Rolf Hermichen

Rolf Hermichen (25 July 1918 – 23 May 2014) was a German Luftwaffe fighter ace and recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves 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.

Career He was born in Wernigerode in the district of Harz.

On 15 July 1942, Hermichen was appointed Staffelkapitän (squadron leader) of 3. Staffel of JG 26. He succeeded Oberleutnant Johannes Schmidt who was transferred. On 13 June 1943, the Gruppenkommandeur (group commander) of III. Gruppe, Hauptmann Kurt Ruppert was killed in action. Command of the Gruppe was temporarily given to Hermichen. On 29 June, Geschwaderkommodore Josef Priller appointed Major Klaus Mietusch as the new commander of III. Gruppe. Mietusch assumed command on 5 July and Hermichen returned to 3. Staffel.

On 16 October 1943, Herminchen was appointed Gruppenkommandeur of I. Gruppe of Jagdgeschwader 11 (JG 11—11th Fighter Wing). He succeeded Hauptmann Erich Woitke who temporarily led the Gruppe after Hauptmann Erwin Clausen was killed in action on 4 October. On 2 April 1944, Hermichen was presented the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross by Generaloberst Hans-Jürgen Stumpff at the airfield in Rotenburg an der Wümme. The Knight's Cross had been awarded on 26 March.

On 12 May, the Eighth Army Air Force targeted the German fuel industry. In total 886 four-engined bombers, escorted by 980 fighter aircraft, headed for the five main synthetic fuel factories in middle Germany in area of Leuna, Merseburg, Böhlen and Zeitz, and the Protectorate of Bohemia and Moravia and Brüx. That day, Hermichen was shot down in aerial combat near Limburg an der Lahn. In consequence, he was transferred to the staff of the 2. Jagd-Division (2nd Fighter Division) based in Stade. Hermichen was replaced by Oberleutnant Hans-Heinrich Koenig as commander of I. Gruppe.

Summary of career

Aerial victory claims According to US historian David T. Zabecki, Hermichen was credited with 64 aerial victories. Obermaier also lists him with 64 aerial victories claimed in 629 combat missions, 11 of them while flying the Messerschmitt Bf 110. He shot down 53 enemy aircraft in Defense of the Reich, including 26 four-engine strategic bombers. Forsyth also lists him with 26 heavy bombers shot down. Mathews and Foreman, authors of Luftwaffe Aces – Biographies and Victory Claims, researched the German Federal Archives and found records for 49 aerial victory claims, plus eight further unconfirmed claims. This figure includes 11 aerial victories on the Eastern Front and 38 over the Western Allies, including 17 four-engine bombers.

Victory claims were logged to a map-reference (PQ = Planquadrat), for example "PQ 35 Ost 28321". 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 Zerstörergeschwader 1 –Battle of France — 10 May – 25 June 1940 1 10 May 1940 11:15 Battle Waalhaven 2 27 May 1940 Spitfire 15 May 1940 M.S.406 30 May 1940 Potez 63 – 9. Staffel of Zerstörergeschwader 76 –Battle of Britain — 10 July – 31 October 1940 12 August 1940 Hurricane 25 August 1940 Hurricane 15 August 1940 Spitfire – III. Gruppe of Zerstörergeschwader 76 –Norwegian Coast 3 9 February 1941 11:00 Beaufort Mandal – 6. Staffel of Schnellkampfgeschwader 210 –Operation Barbarossa — 22 June – 5 December 1941 4 6 September 1941 Yak-1 6 22 October 1941 Pe-2 5 12 October 1941 Yak-1 – 7. Staffel of Jagdgeschwader 26 "Schlageter" –On the Western Front — 1 January – 15 July 1942 12? 4 April 1942 11:35 Spitfire northwest of Brouckerqueoff Lister 13 12 April 1942 13:43 Spitfire north of Cassel – 3. Staffel of Jagdgeschwader 26 "Schlageter" –On the Western Front — 15 July – 31 December 1942 14 9 May 1942 17:42 Spitfire northwest of Koksijde 18 19 August 1942 11:28 P-39 Dieppe 15 30 July 1942 19:11 Hurricane Saint-Omer-Wizernes 19 4 December 1942 14:35 Spitfire northeast of Desvressouth of Ardres 16 18 August 1942 15:01? Spitfire south of Dungeness 20 6 December 1942 11:37 Spitfire west of Le Tréport 17 19 August 1942 09:51 Spitfire northeast of Dieppe 21 19 December 1942 14:15 US-fighter east-southeast of Deal – Stab I. Gruppe of Jagdgeschwader 26 "Schlageter" –On the Eastern Front — 2 February – 7 June 1943 22 18 February 1943 08:23 LaGG-3 PQ 35 Ost 28321 26 5 March 1943 15:09 P-40 PQ 35 Ost 18443 23 19 February 1943 09:59 Il-2 PQ 35 Ost 18293 27 7 March 1943 10:03 Pe-2 PQ 35 Ost 18254 24 19 February 1943 10:01 Il-2 PQ 35 Ost 18462 28 7 March 1943 15:43 Pe-2 PQ 35 Ost 18551 25 4 March 1943 08:03 Pe-2 PQ 35 Ost 18242 29 23 March 1943 13:42 Yak-7 PQ 36 Ost 00412 – 3. Staffel of Jagdgeschwader 26 "Schlageter" –Defense of the Reich — 5 July – 15 October 1943 31? 28 July 1943 12:17 Typhoon PQ 05 Ost S/JH-1/NH-7west of Rotterdam 34 12 August 1943 08:42 B-17* PQ 05 Ost S/KN-3/6Mönchengladbach 32 30 July 1943 10:12 B-17 PQ 05 Ost S/JM-3Nijmegen 35 15 August 1943 11:58? Spitfire PQ 05 Ost S/KG-7Vlissingen-North Sea 33 30 July 1943 10:15 P-47 PQ 05 Ost S/JM-2/3Dordrecht – Stab I. Gruppe of Jagdgeschwader 11 –Defense of the Reich — 16 October – 31 December 1943 36 5 November 1943 14:02 P-47 PQ KH, Schouwen 38 1 December 1943 12:20 B-24 PQ 05 Ost OO-8/6, south of Euskirchen 5 November 1943 B-17* 1 December 1943 B-24* south of Euskirchen 37 13 November 1943 11:30 B-24 PQ 05 Ost SS-5/6east of Husum 39 11 December 1943 12:17 B-17 PQ 05 Ost AP-2/4 north of Norderney – Stab I. Gruppe of Jagdgeschwader 11 –Defense of the Reich — January – June 1944 49? 10 February 1944 12:55 B-17 PQ 05 Ost S/EP-8, northwest of Lingen 57 8 March 1944 15:26 B-24 PQ 15 Ost S/FA, north of Großburgwedel 50 20 February 1944 13:27 B-24 PQ 05 Ost S/JU-4, vicinity of Holzminden 58 8 March 1944 15:28 B-24 PQ 15 Ost S/FA, north of Großburgwedel 51 20 February 1944 13:30 B-24 PQ 05 Ost S/JU-1, vicinity of Holzminden 59 8 March 1944 15:36 B-17 PQ 15 Ost S/FA, vicinity of Celle 52 20 February 1944 13:37 B-24 PQ 15 Ost S/JA-1/1, vicinity of Gotha 60? 8 March 1944 15:47 B-17 53 20 February 1944 13:45 B-24 PQ 05 Ost S/JU-6, vicinity of Holzminden 61 23 March 1944 10:03? B-17 PQ 05 Ost S/ES, south of Bremen 54 3 March 1944 12:02 B-17 west of Tönning 62 15 April 1944 13:56? P-38 PQ 05 Ost S/DT, vicinity of Rotenburg 54 6 March 1944 12:00 B-17 PQ 05 Ost S/EP, vicinity of Haselünne 63 15 April 1944 13:57? P-38 PQ 05 Ost S/DT-2/9, vicinity of Rotenburg 55 6 March 1944 12:06 B-17 PQ 05 Ost S/ER, south of Delmenhorst 64 24 April 1944 13:06 P-51 PQ 05 Ost S/SS, vicinity of Mannheim 56 6 March 1944 12:12 B-17 PQ 05 Ost S/ER, south of Delmenhorst

Awards Iron Cross (1939) 2nd Class (24 April 1940) 1st Class (7 June 1940) Honour Goblet of the Luftwaffe on 5 January 1942 as Oberleutnant and pilot German Cross in Gold on 15 October 1942 as Oberleutnant in the 3./Jagdgeschwader 26 Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves Knight's Cross on 26 March 1944 as Hauptmann and Gruppenkommandeur of the I./Jagdgeschwader 11 748th Oak Leaves on 19 February 1945 as Major and Gruppenkommandeur of the I./Jagdgeschwader 11