Johannes Seifert
Johannes "Hannes" Seifert | |
---|---|
Nickname | "Hannes" |
Born |
6 October 1915 Pinneberg |
Died |
25 November 1943 28) Béthune, France | (aged
Allegiance | Nazi Germany |
Service/branch | Luftwaffe |
Years of service | ?-1943 |
Rank | Oberstleutnant (Posthumously) |
Unit | JG 26 |
Commands held |
I./JG 26 II./JG 26 |
Battles/wars | |
Awards | Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross |
Johannes "Hannes" Seifert (6 October 1915 – 25 November 1943) was a German Luftwaffe ace and recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross during World War II. The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross was awarded to recognise extreme battlefield bravery or successful military leadership - for the fighter pilots it was a quantifiable measure of skill and success.
Military career
Seifert was born on 6 October 1915 at Pinneberg, Holstein. After service flying the Bf 110 during the Polish campaign Oberleutnant Seifert was transferred to Jagdgeschwader 26 as Staffelkapitän of 3 Staffel in March 1940.[1] His first claim was a Dutch Air Force Fokker D.XXI on 10 May 1940 near Rotterdam. His success continued through the Battle of France and the Battle of Britain, and at the end of the year he had eight victories. Along with JG 2, JG 26 was tasked with defending the west as the rest of the Luftwaffe went east for the invasion of Russia. On 17 July 1941, Seiffert was made Gruppenkommandeur, I./JG 26[2] - a position he would hold for nearly two years. Although essentially a defensive role, as the Royal Air Force (RAF) tried to exert more pressure over France there were regular opportunities for air combat and Seifert continued to score regularly. He had raised his total to 24 by the start of 1942. In June 1942, Hauptmann Seifert was awarded the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross for his leadership and 36 victories. In the furious air battles over the Dieppe landings in August 1942 Seifert shot down a Spitfire for his 41st victory.
In January 1943, his unit was withdrawn to Germany to re-equip and re-train on the new Fw190A fighter. At the same time, Seifert led the transfer of I./JG 26 to the Eastern Front, as the first part of a misguided idea by High Command to rotate the fighter gruppen between the Western and Eastern Fronts. The style of combat between the two fronts was quite different and overall the experiment was not a success; I./ JG26 was the only gruppe of JG 26 to serve in Russia.[3] The unit was involved in the fighting around Demyansk and then the withdrawal from in front of Moscow (Operation Büffel. From February to mid March I./JG 26 claimed 126 Soviet aircraft, while only losing nine pilots in combat themselves. Seifert led from the front, personnally claiming 11 victories during the Eastern Front tour of duty.
In June 1943, Seifert had to leave his command of I./JG 26 when transferred to a Luftwaffe staff position in Bulgaria and given promotion to Major. Unknown to Seifert his mother had invoked the 'last surviving son' ruling as his younger brother, Gerhard, had been killed in action, and was thus allowed to be removed from active combat duties.[4] However after a personal appeal to Adolf Galland, commander of the Jagdwaffe and his former C.O. at JG26, he returned to France in September 1943, now as Gruppenkommandeur II./JG 26.
By now the American 8th Air Force was exerting increasing pressure with its daylight bomber raids. On 25 November 1943, Seifert led 6. and 8./JG 26 against the USAAF P-38s of the 55th Fighter Group over Lille. During combat Seifert’s Fw 190A-6 (WNr 470006, << -) collided with a P-38, and crashed. Presumably knocked out or severely injured in the collision, Seifert hadn't made an effort to bale out and his body was found in the wreckage still strapped in.[5]
Posthumously promoted to the rank of Oberstleutnant, Johannes Seifert flew some 439 combat missions. Of his 57 victories, 46 victories were over the Western Front, including 3 four-engine heavy bombers and 32 Spitfires, and 11 victories over the Eastern front, including 6 Il-2 Sturmoviks.
Victories
No | Date | Time | Unit & Airfield | Kommodore/Kommandeur | Location / Planquad | Claimed Aircraft | Source / Comments[6] |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | 10 May 1940 | 10:15 | 3./JG 26 - Bönninghardt | Maj Gotthardt Handrick | SE of Rotterdam | Fokker D.XXI | OKL, Prien/Bock; of 1e JaVA Dutch AF |
2 | 28 May 40 | 10:45 | 3./JG 26 - Antwerp | Maj Gotthardt Handrick | 20 km SW of Ostend: 4200m | Spitfire | OKL, Prien/Bock |
3 | 8 Jun 40 | 14:50 | 3./JG 26 - Hesdin, Pas de Calais | Maj Gotthardt Handrick | N of Beauvais | Battle | OKL, Prien/Bock; of 103 Sqn |
4 | 9 Jun 40 | 11:10 | 3./JG 26 - Hesdin | Maj Gotthardt Handrick | 10–15 km SE of Rouen: 3000m | Potez 63 | C.2035/II, Prien/Bock |
5 | 20 Sep 40 | 12:25 | 3./JG 26 - Audembert, Pas de Calais | Hptm Rolf Pingel | Thames estuary | Hurricane | OKL, Prien/ Bock; of 253 Sqn |
6 | 20 Sep 40 | 12:37 | 3./JG 26 - Audembert | Hptm Rolf Pingel | Maidstone | Hurricane | OKL, Prien/Bock; of 242 Sqn |
7 | 5 Nov 40 | 17:15 | 3./JG 26 - Audembert | Hptm Rolf Pingel | Thames estuary | Hurricane | OKL, Prien/Bock; P/O Hart of 242 Sqn |
8 | 13 Nov 40 | 12:00 | 3./JG 26 - Audembert | Hptm Rolf Pingel | 2 km S of Folkestone: 400m | Hurricane | OKL, Prien/Bock; of 249 Sqn |
9 | 11 Jun 1941 | 13:30 | 3./JG 26 - St Omer, Pas de Calais | Hptm Rolf Pingel | English Channel | Hurricane | C.2036/II Nr 64913/41; 248 Sqn |
10 | 23 Jun 41 | 13:50 | 3./JG 26 - St Omer | Hptm Rolf Pingel | near Samer | Spitfire | C.2036/II Nr 65565/41 |
11 | 4 Jul 41 | 15:20 | 3./JG 26 - St Omer | Hptm Rolf Pingel | 6 km N of Bethune | Spitfire | C.2033/I; Prien/Bock |
12 | 11 Jul 41 | 15:05 | Stab I./JG 26 - St Omer | Obstlt Adolf Galland | E of Wimereux | Spitfire | C.2036/II Nr 69272/41 |
13 | 14 Jul 41 | 10:30 | Stab I./JG 26 - St Omer | Obstlt Adolf Galland | S of Dunkirk | Spitfire | C.2036/II Nr 69272/41 |
14 | 21 Jul 41 | 8:25 | Stab I./JG 26 - St Omer | Obstlt Adolf Galland | SW of Ypres | Spitfire | C.2033/I; Prien/Bock |
15 | 21 Jul 41 | 8:40 | Stab I./JG 26 - St Omer | Obstlt Adolf Galland | English Channel: 2000m | Stirling | C.2036/II Nr 67901/41; 15 Sqn |
16 | 7 Aug 41 | 11:25 | Stab I./JG 26 - St Omer | Obstlt Adolf Galland | near Gravelines: 4-5000m | Spitfire | C.2033/I; Prien/Bock |
17 | 12 Aug 41 | 13:00 | Stab I./JG 26 - St Omer | Obstlt Adolf Galland | SE of Vlissengen | Blenheim | C.2036/II Nr 69272/41 |
18 | 19 Aug 41 | 11:45 | Stab I./JG 26 - St Omer | Obstlt Adolf Galland | near Gravelines: 8000m | Spitfire | C.2033/I; Prien/Bock; 452 or 485 Sqn |
19 | 19 Aug 41 | 19:40 | Stab I./JG 26 - St Omer | Obstlt Adolf Galland | near Cassel | Spitfire | C.2036/II Nr 69272/41; of 111 Sqn |
20 | 17 Sep 41 | 15:30 | Stab I./JG 26 - St Omer | Obstlt Adolf Galland | N of Hazebrouck | Spitfire | ? |
21 | 3 Oct 41 | 15:37 | Stab I./JG 26 - St Omer | Obstlt Adolf Galland | 20 km NW of Ostend | Spitfire | C.2036/II Nr 69272/42; of 92 Sqn |
22 | 12 Oct 41 | 13:20 | Stab I./JG 26 - St Omer | Obstlt Adolf Galland | Berck-sur-Mer | Spitfire | C.2036/II Nr 69272/42; of 452 or 602 Sqn |
23 | 8 Nov 41 | 13:05 | Stab I./JG 26 - St Omer | Obstlt Adolf Galland | NW of Dunkirk | Spitfire | C.2036/II Nr 89281/42; F/O Surma of 308 Sqn |
24 | 8 Dec 41 | 13:20 | Stab I./JG 26 - St Omer | Maj Gerhard Schöpfel | near le Touquet | Spitfire | C.2036/II Nr 89281/42 |
25 | 13 Mar 1942 | 16:15 | Stab I./JG 26 - St Omer | Maj Gerhard Schöpfel | SW of Dunkirk: 4500m | Spitfire | C.2033/I; Prien/Bock; of 303 Sqn |
26 | 24 Mar 42 | 17:10 | Stab I./JG 26 - St Omer | Maj Gerhard Schöpfel | 12 km W of Boulogne | Spitfire | C.2036/II Nr 94043/42; of 411 Sqn |
27 | 4 Apr 42 | 11:40 | Stab I./JG 26 - St Omer | Maj Gerhard Schöpfel | S of Gravelines | Spitfire | C.2036/II Nr 94043/42; of 317 Sqn |
28 | 12 Apr 42 | 13:35 | Stab I./JG 26 - St Omer | Maj Gerhard Schöpfel | Boulogne/St Omer | Spitfire | C.2036/II Nr 94043/42; of 41 Sqn |
29 | 24 Apr 42 | 15:02 | Stab I./JG 26 - St Omer | Maj Gerhard Schöpfel | E of Calais | Spitfire | C.2036/II Nr 94043/42; of 72 or 124 Sqn |
30 | 25 Apr 42 | 16:40 | Stab I./JG 26 - St Omer | Maj Gerhard Schöpfel | 5–10 km W of Berck-sur-Mer: 8000m | Spitfire | C.2033/I AnerkNr 64 |
31 | 27 Apr 42 | 15:50 | Stab I./JG 26 - St Omer | Maj Gerhard Schöpfel | near Bourbourg | Boston | C.2036/II Nr 94043/42; of 107 Sqn |
32 | 28 Apr 42 | 11:35 | Stab I./JG 26 - St Omer | Maj Gerhard Schöpfel | 3 km W of Gravelines | Spitfire | C.2036/II Nr 94043/42; 121, 222 or 317 Sqn |
33 | 5 May 42 | 15:40 | Stab I./JG 26 - St Omer | Maj Gerhard Schöpfel | Bailleul | Spitfire | Prien/Bock; F/Lt de Hemptinne of 122 Sqn |
34 | 17 May 42 | 11:40 | Stab I./JG 26 - St Omer | Maj Gerhard Schöpfel | 2 km NW of Wissant | Spitfire | C.2036/II Nr 101540/42 |
35 | 1 Jun 42 | 13:45 | Stab I./JG 26 - St Omer | Maj Gerhard Schöpfel | 15 km NNW of Ostend | Spitfire | Prien/Bock; of 111 Sqn |
36 | 2 Jun 42 | 11:25 | Stab I./JG 26 - St Omer | Maj Gerhard Schöpfel | 5 km S of St Valery | Spitfire | C.2036/II Nr 101540/42; 403 Sqn |
37 | 30 Jul 42 | 17:45 | Stab I./JG 26 - St Omer | Maj Gerhard Schöpfel | Boulogne: 6000m | Spitfire | C.2031/II AnerkNr 65 |
38 | 30 Jul 42 | 17:47 | Stab I./JG 26 - St Omer | Maj Gerhard Schöpfel | near Dungeness: 7000m | Spitfire | C.2031/II ; Prien/Bock |
39 | 30 Jul 42 | 19:18 | Stab I./JG 26 - St Omer | Maj Gerhard Schöpfel | NW of St Omer: 500m | Spitfire | C.2031/II AnerkNr 3 |
40 | 31 Jul 42 | 15:28 | Stab I./JG 26 - St Omer | Maj Gerhard Schöpfel | 20 km W of Berck-sur-Mer: 250m | Spitfire | C.2031/II AnerkNr 6; of 133 Sqn |
41 | 19 Aug 42 | ? | Stab I./JG 26 - St Omer | Maj Gerhard Schöpfel | 7 km W of Dieppe: 800m | Spitfire | C.2031/II ; Prien/Bock |
42 | 4 Dec 42 | 14:52 | Stab I./JG 26 - St Omer | Maj Gerhard Schöpfel | S of Calais: 2000m | Spitfire | C.2027/II AnerkNr 42; 401 or 402 Sqn |
43 | 16 Feb 1943 | 14:10 | Stab I./JG 26 - Rielbitzi | Maj Josef Priller | 8–10 km SE of 'Adler7': 300m | Il-2 | C.2035/I AnerkNr 46 |
44 | 23 Feb 43 | 11:10 | Stab I./JG 26 - Dno, Pskov | Maj Josef Priller | [18430] S of Lake Ilmen: 200m | Il-2 | C.2035/I AnerkNr 48 |
45 | 28 Feb 43 | 15:00 | Stab I./JG 26 - Dno | Maj Josef Priller | [18412], Bodennähe: 200m | P-39 | C.2035/I AnerkNr ? |
46 | 28 Feb 43 | 15:01 | Stab I./JG 26 - Dno | Maj Josef Priller | [18350] SE of Lake Ilmen: 2000m | LaGG-5 | C.2035/I AnerkNr 51 |
47 | 5 Mar 43 | 13:40 | Stab I./JG 26 - Dno | Maj Josef Priller | [18220] ~30 km S of L.Ilmen: 1200m | Pe-2 | C.2032/II AnerkNr 53 |
48 | 5 Mar 43 | 13:53 | Stab I./JG 26 - Dno | Maj Josef Priller | [18160] ~30 km S of L.Ilmen: 1200m | Il-2 | C.2032/II AnerkNr 54 |
49 | 5 Mar 43 | 13:54 | Stab I./JG 26 - Dno | Maj Josef Priller | [18240] ~30 km S of L.Ilmen: 500m | Il-2 | C.2032/II AnerkNr 55 |
50 | 14 Mar 43 | 14:50 | Stab I./JG 26 - Schatalowka | Maj Josef Priller | [18282]~40 km S of L.Ilmen:200m | Pe-2 | C.2032/II AnerkNr 57 |
51 | 16 Mar 43 | 16:16 | Stab I./JG 26 - Schatalowka | Maj Josef Priller | [18211] ~30 km S of L.Ilmen: 600m | Il-2 | C.2032/II AnerkNr 61 |
52 | 12 May 43 | 11:35 | Stab I./JG 26 - Orel | Maj Josef Priller | [35612] NE of Roslavl: 300m | Il-2 | C.2032/II AnerkNr 62 |
53 | 13 May 43 | 14:05 | Stab I./JG 26 - Orel | Maj Josef Priller | [4556/4564] N of Bryansk: <1000m | MiG-3 | C.2032/II AnerkNr 63 |
54 | 23 Sep 43 | 17:10 | Stab II/JG 26 - Beauvais | Maj Josef Priller | 8 km SE of Eu: 100m | Spitfire | C.2031/II AnerkNr 110; of 308 Sqn |
55 | 10 Oct 43 | 15:30 | Stab II/JG 26 - Cambrai | Maj Josef Priller | Missingen: 700m | B-17 | C.2031/II AnerkNr 72 |
56 | 14 Oct 43 | 13:32 | Stab II/JG 26 - Cambrai | Maj Josef Priller | near Maastricht: 7500m | B-17 | C.2031/II AnerkNr 59; of 305 BG, USAAF |
57 | 25 Nov 43 | 13:21 | Stab II/JG 26 - Cambrai | Maj Josef Priller | [OF-8], nr Cuinchy SW of La Bassée | P-38 | C.2031/II AnerkNr 111; Lt Aldecoa of 55 FG USAAF |
Awards
- Flugzeugführerabzeichen
- Front Flying Clasp of the Luftwaffe
- Ehrenpokal der Luftwaffe (30 December 1940)
- Iron Cross (1939)
- 2nd Class
- 1st Class
- German Cross in Gold (25 February 1942)
- Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross on 7 June 1942 as Hauptmann and Gruppenkommandeur of the I./Jagdgeschwader 26 "Schlageter" [7]
References
- Citations
- Bibliography
- Caldwell, Donald L (1993). JG26 – Top Guns of the Luftwaffe Ballantine ISBN 0-87938-845-5
- Fellgiebel, Walther-Peer (2000). Die Träger des Ritterkreuzes des Eisernen Kreuzes 1939–1945 – Die Inhaber der höchsten Auszeichnung des Zweiten Weltkrieges aller Wehrmachtsteile [The Bearers of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross 1939–1945 — The Owners of the Highest Award of the Second World War of all Wehrmacht Branches] (in German). Friedberg, Germany: Podzun-Pallas. ISBN 978-3-7909-0284-6.
- Obermaier, Ernst (1989). Die Ritterkreuzträger der Luftwaffe Jagdflieger 1939 – 1945 [The Knight's Cross Bearers of the Luftwaffe Fighter Force 1941 – 1945] (in German). Mainz, Germany: Verlag Dieter Hoffmann. ISBN 978-3-87341-065-7.
- Patzwall, Klaus D. and Scherzer, Veit (2001). Das Deutsche Kreuz 1941–1945 Geschichte und Inhaber Band II. Norderstedt, Germany: Verlag Klaus D. Patzwall. ISBN 3-931533-45-X.
- Scherzer, Veit (2007). Die Ritterkreuzträger 1939–1945 Die Inhaber des Ritterkreuzes des Eisernen Kreuzes 1939 von Heer, Luftwaffe, Kriegsmarine, Waffen-SS, Volkssturm sowie mit Deutschland verbündeter Streitkräfte nach den Unterlagen des Bundesarchives [The Knight's Cross Bearers 1939–1945 The Holders of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross 1939 by Army, Air Force, Navy, Waffen-SS, Volkssturm and Allied Forces with Germany According to the Documents of the Federal Archives] (in German). Jena, Germany: Scherzers Miltaer-Verlag. ISBN 978-3-938845-17-2.
- Spick, Mike (1996). Luftwaffe Fighter Aces. New York: Ivy Books. ISBN 978-0-8041-1696-1.
- Weal, John (1995). Focke-Wulf Fw190 Aces of the Russian Front Oxford: Osprey Publishing Ltd. ISBN 1-85532-518-7.
- Weal, John (1996). Focke-Wulf Fw190 Aces of the Western Front Oxford: Osprey Publishing Ltd. ISBN 1-85532-595-0 including a colour profile of his aircraft (#28)
External links
- Aces of the Luftwaffe
- World War 2 Awards.com
- "Luftwaffe Officer Career Summaries". Johannes Seifert. Retrieved 29 December 2012
Military offices | ||
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Preceded by Hptm Wolfheinrich von Houwald |
Squadron Leader of 3./JG 26 1 March 1940 – 10 July 1941 |
Succeeded by Oblt Walter Otte |
Preceded by Hptm Rolf Pingel |
Group Commander of I./Jagdgeschwader 26 11 July 1941–31 May 1943 |
Succeeded by Hptm Fritz Losigkeit |
Preceded by Hptm Hans Naumann |
Group Commander of II./Jagdgeschwader 26 9 September 1943–25 November 1943 |
Succeeded by Maj Wilhelm Gäth |
|