Hans Ehlers

Hans Ehlers
Born	(1914-07-15)15 July 1914
Died	27 December 1944(1944-12-27) (aged 30) Mayenne, German-occupied France
Allegiance	Nazi Germany
Service / branch	Template:Luftwaffe
Rank	Hauptmann
Unit	Condor Legion, JG 3, JG 1
Battles / wars	Spanish Civil War World War II Battle of France Battle of Britain North African Campaign
Awards	Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross

Hans Ehlers (15 July 1914 – 27 December 1944) was a Luftwaffe fighter ace and recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross during World War II. Hans Ehlers was credited with 55 victories.

Military career

Ehlers was a member of the groundstaff of the Condor Legion during the Spanish Civil War. Unteroffizier Ehlers was serving with 2./JG 3 during the Battle of France. On 18 May 1940, he recorded his first victories when he claimed two RAF fighters shot down over Valenciennes. He in turn, was shot down by RAF Hawker Hurricane fighters of No. 56 Squadron RAF on the same day and crash-landed his Bf 109 E-1 south of Valenciennes and was listed as missing. However, Ehlers managed to escape and return to his own lines to rejoin. During the Battle of Britain, Ehlers added a further two victories.

Leutnant Ehlers was appointed Staffelkapitän of 2./JG 1 on 1 October 1943. On 8 October, he and two other pilots of 2./JG 1 spontaneously executed an unprecedented maneuver by ramming B-17s that were returning westward from a raid against shipyards and factories in Bremen and Vegesack. All three Luftwaffe pilots survived, while all three of their targets were destroyed. This was the only significant ramming attack by Luftwaffe pilots until nearly the end of the war in 1945.

On 24 October 1943, Ehlers was presented the German Cross in Gold by Hermann Göring. On 11 November 1943, Oberleutnant Ehlers became Staffelkapitän of 3./JG 1. Hauptmann Ehlers became Gruppenkommandeur of I./JG 1. He was awarded the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross on 9 June 1944 for 52 victories. On 27 December 1944, Ehlers led off 18 Fw 190s on a mission to cover ground troops in the Dinant-Rochefort area. Near Mayenne, he encountered P-51 Mustangs of the USAAF 364th Fighter Group and was shot down in his Fw 190 A-8. Hans Ehlers was credited with 55 victories.

Awards

• Spanish Cross in Silver with Swords (6 June 1939)
• German Cross in Gold on 24 October 1943 as Leutnant in the II./JG 1
• Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross on 9 June 1944 as Oberleutnant and Staffelkapitän of the 3./JG 1 "Oesau"

Ehlers was nominated for the posthumous Oak Leaves to his Knight's Cross. This nomination was not approved.

References

Bibliography

• 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.
• MacLean, French L (2007). Luftwaffe Efficiency & Promotion Reports: For the Knight's Cross Winners. Vol. One. Atglen, Pennsylvania: Schiffer Military History. ISBN 978-0-7643-2657-8.
• 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.* 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.