The signatories
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Günther Rall
Günther Rall was a young pilot with III./JG52 at the outbreak
of war, and quickly demonstrated his natural ability and leadership
qualities. He scored his first victory early in the Battle of
France, and by July 1940 was leading 8./JG52. After transferring
to the Eastern Front his victories soon mounted but he was hospitalized
following a crash. Returning to combat as Kommandeur of III./JG52,
he gained the Wing's 500th victory, before being posted Kommandeur
of II./JG11 on the Western Front, flying high altitude intercepts
in Me109Gs. He was later Kommandeur of JG300, and finished the
war as the 3rd highest Ace in history with 275 victories.
He was awarded the Knight ’s Cross with Oak Leaves and Swords. |
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Walter Krupinski
Shortly after the outbreak of war Walter “Graf Punski”
Krupinski secured a place at the Luftkreigsakademie at Berlin-Gatow
where he underwent basic military and flying training, after
which he was transferred to 6./JG 52. He flew combat missions
over France and England, but gained his first victory after being
transferrd to the Eastern front. Leutnant Krupinski was awarded
the Ritterkreuz on 29 October 1942 after 56 victories. He spent
three months as a fighter instructor in France, and returned
to Russia in March 1943. In May, he was appointed Staffelkapitän
of 7./JG 52. In August, he recorded 27 enemy aircraft shot down,
including his 100th victory on 18 August. Krupinski left JG 52
and Russia on 18 April 1944, with his victory total at 177, to
return to Germany and take up command of 1./JG 5 and later transferred
again, this time as Gruppenkommandeur of II./JG11. He was wounded
on 12 August when the motor of his
Bf 109 exploded. He suffered burns to his hands and face requiring
hospitalisation. Following recovery in hospital, Hauptmann Krupinski
was posted to take command of III./JG 26 on 27 September 1944.
Krupinski joined Adolf Galland’s “squadron of experts”
in JV44 and achieved at least two victories flying the Me 262.
Krupinski ended the war with 197 confirmed victories recorded
in 1,100 missions. He had been wounded seven times, baled out
on four occasions as well as surviving numerous crash landings.
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Alfred Grislawski
Grislawski began his military training at Fliegerersatzabteilung
16 at Schleswig. In July 1940 he was posted to III./JG 52. He
gained his first victory over the Eastern front on 1 September
1941, when he shot down a Russian I-16 fighter. On 1 July 1942
Grislawski was awarded the Ritterkreuz for 43 victories. In late
August 1942, newly promoted Oberfeldwebel Grislawski returned
to the Eastern front and was assigned to 7./JG 52, based in the
Caucasus. On 18 January 1943, Grislawski led a Rotte providing
escort to a formation of Ju 87 Stuka dive-bombers against Russian
tank forces in the Stavropolskaya area. The formation was intercepted
by Russian I-16 fighters and in the subsequent combat, Grislawski’s
Bf 109 was hit, setting it on fire. He nursed his damaged aircraft
back over German lines before baling out, sustaining burns to
his face. On his recovery, Grislawski ireturned to the West where
he served for the remainder of the war.
Alfred Grislawski was credited with 133 victories in over 800
missions. |
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Heinz Ewald
Heinz 'Esau' Ewald joined 5./JG-52 in Russia as a young Unteroffizier
in the late summer of 1943 amd flew with them for the entire
duration of the war. Always regarded as one of the finest of
the youmg pilots of JG-52, he flew as wingman to Major Gerhard
Barkhorn, Kommandeur of 11./JG-52 amd second highest scoring
Ace in history. Heinz Ewald scored his 50th victory on December
29, 1944 when at Veszprem in Humgary. He flew a total of 396
missions and scored 84 victories. He was awarded the Knight's
Cross in April 1945. |
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Viktor Petermann
Born 26 May 1916 at Weipert in the Sudetenland, Petermann joined
the Luftwaffe in July 1939 and was eventually posted to JG 52,
based on the Eastern front, on 15 June 1942. He was assigned
to the Geschwaderstaffel of JG 52. He flew 22 combat missions
before claiming his first victory on 1 July, when he shot down
a Russian LaGG-3 fighter. By early March 1943, Feldwebel Petermann
was serving with 5./JG 52. He recorded 18 victories in May, including
his 30th victory on 4 May and his 40th victory on 27 May. On
10 September 1943, Petermann was transferred to 6./JG 52. His
most successful day occurred on 25 September, when he shot down
a Russian Yak-1 fighter and three Il-2 Sturmovik ground-attack
aircraft in a 23 minute engagement. On 1 October, returning from
an escort mission his aircraft received a direct hit from German
flak, managing a belly-landing in no-man’s land he was rescued
by German troops and hospitalised. However the wounds to his
left arm were so severe that amputation was necessary. However,
he persisted with the authorities to allow him to return to flying
duties, finally succeeding on 22 July, and went on to score a
further four victories before the end of the war.
Victor Petermann was credited with 64 victories in 550 missions. |
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Franz Woidich
Born in 1921, Franz Woidich was posted to 11./JG-27 in July 1941
as an Oberfahnrich, and claimed his first two victories in North
Africa. In April 1942 he joined 3./JG52 rn Russia and was awarded
the Knight's Cross after 80 victories before transferrmg in August
1944 to the Ergänzungsstaffel to fly the Me163 at Gutenfeld,
amd fmished the war as Staffelkapitan with Il./JG-400. He flew
over 1000 missions amd scored 110 victories. |
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Rudolf Trenkel
Rudolf Trenkel was born on 17 January 1918
at Neudorf. He joined the army in 1936 but transferred to the
Luftwaffe in 1939. On 22 February 1942, Trenkel was posted to
JG 77 based on the southern part of Eastern front. Unteroffizier
Trenkel was assigned to III./JG 77. He flew with 7./JG 77 and
on 26 March he claimed his first victory. He was transferred
to JG 52 based on the Eastern front on 1 May 1942 and claimed
three victories serving with this unit. On 15 June 1942, Feldwebel
Trenkel was transferred to 2./JG 52 based on the Eastern front.
On 17 December, Trenkel shot down six enemy aircraft to record
his 23rd through 28th victories, he recorded five victories on
16 April 1943 and four victories on 2 June.
On 14 July, Trenkel claimed his 100th victoryand in October he
claimed 12 victories in 10 days but was shot down five times.
Rudolf Trenkel was credited with 138 victories in over 500 missions.
Of the 138 victories recorded over the Eastern front, at least
42 were Il-2 Sturmovik ground attack aircraft |
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Walter Wolfrum
Born May 23 1923 in Schmölz. Walter Wolfrum first saw combat in the Crimea with
5./JG52. He was shot down three times, and wounded twice before
scoring his first victory. With his score at 70, he was again
wounded, but returned to take command of I./JG52 in May 1944.
He was again wounded but returned to his command for the remainder
of the war. He flew 424 missions and achieved 137 victories.
He was awarded the Knights Cross. |
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Edmund Rossmann
Born 11th January 1918 in Caaschwitz.
One of the most admired Schwann leaders with
7./JG52, 'Paule' Rossmann flew in the Battle of Britain before
transferring to Russia. In July, 1943, Rossmann made a daring
attempt to rescue a fellow pilot but was captured by the Russians.
He had flown 640 missions and scored 93 victories. Rossmann was
awarded the Knight's Cross. |
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Adolf Dickfeld
Born on 20 February 1910 at Jüterborg,
Adolf Dickfeld joined the Luftwaffe on 1 March 1937.
At the outbreak of War Dickfeld was assigned to III./JG 52. He
flew missions over France, England, Greece and Crete before the
unit was transferred to Rumania in preparation for the invasion
of Russia. By the end of 1941, he had accumulated 37 victories.
On 8 May 1942, he shot down 11 enemy aircraft followed by nine
on the 14 May and 10 on the 18 May. He was awarded the Eichenlaub
on 19 May 1942 for 101 victories and promoted Oberleutnant on
21 May 1942. In January 1943, Dickfeld was appointed Gruppenkommandeur
of II./JG 2. The unit was transferred to North Africa, where
Dickfeld achieved 5 victories over Tunisia before he was badly
injured in a take-off accident. On 17 April 1943, after recovering
from his injuries, Dickfeld was appointed Gruppenkommandeur of
II./JG 11, based in the Bremen–Helgoland area. Dickfeld
was shot down during an attack on Allied bombers, and baled out
into the sea. He was rescued but was hospitalised with back injuries.
Dickfeld was to return to combat, flying Bü 181 trainers
armed with Panzerfaust rockets, against Russian armour and, later,
He 162 jet fighters. He reputedly shot down a P-47 several weeks
before the end of the war with the He 162. Adolf Dickfeld was
credited with 136 victories in 1072 combat missions. |
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Hans Krohn
Born in Hamburg 1919.
Served as a Stuka radio operator with Schlachtgeschwader 2 "Immelmann"
throughout the war, flying 965 combat missions mostly with Heinz
Jungclaussen (K.C.-winner). Krohn was awarded the Knights cross
and ended the war with the rank of Oberfeldwebel. Krohn and Jungclaussen
were considered to be one of the top Stuka crews of the war. |