Albert Brunner
Albert Brunner | |
---|---|
Born | 17 July 1918 Mergentheim |
Died | 7 May 1943 Petsamo, Finland | (aged 24)
Allegiance | Nazi Germany |
Service/ | Luftwaffe |
Years of service | 1940–1943 |
Rank | Oberfeldwebel (staff sergeant) |
Unit | Jagdgeschwader 5 |
Battles/wars | World War II |
Awards | Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross |
Albert Brunner (17 July 1918 – 7 May 1943) was a German Luftwaffe ace and recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross during World War II. Brunner claimed 53 aerial victories, all over the Eastern Front.[1] The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross was awarded to recognise extreme battlefield bravery or successful military leadership.
Brunner was killed in action on 7 May 1943 near Petsamo, Finland. Following combat with Bell P-39 Airacobra fighters, he was forced to bail out of his Messerschmitt Bf 109 G-2 (Werknummer 14802—factory number) approximately 2 kilometers (1.2 miles) southwest of Groß Venedigerberg, a German name for a hill east of Pechenga. Too low for his parachute to fully deploy, he fell to his death.[2] His victor may have been Leytenant Nikolai Andreevich Bokii. Posthumously, Brunner was awarded the Knight’s Cross of the Iron Cross on 3 July 1943.[3]
Summary of career[]
Aerial victory claims[]
According to Obermaier, Brunner was credited with 53 aerial victories claimed in 135 combat missions, all of which claimed on the Eastern Front.[4] Matthews and Foreman, authors of Luftwaffe Aces — Biographies and Victory Claims, researched the German Federal Archives and also state that he was credited with 53 aerial victory claims.[5]
Chronicle of aerial victories | |||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Claim | Date | Time | Type | Location | Claim | Date | Time | Type | Location | ||
– 6. Staffel of Jagdgeschwader 5 –[5] Eastern and northern Norway, and Finland — 6 December 1941 – 31 December 1942 | |||||||||||
1 | 29 May 1942 | 23:20 | Hurricane | 20 km (12 mi) south of Nautsi[6][7] | 4 | 18 July 1942 | —
|
P-40 | 20 km (12 mi) north of Murmansk[8][9] | ||
2 | 24 June 1942 | —
|
Hurricane | 10 km (6.2 mi) west of Kola[10][9] | 5 | 19 July 1942 | —
|
P-40 | 10 km (6.2 mi) southwest of Shonguy[8][9] | ||
3 | 7 July 1942 | —
|
Hurricane | 6 km (3.7 mi) southwest of Murmansk[10][9] | 6 | 19 July 1942 | —
|
Hurricane | 5 km (3.1 mi) west of Kola[8][9] | ||
According to Prien, Stemmer, Rodeike and Bock, Brunner claimed three undocumented aerial victories in July and August 1942.[11] These claims are neither listed by Mombeek nor by Matthews and Foreman.[12][13] | |||||||||||
10 | 22 August 1942 | —
|
P-39[14][15] | ||||||||
According to Prien, Stemmer, Rodeike and Bock, Brunner claimed two undocumented aerial victories in August and September 1942.[11] These claims are neither listed by Mombeek nor by Matthews and Foreman.[14][13] | |||||||||||
13 | 5 September 1942 | —
|
unknown[14][15] | 14 | 5 September 1942 | —
|
unknown[14][15] | ||||
According to Prien, Stemmer, Rodeike and Bock, Brunner claimed twelve to fifteen undocumented aerial victories in January to April 1943.[16] These claims are neither listed by Mombeek nor by Matthews and Foreman.[17][13] | |||||||||||
23 March 1942 | 14:20 | P-40[18] | vicinity of Shonguy[19] | 46 | 13 April 1943 | —
|
P-40 | 10 km (6.2 mi) east of Murmansk[20] | |||
39 | 4 April 1943 | —
|
Hurricane[18][19] | 47 | 19 April 1943 | —
|
P-40 | 3 km (1.9 mi) east of Murmansk[20] | |||
40 | 4 April 1943 | —
|
P-40[19] | vicinity of Pechenga | 48 | 17 April 1943 | —
|
P-40 | 17 km (11 mi) east of Kolo[20] | ||
41 | 4 April 1943 | —
|
P-40[19] | vicinity of Pechenga | 49 | 22 April 1943 | —
|
P-51 | 5 km (3.1 mi) east of Murmansk[20] | ||
42 | 4 April 1943 | —
|
P-40[19] | vicinity of Pechenga | 50 | 22 April 1943 | —
|
P-40 | 10 km (6.2 mi) east of Murmansk[20] | ||
43 | 13 April 1943 | —
|
Hurricane[19] | vicinity of Murmashi | 51 | 29 April 1943 | —
|
P-39[20] | |||
44 | 13 April 1943 | —
|
Hurricane[19] | vicinity of Murmashi | 52 | 30 April 1943 | —
|
P-40[20] | |||
45 | 13 April 1943 | —
|
Hurricane[20] | vicinity of Murmashi | 53 | 7 May 1943 | —
|
P-39[20] | east of Pechenga |
Awards[]
- Iron Cross (1939) 2nd and 1st Class
- Front Flying Clasp of the Luftwaffe in Gold
- Honour Goblet of the Luftwaffe on 12 April 1943 as Oberfeldwebel and pilot[21]
- German Cross in Gold on 4 June 1943 as Oberfeldwebel in the 6./Jagdgeschwader 5[22]
- Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross on 3 July 1943 as Oberfeldwebel and pilot in the 6./Jagdgeschwader 5[23][24]
References[]
Citations[]
- ^ Stennman & Keskinen 2015, p. 25.
- ^ Prien et al. 2012, p. 232.
- ^ Matthews & Foreman 2014, p. 164.
- ^ Obermaier 1989, p. 95.
- ^ a b Matthews & Foreman 2014, pp. 164–165.
- ^ Mombeek 2011, p. 261.
- ^ Prien et al. 2006, p. 424.
- ^ a b c Mombeek 2011, p. 264.
- ^ a b c d e Prien et al. 2006, p. 426.
- ^ a b Mombeek 2011, p. 263.
- ^ a b Prien et al. 2006, p. 431.
- ^ Mombeek 2011, pp. 264–265.
- ^ a b c Matthews & Foreman 2014, p. 165.
- ^ a b c d Mombeek 2011, p. 265.
- ^ a b c Prien et al. 2006, p. 429.
- ^ Prien et al. 2012, p. 230.
- ^ Mombeek 2011, pp. 267–269.
- ^ a b Mombeek 2011, p. 269.
- ^ a b c d e f g Prien et al. 2012, p. 225.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i Prien et al. 2012, p. 226.
- ^ Patzwall 2008, p. 59.
- ^ Patzwall & Scherzer 2001, p. 64.
- ^ Fellgiebel 2000, pp. 147, 488.
- ^ Scherzer 2007, p. 248.
Bibliography[]
- Fellgiebel, Walther-Peer (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.
- Matthews, Andrew Johannes; Foreman, John (2014). Luftwaffe Aces — Biographies and Victory Claims — Volume 1 A–F. Walton on Thames: Red Kite. ISBN 978-1-906592-18-9.
- Mombeek, Eric (2011). Eismeerjäger—Zur Geschichte des Jagdgeschwaders 5—Band 4 [Fighters in the Arctic Sea—The History of the 5th Fighter Wing—Volume 4]. Linkebeek, Belgium: ASBL, La Porte d'Hoves. ISBN 978-2-930546-05-6.
- 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 (2006). Die Jagdfliegerverbände der Deutschen Luftwaffe 1934 bis 1945—Teil 9/III—Vom Sommerfeldzug 1942 bis zur Niederlage von Stalingrad—1.5.1942 bis 3.2.1943 [The Fighter Units of the German Air Force 1934 to 1945—Part 9/III—From the 1942 Summer Campaign to the Defeat at Stalingrad—1 May 1942 to 3 February 1943] (in German). Eutin, Germany: Struve-Druck. ISBN 978-3-923457-78-6.
- Prien, Jochen; Stemmer, Gerhard; Rodeike, Peter; Bock, Winfried (2012). Die Jagdfliegerverbände der Deutschen Luftwaffe 1934 bis 1945—Teil 12/I—Einsatz im Osten—4.2. bis 31.12.1943 [The Fighter Units of the German Air Force 1934 to 1945—Part 12/I—Action in the East—4 February to 31 December 1943] (in German). Eutin, Germany: Buchverlag Rogge. ISBN 978-3-942943-02-4.
- 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.
- Stennman, Kari; Keskinen, Kalevi (2015). Luftwaffe over Finland. Pen and Sword Books. ISBN 978-1-78438-155-4.
External links[]
- 1918 births
- 1943 deaths
- Aviators killed by being shot down
- People from Bad Mergentheim
- People from the Kingdom of Württemberg
- German World War II flying aces
- Luftwaffe pilots
- Recipients of the Gold German Cross
- Recipients of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross
- German military personnel killed in World War II