Jagdstaffel 36
Encyclopedia
Royal Prussian Jagdstaffel 36, commonly abbreviated to Jasta 36, was a World War I "hunting group" (i.e., fighter squadron) of the Luftstreitkräfte
, which was the forerunner to the Luftwaffe
. The unit would score 123 confirmed aerial victories during the war, including 11 enemy observation balloons. In turn, they would suffer 13 killed in action
, 15 wounded in action
, two injured in flying accidents, and two taken prisoner of war
.
, assigned the following day. It scored its first victory on 5 April 1917; coincidentally, it was Dossenbach's tenth and made him an Überkanone.
On 14 February 1918, it joined Jasta 2
, Jasta 26, and Jasta 27 in Jagdgeschwader III; the newly created fighter wing was commanded by Bruno Loerzer
. Jasta 36 would remain in action until disbandment after the armistice that ended the war.
Staffelführer
while an enlisted man; he later won its equivalent again as an officer, when he was awarded the Blue Max
, as well as earning the House Order of Hohenzollern
and the Iron Cross
.
Another of the unit's Staffelführers, Walter von Bülow-Bothkamp, also won the Blue Max, as well as the Military Order of Saint Henry and the Iron Cross. His brother Harry, another of the unit's commanders, won the Hohenzollern and Iron Cross, as did Hans von Häbler
and Walter Böning
.
Hans Hoyer
was awarded the Military Order of Saint Henry, as well as both classes of the Iron Cross. Theodor Quandt won the Hohenzollern. Alfred Hübner won the Iron Cross.
Other aces serving in the squadron included Hans Hoyer, Kurt Jacob, and Richard Plange.
s.
It was also known to operate Fokker Dr.I
triplanes, which were first introduced in August 1917.
The Fokker D.VII
was introduced in Spring 1918, and also served with Jasta 36.
It was also fortunate to have some of the scarce Fokker D.VIII
s assigned to the squadron.
. On 14 April, it returned to control of 4 Armee. On 23 May 1918, it began supporting 7 Armee from Vivaise. On 25 August 1918, it took up its final role of the war, supporting 17 Armee again from Emerchicourt. Although it would change bases another half dozen times, it ended the war in this role.
Luftstreitkräfte
The Deutsche Luftstreitkräfte , known before October 1916 as Die Fliegertruppen des deutschen Kaiserreiches , or simply Die Fliegertruppen, was the air arm of the Imperial German Army during World War I...
, which was the forerunner to 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....
. The unit would score 123 confirmed aerial victories during the war, including 11 enemy observation balloons. In turn, they would suffer 13 killed in action
Killed in action
Killed in action is a casualty classification generally used by militaries to describe the deaths of their own forces at the hands of hostile forces. The United States Department of Defense, for example, says that those declared KIA need not have fired their weapons but have been killed due to...
, 15 wounded in action
Wounded in action
Wounded in action describes soldiers who have been wounded while fighting in a combat zone during war time, but have not been killed. Typically it implies that they are temporarily or permanently incapable of bearing arms or continuing to fight....
, two injured in flying accidents, and two taken prisoner of war
Prisoner of war
A prisoner of war or enemy prisoner of war is a person, whether civilian or combatant, who is held in custody by an enemy power during or immediately after an armed conflict...
.
History
Royal Prussian Jasta 36 was founded on 11 January 1917; however, it did not organize until 21 February. It began at FEA 13, Breslau, with its first commanding officer, Albert DossenbachAlbert Dossenbach
Leutnant Albert Dossenbach was a World War I flying ace credited with 15 aerial victories.-Early service:Dossenbach was a medical student when the war began. He joined the army's Kaiser Wilhelm Fusilier Regiment No. 90 as a one year volunteer on 1 April 1914. Within his first month of his service,...
, assigned the following day. It scored its first victory on 5 April 1917; coincidentally, it was Dossenbach's tenth and made him an Überkanone.
On 14 February 1918, it joined Jasta 2
Jasta 2
Jasta 2 was one of the best-known German Luftstreitkräfte Squadrons in World War I. It was founded by the great aerial tactician Oswald Boelcke, and was the incubator of several notable aviation careers.-Formation:...
, Jasta 26, and Jasta 27 in Jagdgeschwader III; the newly created fighter wing was commanded by Bruno Loerzer
Bruno Loerzer
Bruno Loerzer was an officer in the German Luftstreitkräfte during World War I and Luftwaffe during World War II....
. Jasta 36 would remain in action until disbandment after the armistice that ended the war.
StaffelführerStaffelführerStaffelführer was one of the first paramilitary ranks used by the German Schutzstaffel in the early years of that group’s existence...
s (Commanding Officers)
- Albert Dossenbach: transferred in from Jasta Boelcke on 22 February – WIAWounded in actionWounded in action describes soldiers who have been wounded while fighting in a combat zone during war time, but have not been killed. Typically it implies that they are temporarily or permanently incapable of bearing arms or continuing to fight....
on 2 June 1917 - Walter von Bulow-BothkampWalter von Bülow-BothkampWalter von Bülow-Bothkamp , Pour le Merite, Military Order of Saint Henry, Iron Cross was a German fighter ace from an aristocratic family who was credited with 28 victories.- Early life :...
: transferred in from Jasta 18 on 2 June 1917; – transferred out on 13 December 1917 - Heinrich BongartzHeinrich BongartzHeinrich Bongartz Pour le Merite, Royal House Order of Hohenzollern, Iron Cross, was a German World War I fighter pilot and flying ace credited with 33 confirmed victories and one unconfirmed...
: 19 June 1917 – WIA 29 April 1918 - Richard Plange: transferred in from Jasta 2 on 29 April 1918 – KIAKilled in actionKilled in action is a casualty classification generally used by militaries to describe the deaths of their own forces at the hands of hostile forces. The United States Department of Defense, for example, says that those declared KIA need not have fired their weapons but have been killed due to...
19 May 1918 - Harry von Bulow-BothkampHarry von Bülow-BothkampOberst Harry von Bülow-Bothkamp Royal House Order of Hohenzollern, Iron Cross was a German fighter ace notable for being one of the few two-war aces in history...
: 19 May 1918 – transferred on 14 August 1918 - Theodor QuandtTheodor Quandt-World War I flying service:Quant began his victory roll as a balloon buster, setting a pair of observation balloons on fire on 21 May 1917. This string of wins ran until the eighth on 8 November 1917, the seventh being over British aces Arthur Taylor and William Benger. There would almost a ten...
: 14 August 1918 until disbandment
Aerodromes
- Breslau: 21 February – 1 March 1917
- Le ChâteletLe ChâteletLe Châtelet is a commune in the Cher department in the Centre region of France.- Geography :A farming area comprising a small town and a few hamlets situated by the banks of the small river Portefeuille, some south of Bourges, at the junction of the D 951, D 3 and the D 65...
, France: 1 March 1917 – unknown date of movement - Saint LoupSaint LoupSaint Lupus of Sens was an early French bishop of Sens.He was the son of Blessed Betto, a member of the royal house of the Kingdom of Burgundy.-Church in Saint-Loup-de-Naud:...
: unknown date of movement – 19 June 1917 - SaillySaillySailly may refer to the following places in France:*Sailly, Ardennes, a commune in the Ardennes department*Sailly, Haute-Marne, a commune in the Haute-Marne department*Sailly, Saône-et-Loire, a commune in the Saône-et-Loire department...
, France: 19 June 1917 – unknown date of movement - Markebeke: unknown duration
- Kuerne: unknown duration
- Houplin: unknown duration
- ErchinErchinErchin is a commune in the Nord department in northern France.-Heraldry:-References:*...
, France: March 1918 – 14 April 1918 - HalluinHalluinHalluin is a commune in the Nord department in northern France.-Geography:It is located at the north of the Lille Urban Community, on the Belgian border, contiguous with the Belgian town of Menen.-Heraldry:-Twin towns:...
, France: 14 April 1918 – 23 May 1918 - VivaiseVivaiseVivaise is a commune in the Aisne department in Picardy in northern France....
, France: 23 May 1918 – unknown date of movement - Epitaphe Ferme: unknown duration
- VauxcereVauxcéréVauxcéré is a commune in the Aisne department in Picardy in northern France.-References:*...
, France: unknown duration - ErcheuErcheuErcheu is a commune in the Somme department in Picardie in northern France.-Etymology of the place name:Of Latin derivation, arx, meaning a fortified place...
, France: unknown duration - ChambryChambryChambry is the name of two communes in France:* Chambry, Aisne, in the Aisne département* Chambry, Seine-et-Marne, in the Seine-et-Marne département...
, France: unknown date of movement – 25 August 1918 - ÉmerchicourtÉmerchicourt-References:*...
, France: 25 August 1918 – unknown date of movement - AnicheAnicheAniche is a commune in the Nord department in the Nord-Pas-de-Calais region.-Heraldry:-References:*...
, France: unknown duration - LieuLieuLieu is French for a location or a place.Lieu may also refer to:*Le Lieu, a municipality in the canton of Vaud, Switzerland...
: unknown duration - Saint-AmandSaint-AmandSaint-Amand, may refer to the following places:in Belgium*Saint-Amand , a village in the commune of Fleurus, Hainaut*Sint-Amands, a municipality in the province of Antwerpin France*Saint-Amand, Creuse, in the Creuse département...
, France: unknown duration - SaultainSaultainSaultain is a commune in the Nord department in northern France.-Heraldry:-References:*...
, France: unknown duration - LenzLenzLenz may refer to:* Lantsch/Lenz, the German name of the place in Grisons, Switzerland* Lenz , literary fragment by Georg Büchner* Lenasia, an Indian township in Gauteng, South Africa* Lenz Military Base, a military base in Lenasia, Gauteng...
: unknown duration - Lirm: unknown duration
Notable personnel
Albert Dossenbach, the squadron's first commander, won a Military Merit CrossMilitary Merit Cross (Prussia)
The Military Merit Cross was the highest bravery award of the Kingdom of Prussia for non-commissioned officers and enlisted soldiers. It was also known as the Golden Military Merit Cross to distinguish it from the Military Decoration 1st Class The Military Merit Cross (Militär-Verdienstkreuz)...
while an enlisted man; he later won its equivalent again as an officer, when he was awarded the Blue Max
Pour le Mérite
The Pour le Mérite, known informally as the Blue Max , was the Kingdom of Prussia's highest military order for German soldiers until the end of World War I....
, as well as earning the House Order of Hohenzollern
House Order of Hohenzollern
The House Order of Hohenzollern was an order of chivalry of the House of Hohenzollern. It was both a military and a civil award...
and the Iron Cross
Iron Cross
The 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....
.
Another of the unit's Staffelführers, Walter von Bülow-Bothkamp, also won the Blue Max, as well as the Military Order of Saint Henry and the Iron Cross. His brother Harry, another of the unit's commanders, won the Hohenzollern and Iron Cross, as did Hans von Häbler
Hans von Häbler
Leutnant Hans Gottfried von Häbler was a World War I flying ace credited with eight aerial victories.-Reference:...
and Walter Böning
Walter Böning
Leutnant Walter Böning was a World War I flying ace credited with 17 aerial victories. He began his military career in the German infantry, and transferred to the German flying service. He began pilot training on 10 February 1916. He was briefly posted to FA 6 on the Western Front for artillery...
.
Hans Hoyer
Hans Hoyer
Leutnant Hans Hoyer was a German World War I soldier who was decorated as an artilleryman before turning to aviation. As a flyer, he became an ace credited with eight confirmed and three unconfirmed aerial victories before being killed in action while fighting for his nation.-Early life and...
was awarded the Military Order of Saint Henry, as well as both classes of the Iron Cross. Theodor Quandt won the Hohenzollern. Alfred Hübner won the Iron Cross.
Other aces serving in the squadron included Hans Hoyer, Kurt Jacob, and Richard Plange.
Aircraft
The squadron was initially assigned Albatros D.IIIAlbatros D.III
The Albatros D.III was a biplane fighter aircraft used by the Imperial German Army Air Service and the Austro-Hungarian Air Service during World War I. The D.III was flown by many top German aces, including Manfred von Richthofen, Ernst Udet, Erich Löwenhardt, Kurt Wolff, and Karl Emil Schäfer...
s.
It was also known to operate Fokker Dr.I
Fokker Dr.I
The Fokker Dr.I Dreidecker was a World War I fighter aircraft built by Fokker-Flugzeugwerke. The Dr.I saw widespread service in the spring of 1918...
triplanes, which were first introduced in August 1917.
The Fokker D.VII
Fokker D.VII
The Fokker D.VII was a German World War I fighter aircraft designed by Reinhold Platz of the Fokker-Flugzeugwerke. Germany produced around 3,300 D.VII aircraft in the summer and autumn of 1918. In service, the D.VII quickly proved itself to be a formidable aircraft...
was introduced in Spring 1918, and also served with Jasta 36.
It was also fortunate to have some of the scarce Fokker D.VIII
Fokker D.VIII
-See also:-References:* Weyl, A.R. Fokker: The Creative Years. 1988. ISBN 0-851778-17-8....
s assigned to the squadron.
Operations
The new squadron began its operational history supporting 1 Armee from Le Châtelet. On 19 June 1917, it changed to support 4 Armee from Sailly. In March 1918, when it moved to Erchin, it supported 17 Armee17th Army (Germany)
The German Seventeenth Army was a World War II field army.-Commanding officers:* General der Infanterie Carl-Heinrich von Stülpnagel * Generaloberst Hermann Hoth...
. On 14 April, it returned to control of 4 Armee. On 23 May 1918, it began supporting 7 Armee from Vivaise. On 25 August 1918, it took up its final role of the war, supporting 17 Armee again from Emerchicourt. Although it would change bases another half dozen times, it ended the war in this role.