Erich Leie
Encyclopedia
Erich Leie was a German
World War II
fighter ace
who served in the Luftwaffe
until his death on 7 March 1945. He was posthumously promoted to the rank of Oberstleutnant
and nominated for the Oak Leaves to the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross
.
. By October 1940, Leie was serving with Geschwaderstab of JG 2, and had 11 victories by the end of the year. Leie was awarded the Ritterkreuz in August 1941 after claiming 21 victories in the west. He claimed 6 Spitfires
shot down in one day on 23 July, and by the end of 1941, his total was 32.
In May 1942, Oberleutnant Leie became Gruppenkommandeur
of I Gruppe, JG 2. He saw action in the air battle over Dieppe
on 19 August, claiming a Spitfire. However, he was shot down and wounded, bailing out of his Fw 190 A-3.
In January 1943, Leie transferred as Gruppenkommandeur to I./JG 51, based on the Eastern front. Leie led the Gruppe during the offensive operations leading up to Operation Zitadelle, the Battle of Kursk
, in July 1943. In November 1943, Major Leie record his 100th victory claim. After a spell of leave in March, he returned to duty only to be shot down by Russian fighters on 6 July. He bailed out over Russian lines and his parachute was blown back over German lines. By October 1944, Leie's victory total stood at 114. He became Geschwaderkommodore
of JG 77 in December 1944.
Leie was killed over Drogomyśl, 20 kms northeast of Cieszyn
(southern Poland
) on 7 March 1945, when he collided with a crashing Russian Yak 9
fighter and failed to survive a low level bail-out from his Bf 109 G-14/AS
. He was officially credited with 118 victories claimed in over 500 combat missions. He claimed 76 victories over the Eastern front
, including 32 Il-2 Sturmovik
ground attack aircraft. Among his 42 confirmed victories recorded over the Western front
, 30 were Supermarine Spitfire
fighters and one was a four-engine bomber.
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
fighter ace
Fighter Ace
Fighter Ace was a massively multiplayer online computer game in which one flies World War II fighter and bomber planes in combat against other players and virtual pilots...
who served in the Luftwaffe
Luftwaffe
Luftwaffe is a generic German term for an air force. It is also the official name for two of the four historic German air forces, the Wehrmacht air arm founded in 1935 and disbanded in 1946; and the current Bundeswehr air arm founded in 1956....
until his death on 7 March 1945. He was posthumously promoted to the rank of Oberstleutnant
Oberstleutnant
Oberstleutnant is a German Army and Air Force rank equal to Lieutenant Colonel, above Major, and below Oberst.There are two paygrade associated to the rank of Oberstleutnant...
and nominated for the Oak Leaves to the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross
Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross
The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross was a grade of the 1939 version of the 1813 created Iron Cross . The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross was the highest award of Germany to recognize extreme battlefield bravery or successful military leadership during World War II...
.
Military career
In March 1940, Leie joined III./JG 2 and claimed his first victory on 14 May when he shot down a Bristol BlenheimBristol Blenheim
The Bristol Blenheim was a British light bomber aircraft designed and built by the Bristol Aeroplane Company that was used extensively in the early days of the Second World War. It was adapted as an interim long-range and night fighter, pending the availability of the Beaufighter...
. By October 1940, Leie was serving with Geschwaderstab of JG 2, and had 11 victories by the end of the year. Leie was awarded the Ritterkreuz in August 1941 after claiming 21 victories in the west. He claimed 6 Spitfires
Supermarine Spitfire
The Supermarine Spitfire is a British single-seat fighter aircraft that was used by the Royal Air Force and many other Allied countries throughout the Second World War. The Spitfire continued to be used as a front line fighter and in secondary roles into the 1950s...
shot down in one day on 23 July, and by the end of 1941, his total was 32.
Gruppenkommandeur
Gruppenkommandeur is a Luftwaffe position , that is the equivalent of a commander of a group or wing in other air forces. Gruppenkommandeur usually has the rank of Hauptmann or Major, and commands a Gruppe, which is a sub-division of a Geschwader. A Gruppe usually consists of three or four...
of I Gruppe, JG 2. He saw action in the air battle over Dieppe
Dieppe, Seine-Maritime
Dieppe is a commune in the Seine-Maritime department in France. In 1999, the population of the whole Dieppe urban area was 81,419.A port on the English Channel, famous for its scallops, and with a regular ferry service from the Gare Maritime to Newhaven in England, Dieppe also has a popular pebbled...
on 19 August, claiming a Spitfire. However, he was shot down and wounded, bailing out of his Fw 190 A-3.
In January 1943, Leie transferred as Gruppenkommandeur to I./JG 51, based on the Eastern front. Leie led the Gruppe during the offensive operations leading up to Operation Zitadelle, the Battle of Kursk
Battle of Kursk
The Battle of Kursk took place when German and Soviet forces confronted each other on the Eastern Front during World War II in the vicinity of the city of Kursk, in the Soviet Union in July and August 1943. It remains both the largest series of armored clashes, including the Battle of Prokhorovka,...
, in July 1943. In November 1943, Major Leie record his 100th victory claim. After a spell of leave in March, he returned to duty only to be shot down by Russian fighters on 6 July. He bailed out over Russian lines and his parachute was blown back over German lines. By October 1944, Leie's victory total stood at 114. He became Geschwaderkommodore
Geschwaderkommodore
Geschwaderkommodore is a Luftwaffe position , originating during World War II, that is the equivalent of a RAF Group Commander or USAF Wing Commander. A Geschwaderkommodore is usually of Oberstleutnant or Oberst rank...
of JG 77 in December 1944.
Leie was killed over Drogomyśl, 20 kms northeast of Cieszyn
Cieszyn
Cieszyn is a border-town and the seat of Cieszyn County, Silesian Voivodeship, southern Poland. It has 36,109 inhabitants . Cieszyn lies on the Olza River, a tributary of the Oder river, opposite Český Těšín....
(southern Poland
Poland
Poland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north...
) on 7 March 1945, when he collided with a crashing Russian Yak 9
Yakovlev Yak-9
The Yakovlev Yak-9 was a single-engine fighter aircraft used by the Soviet Union in World War II and after. Fundamentally a lighter development of the Yak-7 with the same armament, it arrived at the front at the end of 1942. The Yak-9 had a lowered rear fuselage decking and all-around vision canopy...
fighter and failed to survive a low level bail-out from his Bf 109 G-14/AS
Messerschmitt Bf 109
The Messerschmitt Bf 109, often called Me 109, was a German World War II fighter aircraft designed by Willy Messerschmitt and Robert Lusser during the early to mid 1930s...
. He was officially credited with 118 victories claimed in over 500 combat missions. He claimed 76 victories over the Eastern front
Eastern Front (World War II)
The Eastern Front of World War II was a theatre of World War II between the European Axis powers and co-belligerent Finland against the Soviet Union, Poland, and some other Allies which encompassed Northern, Southern and Eastern Europe from 22 June 1941 to 9 May 1945...
, including 32 Il-2 Sturmovik
Ilyushin Il-2
The Ilyushin Il-2 was a ground-attack aircraft in the Second World War, produced by the Soviet Union in very large numbers...
ground attack aircraft. Among his 42 confirmed victories recorded over the Western front
Western Front (World War II)
The Western Front of the European Theatre of World War II encompassed, Denmark, Norway, Luxembourg, Belgium, the Netherlands, France, and West Germany. The Western Front was marked by two phases of large-scale ground combat operations...
, 30 were Supermarine Spitfire
Supermarine Spitfire
The Supermarine Spitfire is a British single-seat fighter aircraft that was used by the Royal Air Force and many other Allied countries throughout the Second World War. The Spitfire continued to be used as a front line fighter and in secondary roles into the 1950s...
fighters and one was a four-engine bomber.
Awards
- German CrossGerman CrossThe German Cross was instituted by Adolf Hitler on 17 November 1941 as an award ranking higher than the Iron Cross First Class but below the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross respectively ranking higher than the War Merit Cross First Class with Swords but below the Knight's Cross of the War Merit...
in Gold (20 October 1942) - Iron CrossIron CrossThe Iron Cross is a cross symbol typically in black with a white or silver outline that originated after 1219 when the Kingdom of Jerusalem granted the Teutonic Order the right to combine the Teutonic Black Cross placed above a silver Cross of Jerusalem....
(1939) 2nd and 1st class - Knight's Cross of the Iron CrossKnight's Cross of the Iron CrossThe Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross was a grade of the 1939 version of the 1813 created Iron Cross . The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross was the highest award of Germany to recognize extreme battlefield bravery or successful military leadership during World War II...
on 1 August 1941 as OberleutnantOberleutnantOberleutnant is a junior officer rank in the militaries of Germany, Switzerland and Austria. In the German Army, it dates from the early 19th century. Translated as "Senior Lieutenant", the rank is typically bestowed upon commissioned officers after five to six years of active duty...
and pilot in the Stab of I./JG 2 "Richthofen"