Gerhard Michalski
Born(1917-06-25)25 June 1917
Augsdorf
Died22 February 1946(1946-02-22) (aged 28)
Kaltenkirchen
Allegiance Nazi Germany
Service/branchBalkenkreuz (Iron Cross) Luftwaffe
RankOberstleutnant (lieutenant colonel)
UnitJG 53, JG z.b.V., JG 4, JG 11
Commands heldJG 4
Battles/wars
See battles

World War II

AwardsKnight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves

Gerhard Michalski (25 June 1917 – 22 February 1946) was a German Luftwaffe military aviator and wing commander during World War II. As a fighter ace, he is credited with 73 aerial victories in 652 missions, of which 59 victories were achieved over the Western Front including 13 four-engine bombers, and 14 over the Eastern Front. He was awarded the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves, the highest award in the military and paramilitary forces of Nazi Germany during World War II.

Early life and career

Michalski was born on 25 June 1917 in Augsdorf in the Province of Saxony of the German Empire. In 1936, he volunteered for military service in the Luftwaffe and was promoted to Leutnant in 1938. Michalski received the Iron Cross 2nd Class (Eisernes Kreuz 2. Klasse) on 28 September 1939.[1]

World War II

Michalski joined 6. Staffel (6th squadron) of Jagdgeschwader 53 (JG 53—53rd Fighter Wing) in 1940. He claimed his first victory on 31 March 1940 during the "Phoney War", when he downed a French Morane Saulnier MS 406 fighter over the French border near Püttlingen.[2] Flying through the Battle of Britain, he gained eight more victories. In October 1940, Michalski was appointed Adjutant in II./JG 53.

JG 53 flew its last mission on the Channel Front on 4 June 1941.[3] Four days later, II. Gruppe was ordered to Mannheim-Sandhofen Airfield.[4]

Operation Barbarossa

In preparation of Operation Barbarossa, the German invasion of the Soviet Union, the aircraft were given a maintenance overhaul at Mannheim-Sandhofen Airfield.[5] On 12 June, II. Gruppe relocated to Sobolewo. On 21 June, the commanding officers were ordered to Suwałki where they were briefed by Generalfeldmarschall Albert Kesselring.[6]

With JG 53 participating in the invasion of Russia from June 1941 onward, Michalski claimed 13 further victories by the end of August 1941 for a total of 22.

On 5 October 1941, II. Gruppe of JG 53 was withdrawn from the Eastern Front and ordered to Insterburg, present-day Chernyakhovsk.[7] The Gruppe was then sent to Leeuwarden Airfield in the Netherlands where they arrived on 12. October.[8] Prior to the relocation, Michalski was appointed Staffelkapitän (squadron leader) of 4. Staffel of JG 53,[9] relacing Oberleutnant Kurt Liedtke in this capacity.[10]

Mediterranean theater

In November 1941, II. Gruppe of JG 53 were relocated to Sicily for operations against Malta. Michalski was to become the most successful German fighter pilot in the Siege of Malta, claiming 26 victories against the island's defenders.[11] Michalski was appointed Gruppenkommandeur (group commander) of II. Gruppe of JG 53 in August 1942. He succeeded Hauptmann Walter Spies who was transferred. Command of 4. Staffel was then passed to Oberleutnant Wilhelm Hobirk.[12] He was awarded the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross (Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes) for 41 victories in September. On 1 October, Michalski was promoted to Hauptmann (captain).[1]

Bf 109s of JG 53 in southern Italy, similar to those flown by Michalski.

On 15 October, Michalski was shot down in his Bf 109 G-2 (Werknummer 10484—factory number). He bailed out over sea, climbed into his life raft before he was picked by a Dornier Do 24 flying boat of Seenotstaffel 6, the 6th Squadron of the German air-sea rescue service.[13] His victors were No. 126 Squadron Supermarine Spitfire fighters, flown by F/L. Jones and F/Sgt Varey, who shot him down off Marsaxlokk Bay.[14]

In November 1942, II./JG 53 were sent to Tunisia. On 27 November, Michalski claimed Spitfire fighter shot down 15 kilometers (9.3 miles) south of Majaz al Bab. That day, the RAF lost two Spitfires in aerial combat, one from No. 72 Squadron and another from No. 152 Squadron, plus one another Spitfire damaged in combat. While Luftwaffe pilots claimed ten Spitfires shot down.[15]

Following the fall of Tunisia, II./JG 53 relocated to bases in Sicily in May 1943. By June 1943, the Geschwaderkommodore (wing commander) of JG 53, Oberst Günther Freiherr von Maltzahn, had fallen ill and could no longer lead JG 53 during combat missions. In consequence, Michalski was tasked with leading the air elements of JG 53.[16] On 13 June, Michalski claimed a Supermarin Spitfire fighter shot down near Syracuse. His opponent may have been Wing Commander John Ellis who bailed out and was taken prisoner of war.[17]

On 18 June 1943, II. Gruppe engaged in combat with eight Spitfire fighters over southeast Sicily. In this encounter, Michalski was shot down in his Bf 109 G-6 (Werknummer 16362) near Donnafugata Castle. Forced to bail out, he was injured and taken to hospital in Ragusa.[18][19] His victor was Flying Officer George Noel Keith Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF), flying a Spitfire of No. 72 Squadron.[20][21] He bailed out wounded in the leg and with a broken ankle, landing in the sea, from where he was rescued by the German air-sea rescue service. Hospitalised, he returned to JG 53 in August 1943.

On 1 October, Michalski was promoted to Major (major).[22] In November 1943, II./JG 53 was relocated to airfields in Austria, operating on Reichsverteidigung (Defense of the Reich) duties. Michalski claimed his 60th victory on 2 November.

Wing commander

On 24 April 1944, Michalski was made Geschwaderkommodore of the newly formed Jagdgeschwader z.b.V. (JG z.b.V.—fighter wing for special deployement), a special purpose unit which was tasked with defending the southern German airspace under control of 7. Jagd-Division (7th Fighter Division). Initially, the unit was based at Kassel and equipped with the Bf 109 G-6.[23] On 29 April, the United States Army Air Forces (USAAF) Eighth Air Force headed for Berlin. Michalski led the Stab and II. Gruppe of Jagdgeschwader 27 (JG 27—27th Fighter Wing) on the intercept mission. Near Schandelah, present-day part of Cremlingen, he shot down a Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress bomber.[24] On 1 May, the Eighth Air Force attacked German railroad infrastructure in southern Germany. Defending against this attack, Michalski was shot down by USAAF escorting fighters in his Bf 109 G-6 (Werknummer 440232) near Saarbrücken. Due to his injuries, he was taken off duty. The position of Geschwaderkommodore was left vacant until on 21 May Major Walther Dahl was given command of JG z.b.V.[25]

Following his recovery, Michalski was transferred to the Verbandsführerschule of the General der Jagdflieger on 20 May 1944. On 21 July, he joined the Stabsstaffel, I./Jagdgeschwader 11.

On 15 June, JG z.b.V. had been renamed and became Jagdgeschwader 4 (JG 4—4th Fighter Wing) and Dahl was replaced by Major Gerhard Schöpfel as commander of JG 4. When on 6 August Schöpfel was wounded in combat, Michalski was transferred and became Geschwaderkommodore of JG 4.[26] Michalski was awarded the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves (Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes mit Eichenlaub) on 25 November for 72 victories. On 1 January 1945, Michalski was promoted to Oberstleutnant (lieutenant colonel).[22] He gained his 73rd and final victory on 8 March 1945, over the Eastern Front.

As Geschwaderkommodore, Michalski was ordered to Berlin on 22 January 1945 and attended the meeting with Reichsmarschall Hermann Göring which was later dubbed the Fighter Pilots' Mutiny. This was an attempt to reinstate Generalleutnant Adolf Galland as General der Jagdflieger who had been dismissed for outspokenness regarding the Oberkommando der Luftwaffe (Luftwaffe high command), and had been replaced by Oberst Gordon Gollob. The meeting was held at the Haus der Flieger in Berlin and was attended by a number of high-ranking fighter pilot leaders which included Michalski, Günther Lützow, Hannes Trautloft, Hermann Graf, Erich Leie, Helmut Bennemann, Kurt Bühligen and Herbert Ihlefeld, and their antagonist Göring supported by his staff Bernd von Brauchitsch and Karl Koller. The fighter pilots, with Lützow taking the lead as spokesman, criticized Göring and made him personally responsible for the decisions taken which effectively had led to the lost air war over Europe.[27]

Michalski was involved in a motor vehicle accident on 22 February 1946 and died in a hospital in Kaltenkirchen.[22] His brother Werner was killed in action as a Leutnant on 10 April 1942 serving with Jagdgeschwader 26 "Schlageter".[28]

Summary of career

Aerial victory claims

According to Spick, Michalski was credited with 73 aerial victories in 652 missions, of which 59 victories were achieved over the Western Front including 13 four-engine bombers and 29 Spitfire fighters.[29] Mathews and Foreman, authors of Luftwaffe Aces — Biographies and Victory Claims, researched the German Federal Archives and found records for 68 aerial victory claims, plus three further unconfirmed claims. This number includes 14 on the Eastern Front and 54 on the Western Front, including 11 four-engined bombers.[30]

Victory claims were logged to a map-reference (PQ = Planquadrat), for example "PQ 03 Ost 9848". The Luftwaffe grid map (Jägermeldenetz) covered all of Europe, western Russia and North Africa and was composed of rectangles measuring 15 minutes of latitude by 30 minutes of longitude, an area of about 360 square miles (930 km2). These sectors were then subdivided into 36 smaller units to give a location area 3 km × 4 km (1.9 mi × 2.5 mi) in size.[31]

Chronicle of aerial victories
  This and the – (dash) indicates unconfirmed aerial victory claims for which Michalski did not receive credit.
  This along with the * (asterisk) indicates an Herausschuss (separation shot)—a severely damaged heavy bomber forced to separate from his combat box which was counted as an aerial victory.
  This and the ! (exclamation mark) indicates those aerial victories listed by Prien, Stemmer, Rodeike and Bock.
  This and the # (hash mark) indicates those aerial victories listed by Mathews and Foreman.
  This and the ? (question mark) indicates information discrepancies listed by Prien, Stemmer, Rodeike, Bock, Mathews and Foreman.
Claim! Claim# Date Time Type Location Claim! Claim# Date Time Type Location
– Stab II. Gruppe of Jagdgeschwader 53 –[32]
"Phoney War" — 1 September 1939 – 9 May 1940
1 31 March 1940 16:00 M.S.406 southwest of Sarreguemines[33]
– 6. Staffel of Jagdgeschwader 53 –[32]
At the Channel and over England — 26 June – August 1940
2 1 15 August 1940 18:50 Hurricane southwest of Portland[34]
– Stab II. Gruppe of Jagdgeschwader 53 –[32]
At the Channel and over England — August 1940 – 8 June 1941
3 2 10 October 1940 11:40?[Note 1] Spitfire Folkestone[35]
Thames Estuary		 7 24 November 1940 16:50 Hurricane Gravesend[36]
4 3 11 October 1940 08:55 Spitfire[35] 8 6 30 November 1940 15:26 Hurricane Ashford[36]
5 4 28 October 1940 17:28 Hurricane 20 km (12 mi) south of London[36] 9 7 25 April 1941 15:47 Spitfire[37]
6 5 1 November 1940 15:40 Spitfire[36]
– Stab II. Gruppe of Jagdgeschwader 53 –[32]
Operation Barbarossa — 22 June – 8 October 1941
10 8 1 July 1941 13:52 I-153[38] 17 15 29 August 1941 15:57 I-16[39]?[Note 2]
11 9 4 July 1941 16:45 SB-2[38] 18 16 11 September 1941 09:02 I-18 (MiG-1)[39]
12 10 4 July 1941 16:49 SB-3[38] 19 17 21 September 1941 16:05 I-18 (MiG-1)[40]
13 11 5 July 1941 09:26 SB-3 southeast of Smitten[38] 20 18 23 September 1941 17:05 I-18 (MiG-1)[40]
14 12 14 July 1941 19:24 DB-3[41] 21 19 28 September 1941 08:03 I-18 (MiG-1)[40]
15 13 19 July 1941 17:25 R-5[41] 22 20 4 October 1941 09:43?[Note 3] I-18 (MiG-1)[42]
16 14 27 August 1941 17:10 R-5[41]
– 4. Staffel of Jagdgeschwader 53 –[32]
Mediterranean Theater — 15 December 1941 – August 1942
23?[Note 4] 21 20 December 1941 16:40 Hurricane[45] 35 30 29 June 1942 08:45 Spitfire[46]
24 29 December 1941 10:40 Hurricane[47] 36 31 2 July 1942 08:07 Spitfire 10 km (6.2 mi) northeast of Malta[46]
5–8 km (3.1–5.0 mi) north of Ta' Vnezja
25 22 3 January 1942 09:18?[Note 5] Hurricane[47] 37 32 2 July 1942 13:30 Spitfire 7–8 km (4.3–5.0 mi) east of La Valletta[46]
26 23 20 January 1942 14:18 Hurricane[47] 38 33 8 July 1942 06:48 Spitfire[48]
27
—
 24 January 1942 14:25 Hurricane[47] 39 34 8 July 1942 11:35 Spitfire[48]
28 24 17 March 1942 08:08 Spitfire Malta[49] 40 35 30 July 1942 08:25 Spitfire[48]
29
—
 2 April 1942 10:42 Spitfire[49] 41 36 31 July 1942 14:58 Spitfire[48]
30 25 8 May 1942 09:40 P-40 Ta' Vnezja[50] 42 37 31 July 1942 15:00 Spitfire[48]
26 14 May 1942 11:43 Spitfire 38 2 August 1942 14:30 Spitfire 5 km (3.1 mi) west of Venezia
31 15 May 1942 11:31 Spitfire[50] 43 39 2 August 1942 16:23 Spitfire[48]
32 27 3 June 1942 11:13 Spitfire 60 km (37 mi) southeast of Pantelleria[46] 44 40 10 August 1942 12:21 Spitfire[48]
33 28 8 June 1942 11:25 Spitfire[46] 45?[Note 4] 12 August 1942
—
 Spitfire[51]
34 29 15 June 1942 10:40 Beaufighter 70 km (43 mi) southeast of Pantelleria[46] 46 41 14 August 1942 18:48 Spitfire[52]
– Stab II. Gruppe of Jagdgeschwader 53 –[32]
Mediterranean Theater — August – 31 December 1942
47 42 13 October 1942?[Note 6] 14:10?[Note 7] Spitfire 20 km (12 mi) north of La Valletta[52] 49 44 27 November 1942 14:56 Spitfire 15 km (9.3 mi) south of Majaz al Bab[53]
48 43 14 October 1942 08:20 Spitfire[52] vicinity of Malta
– Stab II. Gruppe of Jagdgeschwader 53 –[30]
Mediterranean Theater — 1 January – 15 October 1943
50?[Note 4]
—
 1 January 1943 11:56 Spitfire[54] 56 50 19 April 1943 16:08 Spitfire 3 km (1.9 mi) southeast of Menzel Temime[55]
15 km (9.3 mi) southwest of Zembra
51 45 25 February 1943 12:16 P-38 15 km (9.3 mi) west of Tebourba[55] 57 51 2 May 1943 14:54 P-40 southwest of Béja[55]
52?[Note 8] 2 March 1943 11:50 Spitfire 5 km (3.1 mi) southeast of Sfax[55] 58 52 8 June 1943 08:52 Spitfire 40 km (25 mi) south-southwest of Pozzallo[55]
46 2 March 1943 11:50 B-17* 5 km (3.1 mi) southeast of Béja 59 53 9 June 1943 14:00 P-38 15 km (9.3 mi) south of Pantelleria[55]
53?[Note 8] 47 22 March 1943 14:10 P-38 PQ 03 Ost 9848[55] 60 54 13 June 1943 12:12 Spitfire Syracuse[55]
54 48 18 April 1943 19:05 P-40 4 km (2.5 mi) southeast of the Gulf of Tunis[55] 61?[Note 4] 55 8 September 1943 17:00 P-38[56] 50 km (31 mi) southwest of Capri
55 49 19 April 1943 15:56 Spitfire 15 km (9.3 mi) southwest of Zembra[55]
– Stab II. Gruppe of Jagdgeschwader 53 –[57]
Defense of the Reich — 16 October – 31 December 1943
62 56 2 November 1943 12:40?[Note 9] B-24* Kaindorf[58]
– Stab II. Gruppe of Jagdgeschwader 53 –[57]
Defense of the Reich — 1 January – April 1944
63 57 7 January 1944 11:28 P-38[59] 15 km (9.3 mi) south of Kalsdorf 67 8 April 1944
—
 B-24[59]
64 58 24 February 1944 12:56 B-17[59] vicinity of Friedburg 68 11 April 1944
—
 B-24[59]
65 59 25 February 1944 11:56 B-24[59] Radlersberg-Fridau 69 61 13 April 1944 15:54 B-17[59] Königsdorf
66 60 23 March 1944 10:28 B-17[59] southwest of Braundes 70 62 19 April 1944 10:35 B-17[59] south of Hann. Münden, east of Kassel
– Stab of Jagdgruppe z.b.V. –[57]
Defense of the Reich — April 1944
71 63 29 April 1944 11:03 B-17 Schandelah,[60] east of Braunschweig
– Stab of Jagdgeschwader 4 –[57]
Defense of the Reich — September 1944 – 8 May 1945
72 64 21 September 1944 15:25 Lancaster northwest of Nijmegen[60] 75 67 2 November 1944 12:56?[Note 10] B-17 PQ 15 Ost JD-JE[60]
73 65 27 September 1944 18:15 Typhoon southwest of Goch[60] 76 68 8 March 1945 10:27 Yak-9 Eastern Front
74 66 2 November 1944 12:55 B-17 PQ 15 Ost JE-JD[60]

Awards

Notes

  1. ↑ According to Mathews and Foreman claimed at 11:45.[32]
  2. ↑ According to Mathews and Foreman claimed as a Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-1.[32]
  3. ↑ According to Mathews and Foreman claimed at 09:45.[32]
  4. 1 2 3 4 This claim is not listed by Prien, Stemmer, Rodeike and Bock.[43][44]
  5. ↑ According to Mathews and Foreman claimed at 14:18.[32]
  6. ↑ According to Prien, this claim was dated 12 October 1942.[51]
  7. ↑ According to Mathews and Foreman claimed at 14:16.[32]
  8. 1 2 This claim is not listed by Prien.[54]
  9. ↑ According to Mathews and Foreman claimed at 12:48.[57]
  10. ↑ According to Mathews and Foreman claimed at 11:56.[57]

References

Citations

  1. 1 2 Stockert 2011, p. 170.
  2. ↑ Prien 1997, p. 76.
  3. ↑ Prien 1997, p. 242.
  4. ↑ Prien 1997, p. 244.
  5. ↑ Prien 1997, p. 252.
  6. ↑ Prien 1997, p. 253.
  7. ↑ Prien et al. 2003b, p. 127.
  8. ↑ Prien et al. 2003a, p. 104.
  9. ↑ Prien et al. 2003a, p. 105.
  10. ↑ Prien et al. 2003b, p. 129.
  11. ↑ Shores, Cull & Malizia 1991, p. 652.
  12. ↑ Prien et al. 2004, p. 134.
  13. ↑ Prien 1998, pp. 489, 495.
  14. ↑ Shores, Cull & Malizia 1991, pp. 607–608.
  15. ↑ Shores & Massimello 2016, pp. 145–147.
  16. ↑ Prien et al. 2010, pp. 379, 389.
  17. ↑ Cull, Malizia & Galea 2000, pp. 76–77.
  18. ↑ Prien 1998, pp. 628, 654.
  19. ↑ Prien et al. 2010, p. 394.
  20. ↑ Cull, Malizia & Galea 2000, pp. 95–99.
  21. ↑ Shores et al. 2018, pp. 96, 98.
  22. 1 2 3 Stockert 2011, p. 171.
  23. ↑ Prien, Stemmer & Bock 2018, p. 397.
  24. ↑ Prien, Stemmer & Bock 2018, pp. 397, 404.
  25. ↑ Prien, Stemmer & Bock 2018, pp. 397, 400, 404.
  26. ↑ Prien, Stemmer & Bock 2018, pp. 397–398, 400.
  27. ↑ Braatz 2005, p. 348–351.
  28. ↑ Obermaier 1989, p. 71.
  29. ↑ Spick 1996, p. 237.
  30. 1 2 Mathews & Foreman 2015, pp. 849–850.
  31. ↑ Planquadrat.
  32. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 Mathews & Foreman 2015, p. 849.
  33. ↑ Prien et al. 2001, p. 386.
  34. ↑ Prien et al. 2002, p. 226.
  35. 1 2 Prien et al. 2002, p. 228.
  36. 1 2 3 4 Prien et al. 2002, p. 230.
  37. ↑ Prien et al. 2002, p. 231.
  38. 1 2 3 4 Prien et al. 2003b, p. 131.
  39. 1 2 Prien et al. 2003b, p. 134.
  40. 1 2 3 Prien et al. 2003b, p. 135.
  41. 1 2 3 Prien et al. 2003b, p. 133.
  42. ↑ Prien et al. 2003b, p. 137.
  43. ↑ Prien et al. 2004, pp. 142, 148.
  44. ↑ Prien et al. 2011, pp. 122–123.
  45. ↑ Prien 1991, p. 1669.
  46. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Prien et al. 2004, p. 146.
  47. 1 2 3 4 Prien et al. 2004, p. 142.
  48. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Prien et al. 2004, p. 148.
  49. 1 2 Prien et al. 2004, p. 143.
  50. 1 2 Prien et al. 2004, p. 144.
  51. 1 2 Prien 1991, p. 1677.
  52. 1 2 3 Prien et al. 2004, p. 149.
  53. ↑ Prien et al. 2004, p. 150.
  54. 1 2 Prien 1991, p. 1678.
  55. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Prien et al. 2011, p. 123.
  56. ↑ Prien 1991, p. 1680.
  57. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Mathews & Foreman 2015, p. 850.
  58. ↑ Prien et al. 2009, p. 244.
  59. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Prien 1991, p. 1683.
  60. 1 2 3 4 5 Prien, Stemmer & Bock 2018, p. 404.
  61. 1 2 Thomas 1998, p. 80.
  62. 1 2 Scherzer 2007, p. 543.
  63. ↑ Fellgiebel 2000, p. 311.
  64. ↑ Fellgiebel 2000, p. 93.

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