Ulrich Wernitz

Ulrich Wernitz (21 January 1921 – 23 December 1980) was a Luftwaffe flying ace of World War II. He was credited with 101 aerial victories—that is, 101 aerial combat encounters resulting in the destruction of the enemy aircraft—claimed in roughly 240 combat missions.[1] He served in the post World War II German Air Force of the Federal Republic of Germany, retiring with the rank of Oberstleutnant (Lieutenant Colonel).

Ulrich Wernitz
Nickname(s)Pipifax
Born(1921-01-21)21 January 1921
Schweinitz/Herzberg
Died23 December 1980(1980-12-23) (aged 59)
Fürstenfeldbruck
Allegiance Nazi Germany (to 1945)
 West Germany
Service/branchBalkenkreuz (Iron Cross) Luftwaffe
Bundeswehrkreuz (Iron Cross) Luftwaffe
RankLeutnant (Wehrmacht)
Oberstleutnant (Bundeswehr)
UnitJG 54
Commands held3./JG 54
Battles/wars
See battles

World War II

AwardsKnight's Cross of the Iron Cross

Career

Wernitz was born in Schweinitz/Herzberg in the district of Wittenberg, a Province of Saxony, on 21 January 1921. Following flight training, he was posted to 3. Staffel (3rd squadron) of Jagdgeschwader 54 (JG 54—54th Fighter Wing) in April 1943.[2][Note 1] At the time, JG 54 was based on the northern sector of the Eastern Front.

Nicknamed Pipifax by his comrades, he claimed his first aerial victory on 2 May 1943 over a Lavochkin La-5 fighter aircraft near Pushkin during the Siege of Leningrad. On combat missions, he frequently flew as wingman to Otto Kittel, Hermann Schleinhege and Günther Scheel.[3] Wernitz claimed his 82nd aerial victory, a Petlyakov Pe-2 shot down on 28 August 1944. He then fell ill in September.[4] During his convalescence, Feldwebel (Sergeant) Wernitz, was awarded the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross (German: Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes) on 29 October 1944, and the German Cross in Gold (German: Deutsches Kreuz in Gold) on 1 January 1945. He returned to his unit in early February 1945, which at the time was fighting in the Courland Pocket.[3] He was then appointed Staffelführer (squadron leader) of 3. Staffel of JG 54 and claimed 19 further aerial victories, including eight on 8 March 1945.[2] On 26 March 1945, Wernitz was credited with his 100th aerial victory. He was the 100th Luftwaffe pilot to achieve the century mark.[5]

Following World War II, Wernitz served in the German Air Force of the Federal Republic of Germany, retiring with the rank of Oberstleutnant (Lieutenant Colonel). He died on 23 December 1980.[3]

Summary of career

Aerial victory claims

According to US historian David T. Zabecki, Wernitz was credited with 101 aerial victories.[6] Mathews and Foreman, authors of Luftwaffe Aces — Biographies and Victory Claims, researched the German Federal Archives and state that Wernitz was credited with 101 aerial victories, all of which claimed on the Eastern Front.[7]

Victory claims were logged to a map-reference (PQ = Planquadrat), for example "PQ 36 Ost 00333". 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.[8]

Chronicle of aerial victories
  This and the ♠ (Ace of spades) indicates those aerial victories which made Wernitz an "ace-in-a-day", a term which designates a fighter pilot who has shot down five or more airplanes in a single day.
  This and the – (dash) indicates unconfirmed aerial victory claims for which Wernitz did not receive credit.
  This and the ? (question mark) indicates information discrepancies listed by Prien, Stemmer, Rodeike, Balke, Bock, Mathews and Foreman.
Claim Date Time Type Location Claim Date Time Type Location
– 3. Staffel of Jagdgeschwader 54 –[3]
1 2 May 1943 16:56 La-5 PQ 36 Ost 00333[9]
vicinity of Pushkin		 3 24 May 1943 18:53 P-40 PQ 36 Ost 10184[10]
east of Mga
2 21 May 1943 19:07 La-5 PQ 36 Ost 10464[10]
45 km (28 mi) northeast of Luban
– Stab of Jagdgeschwader 54 –[3]
4 1 June 1943 04:58 Yak-1 PQ 36 Ost 10293[11]
30 km (19 mi) southwest of Volkhov		 8 17 July 1943 03:55 Yak-9 PQ 35 Ost 54121[11]
20 km (12 mi) south-southwest of Sukhinichi
5 18 June 1943 06:28 LaGG-3 PQ 36 Ost 21753[11]
20 km (12 mi) north-northwest of Volkhov		 9 23 July 1943 08:55 Il-2 PQ 35 Ost 54333[11]
45 km (28 mi) east-southeast of Zhizdra
6 16 July 1943 07:54 Yak-9 PQ 35 Ost 54487[11]
20 km (12 mi) northwest of Bolkhov		 10 1 August 1943 11:22 La-5 PQ 36 Ost 10183[11]
east of Mga
7 16 July 1943 08:03 Yak-9 PQ 35 Ost 54498[11]
25 km (16 mi) west-northwest of Bolkhov
– 3. Staffel of Jagdgeschwader 54 –[7]
11?[Note 2] 15 September 1943 16:15 LaGG-3 PQ 35 Ost 35341, Satki[12] 52 17 July 1944 17:11 Pe-2 PQ OP-7/4[13]
12 9 October 1943 06:55 LaGG-3 PQ 35 Ost 07743[14]
10 km (6.2 mi) northeast of Nevel		 53 17 July 1944 17:14 Pe-2 PQ OP-5/7[13]
13 9 October 1943 06:59 LaGG-3 PQ 35 Ost 07751[14]
10 km (6.2 mi) northeast of Nevel		 54 21 July 1944 14:40 Yak-9 PQ ON-5/5[13]
14 9 October 1943 07:00 Yak-9 PQ 35 Ost 07753[14]
10 km (6.2 mi) northeast of Nevel		 55 21 July 1944 19:15 Yak-9 PQ NM-4/6[13]
15 12 October 1943 10:55 La-5 PQ 35 Ost 15943[15] 56 21 July 1944 19:17 Yak-9 PQ OM-2/4[13]
16 13 October 1943 08:43 Yak-9 PQ 35 Ost 15561[15]
20 km (12 mi) south of Krassnji		 57 21 July 1944 19:21 Yak-9 PQ OM-5/2[13]
17 20 October 1943 09:14 Yak-9 PQ 35 Ost 06163, Lake Ssennitza[15] 58 27 July 1944 14:50 La-5 PQ NL-8/2[16]
18 22 October 1943 08:15 La-5 PQ 35 Ost 15342, north of Gorki[15] 59 27 July 1944 14:52 La-5 PQ NL-8/3[16]
19 15 December 1943 09:08 Il-2 PQ 35 Ost 06167[17] 60 27 July 1944 14:53 La-5 PQ NL-8/9[16]
20 1 January 1944 12:55 Il-2 PQ 35 Ost 06794[18] 61 1 August 1944 11:01 La-5 PQ KH-2/8[16]
21 6 January 1944 10:43 Yak-9 PQ 35 Ost 05151[18] 62 1 August 1944 11:06 La-5 PQ KH-7/9[16]
22 8 January 1944 09:30 Yak-9 PQ 25 Ost 96684[18]
25 km (16 mi) southwest of Gorodok		 63 1 August 1944 11:10 La-5 PQ LH-4/5[16]
23 15 January 1944 12:26 La-5 PQ 35 Ost 05161[19] 64 1 August 1944 19:45 La-5 PQ KG-9/5[16]
24 7 February 1944 07:50 La-5 PQ 35 Ost 06784[19] 65 5 August 1944 14:42 Il-2 PQ LN-2/3[16]
25 30 March 1944 12:32 Yak-9 PQ 26 Ost 70694[20]
15 km (9.3 mi) southwest of Narva		 66 5 August 1944 14:47 Il-2 PQ LN-3/7[16]
26 30 March 1944 15:26?[Note 3] La-5 PQ 26 Ost 70352[20]
Baltic Sea, 35 km (22 mi) northeast of Kunda		 67 7 August 1944 16:11 P-39 PQ KN-4/1[21]
27 2 April 1944 11:45 Il-2 PQ 26 Ost 60462[22]
northeast of Kunda		 68 15 August 1944 09:11 Yak-9 PQ LJ-9/3[21]
28 4 April 1944 09:52 Yak-9 PQ 26 Ost 6044[22]
northeast of Kunda		 69 15 August 1944 09:13 Yak-9 PQ LJ-7/4[21]
29 19 April 1944 09:25 Il-2 PQ 26 Ost 70693[22]
15 km (9.3 mi) southwest of Narva		 70 15 August 1944 09:22 Yak-9 PQ LJ-3/4[21]
30 8 May 1944 14:01 P-40 PQ 26 Ost 70313[22]
Baltic Sea, 35 km (22 mi) east-northeast of Kunda		 71 15 August 1944 13:32 P-39 PQ LK-4/5[21]
31 8 May 1944 14:03 Yak-9 PQ 26 Ost 70331[22]
Gulf of Finland, north of Hungerburg		 72 16 August 1944 10:11 Il-2 PQ LK-5/8[21]
32 16 May 1944 10:20 Yak-9 PQ 26 Ost 70523[23]
Baltic Sea, 45 km (28 mi) west of Hungerburg		 73 16 August 1944 10:13 Il-2 PQ LK-8/2[21]
33 28 May 1944 08:42 LaGG-3 PQ 26 Ost 70693[23]
15 km (9.3 mi) southwest of Narva		 74 23 August 1944 11:09 Il-2 PQ JN-5/3[21]
34 29 May 1944 10:06 La-5 PQ 26 Ost 60412[23]
In Gulf of Finland		 75 24 August 1944 17:41 La-5 PQ JG-6/5[21]
35 29 May 1944 10:11 Yak-9 PQ 26 Ost 60432[23]
northeast of Kunda		 76 25 August 1944 12:46 Yak-9 PQ LG-7/1[21]
36 29 May 1944 10:18 Yak-9 PQ 26 Ost 70452[23]
Baltic Sea, 25 km (16 mi) northwest of Hungerburg		 77 25 August 1944 12:47 La-5 PQ LG-4/9[21]
37 30 May 1944 21:11 Yak-9 PQ 26 Ost 70433[23]
Baltic Sea, 25 km (16 mi) north-northwest of Hungerburg		 78 25 August 1944 12:49 Yak-9 PQ KG-4/5[21]
38 15 June 1944 07:10 Yak-9 PQ SP-3/3[23] 79 28 August 1944 11:26?[Note 4] Yak-9 PQ JM-5/4[25]
40 km (25 mi) north-northwest of Kreuzburg
39 15 June 1944 07:15 Yak-9 PQ RP-9/4[23] 80 28 August 1944 11:28?[Note 5] Pe-2 PQ JM-9/1[25]
30 km (19 mi) north of Kreuzburg
40 15 June 1944 07:18 La-5 PQ RP-7/2[23] 81 28 August 1944 15:50?[Note 6] P-39[Note 6] PQ LG-6/1[25]
41 15 June 1944 07:25 Il-2 PQ SP-6/2[23] 82 28 August 1944 16:12?[Note 7] P-39 PQ LG-2/2[25]
42 28 June 1944 12:10 LaGG-3 PQ QT-8/4[23]
—
[Note 8]		 28 August 1944
—
 Yak-9[25]
43 28 June 1944 19:22 P-39 PQ QT-3/2[23] ♠ 5 March 1945
—
 unknown
44♠ 30 June 1944 15:02 Yak-9 PQ PS-7/3[13] ♠ 5 March 1945
—
 unknown
45♠ 30 June 1944 16:01?[Note 9] Yak-9 PQ OS-5/3[13] ♠ 5 March 1945
—
 unknown
46♠ 30 June 1944 16:10 Il-2 PQ OT-1/4[13] ♠ 5 March 1945
—
 unknown
47♠ 30 June 1944 16:14 P-39 PQ OT-2/1[13] ♠ 5 March 1945
—
 unknown
48♠ 30 June 1944 19:48 Il-2 PQ PS-5/8[13] ♠ 5 March 1945
—
 unknown
49 3 July 1944 11:38 P-39 PQ OS-7/7[13] ♠ 5 March 1945
—
 unknown
50 3 July 1944 11:46 P-39 PQ OS-5/7[13] ♠ 5 March 1945
—
 unknown
51 16 July 1944 05:13 P-39 PQ OO-3/4[13] 100 26 March 1945
—
 unknown

Awards

Notes
  1. For an explanation of Luftwaffe unit designations, see Organization of the Luftwaffe during World War II.
  2. This claim is not listed by Mathews and Foreman.[3]
  3. According to Mathews and Foreman claimed at 15:22.[3]
  4. According to Mathews and Foreman claimed at 10:26.[24] The authors Prien, Stemmer, Balke and Bock state that files held by the German Federal Archives contain a documentation error as the report filed by Wernitz states 11:26.[25]
  5. According to Mathews and Foreman claimed at 10:28.[24]
  6. According to Mathews and Foreman claimed at 11:28 over a Petlyakov Pe-2.[24]
  7. According to Mathews and Foreman claimed at 16:11.[24]
  8. This unconfirmed claim is not listed by Mathews and Foreman.[24]
  9. According to Mathews and Foreman claimed at 16:01.[24]
  10. According to Scherzer as pilot in the I./Jagdgeschwader 54.[28]

References

Citations
  1. Spick 1996, p. 233.
  2. Obermaier 1989, p. 223.
  3. Mathews & Foreman 2015, p. 1404.
  4. Weal 2001, p. 114.
  5. Obermaier 1989, p. 244.
  6. Zabecki 2019, p. 331.
  7. Mathews & Foreman 2015, pp. 1404–1405.
  8. Planquadrat.
  9. Prien et al. 2012, p. 173.
  10. Prien et al. 2012, p. 174.
  11. Prien et al. 2012, p. 78.
  12. Prien et al. 2012, p. 184.
  13. Prien et al. 2022, p. 384.
  14. Prien et al. 2012, p. 185.
  15. Prien et al. 2012, p. 186.
  16. Prien et al. 2022, p. 385.
  17. Prien et al. 2012, p. 188.
  18. Prien et al. 2022, p. 379.
  19. Prien et al. 2022, p. 380.
  20. Prien et al. 2022, p. 381.
  21. Prien et al. 2022, p. 386.
  22. Prien et al. 2022, p. 382.
  23. Prien et al. 2022, p. 383.
  24. Mathews & Foreman 2015, p. 1405.
  25. Prien et al. 2022, p. 387.
  26. Patzwall 2008, p. 216.
  27. Fellgiebel 2000, p. 443.
  28. Scherzer 2007, p. 780.
  29. Patzwall & Scherzer 2001, p. 508.

Bibliography
  • Bergström, Christer. "Bergström Black Cross/Red Star website". Identifying a Luftwaffe Planquadrat. Retrieved 18 April 2018.
  • Fellgiebel, Walther-Peer [in German] (2000) [1986]. Die Träger des Ritterkreuzes des Eisernen Kreuzes 1939–1945 — Die Inhaber der höchsten Auszeichnung des Zweiten Weltkrieges aller Wehrmachtteile [The Bearers of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross 1939–1945 — The Owners of the Highest Award of the Second World War of all Wehrmacht Branches] (in German). Friedberg, Germany: Podzun-Pallas. ISBN 978-3-7909-0284-6.
  • Mathews, Andrew Johannes; Foreman, John (2015). Luftwaffe Aces — Biographies and Victory Claims — Volume 4 S–Z. Walton on Thames: Red Kite. ISBN 978-1-906592-21-9.
  • Obermaier, Ernst (1989). Die Ritterkreuzträger der Luftwaffe Jagdflieger 1939 – 1945 [The Knight's Cross Bearers of the Luftwaffe Fighter Force 1939 – 1945] (in German). Mainz, Germany: Verlag Dieter Hoffmann. ISBN 978-3-87341-065-7.
  • Patzwall, Klaus D.; Scherzer, Veit (2001). Das Deutsche Kreuz 1941 – 1945 Geschichte und Inhaber Band II [The German Cross 1941 – 1945 History and Recipients Volume 2] (in German). Norderstedt, Germany: Verlag Klaus D. Patzwall. ISBN 978-3-931533-45-8.
  • Patzwall, Klaus D. (2008). Der Ehrenpokal für besondere Leistung im Luftkrieg [The Honor Goblet for Outstanding Achievement in the Air War] (in German). Norderstedt, Germany: Verlag Klaus D. Patzwall. ISBN 978-3-931533-08-3.
  • Prien, Jochen; Stemmer, Gerhard; Rodeike, Peter; Bock, Winfried (2012). Die Jagdfliegerverbände der Deutschen Luftwaffe 1934 bis 1945—Teil 12/III—Einsatz im Osten—4.2. bis 31.12.1943 [The Fighter Units of the German Air Force 1934 to 1945—Part 12/III—Action in the East—4 February to 31 December 1943] (in German). Eutin, Germany: Buchverlag Rogge. ISBN 978-3-942943-07-9.
  • Prien, Jochen; Stemmer, Gerhard; Balke, Ulf; Bock, Winfried (2022). Die Jagdfliegerverbände der Deutschen Luftwaffe 1934 bis 1945—Teil 15/II—Einsatz im Osten—1.1. bis 31.12.1944 [The Fighter Units of the German Air Force 1934 to 1945—Part 15/II—Action in the East—1 January to 31 December 1944] (in German). Eutin, Germany: Buchverlag Rogge. ISBN 978-3-942943-28-4.
  • Scherzer, Veit (2007). Die Ritterkreuzträger 1939–1945 Die Inhaber des Ritterkreuzes des Eisernen Kreuzes 1939 von Heer, Luftwaffe, Kriegsmarine, Waffen-SS, Volkssturm sowie mit Deutschland verbündeter Streitkräfte nach den Unterlagen des Bundesarchives [The Knight's Cross Bearers 1939–1945 The Holders of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross 1939 by Army, Air Force, Navy, Waffen-SS, Volkssturm and Allied Forces with Germany According to the Documents of the Federal Archives] (in German). Jena, Germany: Scherzers Militaer-Verlag. ISBN 978-3-938845-17-2.
  • Spick, Mike (1996). Luftwaffe Fighter Aces. New York: Ivy Books. ISBN 978-0-8041-1696-1.
  • Weal, John (2001). Jagdgeschwader 54 "Grünherz". Aviation Elite Units. Vol. 6. Oxford, UK: Osprey Publishing. ISBN 978-1-84176-286-9.
  • Zabecki, David T., ed. (2019). The German War Machine in World War II. Santa Barbara, California: ABC-Clio. ISBN 978-1-44-086918-1.
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