Josef Jennewein

Josef Jennewein (21 November 1919 – 27 July 1943) was a German alpine skier and world champion. During World War II, he served first in the Wehrmacht and then in the Luftwaffe, and was credited with 86 air victories. He was awarded the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross of Nazi Germany.

Early life and sports career

Jennewein was born on 21 November 1919 at St Anton in the Tyrolean Alps, Austria. He became a world champion in the combined event in Zakopane in 1939, and received silver medals in slalom and in downhill. In 1941 Jennewein participated at the FIS Alpine World Ski Championships 1941 in Cortina d'Ampezzo, Italy and won gold medals in downhill and the combined event. In 1946, the results were cancelled by the FIS because of the limited number of participants from only German-friendly countries during World War II.Template:Sfn

World War II

Jennewein joined the Luftwaffe as a fighter pilot and was posted to 4. Einsatzstaffel of Jagdfliegerschule 5 (JFS 5—5th Fighter Pilot School). In June 1941, most of the Luftwaffe fighter units were transferred east in preparation for Operation Barbarossa, the invasion of the Soviet Union launched on 22 June 1941. To augment the remaining fighter units fighting on the Western Front, JFS 5 was tasked with creation of a fourth squadron named 4. Einsatzstaffel — action or combat squadron — in June 1941. The Einsatzstaffel was placed under the command of Oberleutnant Fülbert Zink. In early July, the Einsatzstaffel transferred to Octeville-sur-Mer, north of Le Havre. There, 4. Einsatzstaffel was subordinated to the Stab (headquarters unit) of Jagdgeschwader 2 "Richthofen" (JG 2—2nd Fighter Wing) and flew fighter protection in the area of Le Havre. Initially, 4. Einsatzstaffel was equipped with the Messerschmitt Bf 109 E-4 and E-7, later with the Bf 109 F-1 and F-2.Template:Sfn

On 20 September 1941, the Royal Air Force (RAF) flew three "Circus" operations named No. 100A, 100B and 100C, against various targets in northern France. Circus No. 100A headed for the Hazebrouck marshalling yards, "Circus" No. 100B attacked the Abbeville marshalling yards, and Circus 100C targeted the shipyards at Rouen. Following the days actions, pilots on both sides overclaimed the number of aerial victories.Template:Sfn That day, flying his fourth combat mission,Template:Sfn Jennewein claimed three Supermarine Spitfire fighters shot down near Fécamp.Template:Sfn On 15 October, the RAF flew "Ramrod" No. 69 mission against the Le Havre docks. Twelve Bristol Blenheim bombers from Westhampnett, escorted by Spitfire fighters from No. 234 Squadron, were intercepted by Bf 109 Luftwaffe fighters.Template:Sfn In this encounter, Jennewein claimed the destruction of a Spitfire fighter and a Blenheim bomber.Template:Sfn

Eastern Front

On 28 January 1942, Jennewein was posted to 2. Staffel (2nd squadron) of Jagdgeschwader 51 (JG 51—51st Fighter Wing) and transferred on the Eastern Front.Template:Sfn At the time, 2. Staffel was commanded by Oberleutnant Friedhelm Höschen who was transferred in March and handed command of the Staffel to Leutnant Erwin Fleig. The Staffel was subordinated to I. Gruppe (1st group) of JG 51 and was based at Staraya Russa.Template:Sfn By the end of July 1942, when he was posted to serve as a flight instructor, he had added 12 Russian aircraft to his tally. He returned to 2./JG 51 before the end of the year, starting a surprising sequence of multiple victories. On 18 January 1943, as a Feldwebel, flying a Focke-Wulf Fw 190 as a wingman of Leutnant Joachim Brendel, he attacked a formation of nine Petlyakov Pe-2 bombers from 202 BAP, in the area of Velikiye Luki, and claimed five kills in five minutes (Brendel claimed three, actual Soviet losses were six).Template:SfnTemplate:Sfn

On 27 July 1943, Jennewein claimed his 86th and last aerial victory when he shot down an Ilyushin Il-2 ground-attack aircraft.Template:Sfn Shortly after, he was posted as missing in action when his Focke-Wulf Fw 190 A-6 (Werknummer 550182Template:Refn —factory number) was shot down by another Il-2 in aerial combat northwest of Mtsensk.Template:Sfn

Summary of military career

Aerial victory claims

According to US historian David T. Zabecki, Jennewein was credited with 86 aerial victories.Template:Sfn Spick also lists Jennewein with 86 aerial victories, including five during the Battle of Britain and further 81 on the Eastern Front, claimed in 271 combat missions.Template:Sfn Mathews and Foreman, authors of Luftwaffe Aces - Biographies and Victory Claims, researched the German Federal Archives and found records for 83 aerial victory claims. This number includes five on the Western Front and 78 on the Eastern Front.Template:Sfn

Victory claims were logged to a map-reference (PQ = Planquadrat), for example "PQ 44234". The Luftwaffe grid map () 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 . These sectors were then subdivided into 36 smaller units to give a location area in size.Template:Sfn

Chronicle of aerial victories
This and the ♠ (Ace of spades) indicates those aerial victories which made Jennewein 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 ? (question mark) indicates information discrepancies listed by Prien, Stemmer, Rodeike, Bock, Mathews and Foreman.
Claim	Date	Time	Type	Location	Unit	Claim	Date	Time	Type	Location	Unit
– Claims with Jagdfliegerschule 5 in the West –Template:Sfn 1 July 1942 – 31 December 1941
1	20 September 1941	—	Spitfire	northwest of FécampTemplate:Sfn	4.(Eins.)/JFS 5	4	15 October 1941	—	Spitfire	Le HavreTemplate:Sfn	4.(Eins.)/JFS 5
2	20 September 1941	—	Spitfire	northwest of FécampTemplate:Sfn	4.(Eins.)/JFS 5	5	15 October 1941	—	Blenheim	Le HavreTemplate:Sfn	4.(Eins.)/JFS 5
3	20 September 1941	—	Spitfire	northwest of FécampTemplate:Sfn	4.(Eins.)/JFS 5
– Claims with Jagdgeschwader 51 "Mölders" on the Eastern Front –Template:Sfn 6 December 1941 – 30 April 1942
6	21 March 1942	07:05	I-61 (MiG-3)Template:Sfn		2./JG 51	9	5 April 1942	06:10	I-61 (MiG-3)Template:Sfn		2./JG 51
7	29 March 1942	10:55	I-61?Template:SfnTemplate:Refn		2./JG 51	10	5 April 1942	06:40	I-61 (MiG-3)Template:Sfn		2./JG 51
8	30 March 1942	12:00	I-17 (MiG-1)Template:Sfn		2./JG 51
– Claims with Jagdgeschwader 51 "Mölders" on the Eastern Front –Template:Sfn Eastern Front — 1 May 1942 – 3 February 1943
11	3 June 1942	19:22	MiG-1Template:Sfn		2./JG 51	14	3 July 1942	13:25	MiG-3Template:Sfn		2./JG 51
12	11 June 1942	07:57	Yak-1Template:Sfn		2./JG 51	15	11 July 1942	06:00	MiG-3	PQ 44234Template:Sfn north-northeast of Zhizdra	2./JG 51
13	2 July 1942	15:00	LaGG-3Template:Sfn		2./JG 51
According to Prien, Stemmer, Rodeike and Bock, Jennewein claimed one undocumented aerial victory in the timeframe 29 May an 15 September 1942.Template:Sfn
17	26 July 1942	14:50	Pe-2Template:Sfn		2./JG 51	22♠	18 January 1943	08:03	Pe-2	PQ 07783Template:Sfn	2./JG 51
18	10 January 1943	13:30?Template:Refn	Il-2	PQ 01564Template:Sfn	2./JG 51	23♠	18 January 1943	08:05	Pe-2	PQ 07783Template:Sfn	2./JG 51
19	16 January 1943	08:15	MiG-3	PQ 17712, Velikiye LukiTemplate:Sfn east-northeast of Toropa	2./JG 51	24♠	18 January 1943	08:06	Pe-2	PQ 07793Template:Sfn	2./JG 51
20♠	18 January 1943	08:01	Pe-2	PQ 07741Template:Sfn	2./JG 51	25	27 January 1943	09:15	MiG-3	PQ 17724Template:Sfn east-northeast of Toropa	2./JG 51
21♠	18 January 1943	08:02	Pe-2	PQ 07741Template:Sfn	2./JG 51	26	30 January 1943	08:40	Pe-2	PQ 63151Template:Sfn southeast of Orel	2./JG 51
– Claims with Jagdgeschwader 51 "Mölders" on the Eastern Front –Template:Sfn Eastern Front — 4 February – 27 July 1943
27	22 February 1943	05:51	La-5	PQ 35 Ost 64473Template:Sfn south of Arsenyevo	2./JG 51	57	16 May 1943	04:25	LaGG-3	PQ 35 Ost 63844Template:Sfn southeast of Zolotukhino	2./JG 51
28	22 February 1943	06:06	Il-2	PQ 35 Ost 64611Template:Sfn north of Mtsensk	2./JG 51	58	22 May 1943	04:25	P-39	PQ 35 Ost 63574Template:Sfn south-southeast of Trosna	2./JG 51
29	22 February 1943	06:20	Il-2	PQ 35 Ost 64612Template:Sfn north of Mtsensk	2./JG 51	59?Template:Refn	22 May 1943	—	P-39Template:Sfn		2./JG 51
30♠	23 February 1943	10:40	Pe-2	PQ 35 Ost 44292Template:Sfn northeast of Zhizdra	2./JG 51	60?	28 May 1943	17:47	La-5	east of OrelTemplate:Sfn	1./JG 51
31♠	23 February 1943	10:42	Pe-2	PQ 35 Ost 54123Template:Sfn south-southwest of Sukhinichi	2./JG 51	61	30 May 1943	07:25	La-5	PQ 35 Ost 63553Template:Sfn west of Maloarkhangelsk	1./JG 51
32♠	23 February 1943	10:45	Pe-2	PQ 35 Ost 54114Template:Sfn southwest of Sukhinichi	2./JG 51	62	2 June 1943	04:25	P-39	PQ 35 Ost 63553Template:Sfn west of Maloarkhangelsk	1./JG 51
33♠	23 February 1943	10:48	Pe-2	PQ 35 Ost 54111Template:Sfn southwest of Sukhinichi	2./JG 51	63	2 June 1943	11:15	LaGG-3	PQ 35 Ost 63534Template:Sfn vicinity of Maloarkhangelsk	1./JG 51
34♠	23 February 1943	10:55	Pe-2	PQ 35 Ost 54143Template:Sfn northeast of Zhizdra	2./JG 51	64	13 July 1943	18:45	La-5	southeast of MtsenskTemplate:Sfn	1./JG 51
35♠	24 February 1943	10:41	Il-2	PQ 35 Ost 44252Template:Sfn north of Zhizdra	2./JG 51	65	13 July 1943	19:00	La-5	southwest of GrinowTemplate:Sfn	1./JG 51
36♠	24 February 1943	10:43	Il-2	PQ 35 Ost 44251Template:Sfn north of Zhizdra	2./JG 51	66	14 July 1943	19:25	LaGG-3	east of MitejewoTemplate:Sfn	1./JG 51
37♠	24 February 1943	13:40	La-5	PQ 35 Ost 64611Template:Sfn north of Mtsensk	2./JG 51	67	14 July 1943	19:40	LaGG-3	east of GilkowaTemplate:Sfn	1./JG 51
38♠	24 February 1943	13:42	Il-2	PQ 35 Ost 64613Template:Sfn north of Mtsensk	2./JG 51	68	16 July 1943	07:10	La-5	northwest of BaryomskyTemplate:Sfn	1./JG 51
39♠	24 February 1943	13:45	Il-2	PQ 35 Ost 64611Template:Sfn north of Mtsensk	2./JG 51	69	17 July 1943	08:50	LaGG-3	PQ 35 Ost 54725Template:Sfn southwest of Kozelsk	2./JG 51
40♠	24 February 1943	13:51	Il-2	PQ 35 Ost 64621Template:Sfn north-northeast of Mtsensk	2./JG 51	70	17 July 1943	16:30	La-5	PQ 35 Ost 55858Template:Sfn north of Kozelsk	2./JG 51
41♠	24 February 1943	13:53	Il-2	PQ 35 Ost 64633Template:Sfn northwest of Lipitsy	2./JG 51	71	17 July 1943	19:00	LaGG-3	PQ 35 Ost 54642Template:Sfn northeast of Znamenskoye	2./JG 51
42	9 March 1943	11:10	LaGG-3	PQ 35 Ost 44223Template:Sfn north of Zhizdra	2./JG 51	72	18 July 1943	14:32	Il-2 m.H.Template:Refn	PQ 35 Ost 54812Template:Sfn east of Znamenskoye	2./JG 51
43	10 March 1943	15:55	LaGG-3	PQ 35 Ost 55713Template:Sfn northwest of Sukhinichi	2./JG 51	73	18 July 1943	14:34	Il-2 m.H.	PQ 35 Ost 54643Template:Sfn northeast of Znamenskoye	2./JG 51
44	21 March 1943	06:25	La-5	PQ 35 Ost 45363Template:Sfn northeast of Spas-Demensk	2./JG 51	74	19 July 1943	09:30	La-5	PQ 35 Ost 64881Template:Sfn northeast of Znamenskoye	2./JG 51
45	23 March 1943	11:05	Yak-1	PQ 35 Ost 53591Template:Sfn north-northeast of Dmitriyev-Lgovsky	2./JG 51	75	20 July 1943	14:40	LaGG-3	PQ 35 Ost 64864Template:Sfn southeast of Mtsensk	2./JG 51
46	27 March 1943	09:08	Pe-2	PQ 35 Ost 53484Template:Sfn south-southwest of Kromy	2./JG 51	76	20 July 1943	14:50	LaGG-3	PQ 35 Ost 64876Template:Sfn north of Zalegoshch	2./JG 51
47♠	6 May 1943	13:30	Pe-2	PQ 35 Ost 64762Template:Sfn north-northwest of Zalegoshch	2./JG 51	77♠	21 July 1943	13:25	Il-2 m.H.	PQ 35 Ost 63164Template:Sfn northeast of Orel	2./JG 51
48♠	6 May 1943	13:31	Pe-2	PQ 35 Ost 64762Template:Sfn north-northwest of Zalegoshch	2./JG 51	78♠	21 July 1943	13:27	Il-2 m.H.	PQ 35 Ost 63165Template:Sfn northeast of Orel	2./JG 51
49♠	6 May 1943	13:32	Pe-2	PQ 35 Ost 64763Template:Sfn north-northwest of Zalegoshch	2./JG 51	79♠	21 July 1943	13:28	Il-2 m.H.	PQ 35 Ost 63243Template:Sfn south of Zalegoshch	2./JG 51
50♠	6 May 1943	13:38	Pe-2	PQ 35 Ost 64844Template:Sfn south of Mtsensk	2./JG 51	80♠	21 July 1943	13:29	Il-2 m.H.	PQ 35 Ost 63247Template:Sfn south of Zalegoshch	2./JG 51
51♠	6 May 1943	13:42	Il-2	PQ 35 Ost 64813Template:Sfn south of Mtsensk	2./JG 51	81♠	21 July 1943	13:30	La-5	PQ 35 Ost 63251Template:Sfn southeast of Zalegoshch	2./JG 51
52	8 May 1943	04:30	Pe-2	PQ 35 Ost 54731Template:Sfn vicinity of Znamenskoye	2./JG 51	82	24 July 1943	13:30	Il-2 m.H.	PQ 35 Ost 63271Template:Sfn south of Zalegoshch	2./JG 51
53	8 May 1943	07:34	Il-2	PQ 35 Ost 63324Template:Sfn vicinity of Glazunowka	2./JG 51	83	26 July 1943	10:38	Il-2 m.H.	PQ 35 Ost 63145Template:Sfn south of Orel	2./JG 51
54	8 May 1943	07:38	La-5	PQ 35 Ost 63321Template:Sfn vicinity of Glazunowka	2./JG 51	84	26 July 1943	10:44	Il-2 m.H.	PQ 35 Ost 53296Template:Sfn north-northeast of Kromy	2./JG 51
55	8 May 1943	07:41	La-5	PQ 35 Ost 63324Template:Sfn vicinity of Glazunowka	2./JG 51	85	26 July 1943	11:10	La-5	PQ 35 Ost 63189Template:Sfn vicinity of Zmiyekka	2./JG 51
56	12 May 1943	08:01	La-5	PQ 35 Ost 63761Template:Sfn southwest of Zolotukhino	2./JG 51	86	27 July 1943	11:25	Il-2 m.H.	PQ 35 Ost 54464Template:Sfn northwest of Bolkhov	2./JG 51

Awards

• Iron Cross (1939) 2nd and 1st ClassTemplate:Sfn
• Honor Goblet of the Luftwaffe on 1 March 1943 as Oberfeldwebel and pilotTemplate:Sfn
• German Cross in Gold on 12 April 1943 as Oberfeldwebel in the I./Jagdgeschwader 51Template:Sfn
• Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross on 5 December 1943 (posthumously) as Leutnant and pilot in the 1./Jagdgeschwader 51 "Mölders"Template:SfnTemplate:Refn

See also

• List of people who disappeared

External links

• Biography in Luftwaffe's aces website Template:Webarchive
• Template:Sports links