Klaus Mietusch
Encyclopedia
Klaus Mietusch was a German
Luftwaffe
ace
and recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves
during World War II
. Mietusch claimed 75 victories during his combat career but died at the hands of an American P-51 pilot in September 1944 and was posthumously awarded the Oak Leaves to his Knight's Cross on 18 November 1944. According to JG 26 historian Donald Caldwell, Mietusch was shot down nine previous times and was wounded at least four times. He was said never to have turned down a mission, and he had logged an incredible 452 combat sorties at the time of his death.
"Schlageter" (JG 26—26th fighter wing). He participated in the Battle of France
but, on 8 June 1940, was shot down in his Bf 109 E-1 (Werknummer 2746—factory number) by a Royal Air Force
(RAF) Hawker Hurricane
fighter near Neufchatel
. He force-landed behind French lines unhurt, but was then shot in the buttocks by a French civilian. He became a prisoner of war of the French. He was released at the fall of France.
Reunited with 7./JG 26, Mietusch gained his first victory on 31 May 1940, when he shot down a RAF Hurricane near Dunkirk. By the end of 1940, he had added a second victory and been promoted to Oberleutnant
(first lieutenant).
In January 1941, 7./JG 26, under the leadership of Oberleutnant Joachim Müncheberg
, was relocated to Sicily. Mietusch gained three victories over Malta before 7./JG 26 were briefly deployed to participate in the assault on Yugoslavia. Mietusch gained a single victory over Yugoslavia on 6 April 1941, when he shot down a Fury biplane over Podgorica for his sixth victory. Redeployed over Malta, Mietusch added a further three victories, including a notable RAF ace. On 13 April, Mietusch attacked a Hurricane that had attacked four Bf 109s and shot it down for his eighth victory...Mietusch also saw combat over North Africa gaining a single victory in the battles around Tobruk. By September, 7./JG 26 was relocated back to the Channel front.
On 19 September 1941, Müncheberg took command of II./JG 26 following the death in aerial combat with RAF Spitfire fighters of Hauptmann
(captain) Walter Adolph
(25 victories, RK) the day before. As a result Mietusch became Staffelkapitän
(squadron leader) of 7./JG 26. On 19 August 1942, he shot down two RAF Spitfire fighters over the Allied landings at Dieppe for his 20th and 21st victories. Hauptmann Mietusch led 7./JG 26 to Russia in February 1943 where it replaced I./Jagdgeschwader 54
(JG 54—54th fighter wing). The Staffel was based at Krasnogvardeisk-Gatschina, west of Leningrad.
From the end of February until June 1943, when 7./JG 26 was sent back to the Western Front, the Staffel shot down 63 Russian aircraft. Mietusch himself gained 15 victories during this period. However, on 20 March, Mietusch suffered engine failure on take-off from Gatschina in Fw 190 A-4 (Werknummer 7147). The aircraft turned over and was destroyed. As a result, Mietusch was out of action for two months. On 18 June, Mietusch downed five Russian fighters.
On 5 July 1943, Mietusch became Gruppenkommandeur
(group commander) of III./JG 26. He recorded a victory over an United States Army Air Forces
(USAAF) B-17 four-engine heavy bomber on 25 July, the first confirmed victory of 16 four-engine bombers he was to shoot down. His 50th victory was a B-17 shot down over Cambrai on 20 October. On 8 March 1944, the 8th Air Force, USAAF raided Berlin. Mietusch claimed a B-17 Herausschuss as the bombers made their way to Berlin for his 60th victory. However, when attempting to attack the withdrawing bombers, Mietusch was shot down in Bf 109 G-6 (Werknummer 162 032) “Black 21” near Meppen by the USAAF P-47 fighter escort. He baled out and landed safely but had suffered injuries destined to keep him in hospital for the next few weeks. He was awarded the Ritterkreuz for his 60th victory on 26 March 1944. He received promotion to the rank of Major in April.
While landing at Rouvres-Étain on 12 April, Mietusch’s Bf 109 G-6 (Werknummer 162 345) “Black 24” hit a bomb crater and overturned. He suffered injuries that put him back in hospital for three weeks. Mietusch shot down a USAAF P-38 twin-engine fighter near Chartres on 4 July to record his 70th victory. On 17 July, Mietusch was shot down in Bf 109 G-6/U4 (Werknummer 440 640) “White 20” by an RAF Spitfire. He baled out but did not return to his base until the next day. He was promptly sent to hospital in Germany...
After gaining his 75th, and final victory while engaged in combat with USAAF P-51 fighters, Major
Mietusch was shot down and killed on 17 September 1944 at 15:11 in Messerschmitt Bf 109
G-6/U4 (Werknummer 441 646—factory number) by a P-51 Mustang
piloted by flight leader Lieutenant William Beyer of the 361st Fighter Group
's 376th Squadron in the vicinity of Rath-Aldekerk. Beyer's description of his duel with Mietusch is spectacular, and while he ultimately vanquished his enemy, Beyer paid a respectful tribute to the German in the final lines of his after-action report:
"Knowing the caliber of this German pilot, I am sure that if I had taken the time to get off some shots when he was slowing down he could have possibly shot me down or made a getaway. My other combat victories were not nearly as spectacular as this one, and it is with this in mind that I can recall it so vividly."
According to his compatriot and fellow fighter pilot Josef Priller
, Mietusch's combat motto was, "Bore in, until the enemy is as large as a barn door in your sights." Priller went on to describe duty as Mietusch's wingman as an "unforgettable experience."
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....
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 of the Iron 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...
. Mietusch claimed 75 victories during his combat career but died at the hands of an American P-51 pilot in September 1944 and was posthumously awarded the Oak Leaves to his Knight's Cross on 18 November 1944. According to JG 26 historian Donald Caldwell, Mietusch was shot down nine previous times and was wounded at least four times. He was said never to have turned down a mission, and he had logged an incredible 452 combat sorties at the time of his death.
Early life
Klaus Mietusch was born on 5 August 1918 at Posen. After completing his flying training he was transferred to 2./JG 234, which was later redesignated 2./JG 26 on 1 September 1938.World War II
On 23 September 1939, [then-]Leutnant Mietusch was transferred to 7./Jagdgeschwader 26Jagdgeschwader 26
Jagdgeschwader 26 Schlageter was a Luftwaffe fighter-wing of World War II. It operated mainly in Western Europe against Great Britain, France the United States but also saw service against Russia. It was named after Albert Leo Schlageter, a World War I veteran and Freikorps member arrested and...
"Schlageter" (JG 26—26th fighter wing). He participated in the Battle of France
Battle of France
In the Second World War, the Battle of France was the German invasion of France and the Low Countries, beginning on 10 May 1940, which ended the Phoney War. The battle consisted of two main operations. In the first, Fall Gelb , German armoured units pushed through the Ardennes, to cut off and...
but, on 8 June 1940, was shot down in his Bf 109 E-1 (Werknummer 2746—factory number) by a Royal Air Force
Royal Air Force
The Royal Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Formed on 1 April 1918, it is the oldest independent air force in the world...
(RAF) Hawker Hurricane
Hawker Hurricane
The Hawker Hurricane is a British single-seat fighter aircraft that was designed and predominantly built by Hawker Aircraft Ltd for the Royal Air Force...
fighter near Neufchatel
Neufchâtel
- Place-names :*Neufchâtel-Hardelot, a French commune in Nord-Pas-de-Calais*Neufchâtel-sur-Aisne, a French commune in Picardy*Neufchâtel-en-Bray, a French commune in Normandy where the cheese originates*Neufchâtel, Quebec, a place in Quebec- Others :...
. He force-landed behind French lines unhurt, but was then shot in the buttocks by a French civilian. He became a prisoner of war of the French. He was released at the fall of France.
Reunited with 7./JG 26, Mietusch gained his first victory on 31 May 1940, when he shot down a RAF Hurricane near Dunkirk. By the end of 1940, he had added a second victory and been promoted to 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...
(first lieutenant).
In January 1941, 7./JG 26, under the leadership of Oberleutnant Joachim Müncheberg
Joachim Müncheberg
Joachim Müncheberg was a German Luftwaffe fighter ace during World War II. A flying ace or fighter ace is a military aviator credited with shooting down five or more enemy aircraft during aerial combat. He is credited with 135 enemy aircraft shot down claimed in over 500 combat missions...
, was relocated to Sicily. Mietusch gained three victories over Malta before 7./JG 26 were briefly deployed to participate in the assault on Yugoslavia. Mietusch gained a single victory over Yugoslavia on 6 April 1941, when he shot down a Fury biplane over Podgorica for his sixth victory. Redeployed over Malta, Mietusch added a further three victories, including a notable RAF ace. On 13 April, Mietusch attacked a Hurricane that had attacked four Bf 109s and shot it down for his eighth victory...Mietusch also saw combat over North Africa gaining a single victory in the battles around Tobruk. By September, 7./JG 26 was relocated back to the Channel front.
On 19 September 1941, Müncheberg took command of II./JG 26 following the death in aerial combat with RAF Spitfire fighters of 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...
(captain) Walter Adolph
Walter Adolph
Walter Adolph was a Luftwaffe fighter ace. A flying ace or fighter ace is a military aviator credited with shooting down five or more enemy aircraft during aerial combat...
(25 victories, RK) the day before. As a result Mietusch became 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....
(squadron leader) of 7./JG 26. On 19 August 1942, he shot down two RAF Spitfire fighters over the Allied landings at Dieppe for his 20th and 21st victories. Hauptmann Mietusch led 7./JG 26 to Russia in February 1943 where it replaced I./Jagdgeschwader 54
Jagdgeschwader 54
Jagdgeschwader 54 Grünherz was a Luftwaffe fighter wing during the Second World War. It was known as the Green Hearts Wing, and it was the second highest scoring wing of all time, JG 52 being the highest...
(JG 54—54th fighter wing). The Staffel was based at Krasnogvardeisk-Gatschina, west of Leningrad.
From the end of February until June 1943, when 7./JG 26 was sent back to the Western Front, the Staffel shot down 63 Russian aircraft. Mietusch himself gained 15 victories during this period. However, on 20 March, Mietusch suffered engine failure on take-off from Gatschina in Fw 190 A-4 (Werknummer 7147). The aircraft turned over and was destroyed. As a result, Mietusch was out of action for two months. On 18 June, Mietusch downed five Russian fighters.
On 5 July 1943, Mietusch became 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...
(group commander) of III./JG 26. He recorded a victory over an United States Army Air Forces
United States Army Air Forces
The United States Army Air Forces was the military aviation arm of the United States of America during and immediately after World War II, and the direct predecessor of the United States Air Force....
(USAAF) B-17 four-engine heavy bomber on 25 July, the first confirmed victory of 16 four-engine bombers he was to shoot down. His 50th victory was a B-17 shot down over Cambrai on 20 October. On 8 March 1944, the 8th Air Force, USAAF raided Berlin. Mietusch claimed a B-17 Herausschuss as the bombers made their way to Berlin for his 60th victory. However, when attempting to attack the withdrawing bombers, Mietusch was shot down in Bf 109 G-6 (Werknummer 162 032) “Black 21” near Meppen by the USAAF P-47 fighter escort. He baled out and landed safely but had suffered injuries destined to keep him in hospital for the next few weeks. He was awarded the Ritterkreuz for his 60th victory on 26 March 1944. He received promotion to the rank of Major in April.
While landing at Rouvres-Étain on 12 April, Mietusch’s Bf 109 G-6 (Werknummer 162 345) “Black 24” hit a bomb crater and overturned. He suffered injuries that put him back in hospital for three weeks. Mietusch shot down a USAAF P-38 twin-engine fighter near Chartres on 4 July to record his 70th victory. On 17 July, Mietusch was shot down in Bf 109 G-6/U4 (Werknummer 440 640) “White 20” by an RAF Spitfire. He baled out but did not return to his base until the next day. He was promptly sent to hospital in Germany...
After gaining his 75th, and final victory while engaged in combat with USAAF P-51 fighters, Major
Major
Major is a rank of commissioned officer, with corresponding ranks existing in almost every military in the world.When used unhyphenated, in conjunction with no other indicator of rank, the term refers to the rank just senior to that of an Army captain and just below the rank of lieutenant colonel. ...
Mietusch was shot down and killed on 17 September 1944 at 15:11 in Messerschmitt Bf 109
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...
G-6/U4 (Werknummer 441 646—factory number) by a P-51 Mustang
P-51 Mustang
The North American Aviation P-51 Mustang was an American long-range, single-seat fighter and fighter-bomber used during World War II, the Korean War and in several other conflicts...
piloted by flight leader Lieutenant William Beyer of the 361st Fighter Group
361st Fighter Group
The 361st Fighter Group was a World War II United States Army Air Forces combat organization. It served primarily in the European Theatre of World War II....
's 376th Squadron in the vicinity of Rath-Aldekerk. Beyer's description of his duel with Mietusch is spectacular, and while he ultimately vanquished his enemy, Beyer paid a respectful tribute to the German in the final lines of his after-action report:
"Knowing the caliber of this German pilot, I am sure that if I had taken the time to get off some shots when he was slowing down he could have possibly shot me down or made a getaway. My other combat victories were not nearly as spectacular as this one, and it is with this in mind that I can recall it so vividly."
According to his compatriot and fellow fighter pilot Josef Priller
Josef Priller
Josef "Pips" Priller was a German World War II fighter ace. He has become famous because of the publicity regarding his Focke-Wulf's Fw 190A-8's single strafing pass attack on Sword Beach on June 6, 1944 , accompanied by his wingman Herbert Huppertz...
, Mietusch's combat motto was, "Bore in, until the enemy is as large as a barn door in your sights." Priller went on to describe duty as Mietusch's wingman as an "unforgettable experience."
Awards
- 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...
(26 April 1941) - Front Flying Clasp of the LuftwaffeFront Flying Clasp of the LuftwaffeThe Front Flying Clasp of the Luftwaffe was awarded in Bronze, Silver, and Gold with upgrade possible to include diamonds. Pennants suspended from the clasp indicated the number of missions obtained in a given type of aircraft...
- 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 Class
- 1st Class
- Wound BadgeWound BadgeWound Badge was a German military award for wounded or frost-bitten soldiers of Imperial German Army in World War I, the Reichswehr between the wars, and the Wehrmacht, SS and the auxiliary service organizations during the Second World War. After March 1943, due to the increasing number of Allied...
(1939)- in Black
- in Silver
- 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 15 October 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...
in the 7./Jagdgeschwader 26 "Schlageter" - Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves
- Knight's Cross on 26 March 1944 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 Gruppenkommandeur III./Jagdgeschwader 26 "Schlageter" - 653rd Oak Leaves on 18 November 1944 as MajorMajorMajor is a rank of commissioned officer, with corresponding ranks existing in almost every military in the world.When used unhyphenated, in conjunction with no other indicator of rank, the term refers to the rank just senior to that of an Army captain and just below the rank of lieutenant colonel. ...
and Gruppenkommandeur III./Jagdgeschwader 26 "Schlageter"
- Knight's Cross on 26 March 1944 as Hauptmann