Hartmann Grasser

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Template:Short description Template:Use dmy dates Template:Use American English Script error: No such module "Infobox".Template:Template otherScript error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".

Hartmann Grasser (23 August 1914 – 2 June 1986) was a World War II German fighter ace. He was credited with shooting down 103 Allied aircraftTemplate:SfnTemplate:SfnTemplate:Sfn while flying 700 missions on the Western Front, Eastern Front, and in North Africa. He was also a recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves.

Early life and career

Grasser was born on 23 August 1914 in Graz, Steiermark, Austria. After he received his Abitur, he started studying medicine and became a member of the Austrian Nazis. Following the failed coup attempt in the July Putsch, Grasser fled to Germany. On 1 April 1936, Grasser then joined the Luftwaffe with the rank of Fahnenjunker (cadet).Template:Sfn Following flight training,Template:Refn he was posted to I. Gruppe (1st group) of Zerstörergeschwader 52 (ZG 52—52nd Destroyer Wing) where he served with 3. Staffel (3rd squadron) of ZG 52.Template:Sfn

World War II

World War II in Europe began on Friday 1 September 1939 when German forces invaded Poland. At the time ZG 52 was commanded by Hauptmann Wilhelm Lessmann and was based at Biblis where it was tasked with protecting Germany's western border in the Saar region during the "Phoney War".Template:Sfn On 16 September, Grasser shot down a tethered balloon. The following day, he was awarded the Iron Cross second Class (Script error: No such module "Lang".).Template:Sfn A week later, on 24 September 1939, his Messerschmitt Bf 109 109 D-1 was damaged in combat with a French Morane-Saulnier M.S.406, resulting in a forced landing at Bingen.Template:Sfn That day, I. Gruppe of ZG 52 was also renamed and became the Jagdgruppe 152 (JGr. 152—152nd Fighter Group). On 6 January 1940, JGr. 152 was ordered to Graz where it was reequipped with the Messerschmitt Bf 110 heavy fighter and was renamed, again becoming the I. Gruppe of ZG 52.Template:Sfn This unit was then renamed and became the II. Gruppe of Zerstörergeschwader 2 (ZG 2—2nd Destroyer Wing). In consequence, Grasser became a pilot of 6. Staffel. Flying with this squadron, he participated in the Battle of France and Battle of England and claimed six aerial victories.Template:Sfn During these campaigns, Grasser was promoted to Oberleutnant (first lieutenant) on 1 June 1940 and received the Iron Cross first Class (Script error: No such module "Lang".) on 7 July.Template:Sfn

With Jagdgeschwader 51

In October 1940, Grasser was transferred to Jagdgeschwader 51 (JG 51—51st Fighter Wing).Template:Sfn There, he was assigned to the Geschwaderstab (headquarters unit) headed by Oberstleutnant Werner Mölders. Prior to his posting to JG 51, Grasser had been destined to become a night fighter pilot which was not what he wanted to do. Additionally, he helped in the formation of the Z-Staffel (Z—Zerstörer or destroyer) of Jagdgeschwader 77 (JG 77—77th Fighter Wing) which later became part of Jagdgeschwader 5 (JG 5—5th Fighter Wing). Grasser also served as a test pilot, flying the Bf 109 T, the aircraft carrier variant, which were to be produced at Fieseler in Kassel. His acquaintance, Oberleutnant Hans Kolbow, introduced him to Mölders who arranged the transfer to JG 51 instead.Template:Sfn

Grasser claimed his first aerial victory flying with JG 51 on 1 December 1940 when he shot down a Royal Air Force (RAF) Hawker Hurricane fighter near Ashford.Template:Sfn

On the Eastern Front

In June 1941, JG 51 and the majority of the Luftwaffe were transferred to the Eastern Front in preparation for Operation Barbarossa, the invasion of the Soviet Union.Template:Sfn On 16 July 1941, Kolbow, the Staffelkapitän (squadron leader) of 5. Staffel was killed in action. He was replaced by Leutnant Hans-Joachim Steffens who was also killed in action shortly after. On 1 August, command of 5. Staffel was then handed to Grasser. The Staffel was a squadron of II. Gruppe, at the time commanded by Hauptmann Hubertus von Bonin.Template:Sfn On 11 October, the Gruppe was briefly detached from the Geschwaderstab of JG 51 and ordered east to Oryol. There, the Gruppe was subordinated to Gefechtsverband Schönborn (Detachment Schönborn), named after the commander of Sturzkampfgeschwader 77 (StG 77—77th Diver Bomber Wing), Major Clemens Graf von Schönborn-Wiesentheid.Template:Sfn On 24 January 1942, Grasser attacked and shot down an Ilyushin DB-3 bomber. However, his Bf 109 F-2 (Werknummer 9704—factory number) was also hit by the aerial gunner of the DB-3 bomber resulting in a forced landing in no man's land. Grasser, who was wounded in the encounter, was rescued by the German infantry.Template:Sfn

In May 1942, II. Gruppe was based at Bryansk but periodically also operated from airfields at Oryol and Dugino.Template:Sfn On 2 July, the 9th Army launched Operation Seydlitz as part of the Battles of Rzhev. Defending against this operation, the Soviet Air Forces (VVS—Voyenno-Vozdushnye Sily) attacked the Luftwaffe airfield at Bryansk on 5 July. II. Gruppe of JG 51 was scrambled and claimed 46 Soviet aircraft shot down for the loss of Bf 109s damaged. That day, Grasser was claimed eight aerial victories, making him an "ace-in-a-day".Template:Sfn

North Africa

II. Gruppe had been withdrawn from the Eastern Front in early October 1942 and sent to Jesau in East Prussia, present day Yushny, Bagrationovsky District, for conversion to the Focke-Wulf Fw 190. Conversion training began on 7 October and on 4 November, the unit received the order to convert back to the Bf 109 and to transfer to the Mediterranean theatre. Via various stopovers, II. Gruppe moved to Sidi Ahmed airfield, arriving on 14 November. There, the unit was subordinated to Fliegerführer Tunis (Flying Leader Tunis).Template:Sfn On 28 March 1943, Grasser bailed out of his Bf 109 G-4 trop (Werknummer 15040) near Djemmal south of Sousse.Template:Sfn On 18 April, II. Gruppe received orders to exchange their newer Bf 109 G-4 and G-6 aircraft with older Bf 109 G-2 trop aircraft of JG 77 and retreat from Africa to Bari, Italy.Template:Sfn

File:Grasser, Nowotny, Rall e Wittgenstein.jpg
Grasser (left), Nowotny, Rall, Prinz zu Sayn-Wittgenstein at Rastenburg

On 6 June, Grasser was transferred to the staff of commanding general of the 4. Jagd-Division (4th Fighter Division). Command of II. Gruppe was then given to Oberleutnant Karl Rammelt who had led 4. Staffel.Template:Sfn On 31 August, Grasser was awarded the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves (Script error: No such module "Lang".). He was the 288th member of the German armed forces to be so honored.Template:Sfn The presentation was made by Adolf Hitler at the Wolf's Lair, Hitler's headquarters in Rastenburg on 22 September 1943. Three other Luftwaffe officers were presented with awards that day by Hitler, Hauptmann Günther Rall and Hauptmann Walter Nowotny were awarded the Swords to their Knight's Cross with Oak Leaves, and Hauptmann Heinrich Prinz zu Sayn-Wittgenstein also received the Knight's Cross with Oak Leaves.Template:Sfn Grasser was promoted to Major on 1 December 1943.Template:Sfn

On 28 April 1944, Grasser succeeded Hauptmann Friedrich Eberle as commander of III. Gruppe of Jagdgeschwader 1 (JG 1—1st Fighter Wing) which was based at Quedlinburg and fighting in Defense of the Reich.Template:Sfn On 3 June, Grasser transferred command of III. Gruppe to Hauptmann Karl-Heinz Weber who had previously commanded 7. Staffel of JG 1 on the Eastern Front.Template:Sfn On 15 October, Grasser took command of II. Gruppe of Jagdgeschwader 110 (JG 110—110th Fighter Wing).Template:Sfn

Later life

In May 1945, Grasser was taken prisoner of war by the United States Army. In 1946, he was transferred to the Soviet Union and was released in 1949. Following his return to Germany, he relocated to India where he became a civilian flight instructor. In 1950, he moved to Syria to work as a military advisor to the Syrian Air Force in Damascus.Template:Sfn After his return to Germany, he settled with his wife and two sons in Cologne. There, he owned and operated a sheet metal factory. Grasser died on 2 June 1986 in Cologne and was interred in his hometown Graz.Template:Sfn

Summary of career

Aerial victory claims

According to US historian David T. Zabecki, Grasser was credited with 103 aerial victories.Template:Sfn Mathews and Foreman, authors of Luftwaffe Aces — Biographies and Victory Claims, researched the German Federal Archives and found records for more than 96 aerial victory claims, plus six further unconfirmed claims. This figure includes 83 aerial victories on the Eastern Front and over 13 on the Western Front, including one four-engined bomber.Template:Sfn

Victory claims were logged to a map-reference (PQ = Planquadrat), for example "PQ 47524". The Luftwaffe grid map (Script error: No such module "Lang".) 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 Script error: No such module "convert".. These sectors were then subdivided into 36 smaller units to give a location area Script error: No such module "convert". in size.Template:Sfn

Chronicle of aerial victories
<templatestyles src="Legend/styles.css" />
  This and the ♠ (Ace of spades) indicates those aerial victories which made Grasser an "ace-in-a-day", a term which designates a fighter pilot who has shot down five or more airplanes in a single day.
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  This and the – (dash) indicates unconfirmed aerial victory claims for which Grasser did not receive credit.
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  This and the ! (exclamation mark) indicates those aerial victories listed by Forsyth or by Prien, Stemmer, Rodeike and Bock.
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  This and the # (hash mark) indicates those aerial victories listed by Mathews and Foreman.
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  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
– 3. Staffel of Jagdgruppe 152 –Template:Sfn
"Phoney War" — 1 September 1939 – 9 May 1940
1 16 September 1939
—
Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters". 		tethered balloonTemplate:Sfn 1 24 September 1939
—
Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters". 		Curtiss near Hornbach
According to Mathews and Foreman, aerial victories 2 to 5 are not documented in the German Federal Archives.Template:Sfn
– Stab of Jagdgeschwader 51 –Template:Sfn
At the Channel and over England — 26 June 1940 – 26 July 1941
7 6 1 December 1940 15:16 Hurricane AshfordTemplate:Sfn
—
Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".
—
Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters". 		16 April 1941 18:42 Spitfire Berck-sur-MerTemplate:Sfn
– Stab of Jagdgeschwader 51 –Template:Sfn
Operation Barbarossa — 22 June – 5 December 1941
8 7 22 June 1941 12:37 SB-2Template:Sfn 15 13 1 July 1941 14:50 DB-3Template:Sfn
9 8 25 June 1941 12:32 SB-2Template:Sfn 16 14 7 July 1941 19:30 V-11 (Il-2)Template:Sfn
10 9 29 June 1941 18:30 V-11 (Il-2)Template:Sfn 17 15 10 July 1941 07:50 R-ZTemplate:Sfn?Template:Refn
11 10 29 June 1941 19:55 I-16Template:Sfn 18 16 11 July 1941 09:55 DB-3Template:Sfn
12 11 30 June 1941 11:45 DB-3Template:Sfn 19
—
Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters". 		12 July 1941 18:50 DB-3Template:Sfn
13
—
Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters". 		30 June 1941 15:45 DB-3Template:Sfn 20 17 13 July 1941 19:25 DB-3Template:Sfn
14 12 30 June 1941 15:50 DB-3Template:Sfn
– 5. Staffel of Jagdgeschwader 51 –Template:Sfn
Operation Barbarossa — 26 July – 5 December 1941
21 18 26 July 1941 16:52 BostonTemplate:Sfn 31 28 2 October 1941 10:55 I-18 (MiG-1)Template:Sfn
22 19 26 July 1941 19:20 R-5Template:Sfn 32 29 5 October 1941 14:27 DB-3 northeast of SevskTemplate:Sfn
23 20 29 July 1941 18:30?Template:Refn SB-3Template:Sfn 33 30 5 October 1941 14:30 DB-3 northeast of SevskTemplate:Sfn
24 21 29 July 1941 18:36 SB-3Template:Sfn 34 31 7 October 1941 14:10 Pe-2
25 22 9 August 1941 13:50 Pe-2Template:Sfn
—
Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".
—
Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters". 		8 October 1941
—
Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters". 		Pe-2Template:Sfn
26 23 26 August 1941 18:16 Boston Script error: No such module "convert". east of KalugaTemplate:Sfn 35 32 22 October 1941 14:59 I-61 (MiG-3)Template:Sfn
27 24 30 August 1941 17:42 I-18 (MiG-3)Template:Sfn 36 33 24 October 1941 14:10 SB-2Template:Sfn
28 25 30 August 1941 17:45 Pe-2Template:Sfn 37 34 5 November 1941 09:32 DB-3Template:Sfn
29 26 2 September 1941 07:06 R-5 Script error: No such module "convert". southeast of SechtschinskajaTemplate:Sfn 38 35 16 November 1941 09:53?Template:Refn DB-3Template:Sfn
30 27 7 September 1941 17:20 I-61?Template:Refn Script error: No such module "convert". east of KarlewezTemplate:Sfn 39 36 2 December 1941 11:10 Pe-2Template:Sfn
– 5. Staffel of Jagdgeschwader 51 –Template:Sfn
Eastern Front — 6 December 1941 – 24 January 1942
40 37 6 December 1941 14:10 I-61 (MiG-3) Script error: No such module "convert". east of KashiraTemplate:Sfn 44 41 11 January 1942 14:05 Pe-2Template:Sfn
41 38 14 December 1941 09:20 Pe-2Template:Sfn 45 42 19 January 1942 12:20 DB-3Template:Sfn
42 39 4 January 1942 12:15 Pe-2Template:Sfn 46 43 24 January 1942 12:45 DB-3Template:Sfn
43 40 4 January 1942 12:50 Pe-2Template:Sfn
– Stab II. Gruppe of Jagdgeschwader 51 –Template:Sfn
Eastern Front — March – 30 April 1942
47 44 31 March 1942 12:10 LaGG-3Template:Sfn 49 46 7 April 1942 10:50 LaGG-3 east of KschenTemplate:Sfn
48 45 31 March 1942 15:12 LaGG-3Template:Sfn
– Stab II. Gruppe of Jagdgeschwader 51 –Template:Sfn
Eastern Front — 1 May – 7 October 1942
50 47 21 May 1942 06:55 R-ZTemplate:Sfn?[Note 1] 71 68 10 August 1942 17:10 Pe-2 PQ 47524Template:Sfn
Script error: No such module "convert". south-southwest of Rzhev
51 48 23 June 1942 11:40 I-153Template:Sfn 72 69 13 August 1942 18:03 Yak-1 PQ 54294Template:Sfn
Script error: No such module "convert". west of Belyov
52 49 25 June 1942 11:29 I-16Template:Sfn 73 70 20 August 1942 11:55 MiG-3 PQ 64142Template:Sfn
Script error: No such module "convert". northwest of Belyov
53 50 26 June 1942 11:15 Yak-1Template:Sfn 74 71 21 August 1942 11:35 LaGG-3 PQ 55884, west of KozelskTemplate:Sfn
54 3 July 1942 05:10 I-153Template:Sfn 75 72 22 August 1942 16:00 Pe-2 PQ 54434Template:Sfn
Script error: No such module "convert". southwest of Belyov
55♠ 51♠ 5 July 1942 04:46 Yak-1Template:Sfn 76 73 23 August 1942 06:40 Il-2 PQ 54412Template:Sfn
Script error: No such module "convert". northeast of Dudorovskiy
56♠ 52♠ 5 July 1942 04:55 Pe-2Template:Sfn 77 74 23 August 1942 07:00 Il-2 PQ 55883Template:Sfn
vicinity of Kozelsk
53♠ 5 July 1942 05:10 I-153 78 75 23 August 1942 17:33 Il-2 PQ 54422Template:Sfn
Script error: No such module "convert". west-southwest of Belyov
57♠ 54♠ 5 July 1942 09:33 Il-2Template:Sfn 79 76 25 August 1942 06:32 Pe-2 PQ 64173Template:Sfn
Script error: No such module "convert". southwest of Belyov
58♠ 55♠ 5 July 1942 09:40 Il-2Template:Sfn 80 77 27 August 1942 17:55 Yak-1 PQ 64793Template:Sfn
Script error: No such module "convert". northwest of Zalegoshch
—
Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".
—
Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters". 		5 July 1942
—
Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters". 		LaGG-3Template:Sfn 81 78 28 August 1942 14:00 Il-2 north-northwest of BolkhovTemplate:Sfn
59♠ 56♠ 5 July 1942 13:50 Yak-1 Script error: No such module "convert". north of BolkhovTemplate:Sfn 82 79 29 August 1942 11:35 LaGG-3 PQ 54224Template:Sfn
vicinity of Kozelsk
60♠ 57♠ 5 July 1942 14:27 Il-2Template:Sfn 83 80 3 September 1942 13:30 LaGG-3 northeast of SychyovkaTemplate:Sfn
61♠ 58♠ 5 July 1942 19:30 Il-2Template:Sfn 84 81 4 September 1942 11:52 I-153 PQ 73151, east-southeast of NovosilTemplate:Sfn
vicinity of Verkhovye
62 59 9 July 1942 05:15 I-153Template:Sfn 85 82 10 September 1942 10:22 LaGG-3 PQ 47824Template:Sfn
Script error: No such module "convert". east of Zubtsov
63 60 9 July 1942 05:16 I-153Template:Sfn 86 83 10 September 1942 15:05 MiG-3 PQ 44132Template:Sfn
Script error: No such module "convert". south-southeast of Kirov
64 61 18 July 1942 11:35 Yak-1Template:Sfn 87 84 14 September 1942 17:00 Il-2 PQ 47593Template:Sfn
vicinity of Rzhev
65 62 2 August 1942 15:12 Il-2 PQ 47582Template:Sfn
Script error: No such module "convert". west of Rzhev 		88 85 14 September 1942 17:22 Il-2 PQ 47591Template:Sfn
vicinity of Rzhev
66 63 2 August 1942 18:05 Pe-2 PQ 47572Template:Sfn
Script error: No such module "convert". west of Rzhev 		89 86 26 September 1942 09:25 R-5 PQ 47483Template:Sfn
Script error: No such module "convert". west of Staritsa
67 64 4 August 1942 06:35 MiG-3 PQ 47552Template:Sfn
Script error: No such module "convert". south-southwest of Rzhev 		90 87 26 September 1942 09:26 R-5 PQ 47483Template:Sfn
Script error: No such module "convert". west of Staritsa
68 65 4 August 1942 06:40 MiG-3 PQ 47551Template:Sfn
Script error: No such module "convert". south-southwest of Rzhev 		91 88 27 September 1942 07:55 LaGG-3 PQ 47542Template:Sfn
Script error: No such module "convert". northwest of Rzhev
69 66 4 August 1942 12:05 LaGG-3 PQ 47524Template:Sfn
Script error: No such module "convert". south-southwest of Rzhev 		92 89 1 October 1942 11:45 Pe-2 Script error: No such module "convert". northeast of KarmanowoTemplate:Sfn
70 67 5 August 1942 17:00 Il-2 PQ 56164Template:Sfn
Script error: No such module "convert". north-northeast of Gagarin
—
Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".
—
Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters". 		4 October 1942
—
Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters". 		unknownTemplate:Sfn
– Stab II. Gruppe of Jagdgeschwader 51 –Template:Sfn
Mediterranean Theater — 5 November – 31 December 1942
93 17 November 1942 12:12 Spitfire Script error: No such module "convert". west of BizerteTemplate:Sfn 97 93 2 December 1942 09:53 P-38 Script error: No such module "convert". west of TebourbaTemplate:Sfn
94 90 27 November 1942 09:19 Spitfire Script error: No such module "convert". south of BéjaTemplate:Sfn 98 94 4 December 1942 10:30 P-38 Script error: No such module "convert". north of Majaz al BabTemplate:Sfn
95 91 28 November 1942 09:15?Template:Refn Lysander Script error: No such module "convert". west of Majaz al BabTemplate:Sfn 99 95 5 December 1942 10:45 Spitfire Script error: No such module "convert". west of TebourbaTemplate:Sfn
96 92 2 December 1942 09:40?Template:Refn P-38 Script error: No such module "convert". south of TebourbaTemplate:Sfn
– Stab II. Gruppe of Jagdgeschwader 51 –Template:Sfn
North Africa — 1 January – 6 June 1943
100 96 2 January 1943 12:25?Template:Refn Lancaster?[Note 2] southeast of Majaz al BabTemplate:Sfn 102 99 22 March 1943 14:10 Spitfire Script error: No such module "convert". south of GabèsTemplate:Sfn
Script error: No such module "convert". south of Mareth
97 2 January 1943 12:27 P-38 southwest of Majaz al Bab 103 100 26 March 1943 12:28 P-38 Script error: No such module "convert". north of MaknassyTemplate:Sfn
Script error: No such module "convert". north of Mansoura
101 98 21 March 1943 13:07 Spitfire Script error: No such module "convert". southeast of GabèsTemplate:Sfn

Awards

Promotions

1 January 1938: Leutnant (second lieutenant)Template:Sfn
1 June 1940: Oberleutnant (first lieutenant)Template:Sfn
1 August 1942: Hauptmann (captain)Template:Sfn
1 December 1943: Major (major)Template:Sfn

Notes

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  1. ↑ Cite error: Script error: No such module "Namespace detect".Script error: No such module "Namespace detect".
  2. ↑ Cite error: Script error: No such module "Namespace detect".Script error: No such module "Namespace detect".

Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".

References

Citations

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Bibliography

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Script error: No such module "Military navigation". Template:Knight's Cross recipients of JG 51 Template:Subject bar

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