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Heinrich Sturm

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Heinrich Sturm
Born(1920-06-12)12 June 1920
Dieburg, Hesse
Died22 December 1944(1944-12-22) (aged 24)
Csór, Hungary
Allegiance Nazi Germany
Service / branchArmy, Luftwaffe
RankHauptmann (captain)
Commands4./JG 52, 5./JG 52
Battles / warsWorld War II
AwardsKnight's Cross of the Iron Cross

Heinrich Sturm (12 June 1920 – 22 December 1944) was a fighter pilot in the Nazi German Luftwaffe during World War II. A flying ace, he claimed 158 victories and was a recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross. He was killed in a flying accident on 22 December 1944 in Csór, Hungary.

Military career

Sturm joined 6. Staffel (6th squadron) of Jagdgeschwader 52 (JG 52—52nd fighter wing) with the rank of Feldwebel (Sergeant) in the summer of 1941. He claimed his first three aerial victories at the end of the year.

He then transferred to a fighter school as instructor and returned to frontline service in November 1942. He was assigned to the Stab (headquarters unit) of II./JG 52 (2nd group of the 52nd fighter wing). In the period up to 17 December 1942 he scored a further six victories. On 1 January 1943, he was promoted to Leutnant (second lieutenant). He claimed his 20th aerial victory on 15 April 1943, adding five more on 20 April 1943, becaming an "ace-in-a-day" for the first time. He reached his 40th aerial victory on 30 June 1943 and shot down another 35 aircraft over the next five months, reaching a total of 75 on 30 November 1943.

On 1 August 1943, Sturm was appointed acting Staffelkapitän (squadron leader) of 4. Staffel (4th squadron) of JG 52. He replaced Leutnant Helmut Lipfert in this capacity who was transferred to the 6. Staffel (4th squadron) of JG 52. Sturm later officially became the Staffelkapitän of 4. Staffel on 1 September 1943.[1]

He was awarded the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross (Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes) on 26 March 1944. He was the 66th Luftwaffe pilot to achieve the century mark.[2] A few weeks later on 16 April, he was wounded badly by bomb debris on Chersonese airfield in Crimea.

In August 1944, he returned to JG 52 and took over command of 5. Staffel (5th squadron) of JG 52, his score standing at 111. He replaced Otto Fönnekold, who was killed in action on 31 August. [3] On 22 December 1944, he claimed his last two aerial victories. Taking off for another sortie from Csór that day, one of his aircraft's landing gear struts hit a truck, killing him in the accident.[4]

Summary of career

Aerial victory claims

According to Spick, Sturm claimed 157 aerial victories in an unknown number of combat missions, all of them on the Eastern Front.[5] Matthews and Foreman, authors of Luftwaffe Aces — Biographies and Victory Claims, researched the German Federal Archives and state that he is attributed with 158 aerial victories, all of which claimed on the Eastern Front. The archives revealed records for 123 of these claims. However, there are 52 additional claims attributed to II. Gruppe of JG 52 in the timeframe November to December 1944 that have no names associated to them. The authors assume that many of these claims belong to Sturm.[6]

Victory claims were logged to a map-reference (PQ = Planquadrat), for example "PQ 19424". The Luftwaffe grid map (Jägermeldenetz) covered all of Europe, western Russia and North Africa and was composed of rectangles measuring 15 minutes of latitude by 30 minutes of longitude, an area of about 360 square miles (930 km2). These sectors were then subdivided into 36 smaller units to give a location area 3 × 4 km in size.[7]

Awards

Notes

  1. ^ According to Matthews and Foreman claimed at 13:15.[13]
  2. ^ According to Matthews and Foreman claimed at 13:30.[13]
  3. ^ According to Matthews and Foreman claimed as Ilyushin Il-2 mit Heckschütze, with rear gunner.[13]
  4. ^ a b c d e f g The "m.H." refers to a Ilyushin Il-2 with rear gunner (mit Heckschütze).
  5. ^ According to Matthews and Foreman claimed at 16:17.[13]
  6. ^ According to Matthews and Foreman claimed at 15:15.[13]
  7. ^ According to Matthews and Foreman claimed at 18:06.[13]

References

Citations

  1. ^ Prien et al. 2012, pp. 374.
  2. ^ Obermaier 1989, p. 244.
  3. ^ Weal 2004, p. 112.
  4. ^ Weal 2004, p. 116.
  5. ^ Spick 1996, p. 229.
  6. ^ Matthews & Foreman 2015, pp. 1293–1295.
  7. ^ Planquadrat.
  8. ^ a b Matthews & Foreman 2015, p. 1440.
  9. ^ Prien et al. 2003, p. 46.
  10. ^ Prien et al. 2006, p. 482.
  11. ^ a b Prien et al. 2006, p. 496.
  12. ^ Prien et al. 2006, p. 484.
  13. ^ a b c d e f g Matthews & Foreman 2015, p. 1293.
  14. ^ Prien et al. 2006, p. 489.
  15. ^ a b Prien et al. 2006, p. 497.
  16. ^ Prien et al. 2006, p. 492.
  17. ^ Prien et al. 2012, p. 378.
  18. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n Prien et al. 2012, p. 381.
  19. ^ a b c d e f g Prien et al. 2012, p. 379.
  20. ^ a b Prien et al. 2012, p. 380.
  21. ^ Prien et al. 2012, p. 383.
  22. ^ a b c d e f g Prien et al. 2012, p. 384.
  23. ^ Matthews & Foreman 2015, pp. 1293–1294.
  24. ^ a b c d Prien et al. 2012, p. 388.
  25. ^ a b c d e f g h i j Prien et al. 2012, p. 391.
  26. ^ a b c d e f g h i Prien et al. 2012, p. 392.
  27. ^ a b c Prien et al. 2012, p. 389.
  28. ^ a b c d e f Prien et al. 2012, p. 390.
  29. ^ a b c d e Prien et al. 2012, p. 393.
  30. ^ a b c d Prien et al. 2012, p. 394.
  31. ^ Matthews & Foreman 2015, pp. 1294–1295.
  32. ^ a b Matthews & Foreman 2015, p. 1295.
  33. ^ Patzwall 2008, p. 202.
  34. ^ Patzwall & Scherzer 2001, p. 467.
  35. ^ Scherzer 2007, p. 734.
  36. ^ Fellgiebel 2000, p. 417.

Bibliography

  • Bergström, Christer. "Bergström Black Cross/Red Star website". Identifying a Luftwaffe Planquadrat. Archived from the original on 22 December 2018. Retrieved 5 February 2020.
  • Fellgiebel, Walther-Peer (2000) [1986]. Die Träger des Ritterkreuzes des Eisernen Kreuzes 1939–1945 — Die Inhaber der höchsten Auszeichnung des Zweiten Weltkrieges aller Wehrmachtteile [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. {{cite book}}: Invalid |ref=harv (help)
  • Obermaier, Ernst (1989). Die Ritterkreuzträger der Luftwaffe Jagdflieger 1939 – 1945 [The Knight's Cross Bearers of the Luftwaffe Fighter Force 1939 – 1945] (in German). Mainz, Germany: Verlag Dieter Hoffmann. ISBN 978-3-87341-065-7. {{cite book}}: Invalid |ref=harv (help)
  • Matthews, Andrew Johannes; Foreman, John (2015). Luftwaffe Aces — Biographies and Victory Claims — Volume 4 S–Z. Walton on Thames: Red Kite. ISBN 978-1-906592-21-9. {{cite book}}: Invalid |ref=harv (help)
  • Patzwall, Klaus D.; Scherzer, Veit (2001). Das Deutsche Kreuz 1941 – 1945 Geschichte und Inhaber Band II [The German Cross 1941 – 1945 History and Recipients Volume 2] (in German). Norderstedt, Germany: Verlag Klaus D. Patzwall. ISBN 978-3-931533-45-8. {{cite book}}: Invalid |ref=harv (help)
  • Patzwall, Klaus D. (2008). Der Ehrenpokal für besondere Leistung im Luftkrieg [The Honor Goblet for Outstanding Achievement in the Air War] (in German). Norderstedt, Germany: Verlag Klaus D. Patzwall. ISBN 978-3-931533-08-3. {{cite book}}: Invalid |ref=harv (help)
  • Prien, Jochen; Stemmer, Gerhard; Rodeike, Peter; Bock, Winfried (2003). Die Jagdfliegerverbände der Deutschen Luftwaffe 1934 bis 1945—Teil 6/II—Unternehmen "BARBAROSSA"—Einsatz im Osten—22.6. bis 5.12.1941 [The Fighter Units of the German Air Force 1934 to 1945—Part 6/II—Operation "BARBAROSSA"—Action in the East—22 June to 5 December 1941] (in German). Eutin, Germany: Struve-Druck. ISBN 978-3-923457-70-0. {{cite book}}: Invalid |ref=harv (help)
  • Prien, Jochen; Stemmer, Gerhard; Rodeike, Peter; Bock, Winfried (2006). Die Jagdfliegerverbände der Deutschen Luftwaffe 1934 bis 1945—Teil 9/II—Vom Sommerfeldzug 1942 bis zur Niederlage von Stalingrad—1.5.1942 bis 3.2.1943 [The Fighter Units of the German Air Force 1934 to 1945—Part 9/II—From the 1942 Summer Campaign to the Defeat at Stalingrad—1 May 1942 to 3 February 1943] (in German). Eutin, Germany: Struve-Druck. ISBN 978-3-923457-77-9. {{cite book}}: Invalid |ref=harv (help)
  • Prien, Jochen; Stemmer, Gerhard; Rodeike, Peter; Bock, Winfried (2012). Die Jagdfliegerverbände der Deutschen Luftwaffe 1934 bis 1945—Teil 12/II—Einsatz im Osten—4.2. bis 31.12.1943 [The Fighter Units of the German Air Force 1934 to 1945—Part 12/II—Action in the East—4 February to 31 December 1943] (in German). Eutin, Germany: Buchverlag Rogge. ISBN 978-3-942943-05-5. {{cite book}}: Invalid |ref=harv (help)
  • 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 Militaer-Verlag. ISBN 978-3-938845-17-2. {{cite book}}: Invalid |ref=harv (help)
  • Spick, Mike (1996). Luftwaffe Fighter Aces. New York: Ivy Books. ISBN 978-0-8041-1696-1. {{cite book}}: Invalid |ref=harv (help)
  • Weal, John (2004). Jagdgeschwader 52: The Experten (Aviation Elite Units). Oxford, UK: Osprey Publishing. ISBN 978-1-84176-786-4. {{cite book}}: Invalid |ref=harv (help)
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