Hubert Zemke

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Hubert "Hub" Zemke
1914 - 1994
Nickname	Hub
Place of birth	Missoula, Montana
Place of death	Oroville, California
Years of service	1936 - 1966
Rank	Colonel
Commands	56th Fighter Group

Colonel Hubert "Hub" Zemke was a World War II pilot and fighter ace. General Jimmy Doolittle called Zemke his "greatest fighter group commander." Born on March 14, 1914 to German immigrant parents in Missoula, Montana, Zemke had no desire to fly; he intended to pursue a degree in forestry at Montana State University on football and boxing scholarships. In 1936 Zemke's friends convinced him to try out for pilot training in the U.S. Army Air Corps. He was accepted, and graduated from the pursuit pilot course at Kelly Field, Texas in 1937.

In 1940, Zemke was sent to England to instruct Royal Air Force Pilots in how to fly the P-40 Tomahawk. While there, he was able to observe the tactics of both the RAF and the Luftwaffe, observations that he would use later when the United States entered the war. In 1941, he was sent to the Soviet Union to help the Russians with their lend-lease P–40s.

Upon returning to the United States, Zemke, then a major, was given command of the 56th Fighter Group – the first fighter group to fly the new P-47 Thunderbolt. Not impressed with the performance or maneuverability of the aircraft, Zemke spent much time developing tactics that would make it a successful platform in the European Theater. In January 1943, the 56th was sent to England in order to participate in the bombing offensive against Germany with the Eighth Air Force.

Once established in England, the 56th began escorting bombers over Europe. Things got off to a troubled start with the group losing many planes and pilots to the more experienced Luftwaffe. Zemke made progress by stressing flight discipline and teamwork, often implementing ideas of even the lowest ranking man. Zemke's subordinates saw him as being stern but fair, and over time, the 56th Fighter Group's record improved.

On October 2, 1943, Zemke scored his fifth kill, making him a fighter ace. During that entire month, Zemke's Wolfpack, (as the 56th had begun to be called), shot down 39 German aircraft while losing only one of their own. Zemke was important in turning the tide of the air war in Europe by espousing and implementing tactics that allowed allied fighters to break from close escort and attack enemy planes before they could get to the bombers.

While under Zemke's command, the 56th shot down over 500 enemy aircraft of an eventual 674.5 the group would claim in World War II. Zemke himself rose to the rank of Colonel.

In August 1944, Zemke took command of the ailing 479th Fighter Group. The 479th did not have a good record, good training or good morale. Over the ensuing months, things improved dramatically for the 479th. While flying one of the group's new P-51 Mustangs, Zemke himself made one of the first shoot–downs of a German jet fighter. Unfortunately, while flying in unforecasted bad weather, the wing of Zemke's P-51 was torn off. On October 30, 1944, Zemke was forced to bail out over enemy territory.

Colonel Hubert Zemke was captured and taken to Stalag Luft I, where he assumed command of the prisoner's "Provisional Wing X" as Senior Allied Officer. Under his leadership, conditions and morale improved. Toward the end of the war, Zemke realized the Germans might try to kill the 9,000 POWs in Stalag Luft I rather than allow them to fall into Allied hands. In preparation, Zemke prepared a force of commandos and stockpiled weapons, (mostly home–made grenades), in order to wrest control of the camp. When the men of Stalag Luft I were ordered to leave the camp by the German commander, Zemke refused the order. The Germans, knowing the POWs would be a formidable adversary, ceded control of the camp to him. Zemke ended the war with 17.75 confirmed aerial victories in 154 combat missions.

Following the war, he was Tactics Division Chief at the Air Tactical School, Tyndall AFB, Florida. During the Berlin Airlift, Zemke commanded the 36th Fighter Group at Fürstenfeldbruck Air Base, Germany, providing air defense alert. Remaining in Germany, he served as Chief of Staff of the 2d Air Division in Landsberg. He attended Air War College in 1953 and upon graduation was assigned as Chief of Plans within the Directorate of Operations at the Pentagon. Next, he commanded the 31st Fighter Wing, Albany AFB, Georgia, followed by command of the 4080th Strategic Reconnaissance Wing at Laughlin AFB, Texas, equipped with the top secret Lockheed U-2. After 3 years as Air Section Chief, U.S. Military Assistance Advisory Group, Madrid, Spain, Zemke then commanded the Reno Air Defense Sector at Stead AFB, Nevada. Colonel Zemke retired in 1966 after 30 years of military service. Following retirement, he pursued a second career in agriculture. Colonel Hubert Zemke died August 30, 1994 in Oroville, California.