Erwin Clausen
Encyclopedia
Erwin Clausen was a German
Luftwaffe
fighter ace
and recipient of the Knight's Cross with Oak Leaves
during World War II
. The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross and its higher grade Oak Leaves was awarded to recognise extreme battlefield bravery or successful military leadership.
in 1931 but then transferred to the Luftwaffe in 1935 to receive flying training. He was promoted to Feldwebel
before World War ΙΙ began. He participate in the invasion of Poland and claimed his first victory when he shot down a PWS-26
biplane trainer on 9 September 1939. He scored more victories with some uncorfirmed victories during the French campaign. On 1 February 1941, Oberleutnant
Clausen was appointed Staffelkapitän
of 1(J)/Lehrgeschwader 2
(LG 2) to support of the invasion of the Balkans. After claiming 3 victories his unit withdrew to the Eastern front. In Russia where he was particularly successful. He was awarded the Knight's Cross on 22 May after 52 victories. On 27 June, he was appointed Staffelkapitän
of 6./JG 77.
Clausen reached his 100th victory by shooting down an Il-2 on 22 July 1942. He was awarded the Oak Leaves the next day. Clausen was transferred to the Ergänzungs-Jagdgruppe Süd
on 1 February 1943. Hauptmann
Clausen became a Gruppenkommandeur
of I./JG 11 on 20 June 1943 and appointed to Reichsverteidigung (Defense of the Reich
) duties. On 4 October 1943 he shot down B-24 Liberator
but then he was killed in aerial combat over the North Sea
in his Fw 190 A-5.
Erwin Clausen is credited with 132 aerial victories with some unconfirmed victories in 561 combat missions. He recorded 1 victory over Poland, 3 over Yugoslavia
(correctly - Hawker Fury
fighters of the 36th Fighter Group over Režanovačka Kosa airfield near Kumanovo on April the 6th 1941.), 14 victories over the Western front
and rest of the victories over the Eastern front
. He was posthumously promoted to Major
. Three of his brothers were killed in action during World War II.
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...
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....
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...
and recipient of the Knight's Cross with Oak Leaves
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...
during 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...
. The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross and its higher grade Oak Leaves was awarded to recognise extreme battlefield bravery or successful military leadership.
Military career
Clausen joined the ReichsmarineReichsmarine
The Reichsmarine was the name of the German Navy during the Weimar Republic and first two years of Nazi Germany. It was the naval branch of the Reichswehr, existing from 1918 to 1935...
in 1931 but then transferred to the Luftwaffe in 1935 to receive flying training. He was promoted to Feldwebel
Feldwebel
Feldwebel is a German military rank which has existed since at least the 18th century with usage as a title dating to the Middle Ages. The word Feldwebel is usually translated as sergeant being rated OR-6 in the NATO rank comparison scale, equivalent to the British Army Sergeant and the US Army...
before World War ΙΙ began. He participate in the invasion of Poland and claimed his first victory when he shot down a PWS-26
PWS-26
-References:*Andrzej Glass: "Polskie konstrukcje lotnicze 1893-1939" , WKiŁ, Warsaw 1977 -See also:...
biplane trainer on 9 September 1939. He scored more victories with some uncorfirmed victories during the French campaign. On 1 February 1941, Oberleutnant
Oberleutnant
Oberleutnant 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...
Clausen was appointed Staffelkapitän
Staffelkapitän
Staffelkapitän is a position in flying units of the German Luftwaffe that is the equivalent of RAF/USAF Squadron Commander. Usually today a Staffelkapitän is of Oberstleutnant or Major rank....
of 1(J)/Lehrgeschwader 2
Lehrgeschwader 2
Lehrgeschwader 2 was a Luftwaffe unit during World War II, operating three fighter, night fighter, reconnaissance and ground support Gruppen ....
(LG 2) to support of the invasion of the Balkans. After claiming 3 victories his unit withdrew to the Eastern front. In Russia where he was particularly successful. He was awarded the Knight's Cross on 22 May after 52 victories. On 27 June, he was appointed Staffelkapitän
Staffelkapitän
Staffelkapitän is a position in flying units of the German Luftwaffe that is the equivalent of RAF/USAF Squadron Commander. Usually today a Staffelkapitän is of Oberstleutnant or Major rank....
of 6./JG 77.
Clausen reached his 100th victory by shooting down an Il-2 on 22 July 1942. He was awarded the Oak Leaves the next day. Clausen was transferred to the Ergänzungs-Jagdgruppe Süd
Ergänzungs-Jagdgruppe Süd
Ergänzungs-Jagdgruppe Süd was a figher pilot training unit of the German Luftwaffe in World War II. It was formed 2 February 1942 in Mannheim-Sandhofen and renamed Jagdgruppe Süd on 25 November 1942.-Gruppenkommandeure:...
on 1 February 1943. Hauptmann
Hauptmann
Hauptmann is a German word usually translated as captain when it is used as an officer's rank in the German, Austrian and Swiss armies. While "haupt" in contemporary German means "main", it also has the dated meaning of "head", i.e...
Clausen became a Gruppenkommandeur
Gruppenkommandeur
Gruppenkommandeur is a Luftwaffe position , that is the equivalent of a commander of a group or wing in other air forces. Gruppenkommandeur usually has the rank of Hauptmann or Major, and commands a Gruppe, which is a sub-division of a Geschwader. A Gruppe usually consists of three or four...
of I./JG 11 on 20 June 1943 and appointed to Reichsverteidigung (Defense of the Reich
Defense of the Reich
The Defence of the Reich is the name given to the strategic defensive aerial campaign fought by the Luftwaffe over German occupied Europe and Germany itself during World War II. Its aim was to prevent the destruction of German military and civil industries by the Western Allies...
) duties. On 4 October 1943 he shot down B-24 Liberator
B-24 Liberator
The Consolidated B-24 Liberator was an American heavy bomber, designed by Consolidated Aircraft of San Diego, California. It was known within the company as the Model 32, and a small number of early models were sold under the name LB-30, for Land Bomber...
but then he was killed in aerial combat over the North Sea
North Sea
In the southwest, beyond the Straits of Dover, the North Sea becomes the English Channel connecting to the Atlantic Ocean. In the east, it connects to the Baltic Sea via the Skagerrak and Kattegat, narrow straits that separate Denmark from Norway and Sweden respectively...
in his Fw 190 A-5.
Erwin Clausen is credited with 132 aerial victories with some unconfirmed victories in 561 combat missions. He recorded 1 victory over Poland, 3 over Yugoslavia
Kingdom of Yugoslavia
The Kingdom of Yugoslavia was a state stretching from the Western Balkans to Central Europe which existed during the often-tumultuous interwar era of 1918–1941...
(correctly - Hawker Fury
Hawker Fury
The Hawker Fury was a British biplane fighter aircraft used by the Royal Air Force in the 1930s. It was originally named the Hornet and was the counterpart to the Hawker Hart light bomber.-Design and development:...
fighters of the 36th Fighter Group over Režanovačka Kosa airfield near Kumanovo on April the 6th 1941.), 14 victories 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...
and rest of the 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...
. He was posthumously promoted to Major
Major (Germany)
Major is a rank of the German military which dates back to the Middle Ages.It equates to Major in the British and US Armies, and is rated OF-3 in NATO.During World War II, the SS equivalent was Sturmbannführer....
. Three of his brothers were killed in action during World War II.
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 on 18 May 1942 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...
in the I./Jagdgeschwader 77 - Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak LeavesKnight's Cross of the Iron CrossThe Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross was a grade of the 1939 version of the 1813 created Iron Cross . The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross was the highest award of Germany to recognize extreme battlefield bravery or successful military leadership during World War II...
- Knight's Cross on 22 May 1942 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...
(war officer) and pilot in the 1./Jagdgeschwader 77 - 106th Oak Leaves on 23 July 1942 as Oberleutnant (war officer) and pilot in the 1./Jagdgeschwader 77
- Knight's Cross on 22 May 1942 as Oberleutnant
External links
- Erwin Clausen at www.luftwaffe-reich.co.uk