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Werner Schröer

May 07, 2023

Werner Schröer[Note 1] (12 February 1918 – 10 February 1985) was a German World War II fighter ace credited with shooting down 114 enemy aircraft. He 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, by which time he had reached the highest ranks of combat leadership.[2] Schröer was the second most successful claimant of air victories after Hans-Joachim Marseille in the Mediterranean, and was decorated with the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves and Swords.

Werner Schröer
Werner Schröer
Born(1918-02-12)12 February 1918
Mülheim an der Ruhr
Died10 February 1985(1985-02-10) (aged 66)
Ottobrunn
Buried
park cemetery in Ottobrunn
Allegiance Nazi Germany
Service/branch Luftwaffe
Years of service1937–1945
RankMajor
UnitJG 27, JG 3
Commands held8./JG 27, II./JG 27, JG 3
Battles/wars
See battles

World War II

AwardsKnight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves and Swords
Other workMesserschmitt-Bölkow-Blohm

Early life and career

Schröer was born on 12 February 1918 in Mülheim an der Ruhr, at the time in the Rhine Province of the Kingdom of Prussia. He was the son of Friedrich Johann Schröer and his wife Maria, née Schmitz.[3] Schröer attended school from 1924 to 1937 and graduated with his Abitur (School Leaving Certificate). From April to October 1937, he then completed the compulsory Reichsarbeitsdienst (Reich Labour Service). Schröer joined the military service with the Luftwaffe of Nazi Germany in 1937.[4] His recruit training began on 3 November 1937 with the 4. Kompanie (4th company) of Fliegerersatzabteilung 24 (24th Flier Replacement Unit) in Quakenbrück. On 1 April 1938, he was transferred to the Flughafenbetriebskompanie (Airport Operation Company) of Jagdgeschwader 132 (JG 132—132nd Fighter Wing) to Düsseldorf, serving with the ground personnel.[3]

On 1 July 1938, Schröer was posted to the 7. Staffel (7th squadron) of Jagdgeschwader 234 (JG 234th—234th Fighter Wing) where his flight training began. He then served with the Fliegerhorstkompanie (Airfield Company) in Düsseldorf from 13 August 1938 to 30 June 1939. While serving with this unit, he was promoted to Gefreiter (airman first class) on 1 October 1938 and to Unteroffizier (corporal) on 1 April 1939.[Note 2] On 1 July 1939, Schröer was then transferred to II. Gruppe (2nd group) of Jagdgeschwader 26 "Schlageter" (JG 26—26th Fighter Wing), named after the Nazi martyr Albert Leo Schlageter, where he was posted to the 6. Staffel where he made his first flight.[3][4] From 1 September to 15 October 1939, Schröer attended an air observer course at the Aufklärungsfliegerschule (Reconnaissance Flying School) at Hildesheim. Schröer then continued his pilot training at the flight schools in Kamp and Schafstädt . On 16 May 1940, he completed his flight training with Flugkommando 23 (Flight Commando) in Braunschweig. During this training period, he was promoted to Feldwebel (sergeant) on 1 December 1939. Schröer then received fighter pilot training at the Jagdfliegerschule 1 (fighter pilot school) at Werneuchen. There he learned to fly the Arado Ar 68 and Ar 96, the Messerschmitt Bf 108 and Bf 109, the Bücker Bü 131, the Focke-Wulf Fw 56, and the Heinkel He 45 and He 51.[5] From 22 July to 17 August 1940, Schröer completed his fighter pilot training with the 2. Staffel of Ergänzungsjagdgruppe Merseburg, a supplementary training unit based in Merseburg.[4][6]

World War II

World War II in Europe began on Friday 1 September 1939 when German forces invaded Poland. On 20 August 1940, Schröer was transferred to the 2. Staffel of Jagdgeschwader 27 (JG 27—27th Fighter Wing), a front line fighter unit.[6] JG 27 at the time was under the command of Oberst (Colonel) Max Ibel and based in Plumetot, France on the Channel Front. There, JG 27 was subordinated to Jagdfliegerführer 3 (Jafü 3), the fighter force commander of Luftflotte 3 under the command of Generalfeldmarschall (Field Marshal) Hugo Sperrle, and fought in the Battle of Britain (10 July – 31 October 1940).[6] On 28 August 1940, JG 27 relocated from the vicinity of the Cotentin Peninsula to an airfield at Peuplingues, about 6 kilometers (3.7 mi) southwest of Calais and subsequently was placed under the command of Jagdfliegerführer 2.[7] Operating over the English Channel and southern England, Schröer flew his first combat missions and claimed three aerial victories which were not confirmed.[4]

I. Gruppe was withdrawn from the Channel Front on 30 September 1940. Relocation to Stade, west of Hamburg, began on 1 October. There, I. Gruppe was placed under the command of Geschwaderstab of Jagdgeschwader 1 (JG 1—1st Fighter Wing). During the following three weeks, I. Gruppe was tasked with flying combat air patrols over the German Bight. In parallel, the Gruppe replenished its losses of 14 men killed or missing in action, four wounded and seven taken prisoner of war, losses sustained while fighting over Britain. Also the losses in aircraft had to be replenished and the equipment underwent a maintenance overhaul.[8] On 21 October, I. Gruppe was again ordered to France, then based at Dinan in northeastern Brittany under the command of Jafü 3 again. On 3 December, I. Gruppe relocated again, this time to Döberitz with the orders to provide fighter protection for Berlin.[9] Following the arrival in Döberitz, the majority of the flying and ground personnel were sent on vacation.[10] Between end-February to early March 1941, the I. Gruppe relocated to Munich-Riem where it stayed for four weeks. On 24 February, the pilots of 1. and 2. Staffel were temporarily sent to Sicily where they flew missions against Malta, protecting the German naval convoys taking the Afrika Korps to Tripoli. During this period, 2. Staffel was based at Comiso. From 7 to 10 March, the pilots returned to Munich-Riem.[11] During this brief interlude, Schröer was promoted to Leutnant (second lieutenant) and transferred to 1. Staffel on 1 March.[12] On 4 April 1941, the Gruppe relocated to Graz in preparation of operation Operation Marita, the Battle of Greece.[13] On 11 April, I. Gruppe flew fighter escort missions for Junkers Ju 87 dive bombers in this campaign. The next day, the unit deployed to Zagreb before transferring to Africa.[14]

North Africa

On 15 April 1941, the first elements of 1. and 2. Staffel began relocation to North Africa to Tripoli. From Tripoli, the Staffeln were ordered to Ain el Gazala airfield, west of Tobruk, where they arrived between 18 and 24 April 1941.[15] Schröer was credited with his first aerial victory on 19 April, a Royal Air Force (RAF) Hawker Hurricane fighter of the No. 274 Squadron shot down near Tobruk.[16] That day, the Gruppe claimed its first four victories in Africa.[17] In this encounter, Schröer was shot down in his Bf 109 E-7 (Werknummer 3790—factory number), resulting in a forced landing at Ain el Gazala.[18] Schröer's victor was Pilot Officer Spence. Schröer was the first German Bf 109 pilot shot down in Africa.[19] For this, Schröer was awarded the Iron Cross 2nd Class (Eisernes Kreuz zweiter Klasse).[16] Two days later, on 21 April, I. Gruppe engaged in combat with Hurricane fighters over Tobruk, claiming one victory by Oberfeldwebel Albert Espenlaub for the loss of Unteroffizier Hans Sippel who was killed in action.[20] Schröer's Bf 109 E-7 (Werknummer 4170—factory number) also sustained combat damage in this encounter. He managed to fly his aircraft back to Ain el Gazala, making another forced landing and slightly injuring himself.[21] It is possible that his victor was Pilot Officer Spence, making it the second time in 48 hours the RAF pilot shot him down.[19]

 
A Bf 109 E of JG 27 similar to those flown by Schröer in North Africa.

Schröer claimed his second aerial victory over two months later. On 25 June, he claimed a Hurricane shot down, presumably from 2 Squadron of the South African Air Force (SAAF).[16] On 19 July 1941, a flight of three Schwärme, flights of four aircraft, from I. Gruppe encountered a mixed flight of Hurricanes and P-40 "Tomahawk" fighters on a combat air patrol north of Sidi Barrani.[22] Twelve Hurricanes from No. 73 Squadron RAF, augmented by P-40s from 2 Squadron SAAF, provided fighter escort for Allied shipping destined for Tobruk. In this encounter, the Germans claimed three victories without sustaining any losses. Schröer was credited with his fourth victory that day, a P-40 claimed at 18:17 northeast Ras Asaz. On 21 August, Schröer claimed his fifth victory, a Hurricane from No. 229 Squadron on an escort mission for a flight of Martin Maryland bombers from 24 Squadron SAAF on a bombing mission to Menastir, near Bardia.[16]

On 29 August 1941, Schröer engaged in aerial combat with the top Australian ace Clive Caldwell of No. 250 Squadron RAF 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 Schröer's wingman and heavily damage Schröer's own aircraft and thus forced him to disengage. According to Prien, Rodeike and Stemmer, authors of Messerschmidt Bf 109 im Einsatz bei Stab und I./Jagdgeschwader 27, 1939 – 1945 [Messerschmidt Bf 109 in Action with the Headquarters Unit and I./Jagdgeschwader 27, 1939 – 1945], I. Gruppe did not record any loss or damaged aircraft in this encounter.[23]

The arrival in September of II. Gruppe from the Eastern Front allowed I./JG 27 to rotate its pilots back to Germany, a squadron at a time, for rest and re-equipment with the improved Bf 109 F. However, this could not prevent the Axis forces being routed out of Cyrenaica by the British Operation Crusader.

Staffelkapitän

In February, Rommel launched his counter-offensive retaking a lot of the same ground all over again. On 1 March 1942, when Werner became adjutant in I./JG 27 learning command under the experienced Eduard Neumann, they were back at Martuba, east of Derna. On 22 June, the day after the fall of Tobruk, he was promoted to Staffelkapitän of 8./JG 27, based further forward at Gazala.[24] The next day, 23 June, with Marseille having just reached 101 victories, Werner scored his 12th and finally started scoring regularly. With the Battle of Gazala well underway, and Rommel charging 500 km onto El Alamein, the airwar finally heated up. He scored 16 victories in July, then after a month away, a further 13 victories bringing his total to 44. On 9 September he was awarded the German Cross in Gold (Deutsches Kreuz in Gold) after his 32nd & 33rd victories the day before. The claims submitted by JG 27 on 15 September are a matter of controversy. Some 26 claims were submitted for aircraft shot down by JG 27—six by Schröer. In fact only five Allied aircraft were shot down in aerial combat that day.[25]

On 30 September 1942, Schröer was leading 8. Staffel on a Stuka escort mission covering the withdrawal of the group and relieving the outward escort, III./Jagdgeschwader 53 (JG 53—53rd Fighter Wing), which had been deployed to support JG 27 in Africa. Hans-Joachim Marseille's 3. Staffel visually sighted the RAF fighters but were unable to make contact. Marseille vectored Schröer onto the enemy aircraft. Marseille heard Schröer claim a Spitfire over the radio at 10:30. Both flights remained airborne over the next hour on patrol. At 11:30 Marseille radioed his engine was smoking and his flight escorted him to German lines. Marseille bailed out but struck the vertical stabilizer and fell to earth without his parachute deploying. Schröer arrived near 3 staffel in time to see Marseille's Bf 109 hit the ground but saw no parachute. He later learned of Marseille's death.[26]

He continued claiming regularly in October, downing a further 15 aircraft. Leutnant Schröer was awarded the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross (Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes) on 21 October for 49 victories, just before Montgomery launched his victorious Battle of El Alamein. In the frantic air battles overhead, Schroer shot down 10 aircraft in a week. On 4 November, the new Oberleutnant Schröer shot down his first four-engined bomber - a Consolidated B-24 Liberator - west of Sollum. However, the end in Africa was nigh, and with the Afrika Korps in full retreat, III./JG 27 handed over its aircraft to Jagdgeschwader 77 (the 77th Fighter Wing) replacing it on the continent, and evacuated to Crete and the Aegean islands. Fittingly, as the Gruppe's highest scorer, Werner scored one of its last African victories on 16 November (his 61st). Those 61 victories, all scored in Africa, made him the second-highest scoring ace of the Desert War, after Marseille (who had been killed in a flying accident on 30 September with 158 victories).

In the few months they were in the Aegean, including a posting with the Italian forces on Rhodes, the newly promoted Hauptmann Schroer shot down two light bombers on 15 February. After that he had extended leave at home for his wedding.[27]

Sicily and Italy

 
Emblem of II./JG 27

On 22 April 1943, a number of command position were changed, impacting Schröer. The Geschwaderkommodore (wing commander), Eduard Neumann was ordered to the staff of the General der Jagdflieger (General of Fighters) Adolf Galland. The vacancy in the Geschwaderkommodore position was back-filled by the Gruppenkommandeur (group commander) of II./JG 27, Gustav Rödel who surrendered his command to Schröer.[28] II./JG 27 was now operating with the new Bf 109G in the dangerous skies over Sicily, as the Allies prepared for invasion with heavy preparatory bombing raids. Based at Trapani, on the western corner of the island, they were up against complete Allied air superiority and had the hopeless task of trying to protect transport aircraft making desperate evacuation flights of remaining wounded and specialists out of the beleaguered Afrika Korps, now bottled up in Tunis. Just before Schroer took over command, on the evening of 18 April, only 6 transports had made it to Sicily out of 65 leaving Tunis. Flying at sea level, half had been shot down and the remainder turned back damaged.[29] Powerless to help, II./JG 27 claimed only one enemy fighter in response. However, with renewed vigour Werner led from the front and over the next two months, claimed 22 Allied aircraft shot down, including 12 four-engined heavy bombers. The surrender in May of the Afrika Korps was of a comparable scale to the surrender of 6. Armee at Stalingrad only a few months earlier. Operation Husky, the Allied invasion of Sicily, started on 10 July. Unable to influence the result to any great degree, II./JG 27 had already been ordered back to the Italian mainland.

On 28 July, the unit was ordered to hand its aircraft over to other units and the pilots and crews returned to Germany for much-needed rest and re-equipment. At Foggia, the remaining aircraft were handed over to Jagdgeschwader 3 (JG 3—3rd Fighter Wing), Jagdgeschwader 53 (JG 53—53rd Fighter Wing) and Jagdgeschwader 77 (JG 77—77th Fighter Wing). The pilots took a train to Vienna-Aspern. On 2 August, Schröer was awarded the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves (Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes mit Eichenlaub), his tally at the time was 85 victories.[30] The presentation was made by Adolf Hitler at the Wolf's Lair, Hitler's headquarters in Rastenburg, present-day Kętrzyn in Poland. Five other Luftwaffe officers were presented with awards that day by Hitler, Hauptmann Egmont Prinz zur Lippe-Weißenfeld, Hauptmann Manfred Meurer, Hauptmann Heinrich Ehrler, Oberleutnant Joachim Kirschner, Oberleutnant Theodor Weissenberger were also awarded the Oak Leaves, and Major Helmut Lent received the Swords to his Knight's Cross with Oak Leaves.[31]

In defense of the Reich

In August 1943, II./JG 27 was at Wiesbaden-Erbenheim in Germany, starting training for a completely different air-war: Reichsverteidigung (Defense of the Reich) duties, at high altitude against the big, heavily armed massed-formations of four-engined bombers, or Viermots. From August to March, Schroer shot down 14 aircraft, 11 of them being Viermots - an indication of the type of air-combat in which he was now fighting. The unit's first operational sortie in the Reich, 6 September, was their most successful with nine bombers claimed, including three for Schröer (86-88v.)

On 7 January 1944, Schröer was credited with the destruction of a P-38 Lightning piloted by Joseph P. Marsiglia of the 55th Fighter Group, 338th Fighter Squadron. Marsiglia had to bail out and was apprehended near Holz in the district of Saarbrücken. This was Schröer's 92nd aerial victory.[32] On 14 March 1944, Schröer was appointed Gruppenkommandeur, III./Jagdgeschwader 54 (JG 54—54th Fighter Wing).[33] At the time, the Gruppe was based at Lüneburg Airfield and subordinated to 2. Jagd-Division (2nd Fighter Division).[34] On 20 April, III. Gruppe relocated to Landau an der Isar for conversion training to the Focke Wulf Fw 190. In consequence of this relocation, the Gruppe came under the control of 7. Jagd-Division (7th Fighter Division). Conversion training was relatively short and the Gruppe flew its first mission on the Fw 190 against attacking United States Army Air Forces (USAAF) heavy bombers on 19 May.[35]

On 24 May, Schröer claimed a P-51 Mustang and two P-47 Thunderbolts to reach his century (100–102v.). He was the 73rd Luftwaffe pilot to achieve the century mark.[36] When Allied forces launched Operation Overlord, the invasion of German-occupied Western Europe on 6 June, III. Gruppe was immediately ordered to relocate to Villacoublay Airfield. That day, the Gruppe reached Nancy, arriving in Villacoublay the following day where it was subordinated to II. Fliegerkorps (2nd Air Corps). Its primary objective was to fly fighter-bomber missions in support of the German ground forces. The Gruppe flew its first missions on 7 June to the combat area east of Caen and the Orne estuary.[35] But the worsening situation and the intense pressure was taking its toll, and he was sent on a month's stress-leave in early June just as Allied attention turned to Normandy, possibly saving his life as the unit took very heavy losses in France.[37] On 6 June, he was temporarily replaced by Hauptmann Robert Weiß as commander of III. Gruppe and officially replaced by Weiß on 21 June.[33]

Returning to duty, from 5 November 1944 to 5 February 1945, Schröer was senior instructor at the Verbandsführerschule (Training School for Unit Leaders) of the General der Jagdflieger (General of Fighters) at Königsberg in der Neumark, present-day Chojna in western Poland.[38] In mid-February 1945, Schröer assumed command of JG 3 "Udet", named after Ernst Udet, from Oberstleutnant Heinrich Bär who had transferred to jet fighters.[39] On 14 February, Schröer was officially appointed Geschwaderkommodore (wing commander) of JG 3 "Udet".[40] The Geschwader was deployed in eastern Germany, initially subordinated to Luftflotte 6 and then under Luftwaffenkommando Nordost, where it fought over the lower Oder in the Battle of the Oder–Neisse.[39] There, he claimed 12 Soviet aircraft destroyed - his only victories not on the Western Front. On 19 April 1945, he received the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves and Swords (Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes mit Eichenlaub und Schwertern). The Geschwaderstab (headquarters unit) withdrew along the Baltic coast into Schleswig-Holstein. There, on 5 May 1945, Schröer surrendered to British forces and was taken prisoner of war.[39]

Later life

 
Schröer's Bf 109 rudder with 90 victory markings. This rudder is on display at the Militärhistorisches Museum Flugplatz Berlin-Gatow.

Schröer was kept in British custody until 7 February 1946.[41] Initially he worked as a Taxicab driver in Frankfurt to help finance his family. In parallel, he attended university attaining a Master of Business Administration (Diplom-Kaufmann).[42] Together with his family, he then lived and worked in Rome, Italy for eleven years. In 1968, the spelling of his last name changed from Schroer to Schröer, with the Umlaut "ö".[41] Prior to his retirement, he held the position of head of the central protocol department with Messerschmitt-Bölkow-Blohm in Ottobrunn. Schröer died on 10 February 1985 in Ottobrunn, aged 66. He was buried with military honors at the Parkfriedhof (park cemetery) in Ottobrunn on 15 February 1985.[42]

Summary of career

Aerial victory claims

According to US historian David T. Zabecki, Schröer was credited with 114 aerial victories.[43] Obermaier also lists Schröer with 114 enemy aircraft shot down claimed in 197 combat missions, the majority of which on the Western Front, including 61 in North Africa and 22 in Italy. This figure includes 26 four-engined bombers, four of which claimed as Herausschüsse (separation shots).[44] Mathews and Foreman, authors of Luftwaffe Aces – Biographies and Victory Claims, researched the German Federal Archives and found records for 106 aerial victory claims, plus eight further unconfirmed claims. This figure includes 12 aerial victories on the Eastern Front and 94 over the Western Allies, including 23 four-engine bomber.[45]

Chronicle of aerial victories
  This and the ♠ (Ace of spades) indicates those aerial victories which made Schröer an "ace-in-a-day", a term which designates a fighter pilot who has shot down five or more airplanes in a single day.
  This and the ? (question mark) indicates that Australian author Russell Brown has expressed doubt regarding the veracity of Schröer's claims on this day.[25]
  This along with the * (asterisk) indicates an Herausschuss (separation shot)—a severely damaged heavy bomber forced to separate from his combat box which was counted as an aerial victory.
Claim Date Time Type Location Unit Claim Date Time Type Location Unit
– Claims with I. Gruppe of Jagdgeschwader 27 –[46]
In North Africa — April 1941 – June 1942
1 19 April 1941
—
 Hurricane west of Tobruk[47] 1./JG 27 7 14 September 1941 15:55 Hurricane south of El Hambra[48] 1./JG 27
2 25 June 1941 14:20 Hurricane south of Sidi Barrani[49] 1./JG 27 8 30 May 1942 14:05 P-40 northeast of Bir Hacheim[50] Stab I./JG 27
3 8 July 1941 07:00 Hurricane west of Bardia[49] 1./JG 27 9 10 June 1942 07:49 P-40 5 km (3.1 mi) west of Bir Hacheim[51] Stab I./JG 27
4 19 July 1941 18:17 P-40 northeast of Ras Asaz[49] 1./JG 27 10 15 June 1942 18:06 P-40 northwest of El Adem[51] Stab I./JG 27
5 21 August 1941 18:20 Hurricane northeast of Bardia[49] 1./JG 27 11 15 June 1942 18:11 P-40 northwest of El Adem[51] Stab I./JG 27
6 29 August 1941 18:10 P-40 northwest of Sidi Barrani[49] 1./JG 27
– Claims with III. Gruppe of Jagdgeschwader 27 –[52]
In North Africa — June 1942 – November 1942
12 23 June 1942 14:40 P-40 10 km (6.2 mi) south of Sidi Omar[53] 8./JG 27 37♠ 15 September 1942? 11:55 P-40 south of El Alamein[54] 8./JG 27
13 26 June 1942 11:40 P-40 southwest of Mersa Matruh[53] 8./JG 27 38♠ 15 September 1942? 16:45 P-40 northeast of Deir El Tarfa[54] 8./JG 27
14 26 June 1942 11:44 Hurricane southwest of Mersa Matruh[53] 8./JG 27 39♠ 15 September 1942? 16:55 P-40 northeast of Deir El Tarfa[55] 8./JG 27
15 26 June 1942 16:10 P-40 southwest of Mersa Matruh[53] 8./JG 27 40♠ 15 September 1942? 17:03 Spitfire vicinity of El Alamein[55] 8./JG 27
16 2 July 1942 07:00 P-40 southeast of El Alamein[56] 8./JG 27 41 16 September 1942 09:25 P-40 south of El Alamein[55] 8./JG 27
17 2 July 1942 07:05 P-40 east of El Alamein[56] 8./JG 27 42 20 September 1942 16:33 P-40 8 km (5.0 mi) southwest of El Alamein[55] 8./JG 27
18 3 July 1942 14:40 Hurricane south of Imayid[56] 8./JG 27 43 21 September 1942 16:30 Spitfire north of El Hammam[55] 8./JG 27
19 3 July 1942 14:47 Hurricane southeast of El Hammam[56] 8./JG 27 44 30 September 1942 10:30 Spitfire near of Abu Dweis 8./JG 27
20 3 July 1942 14:50 P-40 southeast of El Hammam[56] 8./JG 27 45 2 October 1942 15:40 P-40 north-northeast of Deir El Tarfa 8./JG 27
21 4 July 1942 18:40 P-40 southeast of El Alamein[56] 8./JG 27 46 9 October 1942 09:25 Boston northeast of El Dabaa 8./JG 27
22 6 July 1942 11:45 P-40 20 km (12 mi) southwest of El Alamein[56] 8./JG 27 47 9 October 1942 16:15 Spitfire northwest of El Dabaa 8./JG 27
23 6 July 1942 11:48 P-40 21 km (13 mi) southwest of El Alamein[56] 8./JG 27 48 9 October 1942 16:20 Hurricane southeast of Bir el Abd 8./JG 27
24 11 July 1942 16:05 Spitfire southeast of El Alamein[56] 8./JG 27 49 20 October 1942 14:12 P-40 southwest of Deir El Tarfa 8./JG 27
25 11 July 1942 16:10 P-40 southwest of El Alamein[56] 8./JG 27 50 23 October 1942 08:00 P-46 northeast of El Alamein 8./JG 27
26 13 July 1942 09:57 Hurricane south of El Hammam[56] 8./JG 27 51 23 October 1942 08:30 P-46 southeast of El Alamein 8./JG 27
27 13 July 1942 10:02 Hurricane south of El Hammam[56] 8./JG 27 52 24 October 1942 08:25 P-40 northeast of El Alamein 8./JG 27
28 13 July 1942 10:05 Hurricane south of El Hammam[56] 8./JG 27 53 24 October 1942 16:45 Hurricane southwest of El Alamein 8./JG 27
29 14 July 1942 10:15 P-40 southwest of El Alamein[56] 8./JG 27 54 26 October 1942 13:10 P-40 west of El Alamein 8./JG 27
30 16 July 1942 18:30 P-40 southwest of El Alamein[56] 8./JG 27 55 27 October 1942
—
 P-40 northwest of Quotaifiya 8./JG 27
31 17 July 1942 18:25 P-40 west of El Alamein[56] 8./JG 27 56 27 October 1942
—
 P-40 northeast of Quotaifiya 8./JG 27
32 8 September 1942 12:45 Spitfire vicinity of Deir El Tarfa[54] 8./JG 27 57 27 October 1942
—
 P-40 northeast of El Dabaa 8./JG 27
33 8 September 1942 12:50 Spitfire vicinity of Deir El Tarfa[54] 8./JG 27 58 29 October 1942 12:25 Spitfire south of El Alamein 8./JG 27
34 13 September 1942 17:25 P-40 7 km (4.3 mi) southwest of El Alamein[54] 8./JG 27 59 30 October 1942 09:20 P-39 south-southeast of El Dabaa 8./JG 27
35♠ 15 September 1942? 11:40 P-40 west of El Alamein[54] 8./JG 27 60 4 November 1942 12:15 B-24 between Sollum and Benghazi 8./JG 27
36♠ 15 September 1942? 11:43 P-40 west of El Alamein[54] 8./JG 27 61 16 November 1942 15:20 P-40 south of Tecis 8./JG 27
– Claims with III. Gruppe of Jagdgeschwader 27 –[57]
Eastern Mediterranean, Crete, Sicily, Greece, Tunisia and Italy — November 1942 – February 1943
62 11 February 1943 13:30 B-26 north-northeast Karpathos 8./JG 27 63 11 February 1943 13:34 B-26 north-northeast Karpathos 8./JG 27
– Claims with II. Gruppe of Jagdgeschwader 27 –[58]
Sicily, Tunisia and Italy — February – July 1943
64 29 April 1943 18:08 P-38 60 km (37 mi) southeast of Marettimo[59] Stab II./JG 27 75 25 May 1943 11:17 B-17 northwest Marettimo Stab II./JG 27
65 29 April 1943 18:10 P-38 60 km (37 mi) southeast Marettimo[59] Stab II./JG 27 76 31 May 1943 14:40 B-17 west-northwest Trapani Stab II./JG 27
66 5 May 1943 15:00 B-24 northwest Marettimo[59] Stab II./JG 27 77 7 June 1943 06:44 P-40 5 km (3.1 mi) north Pantelleria Stab II./JG 27
67 9 May 1943 13:10 B-24 east Capo Gallo Stab II./JG 27 78 10 June 1943 09:26 P-46 3 km (1.9 mi) south-southwest Granitola Torreta Stab II./JG 27
68 9 May 1943 13:40 P-38 70 km (43 mi) northwest Capo San Vito Stab II./JG 27 79 10 June 1943 09:27 P-46 4 km (2.5 mi) south-southwest Granitola Torreta Stab II./JG 27
69 11 May 1943 11:46 P-38 60 km (37 mi) northeast Cap Bon Stab II./JG 27 80 10 June 1943
—
 Boston Pantelleria Stab II./JG 27
70 11 May 1943 12:14 B-17 south Marsala Stab II./JG 27 81 15 June 1943 08:23 B-17 2 km (1.2 mi) west Favignana[60] Stab II./JG 27
71 18 May 1943 13:45 B-17 northwest Trapani Stab II./JG 27 82 11 July 1943 13:20 B-24 25 km (16 mi) south Crotone[60] Stab II./JG 27
72 19 May 1943 13:42 P-38 west Marettimo Stab II./JG 27 83 16 July 1943 13:00 B-24 5 km (3.1 mi) southwest Santeramo in Colle[61] Stab II./JG 27
73 21 May 1943 11:21 B-17 south Marsala Stab II./JG 27 84 16 July 1943 13:15 B-24 10 km (6.2 mi) west-southwest Bari[61] Stab II./JG 27
74 21 May 1943 11:28 Spitfire northwest Pantelleria Stab II./JG 27 85 23 July 1943 14:10 B-17 20 km (12 mi) north Stromboli[61] Stab II./JG 27
– Claims with II. Gruppe of Jagdgeschwader 27 –[62]
Defense of the Reich — September 1943 – March 1944
86 6 September 1943 11:08 B-17 east Geislingen[Note 3] Stab II./JG 27 93 7 January 1944 12:20 P-38 northeast Saarbrücken Stab II./JG 27
87* 6 September 1943
—
 B-17 south Echterdingen Stab II./JG 27 94 11 January 1944 12:25 B-24 southeast Assen Stab II./JG 27
88* 6 September 1943
—
 B-17 southeast Stuttgart Stab II./JG 27 95* 11 January 1944 13:30 B-17 west Almelo Stab II./JG 27
89 14 October 1943
—
 B-17 Alzey Stab II./JG 27 96* 29 January 1944 11:02 B-17 Sankt Wendel Stab II./JG 27
90 29 November 1943 14:48 B-17 south-southwest Bremen Stab II./JG 27 97 25 February 1944 12:28 B-17 20 km (12 mi) northeast Chiemsee Stab II./JG 27
91 19 December 1943 12:38 B-17 Krimml Stab II./JG 27 98 25 February 1944 12:31 B-17 Altötting Stab II./JG 27
92 7 January 1944 12:07 P-38 north Saarbrücken Stab II./JG 27 99 3 March 1944 12:23 P-38 Magdeburg Stab II./JG 27
– Claims with III. Gruppe of Jagdgeschwader 54 –[63]
Defense of the Reich — May 1944
100 24 May 1944
—
 B-17 Stab III./JG 54 102 24 May 1944
—
 P-51 Stab III./JG 54
101 24 May 1944
—
 B-17 Stab III./JG 54
– Claims with the Stab of Jagdgeschwader 3 "Udet" –[64]
Flying the Focke-Wulf Fw 190 — March 1945 – May 1945
103 11 March 1945
—
 P-39 Stab JG 3 "Udet" 109 19 April 1945
—
 Il-2 Stab JG 3 "Udet"
104 11 March 1945
—
 Pe-2 Stab JG 3 "Udet" 110 19 April 1945
—
 Yak-3 Stab JG 3 "Udet"
105 11 March 1945
—
 Pe-2 Stab JG 3 "Udet" 111 24 April 1945
—
 Yak-3 Stab JG 3 "Udet"
106 15 March 1945
—
 P-39 Stab JG 3 "Udet" 112 24 April 1945
—
 Yak-9 Stab JG 3 "Udet"
107 15 March 1945
—
 La-5 Stab JG 3 "Udet" 113 26 April 1945
—
 La-5 Stab JG 3 "Udet"
108 15 March 1945
—
 Yak-3 Stab JG 3 "Udet" 114 26 April 1945
—
 La-5 Stab JG 3 "Udet"

Awards

Dates of rank

1 October 1938: Gefreiter[66]
1 April 1939: Unteroffizier[66]
1 December 1939: Feldwebel[66]
1 March 1941: Leutnant (Second Lieutenant)[66]
1 November 1942: Oberleutnant (First Lieutenant)[66]
1 February 1943: Hauptmann (Captain)[66]
1 November 1943: Major (Major)[66]

Notes

  1. ^ According to his [Werner Schröer] statement family name was Schroer until 1968 and Schröer from then on.[1]
  2. ^ For an explanation of Luftwaffe unit designations see Organization of the Luftwaffe during World War II.
  3. ^ There is more than one place in Germany called Geislingen; German Wikipedia has a fuller list. At least two are in Baden-Württemberg, which is where Schröer's other combats on 6 September 1943 took place. It may not be possible to determine which Geislingen this was.
  4. ^ According to Obermaier on 5 August 1942.[44] Schumann gives a presentation date of 6 August 1942.[68]
  5. ^ According to Scherzer on 16 April 1945.[1] The sequential numbers greater than 143 for the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves and Swords are unofficial and were assigned by the Association of Knight's Cross Recipients (AKCR) and are therefore denoted in parentheses.[74]

References

Citations

  1. ^ a b c d Scherzer 2007, p. 685.
  2. ^ Spick 1996, pp. 3–4.
  3. ^ a b c Schumann 2016, p. 2.
  4. ^ a b c d Stockert 2012, p. 287.
  5. ^ Schumann 2016, p. 3.
  6. ^ a b c Schumann 2016, p. 4.
  7. ^ Prien, Rodeike & Stemmer 1998, p. 85.
  8. ^ Prien, Rodeike & Stemmer 1998, pp. 88–89.
  9. ^ Prien, Rodeike & Stemmer 1998, p. 89.
  10. ^ Prien, Rodeike & Stemmer 1998, p. 120.
  11. ^ Prien, Rodeike & Stemmer 1998, p. 121.
  12. ^ Schumann 2016, pp. ii, 4.
  13. ^ Prien, Rodeike & Stemmer 1998, p. 122.
  14. ^ Prien, Rodeike & Stemmer 1998, p. 124.
  15. ^ Prien, Rodeike & Stemmer 1998, p. 138.
  16. ^ a b c d Schumann 2016, p. 6.
  17. ^ Weal 2003, p. 66.
  18. ^ Prien, Rodeike & Stemmer 1998, pp. 140, 539.
  19. ^ a b Ring & Shores 1969, p. 36.
  20. ^ Prien, Rodeike & Stemmer 1998, pp. 140, 562.
  21. ^ Prien, Rodeike & Stemmer 1998, pp. 140, 540.
  22. ^ Prien, Rodeike & Stemmer 1998, p. 146.
  23. ^ Prien, Rodeike & Stemmer 1998, pp. 146, 541.
  24. ^ Stockert 2012, p. 288.
  25. ^ a b Brown 2000, pp. 281–282.
  26. ^ Heaton & Lewis 2012, pp. 176–177.
  27. ^ Weal 2003, pp. 94–96.
  28. ^ Prien, Rodeike & Stemmer 1997, p. 256.
  29. ^ Weal 2003, p. 91.
  30. ^ Stockert 2012, p. 289.
  31. ^ Schumann 2016, p. 29.
  32. ^ Schumann 2016, p. 36.
  33. ^ a b Prien et al. 2019, p. 446.
  34. ^ Prien et al. 2019, p. 447.
  35. ^ a b Prien et al. 2019, p. 439.
  36. ^ Obermaier 1989, p. 243.
  37. ^ Weal 2001, p. 91.
  38. ^ Schumann 2016, p. 37.
  39. ^ a b c Prien & Stemmer 2002, p. 14.
  40. ^ Prien & Stemmer 2002, p. 385.
  41. ^ a b Stockert 2012, p. 290.
  42. ^ a b Schumann 2016, p. 44.
  43. ^ Zabecki 2019, p. 330.
  44. ^ a b Obermaier 1989, p. 40.
  45. ^ Mathews & Foreman 2015, pp. 1175–1177.
  46. ^ Prien, Rodeike & Stemmer 1998, pp. 562–564, 567–568.
  47. ^ Prien et al. 2003, p. 370.
  48. ^ Prien et al. 2003, p. 372.
  49. ^ a b c d e Prien et al. 2003, p. 371.
  50. ^ Prien et al. 2004, p. 180.
  51. ^ a b c Prien et al. 2004, p. 181.
  52. ^ Prien, Rodeike & Stemmer 1995, pp. 344–346.
  53. ^ a b c d Prien et al. 2004, p. 338.
  54. ^ a b c d e f g Prien et al. 2004, p. 340.
  55. ^ a b c d e Prien et al. 2004, p. 342.
  56. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p Prien et al. 2004, p. 339.
  57. ^ Prien, Rodeike & Stemmer 1995, p. 346.
  58. ^ Prien, Rodeike & Stemmer 1997, pp. 561–562.
  59. ^ a b c Prien et al. 2010, p. 210.
  60. ^ a b Prien et al. 2010, p. 211.
  61. ^ a b c Prien et al. 2010, p. 212.
  62. ^ Prien, Rodeike & Stemmer 1997, pp. 563–564.
  63. ^ Schumann 2016, p. 47.
  64. ^ Prien & Stemmer 2002, p. 398.
  65. ^ a b c d Berger 1999, p. 323.
  66. ^ a b c d e f g h i Schumann 2016, p. ii.
  67. ^ Patzwall 2008, p. 187.
  68. ^ Schumann 2016, pp. ii, 19.
  69. ^ Patzwall & Scherzer 2001, p. 425.
  70. ^ a b Thomas 1998, p. 289.
  71. ^ Fellgiebel 2000, p. 389.
  72. ^ Fellgiebel 2000, p. 71.
  73. ^ Fellgiebel 2000, p. 48.
  74. ^ Fellgiebel 2000, pp. 49–51.

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Military offices
Preceded by
Oblt Hans Lass
 Squadron Leader of 8./JG 27
22 June 1942 – 21 April 1943 		Succeeded by
Oblt Dietrich Boesler
Preceded by Group Commander of II./JG 27
22 April 1943 – 13 March 1944 		Succeeded by
Hptm Friedrich Keller
Preceded by
Hptm Rudolf Sinner
 Group Commander of III./JG 54
14 March 1944 – 20 July 1944 		Succeeded by
Preceded by Commander of Jagdgeschwader 3 Udet
14 February 1945 – 8 May 1945 		Succeeded by
none: end of war

May 07, 2023
werner, schröer, note, february, 1918, february, 1985, german, world, fighter, credited, with, shooting, down, enemy, aircraft, served, luftwaffe, from, 1937, initially, member, ground, staff, until, world, europe, 1945, which, time, reached, highest, ranks, c. Werner Schroer Note 1 12 February 1918 10 February 1985 was a German World War II fighter ace credited with shooting down 114 enemy aircraft He 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 by which time he had reached the highest ranks of combat leadership 2 Schroer was the second most successful claimant of air victories after Hans Joachim Marseille in the Mediterranean and was decorated with the Knight s Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves and Swords Werner SchroerWerner SchroerBorn 1918 02 12 12 February 1918Mulheim an der RuhrDied10 February 1985 1985 02 10 aged 66 OttobrunnBuriedpark cemetery in OttobrunnAllegiance Nazi GermanyService wbr branch LuftwaffeYears of service1937 1945RankMajorUnitJG 27 JG 3Commands held8 JG 27 II JG 27 JG 3Battles warsSee battlesWorld War II Battle of Britain Mediterranean Theatre North African Campaign Battle of Gazala Allied Invasion of Sicily Defense of the ReichAwardsKnight s Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves and SwordsOther workMesserschmitt Bolkow Blohm Contents 1 Early life and career 2 World War II 2 1 North Africa 2 2 Staffelkapitan 2 3 Sicily and Italy 2 4 In defense of the Reich 3 Later life 4 Summary of career 4 1 Aerial victory claims 4 2 Awards 4 3 Dates of rank 5 Notes 6 References 6 1 Citations 6 2 BibliographyEarly life and career EditSchroer was born on 12 February 1918 in Mulheim an der Ruhr at the time in the Rhine Province of the Kingdom of Prussia He was the son of Friedrich Johann Schroer and his wife Maria nee Schmitz 3 Schroer attended school from 1924 to 1937 and graduated with his Abitur School Leaving Certificate From April to October 1937 he then completed the compulsory Reichsarbeitsdienst Reich Labour Service Schroer joined the military service with the Luftwaffe of Nazi Germany in 1937 4 His recruit training began on 3 November 1937 with the 4 Kompanie 4th company of Fliegerersatzabteilung 24 24th Flier Replacement Unit in Quakenbruck On 1 April 1938 he was transferred to the Flughafenbetriebskompanie Airport Operation Company of Jagdgeschwader 132 JG 132 132nd Fighter Wing to Dusseldorf serving with the ground personnel 3 On 1 July 1938 Schroer was posted to the 7 Staffel 7th squadron of Jagdgeschwader 234 JG 234th 234th Fighter Wing where his flight training began He then served with the Fliegerhorstkompanie Airfield Company in Dusseldorf from 13 August 1938 to 30 June 1939 While serving with this unit he was promoted to Gefreiter airman first class on 1 October 1938 and to Unteroffizier corporal on 1 April 1939 Note 2 On 1 July 1939 Schroer was then transferred to II Gruppe 2nd group of Jagdgeschwader 26 Schlageter JG 26 26th Fighter Wing named after the Nazi martyr Albert Leo Schlageter where he was posted to the 6 Staffel where he made his first flight 3 4 From 1 September to 15 October 1939 Schroer attended an air observer course at the Aufklarungsfliegerschule Reconnaissance Flying School at Hildesheim Schroer then continued his pilot training at the flight schools in Kamp and Schafstadt On 16 May 1940 he completed his flight training with Flugkommando 23 Flight Commando in Braunschweig During this training period he was promoted to Feldwebel sergeant on 1 December 1939 Schroer then received fighter pilot training at the Jagdfliegerschule 1 fighter pilot school at Werneuchen There he learned to fly the Arado Ar 68 and Ar 96 the Messerschmitt Bf 108 and Bf 109 the Bucker Bu 131 the Focke Wulf Fw 56 and the Heinkel He 45 and He 51 5 From 22 July to 17 August 1940 Schroer completed his fighter pilot training with the 2 Staffel of Erganzungsjagdgruppe Merseburg a supplementary training unit based in Merseburg 4 6 World War II EditWorld War II in Europe began on Friday 1 September 1939 when German forces invaded Poland On 20 August 1940 Schroer was transferred to the 2 Staffel of Jagdgeschwader 27 JG 27 27th Fighter Wing a front line fighter unit 6 JG 27 at the time was under the command of Oberst Colonel Max Ibel and based in Plumetot France on the Channel Front There JG 27 was subordinated to Jagdfliegerfuhrer 3 Jafu 3 the fighter force commander of Luftflotte 3 under the command of Generalfeldmarschall Field Marshal Hugo Sperrle and fought in the Battle of Britain 10 July 31 October 1940 6 On 28 August 1940 JG 27 relocated from the vicinity of the Cotentin Peninsula to an airfield at Peuplingues about 6 kilometers 3 7 mi southwest of Calais and subsequently was placed under the command of Jagdfliegerfuhrer 2 7 Operating over the English Channel and southern England Schroer flew his first combat missions and claimed three aerial victories which were not confirmed 4 I Gruppe was withdrawn from the Channel Front on 30 September 1940 Relocation to Stade west of Hamburg began on 1 October There I Gruppe was placed under the command of Geschwaderstab of Jagdgeschwader 1 JG 1 1st Fighter Wing During the following three weeks I Gruppe was tasked with flying combat air patrols over the German Bight In parallel the Gruppe replenished its losses of 14 men killed or missing in action four wounded and seven taken prisoner of war losses sustained while fighting over Britain Also the losses in aircraft had to be replenished and the equipment underwent a maintenance overhaul 8 On 21 October I Gruppe was again ordered to France then based at Dinan in northeastern Brittany under the command of Jafu 3 again On 3 December I Gruppe relocated again this time to Doberitz with the orders to provide fighter protection for Berlin 9 Following the arrival in Doberitz the majority of the flying and ground personnel were sent on vacation 10 Between end February to early March 1941 the I Gruppe relocated to Munich Riem where it stayed for four weeks On 24 February the pilots of 1 and 2 Staffel were temporarily sent to Sicily where they flew missions against Malta protecting the German naval convoys taking the Afrika Korps to Tripoli During this period 2 Staffel was based at Comiso From 7 to 10 March the pilots returned to Munich Riem 11 During this brief interlude Schroer was promoted to Leutnant second lieutenant and transferred to 1 Staffel on 1 March 12 On 4 April 1941 the Gruppe relocated to Graz in preparation of operation Operation Marita the Battle of Greece 13 On 11 April I Gruppe flew fighter escort missions for Junkers Ju 87 dive bombers in this campaign The next day the unit deployed to Zagreb before transferring to Africa 14 North Africa Edit On 15 April 1941 the first elements of 1 and 2 Staffel began relocation to North Africa to Tripoli From Tripoli the Staffeln were ordered to Ain el Gazala airfield west of Tobruk where they arrived between 18 and 24 April 1941 15 Schroer was credited with his first aerial victory on 19 April a Royal Air Force RAF Hawker Hurricane fighter of the No 274 Squadron shot down near Tobruk 16 That day the Gruppe claimed its first four victories in Africa 17 In this encounter Schroer was shot down in his Bf 109 E 7 Werknummer 3790 factory number resulting in a forced landing at Ain el Gazala 18 Schroer s victor was Pilot Officer Spence Schroer was the first German Bf 109 pilot shot down in Africa 19 For this Schroer was awarded the Iron Cross 2nd Class Eisernes Kreuz zweiter Klasse 16 Two days later on 21 April I Gruppe engaged in combat with Hurricane fighters over Tobruk claiming one victory by Oberfeldwebel Albert Espenlaub for the loss of Unteroffizier Hans Sippel who was killed in action 20 Schroer s Bf 109 E 7 Werknummer 4170 factory number also sustained combat damage in this encounter He managed to fly his aircraft back to Ain el Gazala making another forced landing and slightly injuring himself 21 It is possible that his victor was Pilot Officer Spence making it the second time in 48 hours the RAF pilot shot him down 19 A Bf 109 E of JG 27 similar to those flown by Schroer in North Africa Schroer claimed his second aerial victory over two months later On 25 June he claimed a Hurricane shot down presumably from 2 Squadron of the South African Air Force SAAF 16 On 19 July 1941 a flight of three Schwarme flights of four aircraft from I Gruppe encountered a mixed flight of Hurricanes and P 40 Tomahawk fighters on a combat air patrol north of Sidi Barrani 22 Twelve Hurricanes from No 73 Squadron RAF augmented by P 40s from 2 Squadron SAAF provided fighter escort for Allied shipping destined for Tobruk In this encounter the Germans claimed three victories without sustaining any losses Schroer was credited with his fourth victory that day a P 40 claimed at 18 17 northeast Ras Asaz On 21 August Schroer claimed his fifth victory a Hurricane from No 229 Squadron on an escort mission for a flight of Martin Maryland bombers from 24 Squadron SAAF on a bombing mission to Menastir near Bardia 16 On 29 August 1941 Schroer engaged in aerial combat with the top Australian ace Clive Caldwell of No 250 Squadron RAF north west of Sidi Barrani In the course of the battle Schroer damaged Caldwell s P 40 Tomahawk Caldwell suffered bullet wounds to the back left shoulder and leg but was still able to shoot down Schroer s wingman and heavily damage Schroer s own aircraft and thus forced him to disengage According to Prien Rodeike and Stemmer authors of Messerschmidt Bf 109 im Einsatz bei Stab und I Jagdgeschwader 27 1939 1945 Messerschmidt Bf 109 in Action with the Headquarters Unit and I Jagdgeschwader 27 1939 1945 I Gruppe did not record any loss or damaged aircraft in this encounter 23 The arrival in September of II Gruppe from the Eastern Front allowed I JG 27 to rotate its pilots back to Germany a squadron at a time for rest and re equipment with the improved Bf 109 F However this could not prevent the Axis forces being routed out of Cyrenaica by the British Operation Crusader Staffelkapitan Edit In February Rommel launched his counter offensive retaking a lot of the same ground all over again On 1 March 1942 when Werner became adjutant in I JG 27 learning command under the experienced Eduard Neumann they were back at Martuba east of Derna On 22 June the day after the fall of Tobruk he was promoted to Staffelkapitan of 8 JG 27 based further forward at Gazala 24 The next day 23 June with Marseille having just reached 101 victories Werner scored his 12th and finally started scoring regularly With the Battle of Gazala well underway and Rommel charging 500 km onto El Alamein the airwar finally heated up He scored 16 victories in July then after a month away a further 13 victories bringing his total to 44 On 9 September he was awarded the German Cross in Gold Deutsches Kreuz in Gold after his 32nd amp 33rd victories the day before The claims submitted by JG 27 on 15 September are a matter of controversy Some 26 claims were submitted for aircraft shot down by JG 27 six by Schroer In fact only five Allied aircraft were shot down in aerial combat that day 25 On 30 September 1942 Schroer was leading 8 Staffel on a Stuka escort mission covering the withdrawal of the group and relieving the outward escort III Jagdgeschwader 53 JG 53 53rd Fighter Wing which had been deployed to support JG 27 in Africa Hans Joachim Marseille s 3 Staffel visually sighted the RAF fighters but were unable to make contact Marseille vectored Schroer onto the enemy aircraft Marseille heard Schroer claim a Spitfire over the radio at 10 30 Both flights remained airborne over the next hour on patrol At 11 30 Marseille radioed his engine was smoking and his flight escorted him to German lines Marseille bailed out but struck the vertical stabilizer and fell to earth without his parachute deploying Schroer arrived near 3 staffel in time to see Marseille s Bf 109 hit the ground but saw no parachute He later learned of Marseille s death 26 He continued claiming regularly in October downing a further 15 aircraft Leutnant Schroer was awarded the Knight s Cross of the Iron Cross Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes on 21 October for 49 victories just before Montgomery launched his victorious Battle of El Alamein In the frantic air battles overhead Schroer shot down 10 aircraft in a week On 4 November the new Oberleutnant Schroer shot down his first four engined bomber a Consolidated B 24 Liberator west of Sollum However the end in Africa was nigh and with the Afrika Korps in full retreat III JG 27 handed over its aircraft to Jagdgeschwader 77 the 77th Fighter Wing replacing it on the continent and evacuated to Crete and the Aegean islands Fittingly as the Gruppe s highest scorer Werner scored one of its last African victories on 16 November his 61st Those 61 victories all scored in Africa made him the second highest scoring ace of the Desert War after Marseille who had been killed in a flying accident on 30 September with 158 victories In the few months they were in the Aegean including a posting with the Italian forces on Rhodes the newly promoted Hauptmann Schroer shot down two light bombers on 15 February After that he had extended leave at home for his wedding 27 Sicily and Italy Edit Emblem of II JG 27 On 22 April 1943 a number of command position were changed impacting Schroer The Geschwaderkommodore wing commander Eduard Neumann was ordered to the staff of the General der Jagdflieger General of Fighters Adolf Galland The vacancy in the Geschwaderkommodore position was back filled by the Gruppenkommandeur group commander of II JG 27 Gustav Rodel who surrendered his command to Schroer 28 II JG 27 was now operating with the new Bf 109G in the dangerous skies over Sicily as the Allies prepared for invasion with heavy preparatory bombing raids Based at Trapani on the western corner of the island they were up against complete Allied air superiority and had the hopeless task of trying to protect transport aircraft making desperate evacuation flights of remaining wounded and specialists out of the beleaguered Afrika Korps now bottled up in Tunis Just before Schroer took over command on the evening of 18 April only 6 transports had made it to Sicily out of 65 leaving Tunis Flying at sea level half had been shot down and the remainder turned back damaged 29 Powerless to help II JG 27 claimed only one enemy fighter in response However with renewed vigour Werner led from the front and over the next two months claimed 22 Allied aircraft shot down including 12 four engined heavy bombers The surrender in May of the Afrika Korps was of a comparable scale to the surrender of 6 Armee at Stalingrad only a few months earlier Operation Husky the Allied invasion of Sicily started on 10 July Unable to influence the result to any great degree II JG 27 had already been ordered back to the Italian mainland On 28 July the unit was ordered to hand its aircraft over to other units and the pilots and crews returned to Germany for much needed rest and re equipment At Foggia the remaining aircraft were handed over to Jagdgeschwader 3 JG 3 3rd Fighter Wing Jagdgeschwader 53 JG 53 53rd Fighter Wing and Jagdgeschwader 77 JG 77 77th Fighter Wing The pilots took a train to Vienna Aspern On 2 August Schroer was awarded the Knight s Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes mit Eichenlaub his tally at the time was 85 victories 30 The presentation was made by Adolf Hitler at the Wolf s Lair Hitler s headquarters in Rastenburg present day Ketrzyn in Poland Five other Luftwaffe officers were presented with awards that day by Hitler Hauptmann Egmont Prinz zur Lippe Weissenfeld Hauptmann Manfred Meurer Hauptmann Heinrich Ehrler Oberleutnant Joachim Kirschner Oberleutnant Theodor Weissenberger were also awarded the Oak Leaves and Major Helmut Lent received the Swords to his Knight s Cross with Oak Leaves 31 In defense of the Reich Edit In August 1943 II JG 27 was at Wiesbaden Erbenheim in Germany starting training for a completely different air war Reichsverteidigung Defense of the Reich duties at high altitude against the big heavily armed massed formations of four engined bombers or Viermots From August to March Schroer shot down 14 aircraft 11 of them being Viermots an indication of the type of air combat in which he was now fighting The unit s first operational sortie in the Reich 6 September was their most successful with nine bombers claimed including three for Schroer 86 88v On 7 January 1944 Schroer was credited with the destruction of a P 38 Lightning piloted by Joseph P Marsiglia of the 55th Fighter Group 338th Fighter Squadron Marsiglia had to bail out and was apprehended near Holz in the district of Saarbrucken This was Schroer s 92nd aerial victory 32 On 14 March 1944 Schroer was appointed Gruppenkommandeur III Jagdgeschwader 54 JG 54 54th Fighter Wing 33 At the time the Gruppe was based at Luneburg Airfield and subordinated to 2 Jagd Division 2nd Fighter Division 34 On 20 April III Gruppe relocated to Landau an der Isar for conversion training to the Focke Wulf Fw 190 In consequence of this relocation the Gruppe came under the control of 7 Jagd Division 7th Fighter Division Conversion training was relatively short and the Gruppe flew its first mission on the Fw 190 against attacking United States Army Air Forces USAAF heavy bombers on 19 May 35 On 24 May Schroer claimed a P 51 Mustang and two P 47 Thunderbolts to reach his century 100 102v He was the 73rd Luftwaffe pilot to achieve the century mark 36 When Allied forces launched Operation Overlord the invasion of German occupied Western Europe on 6 June III Gruppe was immediately ordered to relocate to Villacoublay Airfield That day the Gruppe reached Nancy arriving in Villacoublay the following day where it was subordinated to II Fliegerkorps 2nd Air Corps Its primary objective was to fly fighter bomber missions in support of the German ground forces The Gruppe flew its first missions on 7 June to the combat area east of Caen and the Orne estuary 35 But the worsening situation and the intense pressure was taking its toll and he was sent on a month s stress leave in early June just as Allied attention turned to Normandy possibly saving his life as the unit took very heavy losses in France 37 On 6 June he was temporarily replaced by Hauptmann Robert Weiss as commander of III Gruppe and officially replaced by Weiss on 21 June 33 Returning to duty from 5 November 1944 to 5 February 1945 Schroer was senior instructor at the Verbandsfuhrerschule Training School for Unit Leaders of the General der Jagdflieger General of Fighters at Konigsberg in der Neumark present day Chojna in western Poland 38 In mid February 1945 Schroer assumed command of JG 3 Udet named after Ernst Udet from Oberstleutnant Heinrich Bar who had transferred to jet fighters 39 On 14 February Schroer was officially appointed Geschwaderkommodore wing commander of JG 3 Udet 40 The Geschwader was deployed in eastern Germany initially subordinated to Luftflotte 6 and then under Luftwaffenkommando Nordost where it fought over the lower Oder in the Battle of the Oder Neisse 39 There he claimed 12 Soviet aircraft destroyed his only victories not on the Western Front On 19 April 1945 he received the Knight s Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves and Swords Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes mit Eichenlaub und Schwertern The Geschwaderstab headquarters unit withdrew along the Baltic coast into Schleswig Holstein There on 5 May 1945 Schroer surrendered to British forces and was taken prisoner of war 39 Later life Edit Schroer s Bf 109 rudder with 90 victory markings This rudder is on display at the Militarhistorisches Museum Flugplatz Berlin Gatow Schroer was kept in British custody until 7 February 1946 41 Initially he worked as a Taxicab driver in Frankfurt to help finance his family In parallel he attended university attaining a Master of Business Administration Diplom Kaufmann 42 Together with his family he then lived and worked in Rome Italy for eleven years In 1968 the spelling of his last name changed from Schroer to Schroer with the Umlaut o 41 Prior to his retirement he held the position of head of the central protocol department with Messerschmitt Bolkow Blohm in Ottobrunn Schroer died on 10 February 1985 in Ottobrunn aged 66 He was buried with military honors at the Parkfriedhof park cemetery in Ottobrunn on 15 February 1985 42 Summary of career EditAerial victory claims Edit According to US historian David T Zabecki Schroer was credited with 114 aerial victories 43 Obermaier also lists Schroer with 114 enemy aircraft shot down claimed in 197 combat missions the majority of which on the Western Front including 61 in North Africa and 22 in Italy This figure includes 26 four engined bombers four of which claimed as Herausschusse separation shots 44 Mathews and Foreman authors of Luftwaffe Aces Biographies and Victory Claims researched the German Federal Archives and found records for 106 aerial victory claims plus eight further unconfirmed claims This figure includes 12 aerial victories on the Eastern Front and 94 over the Western Allies including 23 four engine bomber 45 Chronicle of aerial victories This and the Ace of spades indicates those aerial victories which made Schroer an ace in a day a term which designates a fighter pilot who has shot down five or more airplanes in a single day This and the question mark indicates that Australian author Russell Brown has expressed doubt regarding the veracity of Schroer s claims on this day 25 This along with the asterisk indicates an Herausschuss separation shot a severely damaged heavy bomber forced to separate from his combat box which was counted as an aerial victory Claim Date Time Type Location Unit Claim Date Time Type Location Unit Claims with I Gruppe of Jagdgeschwader 27 46 In North Africa April 1941 June 19421 19 April 1941 Hurricane west of Tobruk 47 1 JG 27 7 14 September 1941 15 55 Hurricane south of El Hambra 48 1 JG 272 25 June 1941 14 20 Hurricane south of Sidi Barrani 49 1 JG 27 8 30 May 1942 14 05 P 40 northeast of Bir Hacheim 50 Stab I JG 273 8 July 1941 07 00 Hurricane west of Bardia 49 1 JG 27 9 10 June 1942 07 49 P 40 5 km 3 1 mi west of Bir Hacheim 51 Stab I JG 274 19 July 1941 18 17 P 40 northeast of Ras Asaz 49 1 JG 27 10 15 June 1942 18 06 P 40 northwest of El Adem 51 Stab I JG 275 21 August 1941 18 20 Hurricane northeast of Bardia 49 1 JG 27 11 15 June 1942 18 11 P 40 northwest of El Adem 51 Stab I JG 276 29 August 1941 18 10 P 40 northwest of Sidi Barrani 49 1 JG 27 Claims with III Gruppe of Jagdgeschwader 27 52 In North Africa June 1942 November 194212 23 June 1942 14 40 P 40 10 km 6 2 mi south of Sidi Omar 53 8 JG 27 37 15 September 1942 11 55 P 40 south of El Alamein 54 8 JG 2713 26 June 1942 11 40 P 40 southwest of Mersa Matruh 53 8 JG 27 38 15 September 1942 16 45 P 40 northeast of Deir El Tarfa 54 8 JG 2714 26 June 1942 11 44 Hurricane southwest of Mersa Matruh 53 8 JG 27 39 15 September 1942 16 55 P 40 northeast of Deir El Tarfa 55 8 JG 2715 26 June 1942 16 10 P 40 southwest of Mersa Matruh 53 8 JG 27 40 15 September 1942 17 03 Spitfire vicinity of El Alamein 55 8 JG 2716 2 July 1942 07 00 P 40 southeast of El Alamein 56 8 JG 27 41 16 September 1942 09 25 P 40 south of El Alamein 55 8 JG 2717 2 July 1942 07 05 P 40 east of El Alamein 56 8 JG 27 42 20 September 1942 16 33 P 40 8 km 5 0 mi southwest of El Alamein 55 8 JG 2718 3 July 1942 14 40 Hurricane south of Imayid 56 8 JG 27 43 21 September 1942 16 30 Spitfire north of El Hammam 55 8 JG 2719 3 July 1942 14 47 Hurricane southeast of El Hammam 56 8 JG 27 44 30 September 1942 10 30 Spitfire near of Abu Dweis 8 JG 2720 3 July 1942 14 50 P 40 southeast of El Hammam 56 8 JG 27 45 2 October 1942 15 40 P 40 north northeast of Deir El Tarfa 8 JG 2721 4 July 1942 18 40 P 40 southeast of El Alamein 56 8 JG 27 46 9 October 1942 09 25 Boston northeast of El Dabaa 8 JG 2722 6 July 1942 11 45 P 40 20 km 12 mi southwest of El Alamein 56 8 JG 27 47 9 October 1942 16 15 Spitfire northwest of El Dabaa 8 JG 2723 6 July 1942 11 48 P 40 21 km 13 mi southwest of El Alamein 56 8 JG 27 48 9 October 1942 16 20 Hurricane southeast of Bir el Abd 8 JG 2724 11 July 1942 16 05 Spitfire southeast of El Alamein 56 8 JG 27 49 20 October 1942 14 12 P 40 southwest of Deir El Tarfa 8 JG 2725 11 July 1942 16 10 P 40 southwest of El Alamein 56 8 JG 27 50 23 October 1942 08 00 P 46 northeast of El Alamein 8 JG 2726 13 July 1942 09 57 Hurricane south of El Hammam 56 8 JG 27 51 23 October 1942 08 30 P 46 southeast of El Alamein 8 JG 2727 13 July 1942 10 02 Hurricane south of El Hammam 56 8 JG 27 52 24 October 1942 08 25 P 40 northeast of El Alamein 8 JG 2728 13 July 1942 10 05 Hurricane south of El Hammam 56 8 JG 27 53 24 October 1942 16 45 Hurricane southwest of El Alamein 8 JG 2729 14 July 1942 10 15 P 40 southwest of El Alamein 56 8 JG 27 54 26 October 1942 13 10 P 40 west of El Alamein 8 JG 2730 16 July 1942 18 30 P 40 southwest of El Alamein 56 8 JG 27 55 27 October 1942 P 40 northwest of Quotaifiya 8 JG 2731 17 July 1942 18 25 P 40 west of El Alamein 56 8 JG 27 56 27 October 1942 P 40 northeast of Quotaifiya 8 JG 2732 8 September 1942 12 45 Spitfire vicinity of Deir El Tarfa 54 8 JG 27 57 27 October 1942 P 40 northeast of El Dabaa 8 JG 2733 8 September 1942 12 50 Spitfire vicinity of Deir El Tarfa 54 8 JG 27 58 29 October 1942 12 25 Spitfire south of El Alamein 8 JG 2734 13 September 1942 17 25 P 40 7 km 4 3 mi southwest of El Alamein 54 8 JG 27 59 30 October 1942 09 20 P 39 south southeast of El Dabaa 8 JG 2735 15 September 1942 11 40 P 40 west of El Alamein 54 8 JG 27 60 4 November 1942 12 15 B 24 between Sollum and Benghazi 8 JG 2736 15 September 1942 11 43 P 40 west of El Alamein 54 8 JG 27 61 16 November 1942 15 20 P 40 south of Tecis 8 JG 27 Claims with III Gruppe of Jagdgeschwader 27 57 Eastern Mediterranean Crete Sicily Greece Tunisia and Italy November 1942 February 194362 11 February 1943 13 30 B 26 north northeast Karpathos 8 JG 27 63 11 February 1943 13 34 B 26 north northeast Karpathos 8 JG 27 Claims with II Gruppe of Jagdgeschwader 27 58 Sicily Tunisia and Italy February July 194364 29 April 1943 18 08 P 38 60 km 37 mi southeast of Marettimo 59 Stab II JG 27 75 25 May 1943 11 17 B 17 northwest Marettimo Stab II JG 2765 29 April 1943 18 10 P 38 60 km 37 mi southeast Marettimo 59 Stab II JG 27 76 31 May 1943 14 40 B 17 west northwest Trapani Stab II JG 2766 5 May 1943 15 00 B 24 northwest Marettimo 59 Stab II JG 27 77 7 June 1943 06 44 P 40 5 km 3 1 mi north Pantelleria Stab II JG 2767 9 May 1943 13 10 B 24 east Capo Gallo Stab II JG 27 78 10 June 1943 09 26 P 46 3 km 1 9 mi south southwest Granitola Torreta Stab II JG 2768 9 May 1943 13 40 P 38 70 km 43 mi northwest Capo San Vito Stab II JG 27 79 10 June 1943 09 27 P 46 4 km 2 5 mi south southwest Granitola Torreta Stab II JG 2769 11 May 1943 11 46 P 38 60 km 37 mi northeast Cap Bon Stab II JG 27 80 10 June 1943 Boston Pantelleria Stab II JG 2770 11 May 1943 12 14 B 17 south Marsala Stab II JG 27 81 15 June 1943 08 23 B 17 2 km 1 2 mi west Favignana 60 Stab II JG 2771 18 May 1943 13 45 B 17 northwest Trapani Stab II JG 27 82 11 July 1943 13 20 B 24 25 km 16 mi south Crotone 60 Stab II JG 2772 19 May 1943 13 42 P 38 west Marettimo Stab II JG 27 83 16 July 1943 13 00 B 24 5 km 3 1 mi southwest Santeramo in Colle 61 Stab II JG 2773 21 May 1943 11 21 B 17 south Marsala Stab II JG 27 84 16 July 1943 13 15 B 24 10 km 6 2 mi west southwest Bari 61 Stab II JG 2774 21 May 1943 11 28 Spitfire northwest Pantelleria Stab II JG 27 85 23 July 1943 14 10 B 17 20 km 12 mi north Stromboli 61 Stab II JG 27 Claims with II Gruppe of Jagdgeschwader 27 62 Defense of the Reich September 1943 March 194486 6 September 1943 11 08 B 17 east Geislingen Note 3 Stab II JG 27 93 7 January 1944 12 20 P 38 northeast Saarbrucken Stab II JG 2787 6 September 1943 B 17 south Echterdingen Stab II JG 27 94 11 January 1944 12 25 B 24 southeast Assen Stab II JG 2788 6 September 1943 B 17 southeast Stuttgart Stab II JG 27 95 11 January 1944 13 30 B 17 west Almelo Stab II JG 2789 14 October 1943 B 17 Alzey Stab II JG 27 96 29 January 1944 11 02 B 17 Sankt Wendel Stab II JG 2790 29 November 1943 14 48 B 17 south southwest Bremen Stab II JG 27 97 25 February 1944 12 28 B 17 20 km 12 mi northeast Chiemsee Stab II JG 2791 19 December 1943 12 38 B 17 Krimml Stab II JG 27 98 25 February 1944 12 31 B 17 Altotting Stab II JG 2792 7 January 1944 12 07 P 38 north Saarbrucken Stab II JG 27 99 3 March 1944 12 23 P 38 Magdeburg Stab II JG 27 Claims with III Gruppe of Jagdgeschwader 54 63 Defense of the Reich May 1944100 24 May 1944 B 17 Stab III JG 54 102 24 May 1944 P 51 Stab III JG 54101 24 May 1944 B 17 Stab III JG 54 Claims with the Stab of Jagdgeschwader 3 Udet 64 Flying the Focke Wulf Fw 190 March 1945 May 1945103 11 March 1945 P 39 Stab JG 3 Udet 109 19 April 1945 Il 2 Stab JG 3 Udet 104 11 March 1945 Pe 2 Stab JG 3 Udet 110 19 April 1945 Yak 3 Stab JG 3 Udet 105 11 March 1945 Pe 2 Stab JG 3 Udet 111 24 April 1945 Yak 3 Stab JG 3 Udet 106 15 March 1945 P 39 Stab JG 3 Udet 112 24 April 1945 Yak 9 Stab JG 3 Udet 107 15 March 1945 La 5 Stab JG 3 Udet 113 26 April 1945 La 5 Stab JG 3 Udet 108 15 March 1945 Yak 3 Stab JG 3 Udet 114 26 April 1945 La 5 Stab JG 3 Udet Awards Edit Wound Badge in Black 65 Front Flying Clasp of the Luftwaffe in Gold 65 in Silver 15 September 1941 66 in Gold 15 September 1942 66 Combined Pilots Observation Badge 65 Honour Goblet of the Luftwaffe Ehrenpokal der Luftwaffe on 10 August 1942 as Leutnant and pilot 67 Note 4 Italian Silver Medal of Military Valor 65 German Cross in Gold on 9 September 1942 as Leutnant in the III Jagdgeschwader 27 69 Iron Cross 1939 2nd class 19 April 1941 70 1st class 9 September 1941 70 Knight s Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves and Swords Knight s Cross on 20 October 1942 as Leutnant war officer and Staffelfuhrer of the 8 Jagdgeschwader 27 1 71 268th Oak Leaves on 2 August 1943 as Hauptmann war officer and Gruppenkommandeur of the II Jagdgeschwader 27 1 72 144th Swords on 19 April 1945 as Major war officer and Geschwaderkommodore of Jagdgeschwader 3 Udet 73 Note 5 Dates of rank Edit 1 October 1938 Gefreiter 66 1 April 1939 Unteroffizier 66 1 December 1939 Feldwebel 66 1 March 1941 Leutnant Second Lieutenant 66 1 November 1942 Oberleutnant First Lieutenant 66 1 February 1943 Hauptmann Captain 66 1 November 1943 Major Major 66 Notes Edit According to his Werner Schroer statement family name was Schroer until 1968 and Schroer from then on 1 For an explanation of Luftwaffe unit designations see Organization of the Luftwaffe during World War II There is more than one place in Germany called Geislingen German Wikipedia has a fuller list At least two are in Baden Wurttemberg which is where Schroer s other combats on 6 September 1943 took place It may not be possible to determine which Geislingen this was According to Obermaier on 5 August 1942 44 Schumann gives a presentation date of 6 August 1942 68 According to Scherzer on 16 April 1945 1 The sequential numbers greater than 143 for the Knight s Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves and Swords are unofficial and were assigned by the Association of Knight s Cross Recipients AKCR and are therefore denoted in parentheses 74 References EditCitations Edit a b c d Scherzer 2007 p 685 Spick 1996 pp 3 4 a b c Schumann 2016 p 2 a b c d Stockert 2012 p 287 Schumann 2016 p 3 a b c Schumann 2016 p 4 Prien Rodeike amp Stemmer 1998 p 85 Prien Rodeike amp Stemmer 1998 pp 88 89 Prien Rodeike amp Stemmer 1998 p 89 Prien Rodeike amp Stemmer 1998 p 120 Prien Rodeike amp Stemmer 1998 p 121 Schumann 2016 pp ii 4 Prien Rodeike amp Stemmer 1998 p 122 Prien Rodeike amp Stemmer 1998 p 124 Prien Rodeike amp Stemmer 1998 p 138 a b c d Schumann 2016 p 6 Weal 2003 p 66 Prien Rodeike amp Stemmer 1998 pp 140 539 a b Ring amp Shores 1969 p 36 Prien Rodeike amp Stemmer 1998 pp 140 562 Prien Rodeike amp Stemmer 1998 pp 140 540 Prien Rodeike amp Stemmer 1998 p 146 Prien Rodeike amp Stemmer 1998 pp 146 541 Stockert 2012 p 288 a b Brown 2000 pp 281 282 Heaton amp Lewis 2012 pp 176 177 Weal 2003 pp 94 96 Prien Rodeike amp Stemmer 1997 p 256 Weal 2003 p 91 Stockert 2012 p 289 Schumann 2016 p 29 Schumann 2016 p 36 a b Prien et al 2019 p 446 Prien et al 2019 p 447 a b Prien et al 2019 p 439 Obermaier 1989 p 243 Weal 2001 p 91 Schumann 2016 p 37 a b c Prien amp Stemmer 2002 p 14 Prien amp Stemmer 2002 p 385 a b Stockert 2012 p 290 a b Schumann 2016 p 44 Zabecki 2019 p 330 a b Obermaier 1989 p 40 Mathews amp Foreman 2015 pp 1175 1177 Prien Rodeike amp Stemmer 1998 pp 562 564 567 568 Prien et al 2003 p 370 Prien et al 2003 p 372 a b c d e Prien et al 2003 p 371 Prien et al 2004 p 180 a b c Prien et al 2004 p 181 Prien Rodeike amp Stemmer 1995 pp 344 346 a b c d Prien et al 2004 p 338 a b c d e f g Prien et al 2004 p 340 a b c d e Prien et al 2004 p 342 a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p Prien et al 2004 p 339 Prien Rodeike amp Stemmer 1995 p 346 Prien Rodeike amp Stemmer 1997 pp 561 562 a b c Prien et al 2010 p 210 a b Prien et al 2010 p 211 a b c Prien et al 2010 p 212 Prien Rodeike amp Stemmer 1997 pp 563 564 Schumann 2016 p 47 Prien amp Stemmer 2002 p 398 a b c d Berger 1999 p 323 a b c d e f g h i Schumann 2016 p ii Patzwall 2008 p 187 Schumann 2016 pp ii 19 Patzwall amp Scherzer 2001 p 425 a b Thomas 1998 p 289 Fellgiebel 2000 p 389 Fellgiebel 2000 p 71 Fellgiebel 2000 p 48 Fellgiebel 2000 pp 49 51 Bibliography Edit Berger Florian 1999 Mit Eichenlaub und Schwertern Die hochstdekorierten Soldaten des Zweiten Weltkrieges With Oak Leaves and Swords The Highest Decorated Soldiers of the Second World War in German Vienna Austria Selbstverlag Florian Berger ISBN 978 3 9501307 0 6 Brown Russell 2000 Desert Warriors Australian P 40 Pilots at War in the Middle East and North Africa 1941 1943 Maryborough Queensland Australia Banner Books ISBN 978 1 875593 22 4 Caldwell Donald Muller Richard 2007 The Luftwaffe over Germany Defense of the Reich London UK Greenhill ISBN 978 1 85367 712 0 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 Heaton Colin Lewis Anne Marie 2012 The Star of Africa The Story of Hans Marseille the Rogue Luftwaffe Ace London UK Zenith Press ISBN 978 0 7603 4393 7 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 Musciano Walter 1989 Messerschmitt Aces Tab Books ISBN 0 8306 8379 8 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 Stemmer Gerhard 1995 Messerschmitt Bf 109 im Einsatz bei der III und IV Jagdgeschwader 27 1938 1945 Messerschmidt Bf 109 in Action with the III and IV Jagdgeschwader 27 1938 1945 in German Eutin Germany Struve Druck ISBN 978 3 923457 30 4 Prien Jochen Rodeike Peter Stemmer Gerhard 1997 Messerschmidt Bf 109 im Einsatz bei II Jagdgeschwader 27 1940 1945 Messerschmidt Bf 109 in Action with I Jagdgeschwader 27 1940 1945 in German Eutin Germany Struve Druck ISBN 978 3 923457 42 7 Prien Jochen Rodeike Peter Stemmer Gerhard 1998 Messerschmidt Bf 109 im Einsatz bei Stab und I Jagdgeschwader 27 1939 1945 Messerschmidt Bf 109 in Action with the Headquarters Unit and I Jagdgeschwader 27 1939 1945 in German Eutin Germany Struve Druck ISBN 978 3 923457 46 5 Prien Jochen Stemmer Gerhard 2002 Jagdgeschwader 3 Udet in WWII Stab and I JG 3 in Action with the Messerschmitt Bf 109 Atglen Pennsylvania Schiffer Publishing ISBN 978 0 7643 1681 4 Prien Jochen Stemmer Gerhard Rodeike Peter Bock Winfried 2003 Die Jagdfliegerverbande der Deutschen Luftwaffe 1934 bis 1945 Teil 5 Heimatverteidigung 10 Mai 1940 bis 31 Dezember 1941 Einsatz im Mittelmeerraum Oktober 1940 bis November 1941 Einsatz im Westen 22 Juni bis 31 Dezember 1941 Die Erganzungsjagdgruppen Einsatz 1941 bis zur Auflosung Anfang 1942 The Fighter Units of the German Air Force 1934 to 1945 Part 5 Defense of the Reich 10 May 1940 to 31 December 1941 Action in the Mediterranean Theater October 1940 to November 1941 Action in the West 22 June to 31 December 1941 The Supplementary Fighter Groups Action from 1941 until their Breakup in Early 1942 in German Eutin Germany Struve Druck ISBN 978 3 923457 68 7 Prien Jochen Stemmer Gerhard Rodeike Peter Bock Winfried 2004 Die Jagdfliegerverbande der Deutschen Luftwaffe 1934 bis 1945 Teil 8 I Einsatz im Mittelmeerraum November 1941 bis December 1942 The Fighter Units of the German Air Force 1934 to 1945 Part 8 I Action in the Mediterranean Theater November 1941 to December 1942 in German Eutin Germany Struve Druck ISBN 978 3 923457 74 8 Prien Jochen Stemmer Gerhard Rodeike Peter Bock Winfried 2010 Die Jagdfliegerverbande der Deutschen Luftwaffe 1934 bis 1945 Teil 11 I Einsatz im Mittelmeerraum 1 1 bis 31 12 1943 The Fighter Units of the German Air Force 1934 to 1945 Part 11 I Action in the Mediterranean Theater 1 January to 31 December 1943 in German Eutin Germany Struve Druck ISBN 978 3 923457 95 3 Prien Jochen Balke Ulf Stemmer Gerhard Bock Winfried 2019 Die Jagdfliegerverbande der Deutschen Luftwaffe 1934 bis 1945 Teil 13 V Einsatz im Reichsverteidigung und im Westen 1 1 bis 31 12 1944 The Fighter Units of the German Air Force 1934 to 1945 Part 13 V Action in the Defense of the Reich and in the West 1 January to 31 December 1944 in German Eutin Germany Struve Druck ISBN 978 3 942943 21 5 Roba Jean Louis amp Pegg Martin 2003 Jagdwaffe Vol 4 Sec2 The Mediterranean 1942 1943 Hersham Surrey Ian Allan Publishing ISBN 1 903223 35 0 incl colour picture of aircraft p 168 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 Ring Hans Shores Christopher 1969 Fighters over the desert the air battles in the Western Desert June 1940 to December 1942 London UK Neville Spearman ISBN 978 0 85435 060 5 Schumann Ralf 2016 Ritterkreuztrager Profile Nr 15 Werner Schroer Der zweiterfolgreichste Jagdflieger uber Afrika Knight s Cross Profiles Nr 15 Werner Schroer The Second most Successful Fighter Pilot over Africa in German UNITEC Medienvertrieb OCLC 958500223 ASIN B01GSGW93A 24 February 2017 Scutts Jerry 1994 Bf 109 Aces of North Africa and the Mediterranean Aircraft of the Aces Vol 2 London UK Osprey Publishing ISBN 978 1 85532 448 0 Spick Mike 1996 Luftwaffe Fighter Aces New York Ivy Books ISBN 978 0 8041 1696 1 Spick Mike 2006 Aces of the Reich Greenhill Books ISBN 1 85367 675 6 Stockert Peter 2012 1997 Die Eichenlaubtrager 1939 1945 Band 3 The Oak Leaves Bearers 1939 1945 Volume 3 in German 3rd ed Bad Friedrichshall Germany Friedrichshaller Rundblick ISBN 978 3 932915 01 7 Shores Christopher F Massimello Giovanni Guest Russell 2014 A History of the Mediterranean Air War 1940 1945 Volume 2 North African Desert February 1942 March 1943 London UK Grub Street ISBN 978 1 909166 12 7 Sundin Claes amp Bergstrom Christer 1997 Luftwaffe Fighter Aircraft in Profile Altglen PA Schiffer Military History ISBN 0 7643 0291 4 incl colour profile of aircraft 16 Thomas Franz 1998 Die Eichenlaubtrager 1939 1945 Band 2 L Z The Oak Leaves Bearers 1939 1945 Volume 2 L Z in German Osnabruck Germany Biblio Verlag ISBN 978 3 7648 2300 9 Weal John 1999 Bf 109 F G K Aces of the Western Front Aircraft of the Aces Vol 29 Oxford UK Osprey Publishing ISBN 978 1 85532 905 8 Weal John 2001 Jagdgeschwader 54 Grunherz Aviation Elite Units Vol 6 Oxford UK Osprey Publishing ISBN 978 1 84176 286 9 Weal John 2003 Jagdgeschwader 27 Afrika Aviation Elite Units Vol 12 London UK Osprey Publishing ISBN 978 1 84176 538 9 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 Zabecki David T ed 2019 The German War Machine in World War II Santa Barbara California ABC Clio ISBN 978 1 44 086918 1 Military officesPreceded byOblt Hans Lass Squadron Leader of 8 JG 2722 June 1942 21 April 1943 Succeeded byOblt Dietrich BoeslerPreceded byHptm Gustav Rodel Group Commander of II JG 2722 April 1943 13 March 1944 Succeeded byHptm Friedrich KellerPreceded byHptm Rudolf Sinner Group Commander of III JG 5414 March 1944 20 July 1944 Succeeded byHptm Robert WeissPreceded byMaj Heinrich Bar Commander of Jagdgeschwader 3 Udet14 February 1945 8 May 1945 Succeeded bynone end of war Portals Aviation Biography Military of Germany World War II Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Werner Schroer amp oldid 1153102787, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,

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