Heinz Rökker
Encyclopedia
Heinz Rökker is a former German
Luftwaffe
night fighter
ace
and recipient of the Knight's Cross with Oak Leaves
during World War II
. He shot down 64 enemy aircraft (63 at night), all were British bombers. He survived the war and now lives in Germany.
, Germany. He joined the Luftwaffe in October 1939 and began his flight training with Flieger Ausbildungs Regiment 22 at Güstrow
in July 1940. He attended Blindflugschule 5 in Belgrade before completing his training in September 1941 at Nachtjagdschule 1. Rökker was then posted in May 1942 to 1 staffel, Nachtjagdgeschwader 2
operating in the Mediterranean theatre. Carlos Nugent was also posted to I./NJG 2 in May 1942 and became Heinz Rökker's Bordfunker. Rökker shot down a RAF Bristol Beaufort
by day on 20 June 1942, over the Mediterranean. His aircraft received several hits from return fire during the action, but he landed safely.
From airfields in Libya, Rökker flew deep penetration 'intruder' missions over Egypt, claiming four Vickers Wellington
twin-engined bombers destroyed. Although in August 1942 1./NJG 2 was briefly relocated to Belgium, the staffel was relocated back to the Mediterranean theatre based in Sicily in February 1943.
In July 1943, I./NJG 2 were back in Europe to undertake Reichsverteidigung duties. Rökker claimed 3 victories on each of the nights of 15/16 March 1944, 22/23 March and 24/25 March. With 20 kills, Rökker was made Staffelkapitän of 2 staffel, NJG 2 in April 1944.
On the night of 6/7 June, he then claimed 5 RAF bombers over Normandy. Rökker was awarded the Ritterkreuz in July 1944, and recorded his 40th kill on 7/8 August. On 4/5 November he claimed 4 more enemy aircraft and recorded three more victories on the night of 3/4 February to take his score to 52. He claimed six enemy aircraft on the night of 21/22 February.
Rökker was awarded the Eichenlaub in March for 60 victories. On the night of 15/16 March, Rökker recorded 4 enemy aircraft shot down as his last victories of the war, including a Mosquito shot down over his airfield at St Trond.
As a Luftwaffe night fighter pilot, he mainly flew the Junkers Ju 88
G-1. Rökker was credited with 64 victories in 161 missions. He recorded 63 of his victories at night, including 55 four-engined bombers.
Carlos Nugent flew almost 150 missions with Rökker, participating in 62 of his 64 victories, and on 28 April 1945 became one of the few Bordfunkers decorated with the Knight's Cross.
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....
night fighter
Night fighter
A night fighter is a fighter aircraft adapted for use at night or in other times of bad visibility...
ace
Flying ace
A flying ace or fighter ace is a military aviator credited with shooting down several enemy aircraft during aerial combat. The actual number of aerial victories required to officially qualify as an "ace" has varied, but is usually considered to be five or more...
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...
. He shot down 64 enemy aircraft (63 at night), all were British bombers. He survived the war and now lives in Germany.
Early life
Rökker was born on 20 October 1920 in OldenburgOldenburg
Oldenburg is an independent city in Lower Saxony, Germany. It is situated in the western part of the state between the cities of Bremen and Groningen, Netherlands, at the Hunte river. It has a population of 160,279 which makes it the fourth biggest city in Lower Saxony after Hanover, Braunschweig...
, Germany. He joined the Luftwaffe in October 1939 and began his flight training with Flieger Ausbildungs Regiment 22 at Güstrow
Güstrow
Güstrow is a town in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, Germany the capital of the district of Güstrow. It has a population of 30,500 and is the seventh largest town in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania. Since 2006 Güstrow has the official suffix Barlachstadt.-Geography:The town of Güstrow is located...
in July 1940. He attended Blindflugschule 5 in Belgrade before completing his training in September 1941 at Nachtjagdschule 1. Rökker was then posted in May 1942 to 1 staffel, Nachtjagdgeschwader 2
Nachtjagdgeschwader 2
Nachtjagdgeschwader 2 was a German Luftwaffe night fighter-wing of World War II. NJG 2 was formed on 1 September 1940 in Gilze en Rijen from II./Nachtjagdgeschwader 1 . Stab I./NJG 2 was formed from Stab II./NJG 1,while 1./NJG 2 was formed from 4./NJG1 equipped with the Junkers Ju 88C-1...
operating in the Mediterranean theatre. Carlos Nugent was also posted to I./NJG 2 in May 1942 and became Heinz Rökker's Bordfunker. Rökker shot down a RAF Bristol Beaufort
Bristol Beaufort
The Bristol Beaufort was a British twin-engined torpedo bomber designed by the Bristol Aeroplane Company, and developed from experience gained designing and building the earlier Blenheim light bomber....
by day on 20 June 1942, over the Mediterranean. His aircraft received several hits from return fire during the action, but he landed safely.
From airfields in Libya, Rökker flew deep penetration 'intruder' missions over Egypt, claiming four Vickers Wellington
Vickers Wellington
The Vickers Wellington was a British twin-engine, long range medium bomber designed in the mid-1930s at Brooklands in Weybridge, Surrey, by Vickers-Armstrongs' Chief Designer, R. K. Pierson. It was widely used as a night bomber in the early years of the Second World War, before being displaced as a...
twin-engined bombers destroyed. Although in August 1942 1./NJG 2 was briefly relocated to Belgium, the staffel was relocated back to the Mediterranean theatre based in Sicily in February 1943.
In July 1943, I./NJG 2 were back in Europe to undertake Reichsverteidigung duties. Rökker claimed 3 victories on each of the nights of 15/16 March 1944, 22/23 March and 24/25 March. With 20 kills, Rökker was made Staffelkapitän of 2 staffel, NJG 2 in April 1944.
On the night of 6/7 June, he then claimed 5 RAF bombers over Normandy. Rökker was awarded the Ritterkreuz in July 1944, and recorded his 40th kill on 7/8 August. On 4/5 November he claimed 4 more enemy aircraft and recorded three more victories on the night of 3/4 February to take his score to 52. He claimed six enemy aircraft on the night of 21/22 February.
Rökker was awarded the Eichenlaub in March for 60 victories. On the night of 15/16 March, Rökker recorded 4 enemy aircraft shot down as his last victories of the war, including a Mosquito shot down over his airfield at St Trond.
As a Luftwaffe night fighter pilot, he mainly flew the Junkers Ju 88
Junkers Ju 88
The Junkers Ju 88 was a World War II German Luftwaffe twin-engine, multi-role aircraft. Designed by Hugo Junkers' company through the services of two American aviation engineers in the mid-1930s, it suffered from a number of technical problems during the later stages of its development and early...
G-1. Rökker was credited with 64 victories in 161 missions. He recorded 63 of his victories at night, including 55 four-engined bombers.
Carlos Nugent flew almost 150 missions with Rökker, participating in 62 of his 64 victories, and on 28 April 1945 became one of the few Bordfunkers decorated with the Knight's Cross.
Awards
- 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 - Ehrenpokal der LuftwaffeEhrenpokal der LuftwaffeThe Ehrenpokal der Luftwaffe was a Luftwaffe award established on February 27, 1940 by Reichsmarschall Hermann Göring, the Reich Minister of Aviation and Commander in Chief of the Luftwaffe. It was officially known as the Ehrenpokal "für besondere Leistung im Luftkrieg", or Honor Goblet "For...
(12 June 1944) - 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 (13 June 1944) - 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 27 July 1944 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 Staffelkapitän of the 2./NJG 2 - 781st Oak Leaves on 12 March 1945 as HauptmannHauptmannHauptmann is a German word usually translated as captain when it is used as an officer's rank in the German, Austrian and Swiss armies. While "haupt" in contemporary German means "main", it also has the dated meaning of "head", i.e...
and Staffelkapitän of the 2./NJG 2
- Knight's Cross on 27 July 1944 as Oberleutnant
External links
- http://www.century-of-flight.net/Aviation%20history/WW2/aces2/2.htm