Werner Schröer
Encyclopedia
Werner Schröer was a German
World War II
fighter ace
who served in the Luftwaffe
from 1937, initially as a member of the ground staff, until the end of World War II
in Europe on 8 May 1945. A flying ace or fighter ace is a military aviator
credited with shooting down five or more enemy aircraft
during aerial combat. Schröer was also a recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves and Swords. The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross and its higher grade Oak Leaves and Swords was awarded to recognise extreme battlefield bravery or successful military leadership.
(JG 27) operating over the Channel and Southern England. In March 1941, I./JG 27 was sent to North Africa to support the Afrika Korps
. Schröer's first victory was a Hurricane on 19 April 1941, although he force-landed his Bf 109-E near his airfield. On 21 April while combatting Hurricanes, he collided with another aircraft, slightly injuring him and requiring a forced-landing. On August 29, 1941 Schröer engaged in aerial combat with Clive Caldwell
of No. 250 Squadron RAF
but was an RAAF pilot north-west of Sidi Barrani
. In the course of the battle Schröer damaged Caldwell's P-40 Tomahawk. Caldwell suffered bullet wounds to the back, left shoulder, and leg but was still able to shoot down Werner Schroer's wingman and heavily damage Werner's own aircraft and thus forced him to disengage. By December 1941 his score was seven.
In March 1942, he became Adjutant in I./JG 27 before posting as Staffelkapitän
of 8./JG 27 in June. In September he was awarded the Deutsches Kreuz
in Gold. He then claimed 13 enemy aircraft in September (including six on 15 September) to bring his total to 40. However, German pilots in North Africa may have significantly over-reported kills on 15 September 1942; DAF squadron records suggest that German units over-claimed by a margin exceeding 200% on some occasions.
Leutnant Schröer was awarded the Ritterkreuz on 21 October for 49 victories. On 4 November, Schröer shot down two B-24 bombers.
Hauptmann Schröer became Gruppenkommandeur
of II./JG 27 in April 1943. Operating over Sicily
and southern Italy, Schröer claimed 22 Allied aircraft shot down, including 12 four-engined heavy bombers.
On 2 August, he received the Eichenlaub, for 84 victories.
In August 1943, II./JG 27 was transferred to Wiesbaden-Erbenheim in Germany for Reichsverteidigung (Defense of the Reich
) duties. On 6 September, four bombers were claimed shot down by II./JG 27, three of which were claimed by Schröer.
On January 7, 1944 Schröer is credited with the destruction of a P-38 Lightning
piloted by Joseph P. Marsiglia (55th Fighter Group, 338th Fighter Squadron). Marsiglia had to bail out and was apprehended near Holz in the district of Saarbrücken
.
In March 1944, Major Schröer was appointed Gruppenkommandeur, III./Jagdgeschwader 54
(JG 54), based at Lüneberg. On 24 May, Schröer claimed a P-51 and two P-47s for 100-102 claims total. On 21 July 1944, Schröer was transferred to a fighter pilot school as an instructor.
In February 1945, Schröer was appointed Geschwaderkommodore
of Jagdgeschwader 3
(JG 3). He then claimed 12 Russian aircraft destroyed. On 19 April 1945 he received the Schwertern. He died on 10 February 1985 in Ottobrunn
, aged 67.
Werner Schröer was a recipient of the Knight's Cross with Oak Leaves and Swords
. He was credited with 114 victories, claimed in 197 combat missions. 102 of his victories were scored against the Western Allies, including 61 claimed over North Africa
, and 26 four-engined bombers.
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
fighter ace
Fighter Ace
Fighter Ace was a massively multiplayer online computer game in which one flies World War II fighter and bomber planes in combat against other players and virtual pilots...
who served in 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....
from 1937, initially as a member of the ground staff, until the end of World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
in Europe on 8 May 1945. A flying ace or fighter ace is a military aviator
Military aviation
Military aviation is the use of aircraft and other flying machines for the purposes of conducting or enabling warfare, including national airlift capacity to provide logistical supply to forces stationed in a theater or along a front. Air power includes the national means of conducting such...
credited with shooting down five or more enemy aircraft
Aircraft
An aircraft is a vehicle that is able to fly by gaining support from the air, or, in general, the atmosphere of a planet. An aircraft counters the force of gravity by using either static lift or by using the dynamic lift of an airfoil, or in a few cases the downward thrust from jet engines.Although...
during aerial combat. Schröer was also a recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves and Swords. The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross and its higher grade Oak Leaves and Swords was awarded to recognise extreme battlefield bravery or successful military leadership.
Military career
In August 1940 Schröer joined 2./Jagdgeschwader 27Jagdgeschwader 27
Jagdgeschwader 27 Afrika was a World War II Luftwaffe Geschwader. It was most famous for service in the North African Campaign, supporting the Deutsches Afrikakorps.- Formation:...
(JG 27) operating over the Channel and Southern England. In March 1941, I./JG 27 was sent to North Africa to support the Afrika Korps
Afrika Korps
The German Africa Corps , or the Afrika Korps as it was popularly called, was the German expeditionary force in Libya and Tunisia during the North African Campaign of World War II...
. Schröer's first victory was a Hurricane on 19 April 1941, although he force-landed his Bf 109-E near his airfield. On 21 April while combatting Hurricanes, he collided with another aircraft, slightly injuring him and requiring a forced-landing. On August 29, 1941 Schröer engaged in aerial combat with Clive Caldwell
Clive Caldwell
Group Captain Clive Robertson Caldwell DSO, DFC & Bar was the leading Australian air ace of World War II. He is officially credited with shooting down 28.5 enemy aircraft in over 300 operational sorties. In addition to his official score, he has been ascribed six probables and 15 damaged...
of No. 250 Squadron RAF
No. 250 Squadron RAF
No. 250 squadron RAF was an aircraft squadron of the Royal Air Force during World War II.It operated Kittyhawk IIIs out of southern Italy in 1943-44....
but was an RAAF pilot north-west of Sidi Barrani
Sidi Barrani
Sidi Barrani is a town in Egypt, near the Mediterranean Sea, about east of the border with Libya, and around from Tobruk, Libya.Probably named after Sidi Mohammed el Barrani, a Senussi fighter in the early 1900s, the village is mainly a Bedouin community...
. In the course of the battle Schröer damaged Caldwell's P-40 Tomahawk. Caldwell suffered bullet wounds to the back, left shoulder, and leg but was still able to shoot down Werner Schroer's wingman and heavily damage Werner's own aircraft and thus forced him to disengage. By December 1941 his score was seven.
In March 1942, he became Adjutant in I./JG 27 before posting as Staffelkapitän
Staffelkapitän
Staffelkapitän is a position in flying units of the German Luftwaffe that is the equivalent of RAF/USAF Squadron Commander. Usually today a Staffelkapitän is of Oberstleutnant or Major rank....
of 8./JG 27 in June. In September he was awarded the Deutsches Kreuz
German Cross
The German Cross was instituted by Adolf Hitler on 17 November 1941 as an award ranking higher than the Iron Cross First Class but below the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross respectively ranking higher than the War Merit Cross First Class with Swords but below the Knight's Cross of the War Merit...
in Gold. He then claimed 13 enemy aircraft in September (including six on 15 September) to bring his total to 40. However, German pilots in North Africa may have significantly over-reported kills on 15 September 1942; DAF squadron records suggest that German units over-claimed by a margin exceeding 200% on some occasions.
Leutnant Schröer was awarded the Ritterkreuz on 21 October for 49 victories. On 4 November, Schröer shot down two B-24 bombers.
Hauptmann Schröer became Gruppenkommandeur
Gruppenkommandeur
Gruppenkommandeur is a Luftwaffe position , that is the equivalent of a commander of a group or wing in other air forces. Gruppenkommandeur usually has the rank of Hauptmann or Major, and commands a Gruppe, which is a sub-division of a Geschwader. A Gruppe usually consists of three or four...
of II./JG 27 in April 1943. Operating over Sicily
Sicily
Sicily is a region of Italy, and is the largest island in the Mediterranean Sea. Along with the surrounding minor islands, it constitutes an autonomous region of Italy, the Regione Autonoma Siciliana Sicily has a rich and unique culture, especially with regard to the arts, music, literature,...
and southern Italy, Schröer claimed 22 Allied aircraft shot down, including 12 four-engined heavy bombers.
On 2 August, he received the Eichenlaub, for 84 victories.
In August 1943, II./JG 27 was transferred to Wiesbaden-Erbenheim in Germany for Reichsverteidigung (Defense of the Reich
Defense of the Reich
The Defence of the Reich is the name given to the strategic defensive aerial campaign fought by the Luftwaffe over German occupied Europe and Germany itself during World War II. Its aim was to prevent the destruction of German military and civil industries by the Western Allies...
) duties. On 6 September, four bombers were claimed shot down by II./JG 27, three of which were claimed by Schröer.
On January 7, 1944 Schröer is credited with the destruction of a P-38 Lightning
P-38 Lightning
The Lockheed P-38 Lightning was a World War II American fighter aircraft built by Lockheed. Developed to a United States Army Air Corps requirement, the P-38 had distinctive twin booms and a single, central nacelle containing the cockpit and armament...
piloted by Joseph P. Marsiglia (55th Fighter Group, 338th Fighter Squadron). Marsiglia had to bail out and was apprehended near Holz in the district of Saarbrücken
Saarbrücken (district)
The Regionalverband Saarbrücken is a Kommunalverband besonderer Art, an integration of a district and a district-free town. It is located in the south of the Saarland, Germany...
.
In March 1944, Major Schröer was appointed Gruppenkommandeur, III./Jagdgeschwader 54
Jagdgeschwader 54
Jagdgeschwader 54 Grünherz was a Luftwaffe fighter wing during the Second World War. It was known as the Green Hearts Wing, and it was the second highest scoring wing of all time, JG 52 being the highest...
(JG 54), based at Lüneberg. On 24 May, Schröer claimed a P-51 and two P-47s for 100-102 claims total. On 21 July 1944, Schröer was transferred to a fighter pilot school as an instructor.
In February 1945, Schröer was appointed Geschwaderkommodore
Geschwaderkommodore
Geschwaderkommodore is a Luftwaffe position , originating during World War II, that is the equivalent of a RAF Group Commander or USAF Wing Commander. A Geschwaderkommodore is usually of Oberstleutnant or Oberst rank...
of Jagdgeschwader 3
Jagdgeschwader 3
Jagdgeschwader 3 Udet was a Luftwaffe fighter-wing of World War II. The Geschwader operated on all the German fronts in the European Theatre of World War II. It was named after Ernst Udet in 1942.-Campaign in the West :...
(JG 3). He then claimed 12 Russian aircraft destroyed. On 19 April 1945 he received the Schwertern. He died on 10 February 1985 in Ottobrunn
Ottobrunn
Ottobrunn is a municipality southeast of Munich, Bavaria, Germany, founded in 1955. Ottobrunn consists of mainly semi-detached and detached houses, and lots of gardens...
, aged 67.
Werner Schröer was a recipient of the Knight's Cross with Oak Leaves and Swords
Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross
The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross was a grade of the 1939 version of the 1813 created Iron Cross . The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross was the highest award of Germany to recognize extreme battlefield bravery or successful military leadership during World War II...
. He was credited with 114 victories, claimed in 197 combat missions. 102 of his victories were scored against the Western Allies, including 61 claimed over North Africa
North Africa
North Africa or Northern Africa is the northernmost region of the African continent, linked by the Sahara to Sub-Saharan Africa. Geopolitically, the United Nations definition of Northern Africa includes eight countries or territories; Algeria, Egypt, Libya, Morocco, South Sudan, Sudan, Tunisia, and...
, and 26 four-engined bombers.
Awards
- Wound BadgeWound BadgeWound 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...
in Black - Front Flying Clasp of the LuftwaffeFront Flying Clasp of the LuftwaffeThe Front Flying Clasp of the Luftwaffe was awarded in Bronze, Silver, and Gold with upgrade possible to include diamonds. Pennants suspended from the clasp indicated the number of missions obtained in a given type of aircraft...
in Gold- in Silver (15 September 1941)
- in Gold (15 September 1942)
- Combined Pilots-Observation BadgeCombined Pilots-Observation BadgeCombined Pilots-Observation Badge was a German military award instituted on 26 March 1936 by the Commander in Chief of the Luftwaffe Hermann Göring to commemorate soldiers or servicemen who had already been awarded the Pilot's badge or Observer badge...
- Ehrenpokal der LuftwaffeEhrenpokal der LuftwaffeThe Ehrenpokal der Luftwaffe was a Luftwaffe award established on February 27, 1940 by Reichsmarschall Hermann Göring, the Reich Minister of Aviation and Commander in Chief of the Luftwaffe. It was officially known as the Ehrenpokal "für besondere Leistung im Luftkrieg", or Honor Goblet "For...
(6 August 1942) - Italian Silver Medal of Military ValorSilver Medal of Military ValorThe Silver Medal of Military Valor is an Italian medal for gallantry.Italian medals for valor were first instituted by Victor Amadeus III of Sardinia on May 21, 1793, with a gold medal, and, below it, a silver medal...
- German CrossGerman CrossThe German Cross was instituted by Adolf Hitler on 17 November 1941 as an award ranking higher than the Iron Cross First Class but below the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross respectively ranking higher than the War Merit Cross First Class with Swords but below the Knight's Cross of the War Merit...
in Gold on 9 September 1942 as Leutnant in the III./JG 27 - Iron CrossIron CrossThe 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....
(1939)- 2nd class (19 April 1941)
- 1st class (15 September 1941)
- Knight's Cross with Oak Leaves and SwordsKnight's Cross of the Iron CrossThe Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross was a grade of the 1939 version of the 1813 created Iron Cross . The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross was the highest award of Germany to recognize extreme battlefield bravery or successful military leadership during World War II...
- Knight's Cross on 20 October 1942 as Leutnant (war officer) and StaffelführerStaffelkapitänStaffelkapitän is a position in flying units of the German Luftwaffe that is the equivalent of RAF/USAF Squadron Commander. Usually today a Staffelkapitän is of Oberstleutnant or Major rank....
of the 8./JG 27 - 268th Oak Leaves on 2 August 1943 as HauptmannHauptmannHauptmann is a German word usually translated as captain when it is used as an officer's rank in the German, Austrian and Swiss armies. While "haupt" in contemporary German means "main", it also has the dated meaning of "head", i.e...
(war officer) and GruppenkommandeurGruppenkommandeurGruppenkommandeur is a Luftwaffe position , that is the equivalent of a commander of a group or wing in other air forces. Gruppenkommandeur usually has the rank of Hauptmann or Major, and commands a Gruppe, which is a sub-division of a Geschwader. A Gruppe usually consists of three or four...
of the II./JG 27 - (144th) Swords on 19 April 1945 as MajorMajor (Germany)Major is a rank of the German military which dates back to the Middle Ages.It equates to Major in the British and US Armies, and is rated OF-3 in NATO.During World War II, the SS equivalent was Sturmbannführer....
(war officer) and GeschwaderkommodoreGeschwaderkommodoreGeschwaderkommodore is a Luftwaffe position , originating during World War II, that is the equivalent of a RAF Group Commander or USAF Wing Commander. A Geschwaderkommodore is usually of Oberstleutnant or Oberst rank...
of JG 3 "Udet"
- Knight's Cross on 20 October 1942 as Leutnant (war officer) and Staffelführer