Alfred Grislawski

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Alfred Grislawski
Alfred Grislawski.jpg
Alfred Grislawski
Born(1919-11-02)2 November 1919
Wanne-Eickel, Germany
Died19 September 2003(2003-09-19) (aged 83)
Herne, Germany
Allegiance Nazi Germany
Service/branchBalkenkreuz (Iron Cross) Luftwaffe
RankHauptmann (captain)
UnitJG 52, JG 50, JG 53, JG 1
Commands held1./JG 1, 11./JG 53, III./JG 1
Battles/warsWorld War II
AwardsKnight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves

Alfred Grislawski (2 November 1919 – 19 September 2003) was a German Luftwaffe fighter ace and recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves during World War II. He was credited with 133 victories claimed in over 800 combat missions.[Note 1] He recorded 24 victories over the Western Front, including 18 United States Army Air Forces (USAAF) four–engine bombers. Of his 109 claims recorded over the Eastern Front, 16 were Il-2 Sturmoviks.

Early life and career[]

Grislawski was born 2 November 1919 at Wanne-Eickel in the Ruhrgebiet, the son of Gustav Grislawski, a coal miner and member of the Communist Party of Germany (KPD), and his wife Henriette. He was the second of four children, with an older brother, Walter, a younger sister, Herta, and the youngest brother Horst.[2] His first years of his life were characterized by hardship and starvation caused by the hyperinflation in the Weimar Republic in aftermaths of World War I.[3] On leaving school, Grislawski worked on a farm in Pomerania. He applied to join the Navy but was rejected in preference to a posting in Naval Aviation. Grislawski began his training at Fliegerersatzabteilung 16 (16th Flier Replacement Unit) at Schleswig.

World War II[]

9. Staffel also known as the Karaya-Staffel

In July 1940, the graduated Gefreiter Grislawski was posted into III./Jagdgeschwader 52 (JG 52—52nd Fighter Wing), based at Zerbst. He was promoted to Unteroffizier in October. The same month III./JG 52 was ordered to Romania and as the redesignated I./JG 28 tasked with training Romanian Air Force personnel. In August 1941, III./JG 52 was ordered to the Eastern Front and based in Ukraine. Grislawski gained his first victory on 1 September 1941, when he shot down a Soviet I-16. By the end of 1941, Grislawski had a victory total 11. At the end of December, III./JG 52 relocated to the Kharkiv area. In April, 9./JG 52 were ordered to the Crimea in support of the Kerch offensive. Grislawski recorded his 20th claim on 30 April, when he shot down a Soviet I-15bis fighter-bomber. Grislawski was particularly successful during May 1942 claiming 22 victories, and in July Grislawski was awarded the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross (Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes) for 43 victories, and sent on leave on 24 July.

In August 1942 Oberfeldwebel Grislawski was assigned to 7./JG 52 based in the Caucasus. In September, he claimed 16 victories over the Terek bridgehead. On 5 November he shot down four Ilyushin Il-2s but was shot down in Bf 109 G-2 and belly-landing with a few bruises. On 18 January 1943, Grislawski's Rotte was intercepted by Soviet I-16 fighters and Grislawski's Bf 109 was hit, setting on fire. He nursed his aircraft over German lines before baling out, sustaining facial burns. Grislaski was one of the four pilots in the famed Karaya Quartet.

On 26 January Grislawski received promotion to Leutnant. He recorded his 92nd victory on 3 February 1943. On 27 April 1943 he recorded his 100th victory. He was the 36th Luftwaffe pilot to achieve the century mark.[4] In June 1943 he was wounded by blast from a German land mine near Taman. On his recovery Grislawski transferred to (JGr Süd). In August 1943 elements of JGr Süd were redesignated Jagdgeschwader 50 (JG 50), under the command of Major Hermann Graf and charged with intercepting the high-flying Royal Air Force de Havilland Mosquito fighter-bomber and photo-reconnaissance aircraft. Based at Wiesbaden-Erbenheim he shot down his first two United States Army Air Forces (USAAF) four-engine bombers on 17 August. In early October Grislawski was promoted to the rank of Hauptmann and given temporary command of JGr. 50.

In defense of the Reich[]

On 6 November 1943, Grislawski was appointed Staffelkapitän (squadron leader) of 1. Staffel of Jagdgeschwader 1 (JG 1—1st Fighter Wing) based at Deelen.[5] He claimed one victory and was then shot down by USAAF bombers over Baske on 24 January 1944 and wounded, bailing out of his Focke-Wulf Fw 190 A-7 "White 1" (Werknummer 430 167—factory number).[6] Following his convalescence, he was posted as Staffelkapitän to 8. Staffel of JG 1 on 13 March 1944, thus succeeding Oberleutnant Heinrich Overhagen who had been killed in a flying accident. [7] Operating the new Bf 109 G-6/AS especially equipped for high-altitude operations, the unit was tasked with combating the potent USAAF fighter escorts.

Grislawski was awarded the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves (Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes mit Eichenlaub) on 11 April, the 446th soldier to receive this distinction. The presentation was made by Adolf Hitler at the Berghof, Hitler's residence in the Obersalzberg of the Bavarian Alps, on 5 May 1944.[8][Note 2] Grislawski then led 8./JG 1 to France to combat the Allied landings in Normandy. After less than a week the unit was relocated to Germany having been decimated in operations against the beachhead.

In July Grislawski was back to France as acting Gruppenkommandeur (group commander) of III./JG 1. On 27 July, Grislawski was shot down by Spitfires, baling out safely. At the end of July 1944 Grislawski was transferred to Staffelkapitän of 11./Jagdgeschwader 53 (JG 53—53rd Fighter Wing). He claimed two B-17 four-engine bombers shot down on 12 September. On 26 September 1944, Grislawski was credited with a P-38 twin-engine fighter shot down as his 133rd and last claim. His Bf 109 G-14 was hit in the engine by a P-51 flown by Col. Hubert Zemke and caught fire. Grislawski bailed out, fearing that he would be shot in his parachute, he deployed his parachute at low altitude and hit the ground very hard. He was taken to a hospital at Haltern where he was diagnosed, indicating that his second and third vertebrae were cracked.[10] Two days later, he was moved to a hospital at Gelsenkirchen-Buer, and then for further treatment to Gotha. While Grislawski was in Gotha, his wife Ilse gave birth to their first child, born on 24 October 1944. In early-1945, Grislawski was taken to Badgastein in the Austrian Alps for convalescence. Following the German surrender in May 1945, he was taken in US custody and taken to a POW camp in Salzburg where he was interrogated and released later that month.[11]

Later life[]

After his release, Grislawski travelled to Leuna, which at the time was still occupied by the First United States Army, to rejoin his wife and child.[12] When it became apparent that Leuna would fall under Soviet jurisdiction as part of the Soviet occupation zone, Grislawski fearing further prosecution decided to travel to his hometown of Wanne-Eickel which was then part of the British occupation zone. There, the family was reunited again in 1946.[13] He declined to join the Bundesluftwaffe because of his wartime injuries. Grislawski died on 19 September 2003.

Summary of career[]

Aerial victory claims[]

According to Obermaier, Grislawski was credited with 133 aerial victories claimed in 795 combat missions, including 175 close air support missions. He claimed 184 victories over the Eastern Front. Of his 20 victories claimed over the Western Front, eight were P-38 two engine fighters and two were four-engined bombers.[14]

Matthews and Foreman, authors of Luftwaffe Aces — Biographies and Victory Claims, researched the German Federal Archives and found records for 203 aerial victory claims, plus one further unconfirmed claim. This figure includes 184 aerial victories on the Eastern Front and 19 on the Western Front, including one four-engined bombers[15]

Victory claims were logged to a map-reference (PQ = Planquadrat), for example "PQ 47654". 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 × 4 km in size.[16]

Awards[]

Dates of rank[]

1 October 1940: Unteroffizier (Subordinate Officer)[68]
1 January 1942: Feldwebel (Technical Sergeant)[68]
1 August 1942: Oberfeldwebel (Master Sergeant)[69]
1 December 1942: Leutnant (Second Lieutenant)[69]
1 June 1943: Oberleutnant (First Lieutenant)[75]
1 October 1943: Hauptmann (Captain)[75]

Notes[]

  1. ^ Jump up to: a b Grislawski was officially credited with 133 aerial victories. Supposedly his 133rd victory was over a P-38 Lightning shot down on 26 September 1944 at 16:54 south of Dülmen. Grislawski himself denied that he shot down any enemy aircraft on that date, or even having made such a claim.[1]
  2. ^ Also present at the ceremony were Anton Hafner, Otto Kittel, Günther Schack, Emil Lang, Erich Rudorffer, Martin Möbus, Wilhelm Herget, Hans-Karl Stepp, Rudolf Schoenert, Günther Radusch, Otto Pollmann and Fritz Breithaupt, who all received the Oak Leaves on this date.[9]
  3. ^ According to Matthews and Foreman claimed at 07:00.[17]
  4. ^ According to Matthews and Foreman claimed as a Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-3.[17]
  5. ^ According to Matthews and Foreman this claim is unconfirmed.[17] This claim is not listed by Bergström, Antipov and Sundin.[28]
  6. ^ According to Matthews and Foreman claimed as a Petlyakov Pe-8 (TB-7).[17]
  7. ^ According to Bergström, Antipov and Sundin claimed at 10:35.[37]
  8. ^ According to Matthews and Foreman claimed as a Polikarpov I-16.[38]
  9. ^ Jump up to: a b According to Matthews and Foreman claimed at 10:35 over a Seversky.[38]
  10. ^ According to Matthews and Foreman claimed at 08:23.[38]
  11. ^ According to Matthews and Foreman claimed as a Lavochkin La-5.[38]
  12. ^ Jump up to: a b The "m.H." refers to an Ilyushin Il-2 with rear gunner (mit Heckschütze).
  13. ^ According to Bergström, Antipov and Sundin claimed at 14:30.[37]
  14. ^ According to Obermaier and Stockert on 30 May 1942.[67][68]

References[]

Citations[]

  1. ^ Jump up to: a b c d e f g h i j k l Bergström, Antipov & Sundin 2003, p. 300.
  2. ^ Bergström, Antipov & Sundin 2003, pp. 13–14.
  3. ^ Bergström, Antipov & Sundin 2003, p. 14.
  4. ^ Obermaier 1989, p. 243.
  5. ^ Mombeek 1992, p. 187.
  6. ^ Mombeek 1992, pp. 209–210, 264..
  7. ^ Prien & Rodeike 1996, pp. 790–791.
  8. ^ Stockert 2007, p. 100.
  9. ^ Stockert 2007, pp. 107, 109, 134.
  10. ^ Bergström, Antipov & Sundin 2003, pp. 237–238.
  11. ^ Bergström, Antipov & Sundin 2003, pp. 255–256.
  12. ^ Bergström, Antipov & Sundin 2003, p. 256.
  13. ^ Bergström, Antipov & Sundin 2003, p. 263.
  14. ^ Obermaier 1989, p. 65.
  15. ^ Matthews & Foreman 2015, pp. 457–460.
  16. ^ Planquadrat.
  17. ^ Jump up to: a b c d e f Matthews & Foreman 2015, p. 427.
  18. ^ Prien et al. 2003, p. 71.
  19. ^ Jump up to: a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z aa ab ac Bergström, Antipov & Sundin 2003, p. 296.
  20. ^ Jump up to: a b c d e Prien et al. 2003, p. 74.
  21. ^ Prien et al. 2003, p. 72.
  22. ^ Jump up to: a b c d Prien et al. 2005, p. 153.
  23. ^ Jump up to: a b c Prien et al. 2005, p. 157.
  24. ^ Jump up to: a b Prien et al. 2005, p. 158.
  25. ^ Prien et al. 2005, p. 154.
  26. ^ Matthews & Foreman 2015, pp. 427–428.
  27. ^ Jump up to: a b c Prien et al. 2006, p. 542.
  28. ^ Jump up to: a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y Bergström, Antipov & Sundin 2003, p. 297.
  29. ^ Jump up to: a b c d e f g h i j Prien et al. 2006, p. 547.
  30. ^ Jump up to: a b c d Prien et al. 2006, p. 544.
  31. ^ Prien et al. 2006, p. 549.
  32. ^ Jump up to: a b Prien et al. 2006, p. 556.
  33. ^ Jump up to: a b Prien et al. 2006, p. 545.
  34. ^ Jump up to: a b c d e f g h Prien et al. 2006, p. 557.
  35. ^ Jump up to: a b c d e f Prien et al. 2006, p. 546.
  36. ^ Jump up to: a b c d Prien et al. 2006, p. 558.
  37. ^ Jump up to: a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o Bergström, Antipov & Sundin 2003, p. 299.
  38. ^ Jump up to: a b c d e Matthews & Foreman 2015, p. 428.
  39. ^ Jump up to: a b Prien et al. 2006, p. 559.
  40. ^ Jump up to: a b Prien et al. 2006, p. 561.
  41. ^ Jump up to: a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o Prien et al. 2006, p. 564.
  42. ^ Jump up to: a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x Bergström, Antipov & Sundin 2003, p. 298.
  43. ^ Jump up to: a b Prien et al. 2006, p. 562.
  44. ^ Jump up to: a b c d e Prien et al. 2006, p. 563.
  45. ^ Jump up to: a b c d e f g h i j Prien et al. 2006, p. 565.
  46. ^ Matthews & Foreman 2015, pp. 428–429.
  47. ^ Jump up to: a b Prien et al. 2012, p. 478.
  48. ^ Jump up to: a b Prien et al. 2012, p. 480.
  49. ^ Prien et al. 2012, p. 481.
  50. ^ Jump up to: a b c d e f Prien et al. 2012, p. 479.
  51. ^ Jump up to: a b c d e f Prien et al. 2012, p. 482.
  52. ^ Jump up to: a b c d e f g Matthews & Foreman 2015, p. 429.
  53. ^ Prien & Rodeike 1994, p. 640.
  54. ^ Jump up to: a b c d Prien & Rodeike 1994, p. 641.
  55. ^ Prien & Rodeike 1994, p. 642.
  56. ^ Jump up to: a b Prien & Rodeike 1996, p. 1200.
  57. ^ Prien & Rodeike 1996, p. 1205.
  58. ^ Jump up to: a b Prien & Rodeike 1996, p. 1206.
  59. ^ Prien & Rodeike 1996, p. 1207.
  60. ^ Jump up to: a b Prien & Rodeike 1996, p. 1212.
  61. ^ Prien & Rodeike 1996, p. 1213.
  62. ^ Prien & Rodeike 1996, p. 1214.
  63. ^ Jump up to: a b c Prien 1991, p. 1684.
  64. ^ Jump up to: a b c Bergström, Antipov & Sundin 2003, p. 95.
  65. ^ Jump up to: a b Thomas 1997, p. 224.
  66. ^ Patzwall 2008, p. 89.
  67. ^ Obermaier 1989, p. 63.
  68. ^ Jump up to: a b c Stockert 2007, p. 97.
  69. ^ Jump up to: a b c Stockert 2007, p. 98.
  70. ^ Fellgiebel 2000, p. 203.
  71. ^ Jump up to: a b Scherzer 2007, p. 349.
  72. ^ Von Seemen 1976, p. 146.
  73. ^ Fellgiebel 2000, p. 81.
  74. ^ Von Seemen 1976, p. 43.
  75. ^ Jump up to: a b Stockert 2007, p. 99.

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