Gordon Gollob

Gordon Gollob
Gordon Gollob in October 1941
Born	(1912-06-16)16 June 1912 Vienna, Austria
Died	7 September 1987(1987-09-07) (aged 75) Sulingen, Germany
Buried at	Sulingen, Village cemetery
Allegiance	First Austrian Republic (to 1938)  Nazi Germany
Service/branch	Luftwaffe
Years of service	1933–45
Rank	Oberst (Colonel)
Unit	ZG 76, JG 3, JG 54, JG 77, Luftflotte 5
Commands held	II./JG 3, JG 77, Jafü 5 and General der Jagdflieger
Battles/wars	World War II Invasion of Poland Battle of the Heligoland Bight Operation Barbarossa Crimean Campaign Operation Braunschweig
Awards	Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves, Swords and Diamonds
Other work	Politician In sales with Klöckner Humboldt Deutz AG

Gordon Mac Gollob (16 June 1912 – 7 September 1987) was a German Luftwaffe military aviator during World War II, a fighter ace credited with 150 enemy aircraft shot down in over 340 combat missions. Originally from Austria, he claimed the majority of his victories over the Eastern Front, and six over the Western Front, five of which he claimed as a Messerschmitt Bf 110 heavy fighter pilot.

Born in Vienna, Gollob volunteered for military service in the Austrian Bundesheer (Austrian Armed Forces) in 1933. In March 1938, following the Anschluss, the forced incorporation of Austria into Nazi Germany, Gollob was transferred to the Luftwaffe. In 1939, Gollob was posted to Zerstörergeschwader 76 (ZG 76—76th Destroyer Wing), a twin-engined heavy fighter wing. Following the outbreak of World War II, he claimed his first aerial victory on 5 September 1939 during the invasion of Poland. Gollob claimed one victory during the Battle of the Heligoland Bight and two victories during the Norwegian Campaign. He then transferred to Jagdgeschwader 3 (JG 3—3rd Fighter Wing), flying the single-engined Messerschmitt Bf 109. In the aftermath of the Battle of Britain on the Channel Front, he claimed his sixth and final victory on the Western Front.

Gollob then fought in the aerial battles of Operation Barbarossa, the German invasion of the Soviet Union. On 27 June 1941, Gollob was appointed Gruppenkommandeur (group commander) of the II. Gruppe (2nd group) of JG 3. He claimed 18 aerial victories in August, and following his 42nd victory was awarded the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross on 18 September. He claimed 37 victories in October, including nine on 18 October and six on 22 October. On 26 October 1941, his total then at 85 aerial victories, he was awarded the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves. In December 1941, Gollob was temporarily transferred to the Erprobungstelle Rechlin, the Luftwaffe test facility at Rechlin. Following a commander-in-training assignment to the Stabsschwarm (headquarters unit) of Jagdgeschwader 54 (JG 54—54th Fighter Wing) on 13 March 1942, Gollob was appointed Geschwaderkommodore of Jagdgeschwader 77 (JG 77—77th Fighter Wing) on 16 May 1942. He claimed his 100th victory on 20 May, and on 23 June he was awarded the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves and Swords following his 107th aerial victory. On 29 August, Gollob became the first fighter pilot to claim 150 enemy aircraft destroyed and was awarded the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves, Swords and Diamonds the next day. At the time of its presentation to Gollob it was Germany's highest military decoration.^{[Note 1]}

Due to concerns that he would be killed in action, Gollob was prohibited from flying further combat missions. On 15 October 1942, he was appointed as Jagdfliegerführer 3 on the Western Front, then on 6 September 1943 he was appointed as Jagdfliegerführer 5, responsible for the tactical fighter command of northwestern France. In April 1944, he was transferred to the staff of the General der Jagdflieger (General of Fighters). In January 1945, he succeeded Generalleutnant (Brigadier General) Adolf Galland as General der Jagdflieger, a position he held until the end of hostilities. Following World War II, he became General Secretary of the Federation of Independents (Verband der Unabhängigen), a political party in Austria. He then worked in a sales position for the Klöckner Humboldt Deutz AG. Gollob, married and father of three children, died on 7 September 1987 at Sulingen, Germany.

Early life and career

Gollob was born on 16 June 1912 in Vienna, the capital of Austria-Hungary.^[2] His father, Heinrich Gollob, worked as an academic painter. His mother, Johanna (née Reininghaus), was the daughter of Zoe von Karajan, a distant relative of Herbert von Karajan and wife of Carl Reininghaus. Gollob was the first of five children. Both his parents had studied at the Academy of Fine Arts Vienna, where they mutually befriended Gordon Mallet McCouch, an American artist of Scottish descent. McCouch was his godfather and the namesake for his first and middle names, Gordon Mac.^[3][4] In his youth, Gollob already wanted to become an engineer and pilot. In 1930, as a student at an Oberrealschule, a secondary school, he built his first primary glider in Tirol, experimenting with it at the old airfield at Innsbruck. He also completed his A- and B-license to fly glider aircraft and became an instructor as well as a construction and airframe inspector.^[2]

Main building of the Theresian Military Academy

Following four semesters of mechanical engineering at the University of Graz, Gollob joined the Austrian Bundesheer (Austrian Armed Forces) in 1933 as an officer cadet in the artillery. For three years he was trained at the Maria Theresia Military Academy at Wiener Neustadt and was promoted to Leutnant (second lieutenant) on 1 September 1936. He then served as an instructor in the Luftstreitkräfte (Austrian Air Force) and commander of Schulstaffel A (Training Squadron A). Following the Anschluss in March 1938, the forced incorporation of Austria into Nazi Germany, Gollob was transferred to the Luftwaffe (the Nazi German Air Force). There, he was promoted to Oberleutnant (first lieutenant) on 1 June 1938.^[2][5] On 15 March 1939, Gollob was posted to the 3. Staffel (3rd squadron) of Zerstörergeschwader 76 (ZG 76—76th Destroyer Wing) flying the Messerschmitt Bf 110 twin-engined heavy fighter.^{[6][Note 2]}

World War II

World War II in Europe began on Friday, 1 September 1939, when German forces invaded Poland. ZG 76 had been stationed at the Polish border prior to the invasion. Gollob scored the first of his aerial victories over Poland on 5 September 1939, shooting down a PWS 56 (Podlaska Wytwórnia Samolotów—Podlasie Aircraft Factory) biplane.^[7] He also flew a number of ground support missions, attacking an airfield and destroying a number of aircraft on the ground. On 21 September 1939, Gollob was awarded the Iron Cross 2nd Class (Eisernes Kreuz zweiter Klasse) for his service in Poland. Following the campaign in Poland, ZG 76 was moved to Germany to defend the Reich. The 1. Gruppe of ZG 76 first relocated to the Stuttgart area on 29 September 1939 to defend the western border against the French and British, who had declared war with Germany on 3 September 1939.^[8] From early October to middle December, I. Gruppe operated from a number of airfields in the Stuttgart and Ruhr regions before relocating north to Jever on 16 December 1939.^[9] There, on 18 December 1939, Gollob claimed his second aerial victory over a Royal Air Force (RAF) Vickers Wellington bomber in what became to be known as the Battle of the Heligoland Bight.^[2] During the battle, he shot down and killed Squadron Leader Archibald Guthrie, of No. 9 Squadron.^[10]

Norwegian Campaign and Battle of Britain

On 8 April 1940, Gollob was appointed Staffelkapitän (squadron leader) of 3. Staffel of ZG 76.^[6] The unit took part in Operation Weserübung, Germany's assault on Denmark and Norway in the opening operation of the Norwegian Campaign. In June 1940, I. Gruppe was based at Trondheim-Værnes, when the Allied expeditionary force composed of British, French, and Free Polish, were being evacuated from Narvik. In support of the evacuation, the RAF was targeting German shipping in Norwegian waters and Luftwaffe occupied airfields along the coast. On 13 June, fifteen Blackburn Skua dive bombers, six from 800 Naval Air Squadron and nine from 803 Naval Air Squadron, launched from the Royal Navy aircraft carrier Ark Royal attempted to attack the battleship Scharnhorst in the Trondheimsfjord. The flight was intercepted by the Luftwaffe, in the resulting aerial encounter, eight Skuas were shot down, the first by Gollob.^[11][12] That day, he was awarded the Iron Cross 1st Class (Eisernes Kreuz erster Klasse).^[2]

Gollob then received night fighter training.^[6] At the time, he made a few recommendations for technical improvement of the Messerschmitt Bf 109 single-engined fighter. Based on these recommendations, he was transferred to the Erprobungstelle Rechlin, the Luftwaffe test facility at Rechlin in June 1940.^[2] At 14:47 on 9 July 1940, Gollob intercepted and shot down Short Sunderland flying boat "Y" (N6133) from No. 201 Squadron. The Sunderland, piloted by Flight Lieutenant J.D. Middleton, was on patrol off Norway and crashed 140 kilometers (90 mi) southwest of Sumburgh Head.^{[Note 3]} That same day at 17:20, Gollob, together with Oberfeldwebel (Staff Sergeant) Herbert Schob and Oberleutnant Gerhard Böhmel, shot down a patrolling Lockheed Hudson reconnaissance aircraft "J" (N7377) from No. 233 Squadron off Shetland.^{[14][Note 4]}

On 7 September 1940 during the Battle of Britain, Gollob was transferred to the Gruppenstab (headquarters unit) of II. Gruppe Jagdgeschwader 3 (JG 3—3rd Fighter Wing) based at Arques in northern France. Four days later, Staffelkapitän—Oberleutnant Werner Voigt of 4. Staffel was shot down over England and taken prisoner of war—on 8 October 1940, and Gollob took command of 4. Staffel.^[15] In February 1941, the entire II. Gruppe returned to Germany for a period of rest. The pilots went on a ski vacation in Kitzbühel from 9 to 28 March 1941. 4. Staffel was housed at the foot of the Ehrenbachhöhe, the highest point of the Hahnenkamm. The Gruppe then reassembled at Darmstadt-Griesheim where they received a complement of the then new Bf 109 F-2 fighter aircraft. On 25 April 1941, II. Gruppe began relocating back to the English Channel Front at Monchy-Breton. The Gruppe completed relocation on 4 May and flew its first mission on 7 May 1941. That day, the RAF flew several fighter sweeps over the French coast and Gollob was credited with shooting down a Supermarine Spitfire fighter, his sixth overall and last on the Western Front.^[16] On 1 June 1941, Gollob was promoted to Hauptmann (captain) and II. Gruppe began its relocation to the Eastern Front. The ground elements moved immediately while the air elements followed on 8 June. On that day, they flew to Saint-Dizier and then to Böblingen. On the following day, they continued to Breslau-Gandau, present day the Wrocław–Copernicus Airport in Poland, via Straubing.^[17]

War against the Soviet Union

In preparation for Operation Barbarossa, the German invasion of the Soviet Union, II. Gruppe headed further east on 18 June. Following a stopover at Kraków, the unit was moved to Hostynne. At the start of the campaign, JG 3 under the command of Major (Major) Günther Lützow was subordinated to the V. Fliegerkorps (5th Air Corps), under the command of General der Flieger (General of the Aviators) Robert Ritter von Greim, itself part of Luftflotte 4 (4th Air Fleet), under the command of Generaloberst (Colonel General) Alexander Löhr. These air elements supported Generalfeldmarschall (Field Marshal) Gerd von Rundstedt's Heeresgruppe Süd (Army Group South), with the objective of capturing the Ukraine and its capital Kiev. At 17:00 on 21 June 1941, V. Fliegerkorps, based at Lipsko, briefed the various unit commanders of the upcoming attack.^{[Note 5]} That evening, Hauptmann Lothar Keller, Gruppenkommandeur (group commander) of II. Gruppe, informed his subordinates of the attack.^[18]

Map indicating Operation Barbarossa's attack plan

The invasion of the Soviet Union began on 22 June 1941. II. Gruppe flew its first missions on the Eastern Front shortly before 04:00, flying low attacks against Soviet airfields in the vicinity of Lvov, present-day Lviv in the Ukraine. At 06:30 the Gruppe fought its first aerial battles. 4. Staffel claimed three victories and the Gruppenstab four.^[18] One of these victories was credited to Gollob, who claimed a Polikarpov I-16 fighter shot down at 07:00.^[19] On 25 June, II. Gruppe claimed 17 victories, 6 of which were credited to 4. Staffel. The Staffel engaged Ilyushin DB-3 bombers escorted by I-16 "Ratas" on a free chase mission west of Lutsk. The Soviet bombers targeted the German advance roads from Hrubieszów through Volodymyr-Volynskyi to Lusk. Gollob was credited with two victories over DB-3s in this encounter.^[20] On 26 June 1941, Gruppenkommandeur Keller was killed in a mid-air collision. The next day, Gollop succeeded Keller in this position and turned over command of 4. Staffel to Oberleutnant Karl Faust.^[21] In the beginning of July 1941, the front in the vicinity of the northern sector of Heeresgruppe Süd became increasingly fluid. This necessitated the relocation of II. Gruppe to Volodymyr-Volynskyi. By this time the war of attrition had reduced the Gruppe to 50% of its authorized strength. One reason for this was the almost complete lack of new aircraft or of engines and other spare parts. Another factor was overwork of the ground crews, and signs of exhaustion were apparent. Flying combat air patrols over Berdychiv and Zhytomyr on 1 July, II. Gruppe claimed four victories.^[22] On this day at 19:42, Gollob claimed his tenth aerial victory over a Petlyakov Pe-2 light bomber.^[23] The following day, the Gruppe claimed 23 aerial victories for the loss of one in combat.^[24] The first victory of the day was claimed by Gollob who shot down a ZKB-19—a German alias for the Polikarpov I-17 fighter, possibly a misidentified Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-1 or Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-3—at 05:52 in the morning. On another mission that day, he claimed two Vultee V-11 attack aircraft shot down at 11:30 and 11:43.^[23]

The rapid advance of German ground forces required II. Gruppe to relocate to Lutsk on 5 July, then to Dubno that same evening and to Miropol on 10 July. Flying missions east of Zhytomyr, Gollob claimed his 14th victory over a Polikarpov I-153 at 06:30 on 13 July 1941.^[25] A victory over a DB-3 at 11:42 and a further victory over a Tupolev SB-2 bomber at 11:44, both claimed on 16 July, took his total to 16 aerial victories.^[26] On 20 July 1941, II. Gruppe relocated from Miropol to Berdychiv.^[27] One day later, Gollob was awarded the Honor Goblet of the Luftwaffe (Ehrenpokal der Luftwaffe) for 16 aerial victories.^[2] On 23 July 1941 at 16:35, Gollob claimed a Polikarpov R-5 reconnaissance bomber, his 17th aerial victory.^[28] That day, II. Gruppe received orders to turn over its remaining aircraft to I. Gruppe of Jagdgeschwader 53 (JG 53—53rd Fighter Wing). Gollob's Gruppe was re-equipped with the Bf 109 F-4. On 28 July, the pilots were flown to Krosno on a Junkers Ju 52 where they received a full complement of Bf 109 F-4s. After a single familiarization flight, they departed to Berdychiv and on the following morning they were transferred to Bila Tserkva. During the first days in August 1941, II. Gruppe flew missions over the combat areas along the Dnieper in support of the main German attack to encircle Soviet forces near Uman, approximately 200 km (120 mi) south of Kiev. Most II. Gruppe missions were subsequently in the greater Kiev area and to the north near Malyn, where Soviet forces were still holding onto the west bank of the Dnieper. Until 6 August 1941, II. Gruppe claimed five victories without loss.^[27] Two victories claimed on 5 August took Gollob's total to 20 aerial victories. He was victorious over a I-153 at 17:46 and a I-17 at 18:22.^[28]

On 7 August, II. Gruppe moved again, from Bila Tserkva the Gruppe moved to Signajewka, a forward airfield near Shpola. In the days to come, the Gruppe flew combat missions over the Dnieper, between Kaniv and Kremenchuk as well to the south. Flying from Signajewka for the next 10 days, II. Gruppe claimed 64 aerial victories, including 11 on 8 August, 7 on 9 August, 8 on 12 August, and 27 on 17 August 1941, the Gruppe's most successful day of the entire 1941 summer campaign.^[29] In the same timeframe, Gollob increased his number of aerial victories to 26.^[28] II. Gruppe had to relocate again in order to keep up with the German advance. On the afternoon of 17 August parts of the air elements flew to Kirovohrad-North airfield. Their primary mission was to protect the armored spearheads in the Dnipropetrovsk area.^[29] On 21 August 1941, II. Gruppe claimed 17 victories, five of which were by Gollob. This "ace-in-a-day" achievement, the first of six during his combat career, took his total to 33 aerial victories.^[30] On 25 August, III. Armeekorps (3rd Army Corps) took Dnipropetrovsk and captured the first bridgehead across the Dnieper. Until the end of August 1941, II. Gruppe primary objective was to help secure the bridgehead on the east bank of the Dnieper.^[29] In support of these battles, Gollob scored a I-17 on 22 August, a Polikarpov I-180 fighter aircraft on 24 August and a Tupolev TB-3 heavy bomber on 31 August 1941, taking his total to 36 aerial victories.^[31] On 1 September 1941, the 17. Armee (17th Army) began crossing the Dnieper in force and II. Gruppe was moved to Myronivka. Flying from Myronivka was characterized by poor weather conditions with rain and fog, as a result operations were kept to a minimum. At the time, II. Gruppe's primary objective was the defense of the Dnieper crossing.^[32] In these defensive battles, Gollob score his 37th victory on 8 September. His opponent was classified as an I-26 fighter aircraft, later referred to as Yakovlev Yak-1. One day later, he claimed a Ilyushin Il-2 ground-attack aircraft.^[33] On 12 September weather conditions improved and flight operations increased. II. Gruppe flew missions in support of the armored spearheads as well as fighter escort missions for Junkers Ju 87 dive bombers.^[32] That day, Gollob claimed two victories, a Il-2 and a I-26, taking his total to 40 aerial victories.^[33] On 13 September, the Gruppe claimed 20 victories over Soviet bombers and ground-attack aircraft, including a V-11 shot down by Gollob at 17:19. On 14 September 1941, the German airfield at Myronivka came under Soviet air attack. Following the attack, Gollob and his wingman Oberleutnant Walther Dahl managed to pursue the attackers, and both shot down one of them. This victory over an I-153 claimed at 05:47 in the morning took his total to 42 aerial victories.^[34] II. Gruppe was again forced to relocate, on 15 September it moved to an airfield at Kremenchuk.^[35] On 18 September, Gollob was awarded the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross (Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes) for 42 victories.^[6] On 19 September 1941, II. Gruppe was tasked with strafing Soviet airfields in the Poltava area.^[35] That day, Gollob claimed his 43rd aerial victory over an R-5 at 13:55.^[33] He became an "ace-in-a-day" again on 28 September 1941 which took his score to 48 aerial victories. That day he had claimed three Pe-2s and two I-61s, a designation for the MiG-1 fighter aircraft.^[36]

Battle of Moscow and Crimean Campaign

On 30 September 1941, the Gruppe was temporary transferred away from the southern sector of the Eastern Front. Their new area of operation was Sechtschinskaja, approximately 40 km (25 mi) southeast of Roslavl. The Gruppe was then subordinated to the II. Fliegerkorps (2nd Air Corps) under the command of General der Flieger Bruno Loerzer and was part of the preparations for Operation Taifun, the planned assault on Moscow. All available German forces were concentrated under the command of Generalfeldmarschall Fedor von Bock's Heeresgruppe Mitte (Army Group Centre) for the attack which began on 2 October 1941. In the first days of this campaign, II. Gruppe supported the advance northeast by Panzergruppe 4 (4th Panzer Group) and the 4. Armee (4th Army) towards Vyazma and Yukhnov.^[35] Predominantly flying escort missions for Ju 87 dive bombers and combat air patrols over the battle zone east of Desna, Gollob claimed one enemy aircraft shot down on 4 October and two more the following day, including his 50th aerial victory over a I-61.^[37]

Gollob claimed two Pe-2s shot down on 6 October, the first at 10:15 and the second two hours later. The following day, he was victorious over two further Pe-2s and one Il-2, taking his total to 56 aerial victories.^[36] On that night, the first snow fell, worsening road conditions. By 9 October German units had encircled major Soviet forces in two separate pockets at Vyazma and Bryansk. In support of German ground forces, II. Gruppe detached a Schwärme—two pairs of two fighter aircraft—to a forward airfield at Syevsk, approximately 100 km (62 mi) south of Bryansk. From 9 to 11 October the air elements operated from the Kirov and Oryol airfields, which had been captured by German forces on 3 October.^[38] Operating from these airfields, Gollob claimed his 57th and 58th victories on 10 October, both aircraft were I-61s shot down at 12:40 and 12:43.^[36] The missions on 11 October 1941 were II. Gruppe's last in support of Operation Taifun. Orders had been received to transfer the air element and a small technical ground crew detachment, which was airlifted by several Ju 52s to Chaplynka. From there, the Gruppe participated in the Crimean Campaign, the conquest of the Crimean peninsula. The transfer began on 13 October, but due to bad weather conditions, it was only completed on 16 October. At Chaplynka, the Gruppe was placed under the command of the Geschwaderstab (headquarters unit) of Jagdgeschwader 77 (JG 77—77th Fighter Wing).^[38]

The first missions over the battle zone in front of Perekop and over the Crimea were flown on 17 October 1941, either flying Ju 87 escort missions or combat air patrols.^[38] On two separate missions that day, Gollob claimed two I-61s and one I-16 shot down.^[36] On 18 October 1941, the 11. Armee (11th Army) began its attack on the Isthmus of Perekop and Ishun. II. Gruppe flew a number of combat air patrols that day and reported 16 aerial victories for the loss of two Bf 109s damaged in combat. Gollob alone accounted for nine of these 16 claimed victories. This was the third time he had become an "ace-in-a-day" and was the most successful day of his combat career.^[38] During the course of three combat missions, he increased his personal score to 70. That day he filed claim for nine I-61 shot down, two at 07:18 and 07:20, five more at 10:05, 10:07, 10:19, 10:20 and 10:29, and two more at 14:46 and 14:48.^[36] On 19 October, Gollob again achieved "ace-in-a-day" for the fourth time, claiming a I-61 at 08:55, three P-2s at 12:36, 12:37 and 12:42, and another I-61 at 15:35. The next day, he was credited with one further I-61, taking his total to 76 victories.^[39] Two days later, on 22 October, Gollob made "ace-in-a-day" for the fifth time and surpassed eighty victories. That day he claimed three I-16s, one Pe-2 and one I-61. One day later, he claimed three aerial victories, all I-61s, and on 24 October, he was credited with his 85th victory after he shot down a I-153.^[40] Following this streak of 37 aerial victories in October 1941, he was mentioned in the Wehrmachtbericht, a propaganda radio report, the first of three such mentions, on 25 October 1941. The following day, he was awarded the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves (Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes mit Eichenlaub) after reaching 85 victories. He was the 38th member of the German armed forces to be so honored. Gollob, together with Oberleutnant Erbo Graf von Kageneck, received the Oak Leaves from Adolf Hitler personally at the Wolf's Lair, Hitler's headquarters in Rastenburg, present-day Kętrzyn in Poland, on 5 November 1941.^[41]

On 31 October 1941, II. Gruppe flew its last combat missions over the northern Crimea. The Gruppe was then ordered to return to Germany, to be stationed at the Wiesbaden-Erbenheim airfield where it arrived in early November. Prior to departure, all of the remaining aircraft where handed over to III. Gruppe of JG 77. Since the start of Operation Barbarossa on 22 June 1941, II. Gruppe had claimed 504 aerial victories for the loss of ten pilots killed or missing in action, and a further nine pilots who had been injured. In addition, 27 aircraft were lost or damaged beyond repair, further 21 aircraft received heavy damaged and another 27 were lightly damaged.^[42] On 20 November 1941, Gollob was again posted to the test facility Erprobungstelle Rechlin. Gollob was replaced by Hauptmann Karl-Heinz Krahl as commander of II. Gruppe of JG 3.^[43] At Rechlin, he flew numerous test and comparison flights with the latest version of the Bf 109 and Focke-Wulf Fw 190 fighter aircraft, as well as a variety of types which never went beyond a prototype variant.^[2]

Wing Commander

In early 1942, the General der Jagdflieger (General of Fighters), Oberst (Colonel) Adolf Galland recommended Gollob for the Geschwaderkommodore (wing commander) position of JG 77. Subsequently Gollob was sent to the Geschwaderstab of Jagdgeschwader 54 (JG 54—54th Fighter Wing) as a commander-in-training under Major Hannes Trautloft. On 1 May 1942, Gollob was officially appointed Geschwaderkommodore of JG 77, replacing Major Gotthard Handrick. He took operational command of the Geschwader after he arrived on 16 May 1942.^[44][45] On the same day of his arrival, Gollob flew his first combat mission as Geschwaderkommodore. That day, he claimed his aerial victories 87 to 89, shooting down three Lavochkin-Gorbunov-Gudkov LaGG-3 fighter aircraft.^[46] Gollob's success continued the following day, when he was credited with three R-5s and one LaGG-3 destroyed.^[47]

Herzas (Ace of Hearts) emblem of JG 77

JG 77 had been given the task of supporting the German ground forces in the Crimean Campaign over the Kerch Strait on the Crimean Peninsula. An anonymous JG 77 pilot described Gollob's methods; "Gollob flew from Kerch together with his wingman. They positioned themselves at a low altitude beneath a Soviet formation. Then they started climbing in spirals, carefully maintaining their position beneath the enemy formation. Before the peacefully flying Soviets had even suspected any mischief, the two planes at the bottom of their formation had been shot down and the two Germans were gone." On 18 May 1942, Gollob claimed his 94th to 96th aerial victories over Kerch and the Caucasus coast; all three were Polikarpov R-5 reconnaissance bombers.^[48] JG 77, led by Gollob, and its I. Gruppe, led by Hauptmann Heinrich Bär, were engaged in an intense rivalry, each striving to outperform the other, and both eager to achieve the century mark first.^[44] Bär claimed his 100th aerial victory on 19 May. That day, Gollob claimed three more R-5 shot down, taking his total to 99 aerial victories.^[49] One day later, on 20 May 1942, Gollob shot down two aircraft, a DB-3 and a LaGG-3, and thereby exceeded 100 aerial victories.^[50] He was the 10th Luftwaffe pilot to achieve the century mark.^[51] This achievement earned him his second mention in the Wehrmachtbericht radio report on Saturday 20 June 1942.^[52]

On 7 June 1942, German and Romanian forces began Operation Störfang (Sturgeon Catch), the second assault on the port city Sevastopol, which resulted in its capture on 4 July 1942.^[53] On the first day of this operation, Gollob claimed his 102nd victory, a LaGG-3 shot down over Sevastopol.^[54] The attack on Sevastopol was still making slow progress on 9 June, largely due to the artillery deployed within the fortress. Over the battle zone, Gollob claimed a I-153 shot down that day.^[55] Gollob did not claim any further victories until 18 June. The fighting over Sevastopol was still ongoing and Gollob claimed a Il-2 and a LaGG-3 over the southern sector of Sevastopol. These two victories took his total to 105.^[56] On 21 June 1942, Gollob was credited with two victories over LaGG-3 fighter aircraft.^[57] For this achievement, on 23 June, he was awarded the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves and Swords (Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes mit Eichenlaub und Schwertern), after his score had increased to 107 aerial victories. This was the 13th presentation of this award. On 1 July 1942, he was promoted to Major.^[2]

On 22 July 1942, the Geschwaderkommodore of Jagdgeschwader 52 (JG 52—52nd Fighter Wing), Major Herbert Ihlefeld, was severely injured in a flight accident and had to surrender command during his convalescence. At the time, all three Gruppen of JG 77 were lent out to other units, and Gollob had time to spare, so temporarily took over command of JG 52 as acting Geschwaderkommodore. On this or one of the following days, he departed and flew to the Geschwaderstab of JG 52.^[58] On 28 June 1942, the Wehrmacht had initiated Fall Blau (Case Blue), the 1942 strategic summer offensive in southern Russia. The objective was to secure the oil fields of Baku as well as an advance in the direction of Stalingrad along the Volga River, to cover the flanks of the advance towards Baku. Tasked with aerial support of this offensive was Luftflotte 4 to which JG 52 was subordinated.^[59] By the time Gollob joined the Geschwader in late July 1942, the offensive had been renamed Operation Braunschweig and JG 52 was located at Rostov-on-Don.^[60] Gollob claimed his first victory with the Stab of JG 52 on 26 July 1942, a I-16 and his 108th in total. The next day, he shot down two I-153 biplane fighters. He claimed the first aerial victory of August 1942, his last month of combat operations, on 4 August over a Yakovlev Yak-1 fighter aircraft. He was then credited with four victories on 6 August, two Il-2, one Yak-1 and one R-5 took his score to 115 aerial victories. He claimed one Yak-1 on each of the next two days. On 14 August, he was credited with two LaGG-3 and one Douglas A-20 Havoc, referred to as a Boston. For the last time in his combat career, Gollob achieved "ace-in-a-day" for the sixth time on 16 August 1941. That day he claimed two LaGG-3, two I-16 and one Il-2. His success as a fighter pilot continued, as he shot down two LaGG-3 on 17 August, three I-16 on 18 August, and two Il-2 and a I-153 on 19 August, taking his overall total to 133 aerial victories.^[61]

Following three victories on 20 August, two I-153 and a I-16, Gollob shot down two Bostons on 22 August. On 24 August 1941, he took his total to 142 aerial victories by claiming three LaGG-3 and one Boston. Over the course of the next four days, he scored one victory on each day, a Boston on 25 August, a Pe-2 on 26 August, a I-16 on 27 August, and another Boston on 28 August. After three victories over LaGG-3s and one Pe-2 on 29 August 1942, he reached 150 aerial victories and became the Luftwaffe's highest scoring pilot at that point.^[62] For this he was awarded the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves, Swords and Diamonds (Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes mit Eichenlaub, Schwertern und Brillanten) on 30 August. Gollob was the third member of the Wehrmacht and the third fighter pilot who had received this award. Fearing he would be lost in combat, Hitler imposed a flying ban on him.^[63] The next day, he was again mentioned in the Wehrmachtbericht radio report, his third and last of such mentions.^[64] Der Adler, a biweekly Nazi propaganda magazine published by the Luftwaffe, also reported his actions in volume 19 of 1942.^[65] On 30 September 1942, Gollob was officially replaced in command of JG 77 by Hauptmann Joachim Müncheberg. Gollob was then posted to the Stab of Jagdfliegerführer 3 (Jafü 3—3rd Fighter Pilot Leader) at Brest-Guipavas on the English Channel Front.^[66]

High command

On 15 October 1942, Gollob was put in command of Jagdfliegerführer 3, and made responsible for tactical fighter command over northwestern France. Jagdfliegerführer 3 was renamed Jagdfliegerführer 5 (Jafü 5—5th Fighter Pilot Leader) on 6 September 1943. In this command position, he was promoted to Oberstleutnant (lieutenant colonel) on 20 April 1943, effective as of 1 April, and to Oberst on 1 May 1944.^[67] When he became Jafü 5 he frequently submitted reports to his superiors at the 5. Jagd-Division (5th Fighter Division) about the suitability of the Bf 109 on the Western Front. He indicated that in its present state the Bf 109 G-3 to G-6 were no longer adequate for service in the West and that the Fw 190 and Bf 109 were inferior to enemy aircraft.^[68] Learning about the Messerschmitt Me 262 jet-powered aircraft, Gollob became a strong advocate of it and its employment as fighter aircraft. However, Hitler had become obsessed with the idea of using the Me 262 in a fighter-bomber role, which contributed to the delays in preparing the aircraft for operational readiness as an interceptor.^[69]

In April 1944, Gollob was transferred to the personal staff of General der Jagdflieger Galland, to advise on the development of the Me 262 jet and Messerschmitt Me 163 rocket aircraft projects. However, he had a falling out with Galland in September, and was transferred to Kommando der Erprobungstellen (headquarters of test units), which two years previously came under the command of Oberst Edgar Petersen.^[71] Gollob was also involved in the development and testing of the Neptun "J" airborne radar and air-to-air rockets, such as the R4M. In November 1944, Gollob was appointed commander of the Jäger-Sonderstab—or special fighter command—for the Ardennes offensive and the ill-fated Operation Bodenplatte.^[72]

Reichsführer-SS Heinrich Himmler had suggested to Hitler that he appoint Gollob as General der Jagerflieger. Himmler's intervention in Luftwaffe affairs had been an irritation to Reichsmarschall (Marshal of the Reich) Hermann Göring, the Commander-in-Chief of the Oberkommando der Luftwaffe (Air Force High Command). Himmler had ambitions to expand his influence and power base into the Luftwaffe. One aspect of this was to put jet fighter units under control of the SS. Subsequently, Göring ordered Galland to prepare a report on Gollob.^[73] Galland's conclusion was that Gollob required close supervision in a responsible post. In early January 1945, Göring summoned Gollob to Karinhall, Göring's estate northeast of Berlin, and read out selected excerpts from Galland's report to him, and Gollob became infuriated with Galland. Göring then ordered Galland to Karinhall and informed him of his dismissal. During the meeting, Göring postponed his decision as to what position Galland would receive, and sent Galland on vacation. News of Galland's dismissal soon spread, leading to the failed Fighter Pilots' Revolt, an insurrection of a small group of high-ranking Luftwaffe pilots, including Oberst Johannes Steinhoff who after the war became Chairman of the NATO Military Committee, aimed at re-instating Galland as General der Jagerflieger.^[74] On 31 January 1945, Gollob was officially appointed as General der Jagerflieger.^[75]

In his new role, Gollob worked with General der Flieger Josef Kammhuber, responsible for fighting against the enemy four-engined bombers, and SS-Obergruppenführer Hans Kammler, responsible for air armament and manufacturing of the Me 262. Gollob's objective was to deploy and arm the Me 262 as a defensive weapon against the Allied air offensive. Hitler's decision to use the Me 262 in a fighter bomber role had not been revised. Gollob gathered data and hoped to meet Hitler in order to convince him that the Me 262 was better suited as a fighter aircraft and not as a fighter bomber, but this meeting never occurred. On 7 April 1945, frustrated over the lack of progress made, Gollob submitted his written request to be released from office as General der Jagerflieger, but the request was not approved by Göring.^[76] Gollob left Berlin on 10 April 1945 after his staff had left for southern Germany. At that time he needed urgent hospitalization to treat his appendicitis. Gollob underwent surgery by Prof. Dr. Burghard Breitner at a hospital in Igls, in the present-day a borough of Innsbruck, eight days after his departure from Berlin. On 24 April, he was transferred to the Luftwaffe hospital at Kitzbühel, which was in the middle of the so called Alpenfestung (Alpine Fortress).^[77] At Kitzbühel, he met with the last Commander-in-Chief of the Luftwaffe, Generalfeldmarschall Greim, and the female pilot Hanna Reitsch. Greim was convalescing from an injury sustained during a flight by Reitsch into the encircled city of Berlin on 26 April. At Kitzbühel, Gollob was taken prisoner of war by elements of the 36th Infantry Division of the United States Army under the command of General John E. Dahlquist. Shortly after, he was transferred into the custody of the US 42nd Infantry Division commanded by Major General Harry J. Collins.^[78]

Prisoner of war and later life

On 1 June 1945, Gollob, who had been released on parole, was arrested at his home by the Austrian Gendarmerie acting for the US authorities. From Kitzbühel, he was taken via Pass Strub, and other internment camps, to Ludwigsburg in Württemberg, and then flown to England.^[79] In England, he was held at Latimer and interrogated at the Combined Services Detailed Interrogation Centre regarding combat operations.^[80] He was released by US forces in 1946 and was then imprisoned by the French, as his home region of North Tyrol had become part of the French Occupation Zone.^[79] After finally being released from captivity, Gollob made a living as a contributor to aircraft magazines and lecturing.^[81] In 1948, he became General Secretary of the Federation of Independents (VDU—Verband der Unabhängigen), an Austrian political party. In 1950, the VDU dismissed Gollob from the party following the internal strife between the more liberal approach of the founders Herbert Kraus and Viktor Reimann and the German nationalist faction centered on Gollob.^[82]

Gollob and his wife Elisabeth Lüning, had married on 14 February 1943, and had two sons and a daughter. Their first son, Ulrik, was born on 30 November 1943 in Kitzbühel, their second son, Gerald was born on 9 January 1946, also in Kitzbühel, and their daughter Cornelia was born on 16 March 1954 in Sulingen. Following his dismissal from the VDU, the family had moved to his wife's hometown of Sulingen. There, from November 1951, he started working in a sales role for the Klöckner Humboldt Deutz AG, a company making motors and vehicles. Until a myocardial infarction impeded his health in 1975, he regularly flew powered and glider aircraft. Gollob died in Sulingen, Diepholz, Lower Saxony on 7 September 1987.^[81][84]

Aerial victory credits

Gollob was credited with 150 aerial victories claimed in 340 combat missions, 144 of which were on the Eastern Front.^[85] He never lost a wingman in combat, nor was he shot down.^[67]

      This and the ♠ (Ace of spades) indicates those aerial victories which made Gollob an "ace-in-a-day", a term which designates a fighter pilot who has shot down five or more airplanes in a single day.

Awards

• Iron Cross (1939)
  • 2nd Class (21 September 1939)^[89]
  • 1st Class (13 June 1940)^[89]
• Narvik Shield (30 January 1941)^[90]
• Front Flying Clasp of the Luftwaffe in Gold (11 May 1941)^[91]
• Ehrenpokal der Luftwaffe (21 July 1941)^[6]
• Combined Pilots-Observation Badge in Gold with Diamonds^[92]
• Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves, Swords and Diamonds
  • Knight's Cross on 18 September 1941 as Hauptmann and Gruppenkommandeur of II./Jagdgeschwader 3^[93][94][95]
  • 38th Oak Leaves on 26 October 1941 as Hauptmann and Gruppenkommandeur of II./Jagdgeschwader 3^{[96][97][Note 6]}
  • 13th Swords on 23 June 1942 as Hauptmann and Geschwaderkommodore of Jagdgeschwader 77^[93][98][99]
  • 3rd Diamonds on 30 August 1942 as Major and Geschwaderkommodore of Jagdgeschwader 77^{[93][100][101]}
• Mentioned three times in the Wehrmachtbericht (25 October 1941, 20 June 1942 and 31 August 1942)
• Crimea Shield (15 March 1943)^[102]

Wehrmachtbericht references

Notes

References

Citations

Bibliography

Further reading

External links

• "Zum Leben geprügelt". Der Spiegel (in German) 21. 1950. ISSN 0038-7452. Retrieved 24 February 2014. 
• Petr Kacha. "Gordon Gollob". Aces of the Luftwaffe. Retrieved 24 February 2014. 
• "Gordon Gollob". Lexikon der Wehrmacht (in German). Retrieved 24 February 2014. 
• "Gordon Gollob". World War II Awards. Retrieved 30 September 2015. 

Recipients of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves, Swords, and Diamonds 1941 Werner Mölders 1942 Adolf Galland Gordon Gollob Hans-Joachim Marseille Hermann Graf 1943 Erwin Rommel Wolfgang Lüth Walter Nowotny Adelbert Schulz 1944 Hans-Ulrich Rudel (Golden Oak Leaves) Hyacinth Graf von Strachwitz Herbert Otto Gille Hans-Valentin Hube Albert Kesselring Helmut Lent Sepp Dietrich Walter Model Erich Hartmann Hermann Balck Hermann-Bernhard Ramcke Heinz-Wolfgang Schnaufer Albrecht Brandi 1945 Ferdinand Schörner Hasso von Manteuffel Theodor Tolsdorff Karl Mauss Dietrich von Saucken in chronological order

Recipients of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves and Swords Ernst-Günther Baade Franz Bäke Hermann Balck (Diamonds) Heinrich Bär Erich Bärenfänger Gerhard Barkhorn Wilhelm Batz Otto Baum Werner Baumbach Fritz Bayerlein Hermann-Heinrich Behrend Wilhelm Bittrich? Johannes Blaskowitz Georg Bochmann Alwin Boerst Georg Freiherr von Boeselager Albrecht Brandi (Diamonds) Hermann Breith Josef Bremm? Kurt Bühligen Karl Decker? August Dieckmann Eduard Dietl Sepp Dietrich (Diamonds) Helmut Dörner Hans Dorr Alfred Druschel Maximilian Reichsfreiherr von Edelsheim Karl Eibl Hermann Fegelein? Fritz Feßmann Walter Fries Adolf Galland (Diamonds) Waldemar von Gazen Herbert Otto Gille (Diamonds) Gordon Gollob (Diamonds) Walter Gorn Hermann Graf (Diamonds) Fritz-Hubert Gräser? Robert Ritter von Greim Franz Griesbach Anton Hackl Heinz Harmel Josef Harpe Erich Hartmann (Diamonds) Walter Hartmann Paul Hausser Richard Heidrich Ludwig Heilmann Gotthard Heinrici Joachim Helbig Traugott Herr Hajo Herrmann Otto Hitzfeld? Hermann Hogeback Hermann Hohn Hermann Hoth Hans Hube (Diamonds) Herbert Ihlefeld Hans Jordan Arthur Jüttner Hans Källner Albert Kesselring (Diamonds) Friedrich Kirchner Otto Kittel Ewald von Kleist Günther von Kluge Otto von Knobelsdorff Alfons König Wolfgang Kretzschmar Otto Kretschmer Hans Kreysing Hans Kroh Walter Krüger Otto Kumm Ernst Kupfer Friedrich Lang Heinz-Georg Lemm Helmut Lent (Diamonds) Wolfgang Lüth (Diamonds) Heinrich Freiherr von Lüttwitz? Smilo Freiherr von Lüttwitz Günther Lützow Hellmuth Mäder Erich von Manstein Hasso von Manteuffel (Diamonds) Hans-Joachim Marseille (Diamonds) Karl Mauss (Diamonds) Egon Mayer Johannes Mayer Eugen Meindl? Kurt Meyer Walter Model (Diamonds) Werner Mölders (Diamonds) Dietrich von Müller Friedrich-Wilhelm Müller Werner Mummert Joachim Müncheberg Walther Nehring Hermann Niehoff? Horst Niemack Theodor Nordmann Walter Nowotny (Diamonds) Hans von Obstfelder Walter Oesau Hermann von Oppeln-Bronikowski Max-Hellmuth Ostermann Joachim Peiper Dietrich Peltz Hans Philipp Georg-Wilhelm Postel Hermann Prieß Josef Priller Günther Rall Hermann-Bernhard Ramcke (Diamonds) Hermann Recknagel Ernst-Wilhelm Reinert Alfred-Hermann Reinhardt Georg-Hans Reinhardt Lothar Rendulic Erwin Rommel (Diamonds) Hans-Ulrich Rudel (Diamonds & Golden Oak Leaves) Erich Rudorffer Gerd von Rundstedt Max Sachsenheimer Dietrich von Saucken (Diamonds) Heinrich Prinz zu Sayn-Wittgenstein Heinz-Wolfgang Schnaufer (Diamonds) Fritz von Scholz Edler von Rarancze Ferdinand Schörner (Diamonds) Werner Schröer Hinrich Schuldt Adelbert Schulz (Diamonds) Friedrich Schulz Karl-Lothar Schulz Gerhard Graf von Schwerin Sylvester Stadler? Rainer Stahel Leopold Steinbatz Felix Steiner Johannes Steinhoff Hyacinth Graf Strachwitz von Groß-Zauche und Camminetz (Diamonds) Werner Streib Reinhard Suhren Karl Thieme? Theodor Tolsdorff (Diamonds) Erich Topp Erich Walther Wilhelm Wegener Otto Weidinger? Helmuth Weidling Maximilian Wengler Wend von Wietersheim Wolf-Dietrich Wilcke Theodor Wisch Günther-Eberhardt Wisliceny? Michael Wittmann Josef Wurmheller Isoroku Yamamoto Werner Ziegler in alphabetical order       This along with the ? (question mark) indicates doubt regarding the veracity and formal correctness of the listing.

Recipients of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves   Recipients of 1940 Eduard Dietl (Swords) Werner Mölders (Swords & Diamonds) Adolf Galland (Swords & Diamonds) Helmut Wick Günther Prien Otto Kretschmer (Swords) Joachim Schepke   Recipients of 1941 Martin Harlinghausen Walter Oesau (Swords) Erwin Rommel (Swords & Diamonds) Hermann-Friedrich Joppien Joachim Müncheberg (Swords) Heinrich Liebe Engelbert Endrass Herbert Schultze Herbert Ihlefeld (Swords) Wilhelm Balthasar Siegfried Schnell Rudolf Schmidt Werner Baumbach (Swords) Oskar Dinort Walter Storp Viktor Schütze Heinz Guderian Hermann Hoth (Swords) Wolfram Freiherr von Richthofen Günther Lützow (Swords) Josef Priller (Swords) Günther Freiherr von Maltzahn Horst Niemack (Swords) Heinrich Bär (Swords) Hans Hahn Hans Philipp (Swords) Ludwig Crüwell Karl-Gottfried Nordmann Heinrich Hoffmann Kurt-Jürgen Freiherr von Lützow Gordon Gollob (Swords & Diamonds) Erbo Graf von Kageneck Ernst-Felix Krüder Sepp Dietrich (Swords & Diamonds) Heinrich Eberbach Franz Scheidies Ernst-Georg Buchterkirch Bernhard Rogge Dietrich Peltz (Swords) Adelbert Schulz (Swords & Diamonds) Josef-Franz Eckinger Günther Hoffmann-Schönborn Karl Eibl (Swords) Heinrich Lehmann-Willenbrock Otto Weiß Georg Freiherr von Boeselager (Swords) Walther von Seydlitz-Kurzbach Josef Harpe (Swords) Reinhard Suhren (Swords) Hubertus Hitschhold   Recipients of 1942 Oskar von Boddien Hans Jordan (Swords) Karl-Wilhelm Specht Hans Freiherr von Wolff Hans-Valentin Hube (Swords & Diamonds) Karl-Heinz Noak Joachim Helbig (Swords) Otto Hitzfeld (Swords)? Wilhelm Wegener (Swords) Hans Traut Werner von Gilsa Hermann Breith (Swords) Rolf Kaldrack Heinrich Borgmann Paul Ludwig Ewald von Kleist (Swords) Georg-Hans Reinhardt (Swords) Walter Model (Swords & Diamonds) Willibald Freiherr von Langermann und Erlencamp Walter Wessel Walter Hagen Albert Kesselring (Swords & Diamonds) Gerhard Köppen Kurt Ubben Max-Hellmuth Ostermann (Swords) Franz Eckerle Wolf-Dietrich Huy Hans Strelow Wilhelm Spies Friedrich-Wilhelm Müller (Swords) Erich Topp (Swords) Theodor Eicke Reinhard Hardegen Wolfgang Späte Alfred Wünnenberg Theodor Scherer Hermann Graf (Swords & Diamonds) Adolf Dickfeld Eberhard von Mackensen Leopold Steinbatz (Swords) Hans-Joachim Marseille (Swords & Diamonds) Helmut Lent (Swords & Diamonds) Robert-Georg Freiherr von Malapert Ludwig Wolff Friedrich Geißhardt Heinrich Setz Walter von Brockdorff-Ahlefeldt Rolf Mützelburg Adalbert Schnee Erwin Clausen Viktor Bauer Franz-Josef Beerenbrock Anton Hackl (Swords) Traugott Herr (Swords) Werner Kempf Gerhard Kollewe Walter Gorn (Swords) Kurt Brändle Johannes Steinhoff (Swords) Walter Sigel Johann Zemsky Alfred Druschel (Swords) Ernst Bormann Gerhard Hein Werner Ziegler (Swords) Wolf-Dietrich Wilcke (Swords) Klaus Scholtz Heinz Schmidt Heinrich Bleichrodt Friedrich-Karl Müller Wilhelm Crinius Wolfgang Tonne Bruno Ritter von Hauenschild Hans Beißwenger Ernst-Wilhelm Reinert (Swords) Karl Torley Johannes Kümmel Günther Rall (Swords) Ludwig Kirschner Konrad Hupfer Max Stotz Heinrich Schweickhardt Wolfgang Schenck Hermann Seitz Josef Zwernemann Wolfgang Lüth (Swords & Diamonds) Werner Töniges Hyacinth Graf Strachwitz von Groß-Zauche und Camminetz (Swords & Diamonds) Hermann-Bernhard Ramcke (Swords & Diamonds) Josef Wurmheller (Swords) Karl-Friedrich Merten Friedrich Lang (Swords) Alwin Boerst (Swords) Ekkehard Kylling-Schmidt Ernst Nobis Wolfgang Fischer Karl Allmendinger Heinrich Paepcke Hermann Balck (Swords & Diamonds) Walter Heitz Hermann Fegelein (Swords)? Helmuth von Ruckteschell Felix Steiner (Swords) Hubert Lanz Helmuth Schlömer Maximilian Reichsfreiherr von Edelsheim (Swords) Hartwig von Ludwiger Harald von Hirschfeld Josef Bremm (Swords)? Helmut Thumm Helmuth von Pannwitz Martin Fiebig   Recipients of 1943 Reiner Stahel (Swords) Fritz Feßmann (Swords) Friedrich Guggenberger Heinz Frank Ernst Kupfer (Swords) Bruno Dilley Gerhard Barkhorn (Swords) Wend von Wietersheim (Swords) Johann Mohr Friedrich Paulus Karl Willig Günter Goebel Günther von Kluge (Swords) Waldemar von Gazen (Swords) Hans Kreysing (Swords) Reinhard Günzel Hugo Primozic Willy Riedel Georg Michael Gustav Pressler Carl Rodenburg Reinhold Knacke Erwin Fischer Hermann Hogeback (Swords) Helmut Bruck Alfons König (Swords) Kurt Meyer (Swords) Paul Gildner Werner Streib (Swords) Ludwig Becker Werner Baumgarten-Crusius Fritz Witt Hans Mikosch Walter Scheunemann Gustav Schmidt Eberhard Zahn Johann Mickl Wilhelm von Malachowski Bruno Kohnz Georg Lassen Erich von Lewinski (Swords) Georg Rietscher Karl Langesee Josef Kult Walter Hörnlein Theodor Nordmann (Swords) Georg-Wilhelm Postel (Swords) Robert Ritter von Greim (Swords) Hans-Karl von Scheele Heinrich Schüler Helmut Hudel Hinrich Schuldt (Swords) Otto Kumm (Swords) Rudolf Schlee Karl Dönitz Albrecht Brandi (Swords & Diamonds) Gerhard von Kamptz Siegfried Wuppermann Erich Klawe Peter Frantz Hans-Ulrich Rudel (Golden Oak Leaves, Swords & Diamonds) Paul-Werner Hozzel Georg Dörffel Egon Mayer (Swords) August Dieckmann (Swords) Otto von Bülow Willibald Borowietz Hans-Günther Stotten Paul Laux Gustav Höhne Karl-Adolf Hollidt Gerhard von Schwerin (Swords) Wilhelm Niggemeyer Franz Griesbach (Swords) Erich Bärenfänger (Swords) Richard Grünert Ernst Kruse Georg Bochmann (Swords) Karl Löwrick Martin Grase Friedrich Kemnade Robert Gysae Hans von Obstfelder (Swords) Karl Göbel Friedrich Höhne Günter Klappich Gustav Rödel Carl Emmermann Werner Henke Fritz Bayerlein (Swords) Walther von Hünersdorff Bernhard Sauvant Paul Hausser (Swords) Franz Bäke (Swords) Egmont Prinz zur Lippe-Weißenfeld Manfred Meurer Heinrich Ehrler Theodor Weissenberger Joachim Kirschner Werner Schröer (Swords) Hajo Herrmann (Swords) Bruno Kahl Lothar Rendulic (Swords) Dietrich von Müller (Swords) Georg von Küchler Ernst Busch Georg Lindemann Paul Conrath Otto Baum (Swords) Hans Freiherr von Funck Alexander Conrady Erhard Raus Dietrich von Saucken (Swords & Diamonds) Hans Gollnick Alfred Eidel Paul Schultz Hans-Detloff von Cossel Walter Krüger (Swords) Rolf Rocholl Hartmann Grasser Wolf-Udo Ettel Heinrich Prinz zu Sayn-Wittgenstein (Swords) Hans Zorn Horst Großmann Walter Nowotny (Swords & Diamonds) Joachim Lemelsen Erich Jaschke Heinz Harmel (Swords) Hermann Prieß (Swords) Friedrich Hoßbach Siegfried Thomaschki Walter Lange Günther Pape Theodor Tolsdorff (Swords & Diamonds) Sylvester Stadler (Swords)? Ulrich Kleemann Kurt Student Alfred-Hermann Reinhardt (Swords) Hans Fritsche Bodo Spranz Josef Schreiber Hubert-Erwin Meierdress Hans-Gotthard Pestke Julius Ringel Rudolf Freiherr von Roman Ernst Voß Herbert Otto Gille (Swords & Diamonds) Albert Graf von der Goltz Ernst Ziemer Eugen König Hermann Recknagel (Swords) Siegfried Grabert Heinrich Kiesling Otto von Knobelsdorff (Swords) Maximilian de Angelis Erich Brandenberger Otto-Ernst Remer Georg Christiansen Hans Dorr (Swords) Josef Heindl Willy Johannmeyer Karl-Friedrich Brill Johannes Block Hasso von Manteuffel (Swords & Diamonds) Gotthard Heinrici (Swords) Hans Schmidt Karl Mauss (Swords & Diamonds) Hans-Henning Freiherr von Beust Dietrich Hrabak Wilhelm Lemke Otto Schünemann Walter Hartmann (Swords) Ernst-August Fricke Ernst Wellmann Alfred Druffner Anton Grasser Kurt Walter Adolf Weitkunat Walter Elflein Willy Langkeit Andreas Thorey Sigfrid Henrici Heinrich Voigtsberger Karl Baacke Christian Tychsen Alfred Müller Hans-Joachim Kahler Ernst Kühl Kurt von der Chevallerie Wilhelm Schmalz Albert Frey Heinrich Ochs   Recipients of 1944 Bernd Klug Klaus Feldt Walter Krauß Horst Hannig Hans-Arnold Stahlschmidt Helmut Kalbitz Josef-Georg Mulzer Maximilian Fretter-Pico Hans Schlemmer Heinrich Boigk August Schmidt Friedrich Wiese Walter Krüger Karl Koetz Hugo Kraas Eduard Hauser Joachim Peiper (Swords) Walter Fries (Swords) Walther Sievers Michael Wittmann (Swords) Bernhard Flachs Richard Heidrich (Swords) Walther Nehring (Swords) Botho Kollberg Erich Löwe Günther Hilt Fritz Breithaupt Robert Martinek Josef Schneider Walter Möse Friedrich Kirchner (Swords) Hans Källner (Swords) Theodor Wisch (Swords) Heinrich-Walter Bronsart von Schellendorff Karl Lorenz Meinrad von Lauchert Josef Karl Ferdinand Schörner (Swords & Diamonds) Wilhelm Stemmermann Theo-Helmut Lieb Robert Kaestner Ernst-Günther Baade (Swords) Rudolf Kolbeck Maximilian Wengler (Swords) Walter Mix Otto Benzin Werner Forst Helmuth Weidling (Swords) Friedrich Mieth Hermann Hohn (Swords) Erich Walther (Swords) Ludwig Heilmann (Swords) Kurt Bühligen (Swords) Horst Ademeit Walter Krupinski August Geiger Hans-Dieter Frank Johannes Wiese Reinhard Seiler Erich Hartmann (Swords & Diamonds) Hermann-Heinrich Behrend (Swords) Gustav Stühmer Fritz von Scholz, Edler von Rarancze (Swords) Willi Thulke Josef Rettemeier Smilo Freiherr von Lüttwitz (Swords) Josef Bregenzer Friedrich Schulz (Swords) Werner Mummert (Swords) Hans-Joachim Jabs Bernhard Jope Wilhelm Schmitter Maximilian Otte Hansgeorg Bätcher Georg Koßmala Georg Grüner Eduard Tratt Fritz Petersen Fridolin von Senger und Etterlin Ludwig Müller Heinz Wittchow von Brese-Winiary Herbert Schwender Hans Kroh (Swords) Günther Radusch Johannes Frießner Alfred Grislawski Erich Rudorffer (Swords) Emil Lang Otto Kittel (Swords) Rudolf Schoenert Wilhelm Herget Anton Hafner Johannes Mayer (Swords) Heinrich Hogrebe Rudolf Geisler Heinrich von Vietinghoff Egon von Neindorff Wilhelm Drewes Karl-Lothar Schulz (Swords) Günther Schack Otto Pollmann Hans-Karl Stepp Martin Möbus Albin Wolf Heinz Vinke Karl Decker (Swords)? Erich Lorenz Wilhelm Eggemann Theodor von Lücken Otto Deßloch Leopold Münster Max Sachsenheimer (Swords) Martin Hrustak Johann Schwerdfeger Emil Vogel Rudolf Freiherr von Waldenfels Fritz Müller Kilian Weimer Walter Schmidt Karl Ullrich Karl Henze Willy Marienfeld Ferdinand Wegerer Wolf Hagemann Hans Strippel Friedrich Hochbaum Ernst-Eberhard Hell Alfons Hitter Wolfgang Pickert Gottfried Weber Horst Niederländer Georg Bonk Hubert Pilarski Ernst-Wilhelm Hoffmann Konrad Zeller Joachim Domaschk Emil Kaminsky Edwin Stolz Rudolf Petersen Götz Freiherr von Mirbach Diddo Diddens Ernst Sieler Erich Marcks Albert Brux Horst Kaubisch Hendrik Stahl Heinz-Wolfgang Schnaufer (Swords & Diamonds) Adolf Glunz Eduard Skrzipek Reinhard Egger Josef-August Fitz Herbert Huppertz Clemens-Heinrich Graf von Kageneck Werner Kolb Martin Unrein Erich Abraham Fritz-Hubert Gräser (Swords)? Friedrich Dollmann Gerd von Rundstedt (Swords) Hermann Wulf Erich Buschenhagen Heinz-Otto Fabian Karl Palmgreen Heinrich Hoffmann Heinz-Georg Lemm (Swords) Wilhelm Batz (Swords) Willy Kientsch Heinz Strüning Karl-Heinz Weber Otto Weßling Rudolf Frank Herbert Lamprecht Wilhelm von Salisch Gerhard Kruse Otto Carius Hermann von Oppeln-Bronikowski (Swords) Rudolf Demme Paul Schulze Kurt von Tippelskirch Hubert Mickley Willy Wesche Carl Hilpert Heinrich Nickel Curt Schille Martin Strahammer Karl Kloskowski Gerhard Simons Max Wünsche Dietrich Kraiß Rudolf Bacherer Andreas von Aulock Hermann Siggel Gerhard Pick Heinz Macher Hinrich Warrelmann Rudolf Wulf Werner Schulze Walter Melzer Bruno Hinz Hellmuth Mäder (Swords) Rudolf Holste Kurt Pflugbeil Wilhelm Bittrich (Swords)? Eugen Meindl (Swords)? Hermann Flörke Martin Bieber Hermann Klein Jakob Gansmeier Walter Misera Friedrich-Wilhelm Bock Heinrich Freiherr von Lüttwitz (Swords)? Heinz Greiner Christian Sonntag Hellmuth Pfeifer Rudolf Flinzer Walter Neitzel Richard Seuss Otto Lasch Alois Weber Gerhard Lindemann Johannes Bölter Gustav Reimar Otto Kähler Erich Pietzonka Walter Gericke Heinrich Trettner Hans Thurner Paul Zorner Hans von der Mosel Rudolf Haen Helmut Scholz Otto Schury Werner Marcks Ehrenfried-Oskar Boege Hellmuth Becker Johannes Mühlenkamp Friedrich-August Schack Ernst König Ernst Philipp Wolfgang Kretzschmar (Swords) Otto Meyer Hermann Scharnagel Konrad Sauer Jörg Burg Gerhard Behnke Gerhard Kunert Wilhelm Kohler Heinz Reinefarth Erich Straube Georg Graf von Rittberg Mortimer von Kessel Willi Koch Friedrich Strohm Theodor Krancke Georg Jakob Walter Schuck Friedrich August Freiherr von der Heydte Herbert Bauer Franz Kieslich Diether Lukesch Wilhelm Bleckwenn Arthur Jüttner (Swords) Johann-Georg Richert Werner Gust Othmar Kreuzinger Franz Weller Karl Thieme (Swords)? Hans-Christian Stock Gustav Schubert Johann Schalanda Helmut Leicht Günther Tonne Benno Reuter Paul Ecker Paul Freiherr von Hauser Fritz-Rudolf Schultz Heinrich Busse Eduard Brunner Max Simon Johannes Blaskowitz (Swords) Klaus Hilgemann Gerhard Friedrich Maximilian Felzmann Johann-Heinrich Eckhardt Werner Hartmann Walter Weiß Gustav-Adolf von Zangen Gerd Ruge Wilhelm Weidenbrück Helmut Dörner (Swords) Albrecht Krügel Emil Badorrek Klaus Mietusch Heinz Meyer Wilhelm Antrup Heinrich Höfer Gerhart Schirmer Hans Seidemann Hans Hoßfeld Werner Dörnbrack Hubert Pölz Rudolf Witzig Georg-Peter Eder Rudolf Rennecke Otto Dommeratzky Karl Kennel Gerhard Michalski Gerhard Bremer Klaus von Bismarck Artur Phleps Otto Wöhler Helmuth Reymann Curt Ehle Kurt Maier Georg Sattler Walther Hahm Christian Braun Fritz Arndt Gerhard Engel Jürgen Wagner Friedrich Jakob Harry Hoppe Eduard Crasemann Andreas Kuffner Fritz Biermeier Paul Klatt Günther-Eberhardt Wisliceny (Swords)? Otto Weidinger (Swords)?   Recipients of 1945 Heinrich Baron von Behr Kurt-Hermann Freiherr von Mühlen Walter Lucht Sigmund-Ulrich Freiherr von Gravenreuth Kurt Gröschke Kurt Herzog Alois Eisele Volprecht Riedesel Freiherr zu Eisenbach Joachim Brendel Wilhelm Hasse Hans-Detlef Gollert-Hansen Claus Breger Bruno Streckenbach Max Reinwald Richard Henze Walther Risse Alexander Löhr Gerhard Schmidhuber Wilhelm Schöning Herbert Kündiger Albert Henze Erich Reuter Kurt Dahlmann Kurt Plenzat Herbert Rollwage Max Schäfer Karl Pröll Hellmuth Böhlke Walter Süß Wilhelm Spindler Karl Arndt Kurt Wahl Joachim Rumohr August Zehender Karl Pfeffer-Wildenbruch Walther Dahl Karl Roßmann Ernst Jansa Jürgen Harder Otto Vincon Joachim Sander Georg Graf von Plettenberg Maximilian von Weichs Wilhelm Osterhold Georg Jauer Karl-Heinz Oesterwitz Herbert Wittmann Herbert Schramm Anton-Otto Frank Anton Müller Eduard Zorn Willi Schülke Günther Blumentritt Josef Heichele Georg Gebhardt Ernst Knebel Fritz Klasing Edmund Blaurock Ludwig Schulz Rolf Hermichen Hans Krebs Heinz-Martin Ewert Fritz-Georg von Rappard Josef Jakwert Horst Warschnauer Hans-Babo von Rohr Ernst-August Krag Heinrich Schmelzer Traugott Kempas Arthur Kullmer Michael Pössinger Othmar Pollmann Bern von Baer Hans Reichardt Werner Ebeling Hermann Niehoff (Swords)? Heinrich Götz Rudolf von Bünau Bruno Karczewski Erich Schneider Kurt Welter Helmut Renschler Wolfgang Rust Friedrich Sixt Kurt Witschel Clemens Betzel Franz Rogalski Johannes Grimminger Ernst Kutschkau Egon Aghta Wilhelm Schröder Karl-Heinz Becker Heinz Rökker Robert Weiß Werner Pötschke Alfred Matern Fritz Vogt Karl-Heinz Jaeger Max Wandrey Hans Engelien Heinrich Ruhl Bruno Frankewitz Paul Scheuerpflug Martin Becker Gerhard Werner Ernst-Georg Kedzia Kuno von Meyer Walter Prüß Günther Konopacki Hans-Georg Herzog Rudolf Trittel Karl Wanka Harald Freiherr von Elverfeldt Friedrich Jeckeln Fritz Fullriede Johannes Spielmann Heinrich Keese Lothar Berger Helmuth Hufenbach Erich Schroedter Horst von Usedom Günther Josten Alexander Gläser Wilhelm Stähler Gerhard Stüdemann Walter Girg Horst von Mellenthin Martin Steglich Rudolf Neubert Friedrich Richter Ernst Kuppinger Otto Paetsch Hans von Tettau Gerhard Thyben Theodor Burchardi August Thiele Bruno Richter Otto Skorzeny Ernst-Anton von Krosigk Helmut Borchardt Carl Becker Kurt Röpke Friedrich Rögelein Alfred Simm Gerhard Raht Hans-Arno Ostermeier Max Hansen Herbert Lütje Helmut Lipfert Josef Kraft Martin Drewes Hermann Greiner Paul Semrau Adolf Raegener Hans-Peter Knaust Franz Hack? Paul-Albert Kausch? Josef Brandner? Eberhard Rodt Joachim Ziegler Hans-Joachim Kappis Karl Schrepfer Josef Prentl Rolf Thomsen Hans-Günther Lange Heinz-Oskar Laebe? Heinrich Hax Hanns Laengenfelder Richard Daniel Wolfgang von Obstfelder Wolfgang von Bostell Gerhard Mokros Werner Ostendorff? Rudolf Lehmann? Karl Kreutz? Heinz Werner? Alfred Jodl? Adalbert von Blanc? Hermann Plocher? Franz Graßmel? Friedrich Lier? Oskar-Hubert Dennhardt? Matthias Kleinheisterkamp? Hanns-Heinrich Lohmann? Alfred Montag? Hans Meier? Alfons Rebane? Walter Schlags-Koch? Erich Schmidt? Joachim von Siegroth? Paul Stahl? Georg Störck? Franz Sensfuß? Joseph von Radowitz?   Foreign recipients (as individuals in the military of allies of the Third Reich) Mihail Lascăr Agustín Muñoz Grandes Isoroku Yamamoto (Swords) Corneliu Teodorini Petre Dumitrescu Mineichi Koga Carl Gustaf Emil Mannerheim Léon Degrelle in chronological order       This along with the ? (question mark) indicates doubt regarding the veracity and formal correctness of the listing.

Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross recipients of Jagdgeschwader 3 "Udet" Viktor Bauer (Oak Leaves) Franz Beyer Emil Bitsch Eberhard von Boremski Kurt Brändle (Oak Leaves) Max Bucholz Walther Dahl1 (Oak Leaves) Kurt Ebener Siegfried Engfer Wolf-Udo Ettel (Oak Leaves) Wolfgang Ewald Gustav Frielinghaus Hans Fuß Werner Gerth Gordon Gollob2 (Oak Leaves, Swords & Diamonds) Hans Grünberg Horst Haase Ludwig Häfner Hans von Hahn Josef Haiböck Alfred Heckmann Ekhard Hübner Lothar Keller Heinz Kemethmüller Joachim Kirschner (Oak Leaves) Karl-Heinz Langer Wilhelm Lemke (Oak Leaves) Werner Lucas Günther Lützow (Oak Leaves & Swords) Helmut Meckel Helmut Mertens Georg Michalek Wilhelm Moritz Leopold Münster (Oak Leaves) Klaus Neumann Walter Oesau3 (Oak Leaves & Swords) Walter Ohlrogge Klaus Quaet-Faslem Detlev Rohwer Helmut Rüffler Franz Ruhl Georg Schentke Hans Schleef Winfrid Schmidt Werner Schröer4 (Oak Leaves & Swords) Franz Schwaiger Kurt Sochatzy Ekkehard Tichy Willy Unger Hans Weik Franz von Werra Otto Weßling (Oak Leaves) Wolf-Dietrich Wilcke5 (Oak Leaves & Swords) Oskar Zimmermann 1 Oak Leaves with JG 300. 2 Swords and Diamonds with JG 77. 3 Knight's Cross with JG 51. 4 Knight's Cross and Oak Leaves with JG 27. 5 Knight's Cross with JG 53.

Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross recipients of Jagdgeschwader 77 Johann Badum Heinz-Edgar Berres Walter Brandt Jürgen Brocke Lutz-Wilhelm Burckhardt Erwin Clausen (Oak Leaves) Siegfried Freytag Friedrich Geißhardt (Oak Leaves) Gordon Gollob1 (Oak Leaves, Swords & Diamonds) Anton Hackl2 (Oak Leaves & Swords) Heinz Hackler Günther Hannak Jürgen Harang Franz Hrdlicka Wolf-Dietrich Huy (Oak Leaves) Herbert Ihlefeld (Oak Leaves & Swords) Herbert Kaiser Armin Köhler Kurt Lasse Anton Mader Emil Omert Johann Pichler Alexander Preinfalk Ernst-Wilhelm Reinert3 (Oak Leaves & Swords) Rudolf Schmidt Franz Schulte Heinrich Setz (Oak Leaves) Kurt Ubben (Oak Leaves) Alexander von Winterfeldt Bernhard Woldenga 1Knight's Cross and Oak Leaves with JG 3. 2Swords with JG 11. 3Swords with JG 27.

German World War II flying aces with 100+ aerial victories 300+ Erich Hartmann (352) Gerhard Barkhorn (301) 250–299 Günther Rall (275) Otto Kittel (267) Walter Nowotny (258) 200–249 Wilhelm Batz (237) Erich Rudorffer (222) Heinrich Bär (220) Hermann Graf (212) Heinrich Ehrler (208) Theodor Weissenberger (208) Hans Philipp (206) Walter Schuck (206) Anton Hafner (204) Helmut Lipfert (203) 150–199 Walter Krupinski (197) Anton Hackl (192) Joachim Brendel (189) Max Stotz (189) Joachim Kirschner (188) Kurt Brändle (180) Günther Josten (178) Johannes Steinhoff (176) Ernst-Wilhelm Reinert (174) Günther Schack (174) Emil Lang (173) Heinz Schmidt (173) Horst Ademeit (166) Wolf-Dietrich Wilcke (162) Hans-Joachim Marseille (158) Heinrich Sturm (158) Gerhard Thyben (157) Hans Beißwenger (152) Peter Düttmann (152) Gordon Gollob (150) 100–149 Fritz Tegtmeier (146) Albin Wolf (144) Kurt Tanzer (143) Friedrich-Karl Müller (140) Karl Gratz (138) Heinrich Setz (138) Rudolf Trenkel (138) Franz Schall (137) Walter Wolfrum (137) Horst-Günther von Fassong (136)? Otto Fönnekold (136) Karl-Heinz Weber (136) Joachim Müncheberg (135) Hans Waldmann (134) Alfred Grislawski (133) Johannes Wiese (133) Adolf Borchers (132) Erwin Clausen (132) Adolf Dickfeld (132) Wilhelm Lemke (131) Gerhard Hoffmann (130) Heinrich Sterr (130) Walther Dahl (129) Franz Eisenach (129) Franz Dörr (128) Rudolf Rademacher (126)? Josef Zwernemann (126) Dietrich Hrabak (125) Wolf-Udo Ettel (124) Herbert Ihlefeld (123) Wolfgang Tonne (122) Heinz Marquardt (121) Heinz-Wolfgang Schnaufer (121) Robert Weiß (121) Friedrich Obleser (120) Erich Leie (118) Franz-Josef Beerenbrock (117) Hans-Joachim Birkner (117) Jakob Norz (117) Walter Oesau (117) Heinz Wernicke (117) August Lambert (116) Wilhelm Crinius (114) Werner Schröer (114) Hans Dammers (113) Berthold Korts (113) Helmut Lent (113) Kurt Bühligen (112) Kurt Ubben (110) Franz Woidich (110) Reinhard Seiler (109) Emil Bitsch (108) Hans Hahn (108) Bernhard Vechtel (108) Viktor Bauer (106) Werner Lucas (106) Günther Lützow (105) Eberhard von Boremski (104) Adolf Galland (104) Heinz Sachsenberg (104) Hartmann Grasser (103) Siegfried Freytag (102) Friedrich Geißhardt (102) Egon Mayer (102) Max-Hellmuth Ostermann (102) Josef Wurmheller (102) Rudolf Miethig (101) Werner Mölders (101) Josef Priller (101) Ulrich Wernitz (101)   Order and date of the 300th aerial victory Erich Hartmann (24 August 1944) Gerhard Barkhorn (5 January 1945)   Order and date of the 250th aerial victory Walter Nowotny (14 October 1943) Günther Rall (28 November 1943) Gerhard Barkhorn (13 February 1944) Erich Hartmann (4 June 1944) Otto Kittel (27 October 1944)   Order and date of the 200th aerial victory Hermann Graf (26 September 1942) Hans Philipp (17 March 1943) Günther Rall (29 August 1943) Walter Nowotny (2 September 1943) Gerhard Barkhorn (30 November 1943) Erich Hartmann (2 March 1944) Heinrich Bär (22 April 1944) Theodor Weissenberger (25 July 1944) Wilhelm Batz (17 August 1944) Otto Kittel (23 August 1944) Anton Hafner (16 October 1944) Erich Rudorffer (28 October 1944) Heinrich Ehrler (20 November 1944) Walter Schuck (20 March 1945) Helmut Lipfert (8 April 1945)   Order and date of the 150th aerial victory Gordon Gollob (29 August 1942) Hermann Graf (4 September 1942) Hans-Joachim Marseille (15 September 1942) Wolf-Dietrich Wilcke (17 December 1942) Hans Philipp (14 January 1943) Max Stotz (26 January 1943) Heinrich Bär (27 January 1943) Johannes Steinhoff (2 February 1943) Hans Beißwenger (5 March 1943) Ernst-Wilhelm Reinert (19 April 1943) Joachim Kirschner (5 July 1943) Kurt Brändle (5 July 1943) Heinz Schmidt (August 1943) Günther Rall (7 August 1943) Walter Nowotny (18 August 1943) Gerhard Barkhorn (8 August 1943) Walter Krupinski (12 October 1943) Erich Hartmann (13 December 1943) Theodor Weissenberger (25 March 1944) Otto Kittel (4 April 1944) Horst Ademeit (April 1944) Heinrich Ehrler (25 May 1944) Wilhelm Batz (31 May 1944) Emil Lang (14 June 1944) Anton Hafner (26 June 1944) Anton Hackl (9 July 1944) Erich Rudorffer (26 July 1944) Günther Schack (13 August 1944) Walter Schuck (23 August 1944) Joachim Brendel (16 October 1944) Helmut Lipfert (24 October 1944) Heinrich Sturm (December 1944) Gerhard Thyben (17 February 1945) Günther Josten (17 February 1945) Peter Düttmann (23 April 1945)   Order and date of the 100th aerial victory Werner Mölders (15 July 1941) Günther Lützow (24 October 1941) Walter Oesau (26 October 1941) Hans Philipp (31 March 1942) Herbert Ihlefeld (22 April 1942) Max-Hellmuth Ostermann (12 May 1942) Hermann Graf (14 May 1942) Adolf Dickfeld (18 May 1942) Heinrich Bär (19 May 1942) Gordon Gollob (20 May 1942) Hans-Joachim Marseille (17 June 1942) Erwin Clausen (22 July 1942) Heinrich Setz (24 July 1942) Viktor Bauer (25 July 1942) Franz-Josef Beerenbrock (25 July 1942) Anton Hackl (3 August 1942) Kurt Brändle (23 August 1942) Johannes Steinhoff (31 August 1942) Joachim Müncheberg (5 September 1942) Wolf-Dietrich Wilcke (6 September 1942) Heinz Schmidt (15 September 1942) Friedrich-Karl "Tutti" Müller (19 September 1942) Wilhelm Crinius (22 September 1942) Wolfgang Tonne (22 September 1942) Hans Beißwenger (26 September 1942) Josef Zwernemann (1 October 1942) Ernst-Wilhelm Reinert (3 October 1942) Günther Rall (22 October 1942) Max Stotz (29 October 1942) Friedrich Geißhardt (10 November 1942) Hartmann Grasser (14 December 1942) Gerhard Barkhorn (19 December 1942) Kurt Ubben (14 January 1943) Hans "Assi" Hahn (26 January 1943) Wilhelm Lemke (16 March 1943) Alfred Grislawski (27 April 1943) Joachim Kirschner (27 April 1943) Wolf-Udo Ettel (28 April 1943) Hans Dammers (5 May 1943) Heinrich Ehrler (7 June 1943) Rudolf Miethig (8 June 1943) Walter Nowotny (15 June 1943) Theodor Weissenberger (4 July 1943) Reinhard Seiler (6 July 1943) Johannes Wiese (17 July 1943) Emil Bitsch (21 July 1943) Werner Lucas (21 July 1943) Dietrich Hrabak (2 August 1943) Karl-Heinz Weber (13 August 1943) Berthold Korts (17 August 1943) Walter Krupinski (17 August 1943) Günther Schack (3 September 1943) Otto Kittel (14 September 1943) Erich Hartmann (20 September 1943) Erich Rudorffer (11 October 1943) Anton Hafner (15 October 1943) Erich Leie (6 November 1943) Emil Lang (November 1943) Albin Wolf (November 1943) Joachim Brendel (22 November 1943) Horst Ademeit (15 January 1944) Otto Fönnekold (19 January 1944) Egon Mayer (4 February 1944) Karl Gratz (March 1944) Gerhard Hoffmann (16 March 1944) Heinrich Sturm (23 March 1944) Wilhelm Batz (24 March 1944) Heinrich Sterr (29 March 1944) Helmut Lipfert (11 April 1944) Hans Waldmann (11 April 1944) Robert Weiß (March 1944) Fritz Tegtmeier (3 May 1944) Werner Schröer (24 May 1944) Walter Wolfrum (1 June 1944) Kurt Bühlingen (7 June 1944) Heinz Sachsenberg (8 June 1944) Josef Priller (15 June 1944) Walter Schuck (15 June 1944) Helmut Lent (16 June 1944) Josef Wurmheller (16 June 1944) Kurt Tanzer (June 1944) Jakob Norz (28 June 1944) Rudolf Trenkel (14 July 1944) Franz Woidich (July 1944) Günther Josten (20 July 1944) Adolf Borchers (24 July 1944) Friedrich Obleser (August 1944) Franz Dörr (23 August 1944) Franz Schall (31 August 1944) Franz Eisenach (14 September 1944) Heinz Wernicke (14 September 1944) Peter Düttmann (24 September 1944) Gerhard Thyben (30 September 1944) Heinz-Wolfgang Schnaufer (9 October 1944) Hans-Joachim Birkner (14 October 1944) Siegfried Freytag (December 1944) Eberhard von Boremski (January 1945) Walther Dahl (28 February 1945) Bernhard Vechtel (25 March 1945) Ulrich Wernitz (26 March 1945) August Lambert (April 1945) Heinz Marquardt (14 April 1945) Adolf Galland (21 April 1945) List of German World War II aces List of top World War II aces       This along with the ? (question mark) indicates doubt regarding the veracity and formal correctness of the listing.