Helmut Mißner

Helmut Mißner
Born(1921-05-19)19 May 1921
Stuttgart-Zuffenhausen, Germany
Died12 September 1944(1944-09-12) (aged 23)
Sagan, Poland
Mass grave
Poznań Milostowo, Poland
Allegiance Nazi Germany
Branch Luftwaffe
Service years1941–1944
RankOberfeldwebel
UnitJG 54
CommandsI./JG 54
Conflicts
Awards

Helmut Mißner[Note 1] (19 May 1921 – 12 September 1944) was a former Luftwaffe fighter ace and recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross. The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross, and its variants were the highest awards in the military and paramilitary forces of Nazi Germany during World War II. He was credited with 82 aerial victories all over the Eastern Front. In 1944 he was killed in action over Sagan, Poland.

Career

Mißner entered the Luftwaffe 6 January 1941. In 1942 he was transferred to I./JG 54.[1] Based on his experience, he was one of the instructors for the Luftwaffe.[2] He was assigned to the Eastern Front[3] and he had 82 aerial victories.[4] On 17 July 1943, Mißner was credited with claiming JG 54s 5,000th aerial victory.[5]

Instructor and death

In mid-July 1944, Mißner was posted to 1. Staffel of Ergänzungs-Jagdgruppe Ost, renamed Ergänzungs-Jagdgruppe Nord on 1 September, a fighter pilot training unit. On 12 September 1944, Mißner was killed in flight accident at Sagan, also known as Żagań, Poland.[6] It is thought that lack of oxygen caused him and his Focke-Wulf Fw 190 A-8 (Werknummer 170713—factory number) to plunge from an altitude of 6,500 meters (21,300 feet) and crash.[7] He was buried at Poznan, Poland in a mass grave. Before his death, Mißner was recommended for promotion to Leutnant (second lieutenant).[8] Posthumously, he was awarded the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross (Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes) on 10 October 1944 for his 82 aerial victories claimed.[9]

Summary of career

Aerial victory claims

According to US historian David T. Zabecki, Mißner was credited with 82 aerial victories.[10] Mathews and Foreman, authors of Luftwaffe Aces — Biographies and Victory Claims, researched the German Federal Archives and found records for 83 aerial victories, all of which claimed on the Eastern Front.[11]

Victory claims were logged to a map-reference (PQ = Planquadrat), for example "PQ 00351". 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 km × 4 km (1.9 mi × 2.5 mi) in size.[12]

Chronicle of aerial victories
  This and the – (dash) indicates unwitnessed aerial victory claims for which Mißner did not receive credit.
  This and the ? (question mark) indicates information discrepancies listed by Prien, Stemmer, Rodeike, Balke, Bock, Mathews and Foreman.
Claim Date Time Type Location Claim Date Time Type Location
– 2. Staffel of Jagdgeschwader 54 –[13]
Eastern Front — 1 May 1942 – 3 February 1943
1 15 September 1942 07:20 Pe-2 PQ 00351[14]
10 km (6.2 mi) northeast of Gatchina
– 2. Staffel of Jagdgeschwader 54 –[15]
Eastern Front — 4 February – 31 December 1943
2 14 February 1943 15:00 I-16 PQ 36 Ost 00421[16]
Pushkin-Mga 		18 6 July 1943 08:15 U-2 PQ 35 Ost 63392[17]
15 km (9.3 mi) west-northwest of Maloarkhangelsk
3 14 February 1943 15:02 MiG-3 PQ 36 Ost 00412[16]
10 km (6.2 mi) east of Pushkin 		19 7 July 1943 14:13 Yak-7 PQ 35 Ost 63582[18]
20 km (12 mi) southwest of Maloarkhangelsk
4 15 February 1943 07:30?[Note 2] Il-2 PQ 36 Ost 10563[16]
10 km (6.2 mi) east of Lyuban 		20 7 July 1943 14:18 La-5 PQ 35 Ost 63564[18]
10 km (6.2 mi) southwest of Maloarkhangelsk
5 15 February 1943 07:40 Il-2 PQ 36 Ost 10532[16]
10 km (6.2 mi) northeast of Lyuban 		21 8 July 1943 13:45 Il-2 PQ 35 Ost 63551[18]
15 km (9.3 mi) west-southwest of Maloarkhangelsk
6 15 February 1943 07:42 Il-2 PQ 36 Ost 10474[16]
25 km (16 mi) northeast of Lyuban 		22 8 July 1943 13:47 P-39 PQ 35 Ost 63574[18]
7 15 February 1943 15:30 La-5 PQ 36 Ost 00412[16]
10 km (6.2 mi) east of Pushkin 		23 9 July 1943 12:01 Il-2 PQ 35 Ost 63813[18]
25 km (16 mi) south of Maloarkhangelsk
8 17 February 1943 10:15 Il-2 PQ 36 Ost 00414[16]
10 km (6.2 mi) east of Pushkin 		24 12 July 1943 19:35 LaGG-3 PQ 35 Ost 63235[19]
40 km (25 mi) southeast of Mtsensk
9 23 February 1943 09:40 LaGG-3 PQ 36 Ost 10161[20]
southeast of Shlisselburg 		25 13 July 1943 10:42 Il-2 PQ 35 Ost 63256[19]
40 km (25 mi) east-southeast of Oryol
10 9 March 1943 10:15 LaGG-3 PQ 36 Ost 00433[21]
10 km (6.2 mi) southwest of Mga 		26 13 July 1943 10:43 Il-2 PQ 35 Ost 63268, south-southwest of Novosil[19]
55 km (34 mi) east-southeast of Oryol
11 23 March 1943 11:09 Il-2 PQ 36 Ost 00423[22]
Pushkin-Mga 		27 13 July 1943 13:39 LaGG-3 PQ 35 Ost 63255[19]
40 km (25 mi) east-southeast of Oryol
12 24 March 1943 11:12 P-39 PQ 36 Ost 00442[22]
10 km (6.2 mi) southeast of Slutsk 		28 14 July 1943 15:32 La-5 PQ 35 Ost 54418[19]
40 km (25 mi) west-southwest of Belyov
13 26 May 1943 20:07?[Note 3] LaGG-3 PQ 36 Ost 10313[23]
10 km (6.2 mi) south of Mga 		29 14 July 1943 15:46 Il-2 PQ 35 Ost 54284[19]
25 km (16 mi) west of Belyov
14 5 June 1943 15:15 LaGG-3 PQ 36 Ost 00173[23]
10 km (6.2 mi) north of Selo 		30 17 July 1943 07:02 LaGG-3 PQ 35 Ost 54464[24]
20 km (12 mi) north-northwest of Bolkhov
15 18 June 1943 17:05 LaGG-3 PQ 36 Ost 20163, Volkhovstroy[25]
south of Volkhov 		31 17 July 1943 19:02 Yak-4 PQ 35 Ost 63836[24]
40 km (25 mi) southeast of Maloarkhangelsk
16 22 June 1943 02:32 P-40 PQ 36 Ost 00344[25]
10 km (6.2 mi) north of Gatchina 		32 27 July 1943 12:37 Il-2 PQ 35 Ost 54571[24]
15 km (9.3 mi) east-northeast of Pskov
17 5 July 1943 03:55 LaGG-3 PQ 35 Ost 63574[25]
35 km (22 mi) southwest of Maloarkhangelsk 		33 28 July 1943 15:10 Yak-7 PQ 35 Ost 54594[24]
30 km (19 mi) northeast of Karachev
– 2. Staffel of Jagdgeschwader 54 –[15]
Eastern Front — 1 January – July 1944
34 12 February 1944 14:09 Il-2 PQ 35 Ost 06794[26] 59 24 April 1944 10:28 Yak-9 PQ 26 Ost 70363[27]
Baltic Sea, east-northeast of Kunda
35 16 February 1944 14:26 LaGG-3 PQ 25 Ost 39411[26]
20 km (12 mi) south of Narva 		60 8 May 1944 14:00 Il-2 PQ 26 Ost 70512[27]
Baltic Sea, 50 km (31 mi) west of Hungerburg
36 18 February 1944 15:23 Il-2 PQ 26 Ost 70663[26]
10 km (6.2 mi) west-southwest of Hungerburg 		61 8 May 1944 14:02 Il-2 PQ 26 Ost 70384[27]
Baltic Sea, 50 km (31 mi) east-northeast of Kunda
37 25 February 1944 08:55 Il-2 PQ 26 Ost 70699[26] 62 13 May 1944 08:00 Il-2 PQ 26 Ost 70372[28]
Baltic Sea, 50 km (31 mi) east-northeast of Kunda
38 25 February 1944 09:05 Il-2 PQ 26 Ost 70692[26]
15 km (9.3 mi) southwest of Narva 		63 13 May 1944 08:03 Il-2 PQ 26 Ost 70382[28]
Baltic Sea, 35 km (22 mi) east-northeast of Kunda
39 6 March 1944 12:25 La-5 PQ 26 Ost 70854[26]
35 km (22 mi) southwest of Narva 		64 16 May 1944 10:15 Il-2 PQ 26 Ost 70372[28]
Baltic Sea, 30 km (19 mi) east-northeast of Kunda
40 6 March 1944 16:25 La-5 PQ 26 Ost 70823[26]
25 km (16 mi) southwest of Narva 		65 16 May 1944 10:18 Il-2 PQ 26 Ost 70382[28]
Baltic Sea, 35 km (22 mi) east-northeast of Kunda
41 6 March 1944 16:26 La-5 PQ 26 Ost 70821[26]
25 km (16 mi) southwest of Narva 		66 26 May 1944 13:36 La-5 PQ 26 Ost 80172[28]
Gulf of Finland, north of Hungerburg
42 7 March 1944 14:57 Yak-9 PQ 26 Ost 70364[26]
Baltic Sea, 50 km (31 mi) east-northeast of Kunda 		67 26 May 1944 19:02 La-5 PQ 26 Ost 80173[28]
Gulf of Finland, north of Hungerburg
43 9 March 1944 14:58 La-5 PQ 26 Ost 80573[29]
southwest of Narva 		68 29 May 1944 05:39 Il-2 PQ 26 Ost 70393[28]
Gulf of Finland
44 9 March 1944 15:20?[Note 4] LaGG-3 PQ 26 Ost 70421[29]
Baltic Sea, 30 km (19 mi) northwest of Hungerburg 		69 29 May 1944 05:45 Il-2 PQ 26 Ost 70493[28]
Baltic Sea, 10 km (6.2 mi) northwest of Hungerburg
45 10 March 1944 08:00 LaGG-3 PQ 26 Ost 70332[29] 70 2 June 1944 10:21?[Note 5] P-40 PQ 26 Ost 8084[28]
25 km (16 mi) south of Narva
46 26 March 1944 06:26 Il-2 PQ 26 Ost 70381[29]
Baltic Sea, 35 km (22 mi) east-northeast of Kunda 		71 15 June 1944 07:34 Il-2 PQ 26 Ost 70322[28]
Baltic Sea, 35 km (22 mi) east-northeast of Kunda
47 26 March 1944 06:35 Il-2 PQ 26 Ost 70391[29]
Gulf of Finland 		72 28 June 1944 11:50 P-39 PQ QT-4/1[28]
48 2 April 1944 08:35 Pe-2 PQ 26 Ost 70393[27]
northeast of Kunda 		73 29 June 1944 12:30 P-39 PQ QT-1/3[28]
49 2 April 1944 08:39 Pe-2 PQ 26 Ost 70371[27]
Baltic Sea, 35 km (22 mi) east-northeast of Kunda 		74 29 June 1944 19:07 Il-2 PQ PS-2/9[28]
50 2 April 1944 15:36 Il-2 PQ 26 Ost 70393[27]
Gulf of Finland 		75 30 June 1944 11:36 Il-2 PQ OS-9/4[28]
51 3 April 1944 16:59 Il-2 PQ 26 Ost 60492[27]
Baltic Sea, 35 km (22 mi) east-northeast of Kunda 		76 30 June 1944 11:50?[Note 6] P-39 PQ OT-2/7[28]
52 3 April 1944 17:05 Pe-2 PQ 26 Ost 60494[27]
northeast of Kunda 		77 2 July 1944 17:17 P-39 PQ OS-9/2[32]
vicinity of Polotsk
53 3 April 1944 17:08?[Note 7] Pe-2 PQ 26 Ost 70372[27]
northeast of Kunda 		78 3 July 1944 11:42 Il-2 PQ OS-8/2[32]
vicinity of Polotsk
54 4 April 1944 08:12 Yak-7?[Note 8] PQ 26 Ost 60367[27]
northwest of Kunda 		79 3 July 1944 11:43 Il-2 PQ OS-6/7[32]
vicinity of Polotsk
55 4 April 1944 08:15?[Note 9] Il-2 PQ 26 Ost 60442[27]
northeast of Kunda 		80 3 July 1944 11:44 Il-2 PQ OS-6/5[32]
vicinity of Polotsk
?[Note 10] 4 April 1944 08:42 Il-2 northeast of Kunda[30]
—
?[Note 11] 		3 July 1944
—
 Yak-9[32]
56 19 April 1944 18:36 Yak-9 PQ 26 Ost 70694[27]
15 km (9.3 mi) southwest of Narva 		81 4 July 1944 06:44 Yak-9 PQ OS-8/6[32]
vicinity of Polotsk
57 21 April 1944 18:27 Pe-2 PQ 26 Ost 70494[27]
Baltic Sea, 10 km (6.2 mi) northwest of Hungerburg 		82 6 July 1944 19:34 P-39 PQ OT-2/1[32]
45 km (28 mi) southeast of Pruzhany
58 24 April 1944 10:22 Yak-9 PQ 26 Ost 70382[27]
Baltic Sea, 35 km (22 mi) east-northeast of Kunda

Awards

Notes

  1. ^ His name, in German, is spelled with a "sharp S"; see ß.
  2. ^ According to Mathews and Foreman claimed at 07:31.[13]
  3. ^ According to Mathews and Foreman claimed at 20:17.[13]
  4. ^ According to Mathews and Foreman claimed at 15:26.[30]
  5. ^ According to Mathews and Foreman claimed at 10:25.[31]
  6. ^ According to Mathews and Foreman claimed at 11:55.[31]
  7. ^ According to Mathews and Foreman claimed at 17:06.[30]
  8. ^ According to Mathews and Foreman claimed as an Ilyushin Il-2.[30]
  9. ^ According to Mathews and Foreman claimed at 08:05.[30]
  10. ^ This claim s not listed by Prien, Stemmer, Balke and Bock.[27]
  11. ^ This unconfirmed claim is not listed by Mathews and Foreman.[31]
  12. ^ According to Scherzer as pilot in the 3./Jagdgeschwader 54.[35]

References

Citations

  1. ^ deZeng IV, Henry L.; Stankey, Douglas G. "Career Summaries - Luftwaffe Officers 1935 - 1945" (PDF). ww2.dk. Michael Holm. Retrieved 23 October 2021.
  2. ^ Weal 2001, p. 112.
  3. ^ "Helmut Missner". luftwaffe.cz. Luftwaffe. Retrieved 21 October 2021.
  4. ^ Spick 1996, p. 235.
  5. ^ Weal 1998, p. 33.
  6. ^ Held, Trautloft & Bob 1994, p. 155.
  7. ^ Obermaier 1989, p. 169.
  8. ^ a b Dixon 2023, p. 156.
  9. ^ Weal 2001, p. 120.
  10. ^ Zabecki 2014, p. 1615.
  11. ^ Mathews & Foreman 2015, pp. 860–862.
  12. ^ Planquadrat.
  13. ^ a b c Mathews & Foreman 2015, p. 860.
  14. ^ Prien et al. 2006, p. 93.
  15. ^ a b Mathews & Foreman 2015, pp. 997–998.
  16. ^ a b c d e f g Prien et al. 2012, p. 169.
  17. ^ Prien et al. 2012, p. 176.
  18. ^ a b c d e Prien et al. 2012, p. 177.
  19. ^ a b c d e f Prien et al. 2012, p. 178.
  20. ^ Prien et al. 2012, p. 170.
  21. ^ Prien et al. 2012, p. 171.
  22. ^ a b Prien et al. 2012, p. 172.
  23. ^ a b Prien et al. 2012, p. 174.
  24. ^ a b c d Prien et al. 2012, p. 179.
  25. ^ a b c Prien et al. 2012, p. 175.
  26. ^ a b c d e f g h i Prien et al. 2022, p. 380.
  27. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o Prien et al. 2022, p. 382.
  28. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o Prien et al. 2022, p. 383.
  29. ^ a b c d e Prien et al. 2022, p. 381.
  30. ^ a b c d e Mathews & Foreman 2015, p. 861.
  31. ^ a b c Mathews & Foreman 2015, p. 862.
  32. ^ a b c d e f g Prien et al. 2022, p. 384.
  33. ^ Patzwall & Scherzer 2001, p. 312.
  34. ^ Fellgiebel 2000, p. 312.
  35. ^ Scherzer 2007, p. 546.

Bibliography

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  • Dixon, Jeremy (2023). Day Fighter Aces of the Luftwaffe: Knight's Cross Holders 1943–1945. Barnsley: Pen and Sword Books. ISBN 978-1-39903-073-1.
  • Fellgiebel, Walther-Peer [in German] (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.
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  • Mathews, Andrew Johannes; Foreman, John (2015). Luftwaffe Aces — Biographies and Victory Claims — Volume 3 M–R. Walton on Thames: Red Kite. ISBN 978-1-906592-20-2.
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  • 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.
  • Prien, Jochen; Stemmer, Gerhard; Rodeike, Peter; Bock, Winfried (2006). Die Jagdfliegerverbände der Deutschen Luftwaffe 1934 bis 1945—Teil 9/III—Vom Sommerfeldzug 1942 bis zur Niederlage von Stalingrad—1 May 1942 bis 3 February 1943 [The Fighter Units of the German Air Force 1934 to 1945—Part 9/III—From the 1942 Summer Campaign to the Defeat at Stalingrad—1 May 1942 to 3 February 1943] (in German). Eutin, Germany: Struve-Druck. ISBN 978-3-923457-78-6.
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