klaus Neuman, Bodo Dischauer, Hofmann and Wübke, took off with whatever means they found.

Later life Sachsenberg died on 17 June 1951 at the age of in Lich, West Germany of complications from wounds he had received on 23 August 1944.

Summary of career Aerial victory claims According to US historian David T. Zabecki, Sachsenberg was credited with 104 aerial victories. Obermaier and Spick also list him with 104 aerial victories, claimed in 520 combat missions, one on the Western Front and 103 on the Eastern Front and a mission-to-claim ratio of 5.00. He was also credited with the destruction of one fast attack craft. Mathews and Foreman, authors of Luftwaffe Aces — Biographies and Victory Claims, researched the German Federal Archives and found records for 104 aerial victory claims, 103 aerial victories on the Eastern Front and one on the Western Front.

Victory claims were logged to a map-reference (PQ = Planquadrat), for example "PQ 34 Ost 7545". 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 – 6. Staffel of Jagdgeschwader 52 –Eastern Front – 4 February – 31 December 1943 1 21 April 1943 11:10 Il-2 m.H. PQ 34 Ost 7545, southwest of Novorossiysk 27 6 August 1943 10:50 Yak-1 PQ 35 Ost 61394, southeast of Belgorod 2 8 May 1943 07:18 P-39 PQ 34 Ost 85142, west of Abinskaya 28 6 August 1943 10:54 Il-2 m.H. PQ 35 Ost 61363, south of Petylowka 3 15 May 1943 09:50 P-40 PQ 34 Ost 85141, south of Krymskaya 29 7 August 1943 18:30 La-5 PQ 35 Ost 60832, northeast of Petrowkskaja 4 24 May 1943 10:04 Yak-1 PQ 34 Ost 75462, east of Kabardinka 30 8 August 1943 18:22 Boston southwest of Krassnopawlowka 5 26 May 1943 15:55 Il-2 m.H. PQ 34 Ost 76852, northwest of Varenikovskaya 31 10 August 1943 13:34 La-5 PQ 35 Ost 71771, northwest of Sserdonka 6 27 May 1943 11:50 Il-2 m.H. PQ 34 Ost 65241, south of Scheljesny-Rog 32 12 August 1943 05:35 Yak-1 PQ 35 Ost 41684, southwest of Achtyrka 7 29 May 1943 18:18 Il-2 m.H. PQ 34 Ost 75231, northwest of Krymskaya 33 12 August 1943 10:50 Yak-1 PQ 35 Ost 51513, northeast of Achtyrka 8 29 May 1943 18:20? Il-2 m.H. PQ 34 Ost 76892, northeast of Kijewskoje northeast of Krymsk 34 12 August 1943 10:53 Yak-1 PQ 35 Ost 51373, north of Dernowoje 9 5 June 1943 11:32 Yak-1 PQ 34 Ost 85114, north of Abinskaja 12 August 1943 Yak-1 10 5 June 1943 11:34 Yak-1 PQ 34 Ost 85112, east of Krymskaya 35 17 August 1943 06:56 Il-2 m.H. PQ 35 Ost 41464, south-southwest of Boromlja 11 6 June 1943 07:35 La-5 PQ 34 Ost 76894, east of Kijewskoje 36 17 August 1943 09:40 Il-2 m.H. PQ 35 Ost 51371, east-northeast of Boromlja 12 6 June 1943 07:36 La-5 PQ 34 Ost 76894, east of Kijewskoje 37 19 August 1943 16:05? Yak-1 PQ 35 Ost 51593, west of Sewyschtschij 13 8 June 1943 09:27 Yak-1 PQ 34 Ost 76862, northwest of Imeni-Dimitrowa 38 21 August 1943 18:18 La-5 PQ 35 Ost 51593, north of Bohodukhiv 14 11 June 1943 10:19 Yak-1 PQ 34 Ost 76684, east of Sswisteljnikow 39 19 November 1943 14:29 Yak-1 PQ 34 Ost 6664, north of Baksy 15 13 June 1943 10:37 La-5 PQ 34 Ost 85144, southwest of Abinskaja 40 20 November 1943 10:17 Yak-1 PQ 34 Ost 66677, southwest of Cape Khroni 16 20 July 1943 15:05 P-39 PQ 34 Ost 75452, south of Novorossijsk 41 21 November 1943 09:48 P-39 PQ 34 Ost 66611, northeast of Bulganak 20 July 1943 P-39 42 25 November 1943 08:59 Yak-1 PQ 34 Ost 66643, northeastern edge of Kolonka 17 22 July 1943 08:15 P-39 PQ 34 Ost 76892, northeast of Kijewskoje 43 26 November 1943 13:59 Yak-1 PQ 34 Ost 66563, southwest of Kerch 18 26 July 1943 06:10 Yak-1 PQ 34 Ost 75363, southwest of NoworossijskBlack Sea, southeast of Anapa 44 28 November 1943 07:10 Yak-1 PQ 34 Ost 6685, southeast of Cape Tusla 19 26 July 1943 06:20 Il-2 m.H. PQ 34 Ost 65293, southwest of Anapa 45 4 December 1943 11:56 Yak-1 PQ 34 Ost 66673, west of Kossa Tusla 20 26 July 1943 10:25 Yak-1 PQ 34 Ost 76882, southeast of Kesslerowa 46 5 December 1943 07:15 Yak-1 PQ 34 Ost 66813, west of Taman west of Kossa Tusla 21 26 July 1943 18:20 Yak-1 PQ 34 Ost 75262, south of Krymskaya 47 5 December 1943 12:30 P-39 PQ 34 Ost 66841, south of Kossa Tusla 22 30 July 1943 06:25 Yak-1 PQ 34 Ost 75234, west of Krymskaya 48 6 December 1943 10:35 MiG-3 PQ 34 Ost 66842, southwest of Taman 23 4 August 1943 11:12 Yak-1 PQ 35 Ost 61383, southeast of Orlovka 49 7 December 1943 14:50 P-39 PQ 34 Ost 66811, west of Taman 24 4 August 1943 13:40 La-5 PQ 35 Ost 61363, southeast of Tomarovka 50 7 December 1943 14:55 P-39 PQ 34 Ost 66812, northwest of Taman 25 4 August 1943 13:47? La-5 PQ 35 Ost 61271, northwest of Gostschtschewo 51 31 December 1943 14:18 Il-2 m.H. PQ 34 Ost 66522, northwest of Kesyvicinity of Felsen Nowyj Sswet 26 4 August 1943 16:00 R-5 PQ 35 Ost 51292, southeast of Rahinoje 52 31 December 1943 15:20 P-39 PQ 34 Ost 66521, northeast of Tschokrak – 6. Staffel of Jagdgeschwader 52 –Eastern Front – 1 January 1944 – 16 March 1945 53 3 January 1944 11:15 Yak-7 PQ 34 Ost 66644, east of Kolonka east of Kolonka 79♠ 7 May 1944 14:25 Il-2 m.H. PQ 34 Ost 35612Black Sea, south of Sevastopol 54 17 January 1944 09:04 P-39 PQ 34 Ost 66641, north-northwest of Baksysoutheast of Kerch 80♠ 7 May 1944 14:40 Yak-7 PQ 34 Ost 35453 east of Sevastopol 55 17 January 1944 11:37 P-39 north of Adshim-Uschkajnorth-northwest of Baksy southeast of Kerch 81♠ 7 May 1944 18:05 P-39 PQ 34 Ost 35612Black Sea, south of Sevastopol 56 17 January 1944 14:40 P-39? PQ 34 Ost 66564, southeast of KerchAdshim-Uschkaj north of Adshim-Uschkaj 82♠ 7 May 1944 18:25 Yak-7 PQ 34 Ost 35443vicinity of Sevastopol 57 18 January 1944 09:32 Yak-7 PQ 34 Ost 66641, north of Baksynorth of Baksy 83 8 May 1944 15:40 Yak-7 PQ 34 Ost 35472vicinity of Balaklava south of Sevastopol 58 22 January 1944 13:28 P-39 PQ 34 Ost 66544, southwest of Bagerovo 84 9 May 1944 11:35 Il-2 m.H. PQ 34 Ost 35611vicinity of BalaklavaBlack Sea, south of Sevastopol 59 22 January 1944 13:40 Yak-7 PQ 34 Ost 66532, northwest of Cape TarchanCape Tarchan 85 9 May 1944 11:38 Yak-7 PQ 34 Ost 35472vicinity of Balaklava south of Sevastopol 60 23 January 1944 07:25 P-39 PQ 34 Ost 66613, west of Cape KhroniCape Khroni 86 9 May 1944 11:43 Yak-7 PQ 34 Ost 35473vicinity of Balaklava south of Sevastopol 61 24 January 1944 07:10 Yak-1 PQ 34 Ost 66643, east of Kolonka 87 30 May 1944 11:42 P-39 PQ 24 Ost 78623vicinity of Huși north of Iași 62 24 January 1944 12:48 Yak-1 PQ 34 Ost 66594, east of Kamysch-BurunKamysch-Burun 88 30 May 1944 17:27? P-39 PQ 24 Ost 78672vicinity of Sulani 63 7 February 1944 11:05 Yak-7 southwest of Adshim-UschkajAdshim-Uschkaj 89 31 May 1944 08:45 P-39 PQ 24 Ost 78812, north of Iașivicinity of Iași south of Iași 64 7 February 1944 13:43 Yak-9 PQ 34 Ost 66532, north of Cape Tarchannorth of Cape Tarchan 90 31 May 1944 12:19 P-39 PQ 24 Ost 7864PQ 78645 south of Tudora 65 12 February 1944 08:36 Yak-9 PQ 34 Ost 66641, east-northeast of Bulganakeast-northeast of Bulganak 91 31 May 1944 16:40 Yak-1 PQ 24 Ost 78643 south of Tudora 66 15 February 1944 08:37 P-39 PQ 34 Ost 66641, southeast of Bulganaksoutheast of Bulganak 92 31 May 1944 16:44 P-39 PQ 24 Ost 78642vicinity of Huși south of Tudora 67 11 March 1944 11:50 Yak-7 north-northwest of AlexandrovkaAlexandrovka 93 2 June 1944 08:55 Pe-2 PQ 24 Ost 78683, northeast of Iași northeast of Iași 68 11 March 1944 15:00 Yak-7 PQ 34 Ost 37854, west of Tschigarywest of Tschigary 94 2 June 1944 14:47 Yak-7 PQ 24 Ost 78563PQ 78533 west of Tudora 69 13 March 1944 08:37 Yak-7 PQ 34 Ost 56794, east of Feodosia east of Feodosia 95 2 June 1944 16:05 P-39 PQ 24 Ost 78564 southwest of Tudora 70 13 March 1944 08:42 Il-2 m.H. PQ 56873 east of Feodosia 96 6 June 1944 09:04 Pe-2 PQ 24 Ost 78652PQ 48652 north-northeast of Bistritz 71 16 March 1944 14:15 Yak-9 PQ 34 Ost 47773, south of Tschigary south of Tschigary 97♠ 8 June 1944 10:30 La-5 PQ 24 Ost 78551 west-southwest of Tudora 72 17 March 1944 10:05 Yak-7 PQ 34 Ost 46352, east of Karankuteast of Karankut 98♠ 8 June 1944 10:36 La-5 PQ 24 Ost 78552 west-southwest of Tudora 73 17 March 1944 13:38 Yak-7 PQ 34 Ost 47773, southwest of Tschigarysouthwest of Tschigary 99♠ 8 June 1944 13:13 P-39 PQ 24 Ost 78562 southwest of Tudora 74 18 March 1944 16:56? Yak-7 PQ 34 Ost 36283, Fedorowka 100♠ 8 June 1944 13:14 P-39 PQ 24 Ost 78641 south of Tudora 75 22 March 1944 10:40 LaGG-3 PQ 34 Ost 66538, south of Cape Tarchanvicinity of Cape Tarchan 101♠ 8 June 1944 19:22 Il-2 m.H. PQ 24 Ost 78592 northwest of Iași 76 22 March 1944 10:45 Yak-7? PQ 34 Ost 66641Cape Tarchaneast of Bulganak 102 22 August 1944 13:25 Boston PQ 24 Ost 97573 east of Serpnewoje (Leipzig) 77♠ 7 May 1944 08:34 Yak-1 PQ 34 Ost 35611vicinity of BalaklavaBlack Sea, south of Sevastopol 103 3 March 1945 P-51 Hungary 78♠ 7 May 1944 10:35 Yak-7 PQ 34 Ost 35474vicinity of Balaklava south of Sevastopol 104 16 April 1945 P-39 Hungary

Awards Iron Cross (1939) 2nd and 1st Class Honor Goblet of the Luftwaffe on 11 October 1943 as Feldwebel and pilot German Cross in Gold on 17 October 1943 as Feldwebel in the 6./Jagdgeschwader 52 Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross on 9 June 1944 as Fahnenjunker-Feldwebel and pilot in the 6./Jagdgeschwader 52