Jagdstaffel 32
Encyclopedia
Royal Bavarian Jagdstaffel 32, commonly abbreviated to Jasta 32, was a World War I "hunting group" (i.e., fighter squadron) of the Luftstreitkräfte
, which was the forerunner to the Luftwaffe
. The unit would score 41 aerial victories during the war, including four enemy observation balloons. In turn, they would suffer the expense of eight killed in action, five killed in flying accidents, four wounded in action, two injured in accidents, and one taken prisoner of war.
. It was operational by 22 February 1917. It would not score its first aerial victory until 4 July 1917. By September, it had been assigned to Jagdgruppe von Braun.
Jasta 32 moved to the 17 Armee
front in March 1918 as part of Jagdgruppe 8. A change to Jagdgruppe 4 followed in September 1918. It ended its war in support of 2 Armee. The squadron disbanded ten days after war's end, on 21 November 1918, at FEA 2, Furth
.
on 16 March 1917
2 Bartholomäus Schröder: 17 March 1917 - 30 June 1917
3 Otto Schmidt
: transferred in from Jasta 7
on 30 June 1917 - transferred out to Jasta 29 on 19 August 1917
4 Hans Auer: 19 August 1917 - 19 October 1917
5 Eduard Ritter von Schleich
: 23 October 1917 - 10 January 1918
6 Johann Czermak: 10 January 1918 - 23 July 1918
7 Emil Koch (WIA): 23 July 1918 - wounded in action
24 October 1918
8 Hans Böhning
: 1 November 1918 - 11 November 1918
2 Brulange
: 22 February 1917 - 9 March 1917
3 Chéry-lès-Pouilly
: 9 March 1917 - June 1917
4 Avanson: June 1917 - 30 June 1917
5 Landreville
: 30 June 1917 - 21 September 1917
6 Boulin
Ferme: 21 September 1917 - 20 October 1917
7 Chéry-les-Pouilly: 21 October 1917 - 1 February 1918
8 Guesnain
: 1 February 1918 - 28 March 1918
9 Favreuil
, Bapaume: 28 March 1918 - 18 April 1918
10 Epinoy
: 18 April 1918 - 8 August 1918
11 Villers-au-Tertre
: 8 August 1918 - 28 August 1918
12 Villers-St.-Armand: 28 August 1918 - 29 September 1918
13 Bühl
: 29 September 1918 - 12 October 1918
14 Harmigniers: 12 October 1918 - 28 October 1918
15 Gosselies
: 28 October 1918 - 11 November 1918
16 Trier
: 11 November 1918
17 Furth: Disbanded on 21 November 1918.
was the most notable of the aces who served in Jasta 32. He won his second through eighth victories with the squadron, before he left to command Jasta 66 and win the Blue Max
. He was unique in that he was the only pilot of the war to win the Prussian Order of the Crown
, Fourth Class with Swords.
Eduard Ritter von Schleich was another Blue Max winner; he either commanded Jasta 32 or the Jagdgruppes (fighter wings) to which it belonged, for almost a year of the squadron's short existence, although he won no victories flying with the unit. Hans Böhning
was another honored ace who commanded the unit without scoring, although his window of opportunity was only ten days.
Other flying aces who served with the squadron included Hans Auer, Otto Schmidt
, Fritz Kieckhäfer, Hans Rolfes
, Helmut Brünig, Arno Benzler
, and Emil Koch.
Markings generally included engine cowlings painted Bavarian blue on the Jasta's airplanes. Schleich's aircraft were exceptional; they were all-black.
shifted to Avancon and support of 7 Armee. By September, it had been assigned to Jagdgruppe von Braun, along with Jasta 13
, Jasta 14
, Jasta 16
, Jasta 21, Jasta 22, Jasta 23, and Jasta 34. It switched to support 17 Armee
as part of Jagdgruppe 8, commanded by von Schleich; Jasta 23, Jasta 35, and Jasta 39 also belonged to JG 8. By the end of September, Jasta 32 was based at Buhl as part of Jagdgruppe 4, which was then commanded by von Schleich, and also contained Jastas 23, 34, and 35. Jasta 32 spent the last two months of the war, October and November 1918, in support of 2 Armee. It moved to Trier on the final day of the war.
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....
. The unit would score 41 aerial victories during the war, including four enemy observation balloons. In turn, they would suffer the expense of eight killed in action, five killed in flying accidents, four wounded in action, two injured in accidents, and one taken prisoner of war.
History
Royal Bavarian Jagdstaffel 32 was formed on 14 December 1916 at FEA 9 in DarmstadtDarmstadt
Darmstadt is a city in the Bundesland of Hesse in Germany, located in the southern part of the Rhine Main Area.The sandy soils in the Darmstadt area, ill-suited for agriculture in times before industrial fertilisation, prevented any larger settlement from developing, until the city became the seat...
. It was operational by 22 February 1917. It would not score its first aerial victory until 4 July 1917. By September, it had been assigned to Jagdgruppe von Braun.
Jasta 32 moved to the 17 Armee
17th Army (Germany)
The German Seventeenth Army was a World War II field army.-Commanding officers:* General der Infanterie Carl-Heinrich von Stülpnagel * Generaloberst Hermann Hoth...
front in March 1918 as part of Jagdgruppe 8. A change to Jagdgruppe 4 followed in September 1918. It ended its war in support of 2 Armee. The squadron disbanded ten days after war's end, on 21 November 1918, at FEA 2, Furth
Furth
Furth is the name of several communes in Germany and Austria*Furth im Wald, Bavaria*Furth, Lower Bavaria, Bavaria*Furth an der Triesting, Lower Austria*Furth bei Göttweig, Lower Austria...
.
Staffelführers (Commanding officers)
1 Heinrich Schwandner: transferred in from Shutzstaffel 27 on 23 February 1917 - killed in actionKilled 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...
on 16 March 1917
2 Bartholomäus Schröder: 17 March 1917 - 30 June 1917
3 Otto Schmidt
Otto Schmidt
Otto Yulyevich Schmidt was a Soviet scientist, mathematician, astronomer, geophysicist, statesman, academician, Hero of the USSR , and member of the Communist Party.-Biography:He was born in Mogilev, Russian Empire...
: transferred in from Jasta 7
Jasta 7
Royal Prussian Jagdstaffel 7 was a World War I "hunting group" of the Luftstreitkräfte, which was the forerunner to the Luftwaffe...
on 30 June 1917 - transferred out to Jasta 29 on 19 August 1917
4 Hans Auer: 19 August 1917 - 19 October 1917
5 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...
: 23 October 1917 - 10 January 1918
6 Johann Czermak: 10 January 1918 - 23 July 1918
7 Emil Koch (WIA): 23 July 1918 - 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....
24 October 1918
8 Hans Böhning
Hans Böhning
Leutnant Hans Böhning was a German World War flying ace credited with 17 aerial victories. He served originally in artillery, but made the transition to aviation in 1916. He began his flying career with FA 290, which was an artillery cooperation unit. He survived an accident on 17 July 1917....
: 1 November 1918 - 11 November 1918
Aerodromes
1 Darmstadt, Germany: 14 December 1916 - 21 February 19172 Brulange
Brulange
Brulange is a commune in the Moselle department in Lorraine in north-eastern France....
: 22 February 1917 - 9 March 1917
3 Chéry-lès-Pouilly
Chéry-lès-Pouilly
Chéry-lès-Pouilly is a commune in the Aisne department in Picardy in northern France.-Population:-References:*...
: 9 March 1917 - June 1917
4 Avanson: June 1917 - 30 June 1917
5 Landreville
Landreville
Landreville is a commune in the Aube department in north-central France.-Population:...
: 30 June 1917 - 21 September 1917
6 Boulin
Boulin
Boulin is a commune in the Hautes-Pyrénées department in south-western France.-References:*...
Ferme: 21 September 1917 - 20 October 1917
7 Chéry-les-Pouilly: 21 October 1917 - 1 February 1918
8 Guesnain
Guesnain
Guesnain is a commune in the Nord department in northern France.-Heraldry:-References:*...
: 1 February 1918 - 28 March 1918
9 Favreuil
Favreuil
Favreuil is a commune in the Pas-de-Calais department in the Nord-Pas-de-Calais region of France.-Geography:A farming village situated south of Arras, at the junction of the D36E and D10E roads.-Population:-Places of interest:...
, Bapaume: 28 March 1918 - 18 April 1918
10 Epinoy
Épinoy
Épinoy is a commune in the Pas-de-Calais department in the Nord-Pas-de-Calais region of France.-Geography:A farming village situated southeast of Arras at the junction of the N43 and D21 roads.-Population:-Places of interest:* Traces of an old castle....
: 18 April 1918 - 8 August 1918
11 Villers-au-Tertre
Villers-au-Tertre
-Unwelcome fame:Villers-au-Tertre hit the headlines at the end of July 2010 because the new owner of a house in the village, while trying to plant a tree, found the bones of two newly born children buried in the garden. Subsequently six more bodies were discovered at the recently acquired home of...
: 8 August 1918 - 28 August 1918
12 Villers-St.-Armand: 28 August 1918 - 29 September 1918
13 Bühl
Bühl
- Place name :* Bühl , in the district Rastatt, Germany* Bühl bei Aarberg, in the Canton of Bern, Switzerland* Sportplatz Bühl, Schaffhausen, Switzerland- See also :* Buhl * Buel...
: 29 September 1918 - 12 October 1918
14 Harmigniers: 12 October 1918 - 28 October 1918
15 Gosselies
Gosselies
Gosselies is a section of the Belgian town of Charleroi within the Walloon region in the Province of Hainaut. It was a commune of its own before the merger of the communes in 1977. Gosselies is the home for the headquarters of Caterpillar Belgium, and Solar Turbines Europe....
: 28 October 1918 - 11 November 1918
16 Trier
Trier
Trier, historically called in English Treves is a city in Germany on the banks of the Moselle. It is the oldest city in Germany, founded in or before 16 BC....
: 11 November 1918
17 Furth: Disbanded on 21 November 1918.
Notable members
Rudolf WindischRudolf Windisch
Leutnant Rudolf Friedrich Otto Windisch was a World War I fighter ace credited with 22 victories.-Early life and service:Rudolf Friedrich Otto Windisch was born in Dresden, Germany, the son of Bruno Windisch, who owned a pastry shop. During his childhood, Rudolf was very interested in aviation...
was the most notable of the aces who served in Jasta 32. He won his second through eighth victories with the squadron, before he left to command Jasta 66 and win the 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....
. He was unique in that he was the only pilot of the war to win the Prussian Order of the Crown
Order of the Crown (Prussia)
The Order of the Crown was Prussia's lowest ranking order of chivalry. Instituted in 1861 as an award equal in rank to the Order of the Red Eagle, it could only be awarded to commissioned officers , but there was a medal associated with the order which could be earned by non-commissioned officers...
, Fourth Class with Swords.
Eduard Ritter von Schleich was another Blue Max winner; he either commanded Jasta 32 or the Jagdgruppes (fighter wings) to which it belonged, for almost a year of the squadron's short existence, although he won no victories flying with the unit. Hans Böhning
Hans Böhning
Leutnant Hans Böhning was a German World War flying ace credited with 17 aerial victories. He served originally in artillery, but made the transition to aviation in 1916. He began his flying career with FA 290, which was an artillery cooperation unit. He survived an accident on 17 July 1917....
was another honored ace who commanded the unit without scoring, although his window of opportunity was only ten days.
Other flying aces who served with the squadron included Hans Auer, Otto Schmidt
Otto Schmidt
Otto Yulyevich Schmidt was a Soviet scientist, mathematician, astronomer, geophysicist, statesman, academician, Hero of the USSR , and member of the Communist Party.-Biography:He was born in Mogilev, Russian Empire...
, Fritz Kieckhäfer, Hans Rolfes
Hans Rolfes
Leutnant Hans Joachim Rolfes was a World War I flying ace credited with 17 confirmed and two unconfirmed aerial victories. He scored his first confirmed victory while with Royal Bavarian Jagdstaffel 32, on 6 July 1917...
, Helmut Brünig, Arno Benzler
Arno Benzler
Leutnant Arno Benzler was a First World War flying ace and aerial commander credited with nine confirmed aerial victories....
, and Emil Koch.
Aircraft
- Roland D.IIs were original equipment for Jasta 32
- AlbatrosAlbatros FlugzeugwerkeAlbatros-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...
fighters were also used by the unit
- Fokker Dr.IFokker Dr.IThe Fokker Dr.I Dreidecker was a World War I fighter aircraft built by Fokker-Flugzeugwerke. The Dr.I saw widespread service in the spring of 1918...
Triplanes came later
- Fokker D.VIIFokker D.VIIThe 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, the last of Jasta 32's assigned craft, were the premier fighter planes of the war
Markings generally included engine cowlings painted Bavarian blue on the Jasta's airplanes. Schleich's aircraft were exceptional; they were all-black.
Operations
After mobilization on 22 February 1917, the new squadron began operations in support of Armee-Abteilung 'A' Sector. On 1 June 1917, the JastaJasta
The Jagdstaffeln were specialized fighter squadrons in the Luftstreitkräfte during World War I.-Background:...
shifted to Avancon and support of 7 Armee. By September, it had been assigned to Jagdgruppe von Braun, along with Jasta 13
Jasta 13
Royal Prussian Jagdstaffel 13 was a World War I "hunting group" of the Luftstreitkräfte, which was the forerunner to the Luftwaffe...
, Jasta 14
Jasta 14
Jasta 14 was a hardcore band from Connecticut that existed from 1991 to 1996. Over the years it included members that went on to play in such bands as Hatebreed, Red Sparowes and Orthrelm.-Members:* Jamey Jasta* Mick Barr* Joel Chialastri* Greg Burns...
, Jasta 16
Jasta 16
Royal Bavarian Jagdstaffel 16 was a "hunting group" of the Luftstreitkräfte, which was the World War I forerunner to the Nazi Luftwaffe.-History:...
, Jasta 21, Jasta 22, Jasta 23, and Jasta 34. It switched to support 17 Armee
17th Army (Germany)
The German Seventeenth Army was a World War II field army.-Commanding officers:* General der Infanterie Carl-Heinrich von Stülpnagel * Generaloberst Hermann Hoth...
as part of Jagdgruppe 8, commanded by von Schleich; Jasta 23, Jasta 35, and Jasta 39 also belonged to JG 8. By the end of September, Jasta 32 was based at Buhl as part of Jagdgruppe 4, which was then commanded by von Schleich, and also contained Jastas 23, 34, and 35. Jasta 32 spent the last two months of the war, October and November 1918, in support of 2 Armee. It moved to Trier on the final day of the war.