Wilhelm-Ferdinand Galland
Encyclopedia
Wilhelm-Ferdinand "Wutz" Galland (born 23 October 1914 in Bochum
– killed in action
17 August 1943) was a German
Luftwaffe
fighter ace
and recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross
. He is credited with 55 aerial victories in achieved in 186 combat missions. All his victories were claimed over the Western Front
and included seven four-engine bombers and 37 Supermarine Spitfires.
Wilhelm-Ferdinand Galland was one of four Galland brothers to serve in the Luftwaffe. The oldest brother Fritz Galland served in a fighter and reconnaissance unit and survived the war. His older brother, Lt. Gen. Adolf Galland
was one the most renowned German fighter pilots and leader of German fighter operations and also survived the war. His youngest brother Paul Galland
, a flying ace with 17 victories, served with JG 26 and was killed in action on 31 October 1942.
Galland scored his first victory on 23 July 1941, shooting down a Spitfire near Hesdin
. By the end of 1941 his victory total was three. On 5 May 1942 Galland was promoted to Staffelkapitän of 5./JG 26, with eight victories at the time. His score was 21 by the end of 1942. Hpt. Galland was appointed Gruppenkommandeur of II./JG 26 in January 1943. Galland was awarded the Ritterkreuz in May 1943 for 35 victories.
Galland was killed in action
on 17 August 1943 during the Schweinfurt-Regensburg mission
. II./JG 26 took off on a bomber intercept mission and engaged the B-17 bomber formation but were bounced by the escorting P-47 fighters from the 56th Fighter Group, USAAF. It is assumed that Galland was shot down by the American ace Walker "Bud" Mahurin
of the 56th Fighter Group, USAAF.
Bochum
Bochum is a city in North Rhine-Westphalia, western Germany. It is located in the Ruhr area and is surrounded by the cities of Essen, Gelsenkirchen, Herne, Castrop-Rauxel, Dortmund, Witten and Hattingen.-History:...
– 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...
17 August 1943) was a German
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 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...
. He is credited with 55 aerial victories in achieved in 186 combat missions. All his victories were claimed 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 included seven four-engine bombers and 37 Supermarine Spitfires.
Wilhelm-Ferdinand Galland was one of four Galland brothers to serve in the Luftwaffe. The oldest brother Fritz Galland served in a fighter and reconnaissance unit and survived the war. His older brother, Lt. Gen. Adolf Galland
Adolf Galland
Adolf "Dolfo" Joseph Ferdinand Galland was a German Luftwaffe General and flying ace who served throughout World War II in Europe. He flew 705 combat missions, and fought on the Western and the Defence of the Reich fronts...
was one the most renowned German fighter pilots and leader of German fighter operations and also survived the war. His youngest brother Paul Galland
Paul Galland
Paul Galland was a German Luftwaffe ace and brother of Luftwaffe aces Adolf Galland and Wilhelm-Ferdinand Galland. He claimed 17 aerial victories in 107 combat missions. On 31 October 1942 he was shot down and killed by a RAF Supermarine Spitfire.-References:CitationsBibliography* Baker, David....
, a flying ace with 17 victories, served with JG 26 and was killed in action on 31 October 1942.
Galland scored his first victory on 23 July 1941, shooting down a Spitfire near Hesdin
Hesdin
Hesdin is a commune in the Pas-de-Calais department in northern France.-Geography:The N39, from Arras to Montreuil, used to be the main thoroughfare of the town. In the 1950s, a circular route was created to help traffic flow...
. By the end of 1941 his victory total was three. On 5 May 1942 Galland was promoted to Staffelkapitän of 5./JG 26, with eight victories at the time. His score was 21 by the end of 1942. Hpt. Galland was appointed Gruppenkommandeur of II./JG 26 in January 1943. Galland was awarded the Ritterkreuz in May 1943 for 35 victories.
Galland was 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...
on 17 August 1943 during the Schweinfurt-Regensburg mission
Schweinfurt-Regensburg mission
The Schweinfurt–Regensburg mission was an air combat battle in World War II. A strategic bombing attack flown by B-17 Flying Fortresses of the U.S. Army Air Forces on August 17, 1943, it was conceived as an ambitious plan to cripple the German aircraft industry...
. II./JG 26 took off on a bomber intercept mission and engaged the B-17 bomber formation but were bounced by the escorting P-47 fighters from the 56th Fighter Group, USAAF. It is assumed that Galland was shot down by the American ace Walker "Bud" Mahurin
Bud Mahurin
Colonel Walker Melville "Bud" Mahurin was a retired officer of the United States Air Force . During World War II, while serving in the United States Army Air Forces , he was a noted flying ace....
of the 56th Fighter Group, USAAF.
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...
(12 October 1942) - 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 (28 January 1943) - 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 18 May 1943 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 GruppenkommandeurGruppenkommandeurGruppenkommandeur 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 the II./JG 26 "Schlageter"