Jagdstaffel 21
Encyclopedia
Royal Saxon Jagdstaffel 21 was a World War I "hunting group" (i.e., fighter squadron) of the Luftstreitkräfte
, which was the forerunner to the Luftwaffe
. As one of the original German fighter squadrons, the unit would score 148 verified aerial victories, including at least 30 destructions of enemy observation balloons.
In turn, their casualties for the war would amount to eight pilots killed in action
, six wounded in action
, and one fallen prisoner of war
.
Staffelführer
1 Richard Schlieben: 15 November 1916 - 26 May 1917
2 Eduard Ritter von Schleich
: 26 May 1917 - 23 October 1917
3 Oskar Freiherr von Boenigk
: 23 October 1917 - 27 August 1918
4 Josef Schulte: 27 August 1918 - 11 November 1918
2 Neuflize
, France: 15 November 1916 - 1 July 1917
3 Chassogne Ferme, Verdun, France: 1 July 1917 - 26 December 1917
4 Saint-Loup
, France: 26 December 1917 - 10 January 1918
5 Saint-Mards
, France: 10 January 1918 - 18 May 1918
6 Sissonne
, France: 18 May 1918 - 6 June 1918
7 Boncourt
, France: 6 June 1918 - 23 September 1918
8 Sissonne: 23 September 1918 - 11 October 1918
9 Plomion
, France: 11 October 1918 - 11 November 1918
and Iron Cross
: Eduard Ritter von Schleich and Oskar Freiherr von Boenigk;
the former also rated the Military Order of Max Joseph
. Both would continue their military careers postwar, and ascend into the ranks of the generals.
The unit also had a third Blue Max
in its ranks in Karl Thom
, who also had won the MMC
, Royal House Order of Hohenzollern, and Iron Cross
.Emil Thuy
made the fourth Pour le Merite owner in the squadron; he also had the Hohenzollern and Iron Cross.
There was a little coterie of balloon aces in Jasta 21. Foremost was Fritz Höhn
, Hohenzollern and Iron Cross, although Max Kuhn and Heinrich Haasewere also balloon buster
aces.
Also notable in the squadron were Rudolf Matthaei
, the Iron Cross winner who would move on to successfully command Jasta 46, and Werner Wagener
, who won not only the Iron Cross, but also the Silver Wound Badge
and the Austro-Hungarian MMC
and Pfalz
fighters. Their squadron's basic paint scheme featured a black and white band circling the fuselage just aft of the cockpit, along with striped elevators.
It would begin to switch to Fokker D.VII
s in the early Summer of 1918.
Luftstreitkräfte
The Deutsche Luftstreitkräfte , known before October 1916 as Die Fliegertruppen des deutschen Kaiserreiches , or simply Die Fliegertruppen, was the air arm of the Imperial German Army during World War I...
, which was the forerunner to the Luftwaffe
Luftwaffe
Luftwaffe is a generic German term for an air force. It is also the official name for two of the four historic German air forces, the Wehrmacht air arm founded in 1935 and disbanded in 1946; and the current Bundeswehr air arm founded in 1956....
. As one of the original German fighter squadrons, the unit would score 148 verified aerial victories, including at least 30 destructions of enemy observation balloons.
In turn, their casualties for the war would amount to eight pilots killed in action
Killed in action
Killed in action is a casualty classification generally used by militaries to describe the deaths of their own forces at the hands of hostile forces. The United States Department of Defense, for example, says that those declared KIA need not have fired their weapons but have been killed due to...
, six wounded in action
Wounded in action
Wounded in action describes soldiers who have been wounded while fighting in a combat zone during war time, but have not been killed. Typically it implies that they are temporarily or permanently incapable of bearing arms or continuing to fight....
, and one fallen prisoner of war
Prisoner of war
A prisoner of war or enemy prisoner of war is a person, whether civilian or combatant, who is held in custody by an enemy power during or immediately after an armed conflict...
.
History
Jagdstaffel 21 was founded on 25 October 1916, drawing from FA 40 and Kagohl 7 for its initial assignment of men. It was mobilized on 6 December 1916. It suffered its first casualty on 10 February 1917, and scored its first victory on 24 March 1917. It would serve through war's end. Two of its members would soldier on after war's end, and eventually wear general's stars in the Luftwaffe.StaffelführerStaffelführerStaffelführer was one of the first paramilitary ranks used by the German Schutzstaffel in the early years of that group’s existence...
s (Commanding officers)
1 Richard Schlieben: 15 November 1916 - 26 May 19172 Eduard Ritter von Schleich
Eduard Ritter von Schleich
Eduard Ritter von Schleich , née Eduard-Maria Joseph Schleich was a high scoring Bavarian flying ace of World War I. He was credited with 35 aerial victories at the end of the war...
: 26 May 1917 - 23 October 1917
3 Oskar Freiherr von Boenigk
Oskar Freiherr von Boenigk
Generalmajor Oskar Freiherr von Boenigk began his military career during World War I as a fighter ace credited with 26 victories...
: 23 October 1917 - 27 August 1918
4 Josef Schulte: 27 August 1918 - 11 November 1918
Aerodromes
1 AFP 3: 25 October 1916 - 15 November 19162 Neuflize
Neuflize
Neuflize is a commune in the Ardennes department in northern France.-External links:* * * *...
, France: 15 November 1916 - 1 July 1917
3 Chassogne Ferme, Verdun, France: 1 July 1917 - 26 December 1917
4 Saint-Loup
Saint-Loup
Saint-Loup is the name or part of the name of several communes in France:*Saint-Loup, Allier, in the Allier département*Saint-Loup, Charente-Maritime, in the Charente-Maritime département...
, France: 26 December 1917 - 10 January 1918
5 Saint-Mards
Saint-Mards
Saint-Mards is a commune in the Seine-Maritime department in the Haute-Normandie region in northern France.-Geography:A small farming village situated by the banks of the Vienne river in the Pays de Caux, at the junction of the D23 and the D76 roads, some south of Dieppe.-Population:-External...
, France: 10 January 1918 - 18 May 1918
6 Sissonne
Sissonne
Sissonne is a commune in the Aisne department in Picardy in northern France.-Population:...
, France: 18 May 1918 - 6 June 1918
7 Boncourt
Boncourt
Boncourt may refer to:*places in France:**Boncourt, Aisne, in the Aisne département**Boncourt, Eure, in the Eure département**Boncourt, Eure-et-Loir, in the Eure-et-Loir département...
, France: 6 June 1918 - 23 September 1918
8 Sissonne: 23 September 1918 - 11 October 1918
9 Plomion
Plomion
Plomion is a commune in the Aisne department in Picardy in northern France.-Population:-Sport:Plomion has been host to the French Sidecarcross Grand Prix in the past and will be hosting it again in 2010, on 2 May....
, France: 11 October 1918 - 11 November 1918
Notable members
Jasta 21 was fortunate to spend most of its existence under a pair of leaders worthy of the Pour le MeritePour le Mérite
The Pour le Mérite, known informally as the Blue Max , was the Kingdom of Prussia's highest military order for German soldiers until the end of World War I....
and Iron Cross
Iron Cross
The Iron Cross is a cross symbol typically in black with a white or silver outline that originated after 1219 when the Kingdom of Jerusalem granted the Teutonic Order the right to combine the Teutonic Black Cross placed above a silver Cross of Jerusalem....
: Eduard Ritter von Schleich and Oskar Freiherr von Boenigk;
the former also rated the Military Order of Max Joseph
Military Order of Max Joseph
The Military Order of Max Joseph was the highest purely military order of the Kingdom of Bavaria. It was founded on 1 January 1806 by Maximilian I Joseph of Bavaria, the first king of Bavaria...
. Both would continue their military careers postwar, and ascend into the ranks of the generals.
The unit also had a third Blue Max
Pour le Mérite
The Pour le Mérite, known informally as the Blue Max , was the Kingdom of Prussia's highest military order for German soldiers until the end of World War I....
in its ranks in Karl Thom
Karl Thom
Leutnant Karl Thom , was a German World War I fighter ace credited with 27 victories. He was decorated with both his nation's highest decorations for valor, the Military Merit Cross as an enlisted soldier, and the Pour le Mérite after he was commissioned as an officer...
, who also had won the MMC
Military Merit Cross (Prussia)
The Military Merit Cross was the highest bravery award of the Kingdom of Prussia for non-commissioned officers and enlisted soldiers. It was also known as the Golden Military Merit Cross to distinguish it from the Military Decoration 1st Class The Military Merit Cross (Militär-Verdienstkreuz)...
, Royal House Order of Hohenzollern, and Iron Cross
Iron Cross
The Iron Cross is a cross symbol typically in black with a white or silver outline that originated after 1219 when the Kingdom of Jerusalem granted the Teutonic Order the right to combine the Teutonic Black Cross placed above a silver Cross of Jerusalem....
.Emil Thuy
Emil Thuy
Emil Thuy , Pour le Merite, Württemberg's Order of Military Merit, House Order of Hohenzollern, Iron Cross First and Second Class, was one of the leading German fighter aces of World War I, with 35 victories...
made the fourth Pour le Merite owner in the squadron; he also had the Hohenzollern and Iron Cross.
There was a little coterie of balloon aces in Jasta 21. Foremost was Fritz Höhn
Fritz Höhn
Leutnant Fritz Höhn was a German World War I fighter ace credited with 21 victories.-Early life and service:Fritz Höhn began his military service in the elite 7th Guards Infantry Regiment.-Aerial service:...
, Hohenzollern and Iron Cross, although Max Kuhn and Heinrich Haasewere also balloon buster
Balloon buster
Balloon busters were military pilots known for destroying enemy observation balloons. These pilots were noted for their fearlessness. Seventy-six fighter pilots in World War I were each credited with destroying five or more balloons, and thus were balloon aces....
aces.
Also notable in the squadron were Rudolf Matthaei
Rudolf Matthaei
Leutnant Rudolf Matthaei was a World War I flying ace credited with ten aerial victories.Matthaei joined Saxon Field Artillery Regiment No. 46 as an officer candidate on 13 February 1913. His first wartime service was in France. He was commissioned on 23 April 1915. He shipped out with his regiment...
, the Iron Cross winner who would move on to successfully command Jasta 46, and Werner Wagener
Werner Wagener
Leutnant Werner Wagener was a World War I flying ace credited with five aerial victories.-References:...
, who won not only the Iron Cross, but also the Silver Wound Badge
Wound Badge
Wound Badge was a German military award for wounded or frost-bitten soldiers of Imperial German Army in World War I, the Reichswehr between the wars, and the Wehrmacht, SS and the auxiliary service organizations during the Second World War. After March 1943, due to the increasing number of Allied...
and the Austro-Hungarian MMC
Military Merit Cross (Austria-Hungary)
The Military Merit Cross was a decoration of the Empire of Austria and, after the establishment of the Dual Monarchy in 1867, the Empire of Austria-Hungary. It was first established on October 22, 1849 and underwent several revisions to its design and award criteria over the years of its existence...
Aircraft
The squadron used both AlbatrosAlbatros Flugzeugwerke
Albatros-Flugzeugwerke was a German aircraft manufacturer best known for supplying the German airforces during World War I.The company was based in Johannisthal, Berlin, where it was founded by Walter Huth and Otto Wiener on December 20, 1909. It produced some of the most capable fighter aircraft...
and Pfalz
Pfalz Flugzeugwerke
Pfalz Flugzeugwerke was a World War I German aircraft manufacturer, located at the Speyer airfield in the Palatinate . They are best known for their series of fighters, notably the Pfalz D.III and Pfalz D.XII...
fighters. Their squadron's basic paint scheme featured a black and white band circling the fuselage just aft of the cockpit, along with striped elevators.
It would begin to switch to Fokker D.VII
Fokker D.VII
The Fokker D.VII was a German World War I fighter aircraft designed by Reinhold Platz of the Fokker-Flugzeugwerke. Germany produced around 3,300 D.VII aircraft in the summer and autumn of 1918. In service, the D.VII quickly proved itself to be a formidable aircraft...
s in the early Summer of 1918.