Johannes Wiese

Johannes Wiese (7 March 1915 – 16 August 1991) was a German Luftwaffe pilot during World War II, a fighter ace credited with 133 enemy aircraft shot down in 480 combat missions. He claimed all of his victories over the Eastern Front, including over 50 Ilyushin Il-2 Shturmovik ground attack aircraft.

Born in Breslau, Wiese volunteered for military service in the Reichswehr of Nazi Germany in 1934. Initially serving in the Heer (Army), he transferred to the Luftwaffe (Air Force) in 1936. Following flight training, he was posted to Jagdgeschwader 52 (JG 52—52nd Fighter Wing) in June 1941 just prior to Operation Barbarossa, the invasion of the Soviet Union. He claimed his first aerial victory on 23 September 1941. On 26 June 1942, Wiese was appointed Staffelkapitän (squadron leader) of the 2. Staffel (2nd squadron) of JG 52 and received the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross on 5 January 1943 following his 53rd aerial victory. On 11 May 1943, Wiese was tasked with the leadership of I. Gruppe (1st group) of JG 52 and was officially appointed its Gruppenkommandeur (group commander) on 13 November 1943. Following his 133rd aerial victory, he received the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves on 2 March 1944.

In October 1944, Wiese was posted to the Geschwaderstab (headquarters unit) of Jagdgeschwader 77 (JG 77—77th Fighter Wing) in Defense of the Reich and on 7 November 1944, he was appointed its Geschwaderkommodore (wing commander). After the war in 1956 he joined the Bundeswehr and worked for the Military History Research Office. He retired on 10 November 1970 holding the rank of Oberstleutnant (Lieutenant Colonel). Wiese died on 16 August 1991 in Kirchzarten and was buried in Berlin-Nikolassee.

Early life and career Wiese was born on 7 March 1915, in Breslau in the Kingdom of Prussia of the German Empire, present-day Wrocław in western Poland, the son of a minister. In 1934, Wiese volunteered for service in the Heer (German Army) and joined Infanterie-Regiment 6 (6th Infantry Regiment) under command of Oberst Kuno-Hans von Both.

In 1936, Wiese transferred to the Luftwaffe as an Oberfähnrich (Officer candidate). There, he was trained as an aerial observer with the Heeresaufklärer (Army Reconnaissance). Wiese was promoted to Leutnant (second lieutenant) on 1 April 1937, and in September 1938 transferred to the Fliegerersatzabteilung 17 (17th Flier Replacement Unit) in Quedlinburg. He then volunteered for the Jagdwaffe (fighter force) and holding the rank of Oberleutnant (first lieutenant) he began fighter pilot training in October 1938.

World War II Wiese was posted to a front-line unit in June 1941, almost two years after the start of World War II. His unit was the Geschwaderstab (headquarters unit) of Jagdgeschwader 52 (JG 52—52nd Fighter Wing) where he served as an adjutant. On 22 June, the Geschwader crossed into Soviet airspace in support of Operation Barbarossa, the invasion of the Soviet Union, which opened the Eastern Front. He claimed his first aerial victory on 23 September 1941 and was awarded the Iron Cross 2nd Class on 27 September 1941 and the Front Flying Clasp of the Luftwaffe in Silver on 11 October 1941.

Eastern Front Wiese received the Iron Cross 1st Class on 1 May 1942. Following his 7th aerial victory he was appointed Staffelkapitän (squadron leader) of the 2. Staffel (2nd squadron) of JG 52 on 26 June 1942. That day, I. Gruppe (1st group), to which his 2. Staffel was subordinated, moved to Bilyi Kolodyaz, approximately southeast of Vovchansk, and fighting in support of Case Blue, the strategic summer offensive in southern Russia with the objective to capture the oil fields of Baku, Grozny and Maykop. He received the Front Flying Clasp of the Luftwaffe in Gold on 13 July 1942.

To support German forces fighting in the Battle of the Caucasus, I. Gruppe relocated to an airfield at Kerch, in the east of Crimea, on 2 August. At the time, the Gruppe was moved around as a kind of fire brigade, deployed in areas where the Soviet Air Forces was particular active. The Gruppe then moved to Oryol on 15 August. On 29 September 1942, Wiese he claimed his 25th aerial victory. On 25 October 1942, he became an "ace-in-a-day" for the first time, claiming victories 29 to 33. Wiese was awarded the Honour Goblet of the Luftwaffe on 6 November 1942.

On 6 December, the Gruppe moved to an airfield at Rossosh. Here on 16 December, he became an "ace-in-a-day" again which took his total to 43. On 25 December, Wiese claimed his 50th aerial victory. Together with Feldwebel Wilhelm Freuwörth, Wiese was awarded the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross on 5 January 1943 following their 56th and 51st aerial victories respectively. The presentation was made by General der Flieger (General of the Flyers) Günther Korten in Rossosh on the Eastern Front. Sources contradict themselves on the exact date of the presentation of the German Cross in Gold . According to Thomas, Patzwall and Scherzer, the presentation was made on 5 December 1942. According to Obermaier and Stockert, the presentation occurred on 8 February 1943.

Following a lengthy home leave, Wiese was tasked with the leadership of I. Gruppe of JG 52 on 11 May 1943. The former commander, Major Helmut Bennemann had been severely injured by an incendiary bomb the day before. Initially, Wiese led both 2. Staffel and I. Gruppe in unison until on 1 July Oberleutnant Paul-Heinrich Dähne was given command of the Staffel. On 13 November 1943, he was officially appointed Gruppenkommandeur (group commander) of I. Gruppe and at the end of 1943, Wiese was promoted to Major (major). His most successful day was 5 July 1943, the first day of the Battle of Kursk, when he shot down twelve enemy aircraft in one mission, a double "ace-in-a-day" achievement. All 12 victories were over Ilyushin Il-2 Sturmovikground attack aircraft and took his total to 95 victories. On 17 July 1943, Wiese was credited with his 100th aerial victory. He was the 45th Luftwaffe pilot to achieve the century mark. In end July, Wiese had fallen sick and had to go to a Bad Wiessee for treatment. During his absence, Hauptmann Gerhard Barkhorn, the commander of 4. Staffel, temporarily led I. Gruppe from 4 to 30 August.

Following his 133rd aerial victory and his last, Wiese was awarded the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves on 2 March 1944, the 418th officer or soldier of the Wehrmacht so honored. Wiese and fellow JG 52 pilots Erich Hartmann, Walter Krupinski, for the Oak Leaves presentation, and Gerhard Barkhorn, for the Swords to his Knight's Cross presentation, travelled on an overnight train from the Anhalter Bahnhof in Berlin to the Führerhauptquartier (Führer Headquarter) at the Berghof in Berchtesgaden for the award ceremony by Adolf Hitler on 4 April 1944. Also present at the award ceremony were Kurt Bühligen, Horst Ademeit, Reinhard Seiler, Hans-Joachim Jabs, Dr. Maximilian Otte, Bernhard Jope and Hansgeorg Bätcher from the bomber force, and the Flak officer Fritz Petersen, all destined to receive the Oak Leaves. On the train, all of them got drunk on cognac and champagne. Supporting each other and unable to stand, they arrived at Berchtesgaden. Major Nicolaus von Below, Hitler's Luftwaffe adjutant, was shocked. After some sobering up, they were still intoxicated. Hartmann took a German officer's hat from a stand and put it on, but it was too large. Von Below became upset, told Hartmann it was Hitler's and ordered him to put it back.

On 22 February 1944, Wiese was injured in combat when he was shot down by anti-aircraft artillery in his Bf 109 G-6. Command of I. Gruppe was temporarily assumed by Oberleutnant Paul-Heinrich Dähne before Hauptmann Adolf Borchers was given command on 11 June. Following his convalescence, he was posted to the Verbandsführerschule (Training School for Unit Leaders) of the General der Jagdflieger (General of Fighters) at Königsberg in der Neumark, present-day Chojna in western Poland, on 11 June 1944. This ended his service on the Eastern Front.

Defense of the Reich and wing commander of JG 77 On 19 June 1944, Wiese participated in comparison test flights at the Luftwaffes main testing ground for new aircraft designs at Rechlin. On that day, the Luftwaffe tested and compared the Messerschmitt Bf 109 G-6, a Bf 109 G-6/AS, a Focke-Wulf Fw 190 A-8 against a P-47 Thunderbolt and a P-51 Mustang.

In October 1944, Wiese was posted to the Geschwaderstab of Jagdgeschwader 77 (JG 77—77th Fighter Wing) in Defense of the Reich on the Western Front. On 7 November 1944, he was appointed Geschwaderkommodore (wing commander) of JG 77, replacing Oberstleutnant (Lieutenant Colonel) Johannes Steinhoff, who was given command of Jagdgeschwader 7 "Nowotny" (JG 7—7th Fighter Wing), the first operational jet fighter wing in the world. Officially, command was handed over on 1 December 1944.

On 16 December 1944, the Wehrmacht launched its last major offensive campaign of the war. The operation codenamed Unternehmen Wacht am Rhein, or Battle of the Bulge (16 December 1944 – 25 January 1945), which failed to achieve its objectives, intended to split the British and American Allied line in half, so the Germans could then proceed to encircle and destroy four Allied armies, forcing the Western Allies to negotiate a peace treaty in the Axis Powers' favor.

Wiese led JG 77 in the opening phase of the offensive until 25 December 1944, when he was severely injured in a training exercise. Wiese and his wingman, Feldwebel (Sergeant) Hansch, took off at 11:20 a.m. on a training flight over German held territory. The plan was to meet up with I. Gruppe but the two failed to establish contact. Instead, flying at an altitude of , they encountered a flight of Supermarine Spitfires in the vicinity of Bottrop and Essen. In the resulting aerial combat, both Bf 109 G-14s were shot down, Hansch was killed in action while Wiese bailed out. He came down near Essen-Dellwig. His parachute only opened partially, resulting in a harsh landing, and loss of consciousness. Wiese was taken to a field hospital at Bottrop where he was diagnosed with a concussion and minor skull fracture. He spent the rest of the winter in hospital, and was replaced as commander by Major Siegfried Freytag. Their victors may have been Spitfires from the Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF) No. 401 Squadron which claimed two Bf 109s from the Stab of JG 77 shot down over Duisburg that day. One of these victories was credited to Flying Officer John MacKay.

Wiese surrendered to U.S. forces at the end of the war and was handed over by the Americans to the Soviet Red Army on 6 September 1945. Wiese spent over four years in Soviet prisoner of war camps and was released on 28 November 1949. He was officially credited with 133 victories claimed in 480 combat missions. Additionally, he had 25 more unconfirmed claims. Among his claims were over 50 Il-2 Sturomoviks. Soviet fighter pilots therefore greatly respected Wiese, and referred to him as the "Lion of Kuban", a name he earned during combat over the Kuban bridgehead.

Later life After the war in 1956, Wiese joined the Bundeswehr, the armed forces of the Federal Republic of Germany, and worked for the Military History Research Office. He retired on 10 November 1970 holding the rank of Oberstleutnant. Wiese died on 16 August 1991 in Kirchzarten and was buried in Berlin-Nikolassee.

Summary of career Aerial victory claims According to US historian David T. Zabecki, Wiese was credited with 133 aerial victories. Mathews and Foreman, authors of Luftwaffe Aces — Biographies and Victory Claims, researched the German Federal Archives and state that Wiese was credited with 118 aerial victories, plus 27 further unconfirmed claims. All of his victories were claimed on the Eastern Front.

Victory claims were logged to a map-reference (PQ = Planquadrat), for example "PQ 49423". 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! Claim# Date Time Type Location Claim! Claim# Date Time Type Location – Stab of Jagdgeschwader 52 –Operation Barbarossa — 22 June – 5 December 1941 1 1 23 September 1941 17:37 DB-3 – Stab of Jagdgeschwader 52 –Eastern Front — March – April 1942 2 2 30 March 1942 11:45 R-10 (Seversky) 5 5 20 April 1942 14:55 I-61 (MiG-3) 3 3 19 April 1942 11:47 I-153 6 6 21 April 1942 15:25 I-301 (LaGG-3) 4 4 19 April 1942 15:21 I-61 (MiG-3) 7 7 22 April 1942 06:55 I-301 (LaGG-3) – Stab of Jagdgeschwader 52 –Eastern Front — May 1942 8 8 2 June 1942 12:25 I-16 – 2. Staffel of Jagdgeschwader 52 –Eastern Front — July 1942 – 3 February 1943 2 July 1942 LaGG-3 30 30 25 October 1942 11:23 Il-2 PQ 49423 east of Stalingrad 9 9 5 July 1942 13:02 Boston 31 31 25 October 1942 14:07 Il-2 PQ 49361 south of Stalingrad 6 July 1942 LaGG-3 32 32 25 October 1942 14:12 Il-2 PQ 49362 south of Stalingrad 6 July 1942 Pe-2 33 33 25 October 1942 14:14 Il-2 PQ 49334south of Stalingrad 10 10 10 July 1942 13:55 LaGG-3 34 34 27 October 1942 16:17 La-5 PQ 49273 east of Stalingrad 11 11 3 August 1942 17:00 Pe-2 PQ 76583vicinity of Temryuk 29 October 1942 unknown 12 12 4 August 1942 05:20 LaGG-3 PQ 66652vicinity of Malikut 29 October 1942 unknown 13 13 5 August 1942 04:45 LaGG-3 PQ 66661Kerch Strait, west of Zaporozhskaya 35 35 31 October 1942 06:05 Yak-1 PQ 49363 south of Stalingrad 14 14 11 August 1942 08:20 LaGG-3 PQ 75272north of Krymsk 36 36 31 October 1942 09:55 LaGG-3 PQ 49413vicinity of Krasnaya Sloboda 15 15 13 August 1942 12:50 LaGG-3 PQ 76422northeast of Novorossiysk 37 37 31 October 1942 14:00 Yak-1 PQ 49412 east of Stalingrad 16 16 18 August 1942 16:50 I-180 (Yak-7) PQ 54134vicinity of Duminichi 31 October 1942 Yak-1 18 August 1942 Yak-7 38 38 2 November 1942 09:05 Yak-1 PQ 49273 east of Stalingrad 17 17 21 August 1942 14:22 Yak-1 PQ 64173 ? 16 December 1942 Il-2 18 18 23 August 1942 09:57 Yak-1 PQ 54263vicinity of Uljanowo ? 16 December 1942 Il-2 19 19 3 September 1942 14:54 Il-2 PQ 57712Sea of Azov ? 16 December 1942 Il-2 3 September 1942 unknown ? 16 December 1942 Il-2 3 September 1942 unknown ? 16 December 1942 Il-2 3 September 1942 unknown ? 39 17 December 1942 13:32 Il-2 PQ 01342 20 20 5 September 1942 14:00 Il-2 PQ 46271 17 December 1942 MiG-3 21 21 11 September 1942 11:10 Yak-1 PQ 47871 17 December 1942 MiG-3 12 September 1942 LaGG-3 ? 6 November – 31 December 1942 unknown 22 22 13 September 1942 16:14 Il-2 PQ 47592 47 40 21 December 1942 07:37 MiG-3? PQ 01564south of Kamenka 23 23 26 September 1942 05:55 LaGG-3 PQ 30142 48 41 21 December 1942 07:38 MiG-3 PQ 10742 24 24 28 September 1942 05:47 Il-2 PQ 49262 east of Stalingrad 49 42 25 December 1942 13:02 Il-2 PQ 01771 25 25 29 September 1942 15:47 LaGG-3 PQ 49292 east of Stalingrad 50 43 25 December 1942 13:05 Il-2 PQ 01775 26 26 2 October 1942 11:34 Il-2 PQ 49271 east of Stalingrad 51 44 25 December 1942 13:08 Il-2 PQ 01753 27 27 9 October 1942 15:00 Yak-1 PQ 49733 north of Grebenka 52 45 29 December 1942 12:20 La-5 PQ 01234 28 28 14 October 1942 07:30 Yak-1 PQ 40581 north-northwest of Grebenka 53 46 29 December 1942 12:45 MiG-3 PQ 00134 29 29 17 October 1942 07:27 I-180 (Yak-7) PQ 49272 east of Stalingrad – 2. Staffel of Jagdgeschwader 52 –Eastern Front — 4 February – June 1943 54 47 7 May 1943 12:34 Yak-1 PQ 35 Ost 71742, south of Bely Kolodez 66 59 30 May 1943 15:35 Il-2 m.H. PQ 34 Ost 76893south of Bakanskij 55 48 7 May 1943 18:25 LaGG-3 PQ 35 Ost 6130, southeast of Belgorod 67 60 30 May 1943 15:38 Il-2 m.H. PQ 34 Ost 75233west of Krymsk 56 49 9 May 1943 06:28 Yak-1 PQ 34 Ost 98853 south of Rostov 68 61 2 June 1943 13:30 Il-2 m.H. PQ 34 Ost 75232north of Krymsk 57 50 9 May 1943 15:25 Il-2 m.H. PQ 35 Ost 61455 northeast of Belgorod 69 62 2 June 1943 13:32 La-5 PQ 34 Ost 75262, west of Krymskajasouth of Krymsk 58 51 26 May 1943 05:55 Yak-1 PQ 34 Ost 86777vicinity of Bondarenka 70 63 5 June 1943 18:15 Il-2 m.H. PQ 34 Ost 75262, east of Moldawanskoje 59 52 26 May 1943 08:32 Pe-2 PQ 34 Ost 85112north of Mertschanskaja 71 64 5 June 1943 18:18 Il-2 m.H. PQ 34 Ost 75262, west of Krymskaja 60 53 26 May 1943 08:40 Spitfire PQ 34 Ost 85152east of Sorin 72 65 5 June 1943 18:22 Yak-1 PQ 34 Ost 75262, west of Krymskaja 61 54 26 May 1943 17:37 LaGG-3 PQ 34 Ost 75222vicinity of Gladkowskaja Krassnyj 73 66 6 June 1943 17:38 Il-2 m.H. PQ 34 Ost 76812 62 55 27 May 1943 18:28 Il-2 m.H. PQ 34 Ost 75262south of Krymsk 74 67 6 June 1943 17:42 Il-2 m.H. PQ 34 Ost 76683vicinity of Sswistelijnikoff 63 56 28 May 1943 18:05 Il-2 m.H. PQ 34 Ost 75232northwest of Krymsk 75 68 7 June 1943 09:22 La-5 PQ 34 Ost 76823vicinity of Kalabatka 64 57 28 May 1943 18:08 Yak-1 PQ 34 Ost 75232north of Krymsk 76 69 21 June 1943 17:14 Il-2 m.H. PQ 34 Ost 76851northeast of Varenikovskaya 65 58 28 May 1943 18:12 La-5 PQ 34 Ost 75234vicinity of Krymsk – I. Gruppe of Jagdgeschwader 52 –Eastern Front — July – 31 December 1943 77♠ 70 5 July 1943 03:47 Il-2 m.H. PQ 35 Ost 61891 south-southwest of Bilyi Kolodiaz 102 87 17 July 1943 05:45 Il-2 m.H. PQ 35 Ost 62742, west of Oboyan 78♠ 71 5 July 1943 03:55 Il-2 m.H. PQ 35 Ost 60123 103 88 17 July 1943 05:50 Il-2 PQ 35 Ost 62753, south of Oboyan 79♠ 72 5 July 1943 04:03 Il-2 m.H. PQ 35 Ost 60193 104 89 18 July 1943 17:52 Yak-1 PQ 34 Ost 88256, south of Marinovkavicinity of Kalinovka 80♠ 73 5 July 1943 07:50 Il-2 m.H. PQ 35 Ost 61321 105 90 18 July 1943 17:53 Yak-1 PQ 34 Ost 88256, south of Marinovkavicinity of Kalinovka 81♠ 74 5 July 1943 08:12 Il-2 m.H. PQ 35 Ost 61321 106 91 20 July 1943 07:25 Il-2 m.H. PQ 34 Ost 88252, south of Marinovka east-northeast of Kuteinykove 82♠ 75 5 July 1943 09:40 Il-2 PQ 35 Ost 61352 107 92 22 July 1943 15:10 Yak-1 PQ 34 Ost 88259, southeast of Kalinovka 83♠ 76 5 July 1943 15:25 Il-2 m.H. PQ 35 Ost 61812 108 93 23 July 1943 19:01 Yak-1 PQ 34 Ost 89889 north of Jalisawehino 84♠ 77 5 July 1943 18:30 Il-2 PQ 35 Ost 61622, south of Poljana 109 94 27 July 1943 15:14 Il-2 m.H. PQ 34 Ost 88258, west of Kalinovka 85♠ 78 5 July 1943 18:33 Il-2 m.H. PQ 35 Ost 61622, south of Poljana 110 95 27 July 1943 15:18 Il-2 m.H. PQ 34 Ost 88294, south-southeast of Kalinovka 86♠ 79 5 July 1943 18:40 Il-2 m.H. PQ 35 Ost 61624, northeast of Wolkowo 111 96 13 October 1943 10:23 Il-2 m.H. PQ 34 Ost 58182 southeast of Zaporizhia 87♠ 80 5 July 1943 18:45 Il-2 PQ 35 Ost 61651, southwest of Wolkowo 112 97 13 October 1943 10:26 Il-2 m.H. PQ 34 Ost 58162 east of Zaporizhia 88♠ 81 5 July 1943 18:50 Il-2 PQ 35 Ost 61621, northeast of Toplinka 113 98 14 October 1943 11:58 Yak-1 PQ 34 Ost 58154, south of Saporoshkajanortheast of Zaporizhia 5 July 1943 18:55 Il-2 vicinity of Toplinka 114 99 19 October 1943 07:58 Pe-2 PQ 34 Ost 49312vicinity of Borodajewka 89 82 6 July 1943 18:15 La-5 PQ 35 Ost 61242, vicinity of Leski south of Prokhorovka 115♠ 100 20 October 1943 10:21 Il-2 m.H. PQ 34 Ost 48283 west of Zaporizhia 90 6 July 1943 18:25 La-5 PQ 35 Ost 61243, south of Luchki 116♠ 101 20 October 1943 10:23 Il-2 m.H. PQ 34 Ost 48281 west of Zaporizhia 91 7 July 1943 09:27 La-5 PQ 35 Ost 61253 117♠ 102 20 October 1943 10:26 Il-2 PQ 34 Ost 48281 west of Zaporizhia 92 7 July 1943 Il-2 118♠ 103 20 October 1943 10:33 Il-2 PQ 34 Ost 48291 west of Zaporizhia 93 7 July 1943 Il-2 119♠ 104 20 October 1943 10:35 Il-2 PQ 34 Ost 48283 west of Zaporizhia 94 7 July 1943 Il-2 120♠ 105 20 October 1943 12:09 Il-2 m.H. PQ 34 Ost 48294 west of Zaporizhia 95 7 July 1943 Il-2 121♠ 106 20 October 1943 12:10 Il-2 m.H. PQ 34 Ost 58181 southeast of Zaporizhia 96 7 July 1943 Il-2 122 107 23 October 1943 15:23 La-5 PQ 34 Ost 49842 south-southwest of Werchnedjeprowak 97 7 July 1943 Il-2 123 108 28 October 1943 10:13 Il-2 m.H. PQ 34 Ost 47193 northwest of Ivanovka 98 83 16 July 1943 05:25 Il-2 m.H. PQ 35 Ost 61212, southwest of Prokhorovka 124 109 28 October 1943 10:15 Il-2 m.H. PQ 34 Ost 47193 northwest of Ivanovka 99 84 16 July 1943 05:30 Il-2 PQ 35 Ost 61212, southwest of Prokhorovka 125 110 28 October 1943 10:18 Il-2 m.H. PQ 34 Ost 47271 north of Ivanovka 100 85 17 July 1943 05:40 Il-2 m.H. PQ 35 Ost 61121, northeast of Bogatoje 126 111 28 October 1943 10:21 Il-2 m.H. PQ 34 Ost 47242 north of Ivanovka 101 86 17 July 1943 05:41 Il-2 PQ 35 Ost 62753, west of Alisowka south of Oboyan 29 October 1943 La-5 – I. Gruppe of Jagdgeschwader 52 –Eastern Front — 1 January – February 1944 127 112 6 January 1944 14:27 Il-2 m.H. west of Losowatka 131 116 26 January 1944 07:59 Il-2 m.H. PQ 34 Ost 66564vicinity of Kerch 128 113 7 January 1944 11:35 Il-2 m.H. PQ 34 Ost 29372, north of Gruskoje 132 117 22 February 1944 08:05 Yak-9 PQ 34 Ost 38664 southeast of Apostolove 129 114 7 January 1944 11:38 Il-2 m.H. PQ 34 Ost 29391, northwest of Kirovograd 133 118 22 February 1944 08:10 Yak-9 PQ 34 Ost 48712 south-southwest of Nikopol 130 115 8 January 1944 13:03 Yak-9 PQ 34 Ost 29514 north-northwest of Bobrinez

Awards Iron Cross (1939) 2nd Class (27 September 1941) 1st Class (1 May 1942) Front Flying Clasp of the Luftwaffe in Silver (11 October 1941) in Gold (13 July 1942) Honour Goblet of the Luftwaffe (Ehrenpokal der Luftwaffe) on 16 November 1942 as Hauptmann and Staffelkapitän German Cross in Gold on 5 December 1942 as Hauptmann in the I./Jagdgeschwader 52 Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves Knight's Cross on 5 January 1943 as Hauptmann and Staffelkapitän of the 2./Jagdgeschwader 52 418th Oak Leaves on 2 March 1944 as Major and Gruppenkommandeur of the I./Jagdgeschwader 52