fbpx
Wikipedia

Ernst Süß

March 13, 2024

Ernst Süß (31 August 1912 – 20 December 1943) was a Luftwaffe fighter ace and recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross during World War II. During his career he was credited with 68 aerial victories.

Ernst Süß
Born(1912-08-31)31 August 1912
Possessern, Kingdom of Prussia (now Poland)
Died20 December 1943(1943-12-20) (aged 31)
Oldenburg, Nazi Germany
Allegiance Nazi Germany
Service/branch Luftwaffe
Years of service1939–43
RankOberleutnant (first lieutenant)
UnitJG 52, JG 50, JG 11
Commands held9./JG 52, 9./JG 11
Battles/wars
See battles

World War II

AwardsKnight's Cross of the Iron Cross

Career edit

Süß was born on 31 August 1912 in Possessern, at the time in East Prussia, province of the Kingdom of Prussia within the German Empire, present-day Pozezdrze in northern Poland.[1] As a reserve pilot, he was appointed to join 9./Jagdgeschwader 52 (JG 52—52nd Fighter Wing) as an Unteroffizier. With this unit he participated in the Battle of France and the Battle of Britain, without achieving any victory confirmed in this period.

The rise of General Ion Antonescu in Romania in 1940 led to a reorganization of his country's armed forces. In this, he was supported by a military mission from Germany, the Luftwaffenmission Rumänien (Luftwaffe Mission Romania) under the command of Generalleutnant (equivalent to major general) Wilhelm Speidel [de].[2][3] III. Gruppe of JG 52 was transferred to Bucharest in mid-October and temporarily renamed I. Gruppe of Jagdgeschwader 28 (JG 28—28th Fighter Wing) until 4 January 1941.[4] Its primary task was to train Romanian Air Force personnel.[2][5] Here, Süß joined the trio of Hermann Graf, Alfred Grislawski and Heinrich Füllgrabe. Later, Leopold Steinbatz and Edmund Roßmann joined as well.[2]

War against the Soviet Union edit

 
9. Staffel also known as the Karaya-Staffel

Following its brief deployment in the Balkan Campaign, III. Gruppe was back in Bucharest by mid-June.[5] There, the unit was again subordinated to the Luftwaffenmission Rumänien and reequipped with the new, more powerful Bf 109F-4 model. On 21 June, the Gruppe was ordered to Mizil in preparation of Operation Barbarossa, the German invasion of the Soviet Union. Its primary objective was to provide fighter protection for the oil fields and refineries at Ploiești.[6] Prior to the invasion, Major Gotthard Handrick was replaced by Major Albert Blumensaat as commander of III. Gruppe. Blumensaat was then replaced by Hauptmann Hubertus von Bonin on 1 October. At the time, von Bonin was still in convalescence so that Hauptmann Franz Höring, the commander of 9. Staffel, was also made the acting Gruppenkommandeur (group commander).[7]

In the months following the beginning of Operation Barbarossa, the 9./JG 52, later dubbed the Karaya Quartet, became one of the most successful units of the Luftwaffe. Süß flew alongside Graf, Grislawski and Füllgrabe. He claimed his first victory on 8 August 1941 and in the next twelve months, fighting in the Caucasus and the Battle of Stalingrad, Süß reached a series of victories against the Soviets, for which he was awarded the Honour Goblet of the Luftwaffe (Ehrenpokal der Luftwaffe) on 4 May 1942,[8] the German Cross in Gold (Deutsches Kreuz in Gold) on 29 June 1942. The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross (Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes) was awarded to him on 4 September 1942 following 50 aerial victories claimed.[9]

On 22 July 1942, the Geschwaderkommodore (wing commander) of JG 52, Major Herbert Ihlefeld, was severely injured in a flight accident and had to surrender command during his convalescence. In consequence, Major Gordon Gollob, the commander of Jagdgeschwader 77 (JG 77—77th Fighter Wing), temporarily took over command of JG 52 as acting Geschwaderkommodore. [10] On 17 August, Gollob was ordered dispatch one Schwarm, a flight of four aircraft, of every III. Gruppe squadron to the Don-bend. The pilots selected for this mission included Süß, Graf and Füllgrabe.[11]

In the spring of 1943, Süß was transferred to the Ergänzungsgruppe Ost, where he remained a long time as an instructor. With this unit he attained his 64th and last victory on the Eastern front on 31 May 1943.

Defense of the Reich edit

In response to political humiliation caused by de Havilland Mosquito bombing raids into Germany, Reichsmarschall Hermann Göring, the commander-in-chief of the Luftwaffe, ordered the formation of two specialized high-altitude Luftwaffe units. These units were Jagdgeschwader 25, commanded by Major Herbert Ihlefeld, and Jagdgeschwader 50, commanded by his friend Graf.[12][13][14][15] Graf was permitted to choose his personnel and had his friends Süß, Füllgrabe and Grislawski transferred from III. Gruppe of JG 52.[16][14]

Süß was made the Staffelkapitän (squadron leader) on 7 October 1943 of 9. Staffel of Jagdgeschwader 11.[17] This unit fought in the Defense of the Reich, with which he won his last four victories.

On 20 December 1943, the United States Army Air Forces (USAAF) bombed Bremen. In total 546 bombers, escorted by 491 escort fighters, targeted the port of Bremen. Defending against this attack, Süß shot down a Lockheed P-38 Lightning fighter but was himself shot down by USAAF fighters near Wardenburg, south of Oldenburg, in his Messerschmitt Bf 109 G-5 (Werknummer 15 709—factory number). Süß managed to bail out but was shot in his parachute by a USAAF pilot.[9][18][19]

Summary of career edit

Aerial victory claims edit

According to US historian David T. Zabecki, Süß was credited with 68 aerial victories.[20] Spick also lists Süß with 68 aerial victories claimed in an unknown number combat missions, 60 of which claimed on the Eastern Front.[21] Mathews and Foreman, authors of Luftwaffe Aces – Biographies and Victory Claims, researched the German Federal Archives and found records for 65 aerial victory claims, plus one further unconfirmed claim, all but one on the Eastern Front.[22]

Victory claims were logged to a map-reference (PQ = Planquadrat), for example "PQ 0683". 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.[23]

Chronicle of aerial victories
  This and the – (dash) indicates unconfirmed aerial victory claims for which Süß did not receive credit.
Claim Date Time Type Location Claim Date Time Type Location
– 9. Staffel of Jagdgeschwader 52 –[24]
Operation Barbarossa — 22 June – 5 December 1941
1 8 August 1941 18:45 I-16 5 km (3.1 mi) south of Kyiv[25] 4 30 October 1941 09:40 I-16[26]
2 27 September 1941 14:20 DB-3[27] 5 8 November 1941 11:56 I-26 (Yak-1)[26]
3 23 October 1941 13:40 Pe-2[28] 6 9 November 1941 14:32 I-16[26]
– 9. Staffel of Jagdgeschwader 52 –[24]
Eastern Front — 6 December 1941 – 28 April 1942
7 6 December 1941 10:58 I-16[29] 15 28 February 1942 11:20 V-11 (Il-2)[30]
8 7 January 1942 08:15 I-16[31] 16 1 March 1942 11:43 I-26 (Yak-1)[30]
9 16 February 1942 11:12 Su-2 (Seversky) Mal-Yablonovo[32] 17 26 March 1942 16:55 I-16[33]
10 19 February 1942 08:27 I-61 (MiG-3)[34] 18 27 March 1942 10:12 I-61 (MiG-3)[33]
11 19 February 1942 08:29 I-61 (MiG-3)[34] 19 28 March 1942 06:20 I-26 (Yak-1)[33]
12 19 February 1942 11:40 Su-2 (Seversky)[34] 20 6 April 1942 06:06 I-16[33]
13 20 February 1942 08:27 I-61 (MiG-3)[34] 21 8 April 1942 11:20 I-61 (MiG-3)[33]
14 23 February 1942 12:03 I-26 (Yak-1)[30]
– 9. Staffel of Jagdgeschwader 52 –[22]
Eastern Front — 29 April 1942 – 3 February 1943
22 30 April 1942 16:49 I-153[35] 43 27 June 1942 07:45 MiG-1[36]
23 8 May 1942 13:23 I-16[37] 44 20 July 1942 11:40 I-16[38]
24 8 May 1942 13:28 I-61 (MiG-3)[37] 45 24 July 1942 05:05 LaGG-3[38]
25 9 May 1942 12:25 MiG-1[39] 46 6 August 1942 07:00 Il-2 PQ 0683[38]
26 9 May 1942 12:35 I-15[39] 47 12 August 1942 16:56 I-16 PQ 85721[40]
vicinity of Svobodny
27 13 May 1942 07:43 MiG-1[39] 48 15 August 1942 16:40 Yak-1 PQ 85335[41]
east of Stawropoliskaja
28 13 May 1942 16:18 MiG-1[39] 49 16 August 1942 16:51 I-16 PQ 85321[41]
vicinity of Eriwanskaja
29 13 May 1942 16:20 MiG-1[39] 50 18 August 1942 07:05 I-153 PQ 75852[41]
east of Natukhayevskaya
30 14 May 1942 07:23 MiG-1[42] 51 24 August 1942 17:20 Yak-1 PQ 59173[43]
31 17 May 1942 03:50 MiG-1[42] 52 25 August 1942 11:45 Yak-1 PQ 49272[43]
10 km (6.2 mi) east of Stalingrad
—
 20 May 1942
—
 Su-2 (Seversky)[44] 53 31 August 1942 17:06 Yak-1 PQ 59252[45]
32 20 May 1942 17:33 Su-2 (Seversky)[44] 54 31 August 1942 17:12 Yak-1 PQ 59261[45]
33 28 May 1942 14:18 LaGG-3[44] 55 3 September 1942 15:55 Yak-1 PQ 59121[45]
34 29 May 1942 09:13 MiG-1[44] 56 4 September 1942 12:40 Yak-1 PQ 49317[46]
vicinity of Stalingrad
35 2 June 1942 08:29 MiG-1[47] 57 8 September 1942 15:15 Yak-1 PQ 49322[48]
vicinity of Stalingrad
36 2 June 1942 11:28 MiG-1[47] 58 1 November 1942 15:10 LaGG-3 PQ 44873[49]
37 6 June 1942 04:15 I-16[47] 59 1 November 1942 15:18 LaGG-3 PQ 44562[49]
38 9 June 1942 13:15 MiG-1[47] 60 5 November 1942 13:37 La-5 PQ 44953[50]
39 22 June 1942 06:40 MiG-1[51] 61 27 November 1942 10:15 I-16 PQ 44814[52]
40 22 June 1942 06:45 MiG-1[51] 62 5 December 1942 11:04 La-5 PQ 44732[52]
41 27 June 1942 07:20 MiG-1[36] 63 5 December 1942 13:23 Boston PQ 44724[52]
42 27 June 1942 07:40 MiG-1[36]
– 9. Staffel of Jagdgeschwader 52 –[53]
Eastern Front — May 1943
64 30 May 1943 15:48 B-25 PQ 34 Ost 76892[54]
vicinity of Kiyevskoye
– 9. Staffel of Jagdgeschwader 11 –[53]
Defense of the Reich — December 1943
65 11 December 1943 12:30 P-47[55] off Norddeich

Awards edit

Notes edit

  1. ^ According to Scherzer as pilot in the III./Jagdgeschwader 52.[59]

References edit

Citations edit

  1. ^ Obermaier 1989, p. 213.
  2. ^ a b c Bergström, Antipov & Sundin 2003, pp. 23–31.
  3. ^ Weal 2004, p. 54.
  4. ^ Weal 2004, p. 55.
  5. ^ a b Weal 2004, p. 56.
  6. ^ Prien et al. 2003, p. 53.
  7. ^ Prien et al. 2003, p. 65.
  8. ^ Barbas 2010, p. 284.
  9. ^ a b Schreier 1990, p. 182.
  10. ^ Prien et al. 2006, p. 379.
  11. ^ Bergström et al. 2006, p. 77.
  12. ^ Forsyth 2011, pp. 24–25.
  13. ^ Weal 1999, p. 4.
  14. ^ a b Weal 2006, p. 33.
  15. ^ Musciano 1989, p. 58.
  16. ^ Bergström, Antipov & Sundin 2003, pp. 165–174.
  17. ^ Prien & Rodeike 1994, pp. 589.
  18. ^ Prien & Rodeike 1994, pp. 564, 566, 617, 641.
  19. ^ Weal 2007, p. 62.
  20. ^ Zabecki 2014, p. 1616.
  21. ^ Spick 1996, p. 239.
  22. ^ a b Mathews & Foreman 2015, pp. 1297–1298.
  23. ^ Planquadrat.
  24. ^ a b Mathews & Foreman 2015, p. 1297.
  25. ^ Prien et al. 2003, p. 70.
  26. ^ a b c Prien et al. 2003, p. 76.
  27. ^ Prien et al. 2003, p. 72.
  28. ^ Prien et al. 2003, p. 74.
  29. ^ Prien et al. 2005, p. 153.
  30. ^ a b c Prien et al. 2005, p. 157.
  31. ^ Prien et al. 2005, p. 154.
  32. ^ Prien et al. 2005, p. 155.
  33. ^ a b c d e Prien et al. 2005, p. 158.
  34. ^ a b c d Prien et al. 2005, p. 156.
  35. ^ Prien et al. 2006, p. 542.
  36. ^ a b c Prien et al. 2006, p. 550.
  37. ^ a b Prien et al. 2006, p. 544.
  38. ^ a b c Prien et al. 2006, p. 551.
  39. ^ a b c d e Prien et al. 2006, p. 545.
  40. ^ Prien et al. 2006, p. 552.
  41. ^ a b c Prien et al. 2006, p. 553.
  42. ^ a b Prien et al. 2006, p. 546.
  43. ^ a b Prien et al. 2006, p. 554.
  44. ^ a b c d Prien et al. 2006, p. 547.
  45. ^ a b c Prien et al. 2006, p. 555.
  46. ^ Prien et al. 2006, p. 556.
  47. ^ a b c d Prien et al. 2006, p. 548.
  48. ^ Prien et al. 2006, p. 557.
  49. ^ a b Prien et al. 2006, p. 562.
  50. ^ Prien et al. 2006, p. 563.
  51. ^ a b Prien et al. 2006, p. 549.
  52. ^ a b c Prien et al. 2006, p. 564.
  53. ^ a b Mathews & Foreman 2015, p. 1298.
  54. ^ Prien et al. 2012, p. 482.
  55. ^ Prien & Rodeike 1994, p. 641.
  56. ^ Patzwall 2008, p. 202.
  57. ^ Patzwall & Scherzer 2001, p. 469.
  58. ^ Fellgiebel 2000, p. 417.
  59. ^ Scherzer 2007, p. 735.

Bibliography edit

  • Barbas, Bernd (2010). Die Geschichte der III. Gruppe des Jagdgeschwaders 52 [The History of 3rd Group of Fighter Wing 52] (in German). Eutin, Germany: Struve-Druck. ISBN 978-3-923457-94-6.
  • Bergström, Christer [in Swedish]. . Identifying a Luftwaffe Planquadrat. Archived from the original on 22 December 2018. Retrieved 11 January 2021.
  • Bergström, Christer [in Swedish]; Antipov, Vlad; Sundin, Claes (2003). Graf & Grislawski – A Pair of Aces. Hamilton MT: Eagle Editions. ISBN 978-0-9721060-4-7.
  • Bergström, Christer [in Swedish]; Dikov, Andrey; Antipov, Vlad; Sundin, Claes (2006). Black Cross / Red Star Air War Over the Eastern Front, Volume 3, Everything for Stalingrad. Hamilton MT: Eagle Editions. ISBN 978-0-9761034-4-8.
  • 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.
  • Forsyth, Robert (2011). Luftwaffe Viermot Aces 1942–45. Aircraft of the Aces. Vol. 101. Oxford, UK: Osprey Publishing. ISBN 978-1-84908-438-3.
  • Musciano, Walter (1989). Messerschmitt Aces. New York: Aero. ISBN 978-0-8306-8379-6.
  • Mathews, Andrew Johannes; Foreman, John (2015). Luftwaffe Aces — Biographies and Victory Claims — Volume 4 S–Z. Walton on Thames: Red Kite. ISBN 978-1-906592-21-9.
  • Obermaier, Ernst (1989). Die Ritterkreuzträger der Luftwaffe Jagdflieger 1939 – 1945 [The Knight's Cross Bearers of the Luftwaffe Fighter Force 1939 – 1945] (in German). Mainz, Germany: Verlag Dieter Hoffmann. ISBN 978-3-87341-065-7.
  • 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.
  • Patzwall, Klaus D. (2008). Der Ehrenpokal für besondere Leistung im Luftkrieg [The Honor Goblet for Outstanding Achievement in the Air War] (in German). Norderstedt, Germany: Verlag Klaus D. Patzwall. ISBN 978-3-931533-08-3.
  • Prien, Jochen; Rodeike, Peter (1994). Jagdgeschwader 1 und 11—Einsatz in der Reichsverteidigung von 1939 bis 1945—Teil 1—1939–1943 [Jagdgeschwader 1 and 11—Operations in the Defense of the Reich from 1939 to 1945—Volume 1—1939–1943] (in German). Eutin, Germany: Struve-Druck. ISBN 978-3-923457-21-2.
  • Prien, Jochen; Stemmer, Gerhard; Rodeike, Peter; Bock, Winfried (2003). Die Jagdfliegerverbände der Deutschen Luftwaffe 1934 bis 1945—Teil 6/II—Unternehmen "BARBAROSSA"—Einsatz im Osten—22.6. bis 5.12.1941 [The Fighter Units of the German Air Force 1934 to 1945—Part 6/II—Operation "BARBAROSSA"—Action in the East—22 June to 5 December 1941] (in German). Eutin, Germany: Struve-Druck. ISBN 978-3-923457-70-0.
  • Prien, Jochen; Stemmer, Gerhard; Rodeike, Peter; Bock, Winfried (2005). Die Jagdfliegerverbände der Deutschen Luftwaffe 1934 bis 1945—Teil 9/I—Winterkampf im Osten—6.12.1941 bis 30.4.1942 [The Fighter Units of the German Air Force 1934 to 1945—Part 9/I—Winter War in the East—6 December 1941 to 30 April 1942] (in German). Eutin, Germany: Struve-Druck. ISBN 978-3-923457-76-2.
  • Prien, Jochen; Stemmer, Gerhard; Rodeike, Peter; Bock, Winfried (2006). Die Jagdfliegerverbände der Deutschen Luftwaffe 1934 bis 1945—Teil 9/II—Vom Sommerfeldzug 1942 bis zur Niederlage von Stalingrad—1.5.1942 bis 3.2.1943 [The Fighter Units of the German Air Force 1934 to 1945—Part 9/II—From the 1942 Summer Campaign to the Defeat at Stalingrad—1 May 1942 to 3 February 1943] (in German). Eutin, Germany: Struve-Druck. ISBN 978-3-923457-77-9.
  • Prien, Jochen; Stemmer, Gerhard; Rodeike, Peter; Bock, Winfried (2012). Die Jagdfliegerverbände der Deutschen Luftwaffe 1934 bis 1945—Teil 12/II—Einsatz im Osten—4.2. bis 31.12.1943 [The Fighter Units of the German Air Force 1934 to 1945—Part 12/II—Action in the East—4 February to 31 December 1943] (in German). Eutin, Germany: Buchverlag Rogge. ISBN 978-3-942943-05-5.
  • 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.
  • Schreier, Hans (1990). JG 52 Das erfolgreichste Jagdgeschwader des 2. Weltkriegs [JG 52 The Most Successful Fighter Wing of World War II] (in German). Berg am See: K. Vowinckel. ISBN 978-3-921655-66-5.
  • Spick, Mike (1996). Luftwaffe Fighter Aces. New York: Ivy Books. ISBN 978-0-8041-1696-1.
  • Weal, John (1999). Bf 109F/G/K Aces of the Western Front. Oxford, UK: Osprey Publishing. ISBN 978-1-85532-905-8.
  • Weal, John (2004). Jagdgeschwader 52: The Experten. Aviation Elite Units. Vol. 15. Oxford, UK: Osprey Publishing. ISBN 978-1-84176-786-4.
  • Weal, John (2006). Bf 109 Defence of the Reich Aces. Aircraft of the Aces. Vol. 68. Oxford, UK: Osprey Publishing. ISBN 978-1-84176-879-3.
  • Weal, John (2007). More Bf 109 Aces of the Russian Front. Aircraft of the Aces. Vol. 76. Oxford, UK: Osprey Publishing. ISBN 978-1-84603-177-9.
  • Zabecki, David T., ed. (2014). Germany at War: 400 Years of Military History. Santa Barbara, California: ABC-Clio. ISBN 978-1-59884-981-3.

March 13, 2024
ernst, süß, august, 1912, december, 1943, luftwaffe, fighter, recipient, knight, cross, iron, cross, during, world, during, career, credited, with, aerial, victories, born, 1912, august, 1912possessern, kingdom, prussia, poland, died20, december, 1943, 1943, a. Ernst Suss 31 August 1912 20 December 1943 was a Luftwaffe fighter ace and recipient of the Knight s Cross of the Iron Cross during World War II During his career he was credited with 68 aerial victories Ernst SussBorn 1912 08 31 31 August 1912Possessern Kingdom of Prussia now Poland Died20 December 1943 1943 12 20 aged 31 Oldenburg Nazi GermanyAllegiance Nazi GermanyService wbr branch LuftwaffeYears of service1939 43RankOberleutnant first lieutenant UnitJG 52 JG 50 JG 11Commands held9 JG 52 9 JG 11Battles warsSee battlesWorld War II Western FrontBattle of France Battle of BritainEastern FrontOperation Barbarossa Battle of the Caucasus Battle of StalingradDefense of the Reich AwardsKnight s Cross of the Iron Cross Contents 1 Career 1 1 War against the Soviet Union 1 2 Defense of the Reich 2 Summary of career 2 1 Aerial victory claims 2 2 Awards 3 Notes 4 References 4 1 Citations 4 2 BibliographyCareer editSuss was born on 31 August 1912 in Possessern at the time in East Prussia province of the Kingdom of Prussia within the German Empire present day Pozezdrze in northern Poland 1 As a reserve pilot he was appointed to join 9 Jagdgeschwader 52 JG 52 52nd Fighter Wing as an Unteroffizier With this unit he participated in the Battle of France and the Battle of Britain without achieving any victory confirmed in this period The rise of General Ion Antonescu in Romania in 1940 led to a reorganization of his country s armed forces In this he was supported by a military mission from Germany the Luftwaffenmission Rumanien Luftwaffe Mission Romania under the command of Generalleutnant equivalent to major general Wilhelm Speidel de 2 3 III Gruppe of JG 52 was transferred to Bucharest in mid October and temporarily renamed I Gruppe of Jagdgeschwader 28 JG 28 28th Fighter Wing until 4 January 1941 4 Its primary task was to train Romanian Air Force personnel 2 5 Here Suss joined the trio of Hermann Graf Alfred Grislawski and Heinrich Fullgrabe Later Leopold Steinbatz and Edmund Rossmann joined as well 2 War against the Soviet Union edit nbsp 9 Staffel also known as the Karaya StaffelFollowing its brief deployment in the Balkan Campaign III Gruppe was back in Bucharest by mid June 5 There the unit was again subordinated to the Luftwaffenmission Rumanien and reequipped with the new more powerful Bf 109F 4 model On 21 June the Gruppe was ordered to Mizil in preparation of Operation Barbarossa the German invasion of the Soviet Union Its primary objective was to provide fighter protection for the oil fields and refineries at Ploiești 6 Prior to the invasion Major Gotthard Handrick was replaced by Major Albert Blumensaat as commander of III Gruppe Blumensaat was then replaced by Hauptmann Hubertus von Bonin on 1 October At the time von Bonin was still in convalescence so that Hauptmann Franz Horing the commander of 9 Staffel was also made the acting Gruppenkommandeur group commander 7 In the months following the beginning of Operation Barbarossa the 9 JG 52 later dubbed the Karaya Quartet became one of the most successful units of the Luftwaffe Suss flew alongside Graf Grislawski and Fullgrabe He claimed his first victory on 8 August 1941 and in the next twelve months fighting in the Caucasus and the Battle of Stalingrad Suss reached a series of victories against the Soviets for which he was awarded the Honour Goblet of the Luftwaffe Ehrenpokal der Luftwaffe on 4 May 1942 8 the German Cross in Gold Deutsches Kreuz in Gold on 29 June 1942 The Knight s Cross of the Iron Cross Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes was awarded to him on 4 September 1942 following 50 aerial victories claimed 9 On 22 July 1942 the Geschwaderkommodore wing commander of JG 52 Major Herbert Ihlefeld was severely injured in a flight accident and had to surrender command during his convalescence In consequence Major Gordon Gollob the commander of Jagdgeschwader 77 JG 77 77th Fighter Wing temporarily took over command of JG 52 as acting Geschwaderkommodore 10 On 17 August Gollob was ordered dispatch one Schwarm a flight of four aircraft of every III Gruppe squadron to the Don bend The pilots selected for this mission included Suss Graf and Fullgrabe 11 In the spring of 1943 Suss was transferred to the Erganzungsgruppe Ost where he remained a long time as an instructor With this unit he attained his 64th and last victory on the Eastern front on 31 May 1943 Defense of the Reich edit In response to political humiliation caused by de Havilland Mosquito bombing raids into Germany Reichsmarschall Hermann Goring the commander in chief of the Luftwaffe ordered the formation of two specialized high altitude Luftwaffe units These units were Jagdgeschwader 25 commanded by Major Herbert Ihlefeld and Jagdgeschwader 50 commanded by his friend Graf 12 13 14 15 Graf was permitted to choose his personnel and had his friends Suss Fullgrabe and Grislawski transferred from III Gruppe of JG 52 16 14 Suss was made the Staffelkapitan squadron leader on 7 October 1943 of 9 Staffel of Jagdgeschwader 11 17 This unit fought in the Defense of the Reich with which he won his last four victories On 20 December 1943 the United States Army Air Forces USAAF bombed Bremen In total 546 bombers escorted by 491 escort fighters targeted the port of Bremen Defending against this attack Suss shot down a Lockheed P 38 Lightning fighter but was himself shot down by USAAF fighters near Wardenburg south of Oldenburg in his Messerschmitt Bf 109 G 5 Werknummer 15 709 factory number Suss managed to bail out but was shot in his parachute by a USAAF pilot 9 18 19 Summary of career editAerial victory claims edit According to US historian David T Zabecki Suss was credited with 68 aerial victories 20 Spick also lists Suss with 68 aerial victories claimed in an unknown number combat missions 60 of which claimed on the Eastern Front 21 Mathews and Foreman authors of Luftwaffe Aces Biographies and Victory Claims researched the German Federal Archives and found records for 65 aerial victory claims plus one further unconfirmed claim all but one on the Eastern Front 22 Victory claims were logged to a map reference PQ Planquadrat for example PQ 0683 The Luftwaffe grid map Jagermeldenetz 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 23 Chronicle of aerial victories This and the dash indicates unconfirmed aerial victory claims for which Suss did not receive credit Claim Date Time Type Location Claim Date Time Type Location 9 Staffel of Jagdgeschwader 52 24 Operation Barbarossa 22 June 5 December 19411 8 August 1941 18 45 I 16 5 km 3 1 mi south of Kyiv 25 4 30 October 1941 09 40 I 16 26 2 27 September 1941 14 20 DB 3 27 5 8 November 1941 11 56 I 26 Yak 1 26 3 23 October 1941 13 40 Pe 2 28 6 9 November 1941 14 32 I 16 26 9 Staffel of Jagdgeschwader 52 24 Eastern Front 6 December 1941 28 April 19427 6 December 1941 10 58 I 16 29 15 28 February 1942 11 20 V 11 Il 2 30 8 7 January 1942 08 15 I 16 31 16 1 March 1942 11 43 I 26 Yak 1 30 9 16 February 1942 11 12 Su 2 Seversky Mal Yablonovo 32 17 26 March 1942 16 55 I 16 33 10 19 February 1942 08 27 I 61 MiG 3 34 18 27 March 1942 10 12 I 61 MiG 3 33 11 19 February 1942 08 29 I 61 MiG 3 34 19 28 March 1942 06 20 I 26 Yak 1 33 12 19 February 1942 11 40 Su 2 Seversky 34 20 6 April 1942 06 06 I 16 33 13 20 February 1942 08 27 I 61 MiG 3 34 21 8 April 1942 11 20 I 61 MiG 3 33 14 23 February 1942 12 03 I 26 Yak 1 30 9 Staffel of Jagdgeschwader 52 22 Eastern Front 29 April 1942 3 February 194322 30 April 1942 16 49 I 153 35 43 27 June 1942 07 45 MiG 1 36 23 8 May 1942 13 23 I 16 37 44 20 July 1942 11 40 I 16 38 24 8 May 1942 13 28 I 61 MiG 3 37 45 24 July 1942 05 05 LaGG 3 38 25 9 May 1942 12 25 MiG 1 39 46 6 August 1942 07 00 Il 2 PQ 0683 38 26 9 May 1942 12 35 I 15 39 47 12 August 1942 16 56 I 16 PQ 85721 40 vicinity of Svobodny27 13 May 1942 07 43 MiG 1 39 48 15 August 1942 16 40 Yak 1 PQ 85335 41 east of Stawropoliskaja28 13 May 1942 16 18 MiG 1 39 49 16 August 1942 16 51 I 16 PQ 85321 41 vicinity of Eriwanskaja29 13 May 1942 16 20 MiG 1 39 50 18 August 1942 07 05 I 153 PQ 75852 41 east of Natukhayevskaya30 14 May 1942 07 23 MiG 1 42 51 24 August 1942 17 20 Yak 1 PQ 59173 43 31 17 May 1942 03 50 MiG 1 42 52 25 August 1942 11 45 Yak 1 PQ 49272 43 10 km 6 2 mi east of Stalingrad 20 May 1942 Su 2 Seversky 44 53 31 August 1942 17 06 Yak 1 PQ 59252 45 32 20 May 1942 17 33 Su 2 Seversky 44 54 31 August 1942 17 12 Yak 1 PQ 59261 45 33 28 May 1942 14 18 LaGG 3 44 55 3 September 1942 15 55 Yak 1 PQ 59121 45 34 29 May 1942 09 13 MiG 1 44 56 4 September 1942 12 40 Yak 1 PQ 49317 46 vicinity of Stalingrad35 2 June 1942 08 29 MiG 1 47 57 8 September 1942 15 15 Yak 1 PQ 49322 48 vicinity of Stalingrad36 2 June 1942 11 28 MiG 1 47 58 1 November 1942 15 10 LaGG 3 PQ 44873 49 37 6 June 1942 04 15 I 16 47 59 1 November 1942 15 18 LaGG 3 PQ 44562 49 38 9 June 1942 13 15 MiG 1 47 60 5 November 1942 13 37 La 5 PQ 44953 50 39 22 June 1942 06 40 MiG 1 51 61 27 November 1942 10 15 I 16 PQ 44814 52 40 22 June 1942 06 45 MiG 1 51 62 5 December 1942 11 04 La 5 PQ 44732 52 41 27 June 1942 07 20 MiG 1 36 63 5 December 1942 13 23 Boston PQ 44724 52 42 27 June 1942 07 40 MiG 1 36 9 Staffel of Jagdgeschwader 52 53 Eastern Front May 194364 30 May 1943 15 48 B 25 PQ 34 Ost 76892 54 vicinity of Kiyevskoye 9 Staffel of Jagdgeschwader 11 53 Defense of the Reich December 194365 11 December 1943 12 30 P 47 55 off NorddeichAwards edit Iron Cross 1939 2nd and 1st Class Front Flying Clasp of the Luftwaffe in Gold Honor Goblet of the Luftwaffe on 4 May 1942 as Oberfeldwebel and pilot 56 German Cross in Gold on 2 July 1942 as Oberfeldwebel in the 9 Jagdgeschwader 52 57 Knight s Cross of the Iron Cross on 4 September 1942 as Oberfeldwebel and pilot in as pilot in the 9 Jagdgeschwader 52 58 Note 1 Notes edit According to Scherzer as pilot in the III Jagdgeschwader 52 59 References editCitations edit Obermaier 1989 p 213 a b c Bergstrom Antipov amp Sundin 2003 pp 23 31 Weal 2004 p 54 Weal 2004 p 55 a b Weal 2004 p 56 Prien et al 2003 p 53 Prien et al 2003 p 65 Barbas 2010 p 284 a b Schreier 1990 p 182 Prien et al 2006 p 379 Bergstrom et al 2006 p 77 Forsyth 2011 pp 24 25 Weal 1999 p 4 a b Weal 2006 p 33 Musciano 1989 p 58 Bergstrom Antipov amp Sundin 2003 pp 165 174 Prien amp Rodeike 1994 pp 589 Prien amp Rodeike 1994 pp 564 566 617 641 Weal 2007 p 62 Zabecki 2014 p 1616 Spick 1996 p 239 a b Mathews amp Foreman 2015 pp 1297 1298 Planquadrat a b Mathews amp Foreman 2015 p 1297 Prien et al 2003 p 70 a b c Prien et al 2003 p 76 Prien et al 2003 p 72 Prien et al 2003 p 74 Prien et al 2005 p 153 a b c Prien et al 2005 p 157 Prien et al 2005 p 154 Prien et al 2005 p 155 a b c d e Prien et al 2005 p 158 a b c d Prien et al 2005 p 156 Prien et al 2006 p 542 a b c Prien et al 2006 p 550 a b Prien et al 2006 p 544 a b c Prien et al 2006 p 551 a b c d e Prien et al 2006 p 545 Prien et al 2006 p 552 a b c Prien et al 2006 p 553 a b Prien et al 2006 p 546 a b Prien et al 2006 p 554 a b c d Prien et al 2006 p 547 a b c Prien et al 2006 p 555 Prien et al 2006 p 556 a b c d Prien et al 2006 p 548 Prien et al 2006 p 557 a b Prien et al 2006 p 562 Prien et al 2006 p 563 a b Prien et al 2006 p 549 a b c Prien et al 2006 p 564 a b Mathews amp Foreman 2015 p 1298 Prien et al 2012 p 482 Prien amp Rodeike 1994 p 641 Patzwall 2008 p 202 Patzwall amp Scherzer 2001 p 469 Fellgiebel 2000 p 417 Scherzer 2007 p 735 Bibliography edit Barbas Bernd 2010 Die Geschichte der III Gruppe des Jagdgeschwaders 52 The History of 3rd Group of Fighter Wing 52 in German Eutin Germany Struve Druck ISBN 978 3 923457 94 6 Bergstrom Christer in Swedish Bergstrom Black Cross Red Star website Identifying a Luftwaffe Planquadrat Archived from the original on 22 December 2018 Retrieved 11 January 2021 Bergstrom Christer in Swedish Antipov Vlad Sundin Claes 2003 Graf amp Grislawski A Pair of Aces Hamilton MT Eagle Editions ISBN 978 0 9721060 4 7 Bergstrom Christer in Swedish Dikov Andrey Antipov Vlad Sundin Claes 2006 Black Cross Red Star Air War Over the Eastern Front Volume 3 Everything for Stalingrad Hamilton MT Eagle Editions ISBN 978 0 9761034 4 8 Fellgiebel Walther Peer in German 2000 1986 Die Trager des Ritterkreuzes des Eisernen Kreuzes 1939 1945 Die Inhaber der hochsten 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 Forsyth Robert 2011 Luftwaffe Viermot Aces 1942 45 Aircraft of the Aces Vol 101 Oxford UK Osprey Publishing ISBN 978 1 84908 438 3 Musciano Walter 1989 Messerschmitt Aces New York Aero ISBN 978 0 8306 8379 6 Mathews Andrew Johannes Foreman John 2015 Luftwaffe Aces Biographies and Victory Claims Volume 4 S Z Walton on Thames Red Kite ISBN 978 1 906592 21 9 Obermaier Ernst 1989 Die Ritterkreuztrager der Luftwaffe Jagdflieger 1939 1945 The Knight s Cross Bearers of the Luftwaffe Fighter Force 1939 1945 in German Mainz Germany Verlag Dieter Hoffmann ISBN 978 3 87341 065 7 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 Patzwall Klaus D 2008 Der Ehrenpokal fur besondere Leistung im Luftkrieg The Honor Goblet for Outstanding Achievement in the Air War in German Norderstedt Germany Verlag Klaus D Patzwall ISBN 978 3 931533 08 3 Prien Jochen Rodeike Peter 1994 Jagdgeschwader 1 und 11 Einsatz in der Reichsverteidigung von 1939 bis 1945 Teil 1 1939 1943 Jagdgeschwader 1 and 11 Operations in the Defense of the Reich from 1939 to 1945 Volume 1 1939 1943 in German Eutin Germany Struve Druck ISBN 978 3 923457 21 2 Prien Jochen Stemmer Gerhard Rodeike Peter Bock Winfried 2003 Die Jagdfliegerverbande der Deutschen Luftwaffe 1934 bis 1945 Teil 6 II Unternehmen BARBAROSSA Einsatz im Osten 22 6 bis 5 12 1941 The Fighter Units of the German Air Force 1934 to 1945 Part 6 II Operation BARBAROSSA Action in the East 22 June to 5 December 1941 in German Eutin Germany Struve Druck ISBN 978 3 923457 70 0 Prien Jochen Stemmer Gerhard Rodeike Peter Bock Winfried 2005 Die Jagdfliegerverbande der Deutschen Luftwaffe 1934 bis 1945 Teil 9 I Winterkampf im Osten 6 12 1941 bis 30 4 1942 The Fighter Units of the German Air Force 1934 to 1945 Part 9 I Winter War in the East 6 December 1941 to 30 April 1942 in German Eutin Germany Struve Druck ISBN 978 3 923457 76 2 Prien Jochen Stemmer Gerhard Rodeike Peter Bock Winfried 2006 Die Jagdfliegerverbande der Deutschen Luftwaffe 1934 bis 1945 Teil 9 II Vom Sommerfeldzug 1942 bis zur Niederlage von Stalingrad 1 5 1942 bis 3 2 1943 The Fighter Units of the German Air Force 1934 to 1945 Part 9 II 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 77 9 Prien Jochen Stemmer Gerhard Rodeike Peter Bock Winfried 2012 Die Jagdfliegerverbande der Deutschen Luftwaffe 1934 bis 1945 Teil 12 II Einsatz im Osten 4 2 bis 31 12 1943 The Fighter Units of the German Air Force 1934 to 1945 Part 12 II Action in the East 4 February to 31 December 1943 in German Eutin Germany Buchverlag Rogge ISBN 978 3 942943 05 5 Scherzer Veit 2007 Die Ritterkreuztrager 1939 1945 Die Inhaber des Ritterkreuzes des Eisernen Kreuzes 1939 von Heer Luftwaffe Kriegsmarine Waffen SS Volkssturm sowie mit Deutschland verbundeter Streitkrafte 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 Schreier Hans 1990 JG 52 Das erfolgreichste Jagdgeschwader des 2 Weltkriegs JG 52 The Most Successful Fighter Wing of World War II in German Berg am See K Vowinckel ISBN 978 3 921655 66 5 Spick Mike 1996 Luftwaffe Fighter Aces New York Ivy Books ISBN 978 0 8041 1696 1 Weal John 1999 Bf 109F G K Aces of the Western Front Oxford UK Osprey Publishing ISBN 978 1 85532 905 8 Weal John 2004 Jagdgeschwader 52 The Experten Aviation Elite Units Vol 15 Oxford UK Osprey Publishing ISBN 978 1 84176 786 4 Weal John 2006 Bf 109 Defence of the Reich Aces Aircraft of the Aces Vol 68 Oxford UK Osprey Publishing ISBN 978 1 84176 879 3 Weal John 2007 More Bf 109 Aces of the Russian Front Aircraft of the Aces Vol 76 Oxford UK Osprey Publishing ISBN 978 1 84603 177 9 Zabecki David T ed 2014 Germany at War 400 Years of Military History Santa Barbara California ABC Clio ISBN 978 1 59884 981 3 Portals nbsp Aviation nbsp Biography Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Ernst Suss amp oldid 1211036690, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,

article

, read, download, free, free download, mp3, video, mp4, 3gp, jpg, jpeg, gif, png, picture, music, song, movie, book, game, games.