Günther Seeger
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| Günther Seeger | |
|---|---|
| 9 September 1918 | |
| Nickname | Hupatz |
| Place of birth | Offenbach am Main, Germany |
| Allegiance |  Nazi Germany West Germany |
| Service/branch |  Luftwaffe |
| Years of service | 1937–1945
1956-1974 |
| Rank | Oberleutnant |
| Unit | JG 2, JG 53 |
| Battles/wars | World War II |
| Awards | Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross |
Günther "Hupatz" Seeger was a former German Luftwaffe fighter ace and recipient of the Knight's Cross during World War II. Seeger scored 56 victories in 504 missions. All his victories were recorded over the Western front and include eight four-engine bombers.
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[edit] Military career
He joined the Luftwaffe in 1937. He was undergoing his fighter pilot training at Werneuchen. Seeger was posted to JG 2 in February, 1940. He partipated in Battle of France and recorded his first victory on 8 June by shot down a French Morane fighter near Soissons. During the Battle of Britain he was assigned with 3./JG 2 which based at Beaumont-le-Roger. Seeger claimed a further three victories, including two RAF Spitfire fighters. From 27 March to 19 June 1941, Seeger remained in an instructor. He returned to front line duty where he flew with several famous aces such as Wilhelm Balthasar, Walter Oesau, Rudolf Pflanz and Erich Leie. By the end of 1941, Seeger added 19 victories to his credit.
During Allied landings at Dieppe Oberfeldwebel Seeger shot down three Spitfires. However, he was also shot down in the engagement and baled out of his Fw 190 A-3 but fortunately Seeger escaped injury. He then transferred to the Mediterranean theatre to operate from bases in Tunisia. Seeger had 24 victories to his credit at this time and had been promoted to the rank of Leutnant. Seeger recorded nine victories over Tunisia before the unit retired to Sicily. In February, 11./JG 2 was disbanded and absorbed into II./JG 53. Seeger was assigned to 7./JG 53. Operating over Sicily and southern Italy, Seeger added 14 further victories. Seeger was sent back to Germany to recuperate from a bout of malaria. Leutnant Seeger was awarded the Ritterkreuz on 26 March 1944 and promoted to the rank of Oberleutnant.
Following the Allied landings in Normandy on 6 June 1944, his unit- II./JG 53 was rushed to France. Seeger claimed four victories before II./JG 53 was withdrawn back to Germany on July. There, Seeger was appointed Staffelkapitän of 4./JG 53 but Seeger did not participate in Operation Bodenplatte, the attack on Allied airfields in Holland, Belgium and France on 1 January 1945. Rather, he had been granted leave to marry. He managed to aviod capture by allied forces and made his way on foot to his home town of Offenbach on foot.
[edit] After the War
In 1956, Seeger joined the new Bundesluftwaffe. He reached the rank of Oberstleutnant before retirement in 1974.
[edit] Awards
- Ehrenpokal der Luftwaffe (9 August 1941)
- German Cross in Gold (29 October 1942)
- Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross (26 March 1944)
[edit] References
- Aces of the Luftwaffe. Günther Seeger. Retrieved on 19 February 2008.
- Fellgiebel, Walther-Peer. Die Träger des Ritterkreuzes des Eisernen Kreuzes 1939-1945. Friedburg, Germany: Podzun-Pallas, 2000. ISBN 3-7909-0284-5.
