Werner Husemann
Werner Husemann (10 November 1919 – 2 February 2014) was a German Luftwaffe night fighter ace and recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross, the highest award in the military and paramilitary forces of Nazi Germany during World War II. Husemann claimed to have shot down 34 enemy aircraft, and was credited with 30 kills.[Note 1]
Werner Husemann | |
|---|---|
| Born | 10 November 1919 Schötmar/Lippe |
| Died | 2 February 2014 (aged 94) Bad Salzuflen |
| Allegiance | .svg.png.webp){kind=small} Nazi Germany |
| Service/ |  Luftwaffe |
| Years of service | 1941–1945 |
| Rank | Major |
| Unit | NJG 1, NJG 3 |
| Commands held | 7./NJG 1 I./NJG 3 |
| Battles/wars | World War II |
| Awards | Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross |
Career
Husemann was born on 10 November 1919 in Schötmar/Lippe. He enlisted in the Luftwaffe in 1941 and served with a weather reconnaissance squadron.
Night fighter career
After the 1939 aerial Battle of the Heligoland Bight, RAF attacks shifted to the cover of darkness, initiating the Defence of the Reich campaign.[1] By mid-1940, Generalmajor (Brigadier General) Josef Kammhuber established a night air defense system dubbed the Kammhuber Line, which included control sectors with radars and searchlights and an associated night fighter. Each sector, called a Himmelbett (canopy bed), would direct the night fighter into visual range of enemy bombers. In 1941, the Luftwaffe started equipping night fighters with airborne radar such as the Lichtenstein radar. However, this was not widely available until early 1942.[2]
In late 1942, Husemann transferred to the Stab (staff) of Nachtjagdgeschwader 1 (the 1st Night Fighter Wing).[3] He claimed his first kill on the night of 17/18 August 1942. His victories increased to 17 by the end of 1943, including three British Avro Lancaster bombers shot down on the night of 25/26 June 1943. He was appointed Staffelkapitän (squadron commander) of the 7th squadron of NJG 1 on 1 October 1943. Husemann was awarded the German Cross in Gold on 24 October 1943, and the Ehrenpokal der Luftwaffe on 1 November 1943.
Group commander
On 4 January 1944, Husemann became commander of the I. Gruppe of Nachtjagdgeschwader 3 (NJG 3—3rd Night Fighter Wing), succeeding Hauptmann Paul Szameitat.[4] Husemann was awarded the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross (Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes) on 30 September 1944 after being credited with 30 kills. By the war's end he had 34 kills in over 250 night combat missions. His last 13 victories were claimed with Oberfeldwebel Hans-Georg Schierholz as his wireless/radio operator.[5]
On 14 November 1944, Husemann, flying a Junkers Ju 88 G6 attacked a Short Stirling bomber near Ringkøbing. During the attack, the Ju 88 was hit by the defensive fire of the Stirling's tail gunner. Too low to bail out, Husemann made a forced landing in the fields of Tværmosegaard, a farm 9 kilometres (5.6 miles) northeast of Herning.
Summary of career
Kills
Husemann was credited with 30 kills over 250 night missions.[5] Foreman, Parry and Matthews, authors of Luftwaffe Night Fighter Claims 1939 – 1945, researched the German Federal Archives and found records for 32 nocturnal victory claims[6] Matthews and Foreman also published Luftwaffe Aces — Biographies and Victory Claims, listing Husemann with 31 claims.[7]
In some instances, aerial victories were claimed and logged in a Planquadrat (PQ—grid reference). The Luftwaffe grid map (Jägermeldenetz) map was composed of rectangles measuring 15 minutes of latitude by 30 minutes of longitude, an area of about 360 square miles (930 km2).[8][9]
| Chronicle of aerial victories | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
This and the ? (question mark) indicates information discrepancies listed in Luftwaffe Night Fighter Claims 1939 – 1945 but not in Luftwaffe Aces — Biographies and Victory Claims. | ||||||
| Claim | Date | Time | Type | Location | Serial No./Squadron No. | |
| – Stab of Nachtjagdgeschwader 1 –[3] | ||||||
| 1 | 17 December 1941 | 20:53 | Stirling | 6 km (3.7 mi) northeast of Zwolle[10] PQ 4341 |
||
| 2 | 27 April 1943 | 03:37 | Stirling | 17 km (11 mi) west of Hilversum[11] | ||
| 3 | 12 June 1943 | 02:55 | Wellington[12] | |||
| 4 | 13 June 1943 | 02:20 | Lancaster | Tubbergen[13] | ||
| 5 | 24 June 1943 | 03:17 | Halifax | 6 km (3.7 mi) north-northwest of Amsterdam[14] | ||
| 6 | 26 June 1943 | 01:13 | Halifax | east of Zevenaar[15] | ||
| 7?[Note 2] | 26 June 1943 | 01:17 | Stirling | 13 km (8.1 mi) west-northwest of Waterwijk[15] | ||
| 8 | 26 June 1943 | 02:19 | Lancaster | 13 km (8.1 mi) south of Haarlem[15] | ||
| 9 | 29 June 1943 | 03:07 | Lancaster[16] | 3 km (1.9 mi) north of Hoorn | ||
| 10 | 24 August 1943 | 00:50 | Halifax | Biesenthal[17] | Lancaster ED328/No. 101 Squadron | |
| 11 | 28 August 1943 | 03:15 | Wellington | northwest of Nuremberg[18] | ||
| 12 | 4 September 1943 | 00:50 | Wellington | vicinity of Strasbourg[19] | ||
| 13 | 7 September 1943 | 00:45 | Halifax | 30 km (19 mi) south of Munich[20] | ||
| – 7. Staffel of Nachtjagdgeschwader 1 –[3] | ||||||
| 14 | 22 October 1943 | 21:30 | Lancaster | 20 km (12 mi) northwest of Minden[21] | ||
| – I. Gruppe of Nachtjagdgeschwader 3 –[7] | ||||||
| 15 | 25 March 1944 | 00:39 | four-engined bomber | west of Münster[22] | ||
| 16 | 10 April 1944 | 03:40?[Note 3] | four-engined bomber | Hersfeld[23] | ||
| 17 | 10 April 1944 | 03:45?[Note 4] | four-engined bomber | vicinity of Hersfeld[23] | ||
| 18 | 23 April 1944 | 23:56 | four-engined bomber | Lolland Island[24] | ||
| 19 | 23 May 1944 | 00:25 | four-engined bomber | Assen/Emmen[25] | ||
| 20 | 16 June 1944 | 00:59 | four-engined bomber | south of Thérouanne[26] | ||
| 21 | 24 June 1944 | 01:15 | four-engined bomber | Saint-Omer/Ypres[27] | ||
| 22 | 6 July 1944 | 00:35 | four-engined bomber | Strait of Dover[28] | ||
| 23 | 21 July 1944 | 01:34 | four-engined bomber | northwest of Venlo[29] | ||
| 24 | 29 July 1944 | 01:47 | four-engined bomber | Bitsche/Pirmasens[29] | ||
| 25 | 13 August 1944 | 00:47 | four-engined bomber | Sulingen/Wagenfeld[30] | Lancaster LM598/No. 101 Squadron | |
| 26 | 17 August 1944 | 00:40 | four-engined bomber[31] | 330° – 350° from beacon "Q" | ||
| 27 | 30 August 1944 | 00:48 | Lancaster | PQ LH[32] | Lancaster ED588/No. 50 Squadron | |
| 28 | 30 August 1944 | 01:19 | Lancaster | PQ OK-PK[32] | ||
| 29 | 14 February 1945 | 20:41 | Halifax | Zealand Island[33] | Halifax MY793/No. 10 Squadron[34] | |
| 30 | 14 February 1945 | 21:17 | Halifax | Møn Island[35] | ||
| 31 | 4 March 1945 | 20:29 | Lancaster | east of Aahus[36] | ||
| 32 | 4 March 1945 | 23:32 | Lancaster | Bourtange moor[36] | ||
Awards
- Iron Cross (1939) 2nd and 1st Class
- Honour Goblet of the Luftwaffe (Ehrenpokal der Luftwaffe) on 1 November 1943 as Oberleutnant and pilot[37]
- German Cross in Gold on 24 October 1943 as Oberleutnant in the 7./Nachtjagdgeschwader 1[38]
- Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross on 30 September 1944 as Major and Gruppenkommandeur of I./Nachtjagdgeschwader 3[39][40]
Notes
- For a list of Luftwaffe night fighter aces see List of German World War II night fighter aces.
- This claim is listed in Luftwaffe Night Fighter Claims 1939 – 1945 but not in Luftwaffe Aces — Biographies and Victory Claims.[3]
- According to Luftwaffe Aces — Biographies and Victory Claims at 03:45.[3]
- According to Luftwaffe Aces — Biographies and Victory Claims at 03:50.[3]
References
Citations
- Foreman, Parry & Matthews 2004, p. 9.
- Foreman, Parry & Matthews 2004, p. 27.
- Matthews & Foreman 2015, p. 567.
- Aders 1978, p. 228.
- Obermaier 1989, p. 138.
- Foreman, Parry & Matthews 2004, pp. 62–240.
- Matthews & Foreman 2015, pp. 567–568.
- Hinchliffe 1999, p. 208.
- Planquadrat.
- Foreman, Parry & Matthews 2004, p. 62.
- Foreman, Parry & Matthews 2004, p. 77.
- Foreman, Parry & Matthews 2004, p. 84.
- Foreman, Parry & Matthews 2004, p. 85.
- Foreman, Parry & Matthews 2004, p. 89.
- Foreman, Parry & Matthews 2004, p. 90.
- Foreman, Parry & Matthews 2004, p. 91.
- Foreman, Parry & Matthews 2004, p. 105.
- Foreman, Parry & Matthews 2004, p. 108.
- Foreman, Parry & Matthews 2004, p. 110.
- Foreman, Parry & Matthews 2004, p. 112.
- Foreman, Parry & Matthews 2004, p. 125.
- Foreman, Parry & Matthews 2004, p. 159.
- Foreman, Parry & Matthews 2004, p. 165.
- Foreman, Parry & Matthews 2004, p. 169.
- Foreman, Parry & Matthews 2004, p. 178.
- Foreman, Parry & Matthews 2004, p. 188.
- Foreman, Parry & Matthews 2004, p. 192.
- Foreman, Parry & Matthews 2004, p. 197.
- Foreman, Parry & Matthews 2004, p. 202.
- Foreman, Parry & Matthews 2004, p. 208.
- Foreman, Parry & Matthews 2004, p. 210.
- Foreman, Parry & Matthews 2004, p. 213.
- Foreman, Parry & Matthews 2004, p. 234.
- Bowman 2016, p. 195.
- Foreman, Parry & Matthews 2004, p. 235.
- Foreman, Parry & Matthews 2004, p. 240.
- Patzwall 2008, p. 107.
- Patzwall & Scherzer 2001, p. 203.
- Fellgiebel 2000, p. 238.
- Scherzer 2007, p. 412.
Bibliography
- Aders, Gebhard (1978). History of the German Night Fighter Force, 1917–1945. London: Janes. ISBN 978-0-354-01247-8.
- Bergström, Christer. "Bergström Black Cross/Red Star website". Identifying a Luftwaffe Planquadrat. Retrieved 22 December 2018.
- Bowman, Martin (2016). German Night Fighters Versus Bomber Command 1943-1945. Pen and Sword. ISBN 978-1-4738-4979-2.
- Chorley, William R (1996). Royal Air Force Bomber Command Losses of the Second World War: Aircraft and crew losses: 1943. Midland Counties Publications. ISBN 978-0-90459-790-5.
- 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.
- Foreman, John; Parry, Simon; Matthews, Johannes (2004). Luftwaffe Night Fighter Claims 1939–1945. Walton on Thames: Red Kite. ISBN 978-0-9538061-4-0.
- Hinchliffe, Peter (1999). Schnaufer: Ace of Diamonds. Brimscombe Port, UK: Tempus. ISBN 978-0-7524-1690-8.
- Matthews, Andrew Johannes; Foreman, John (2015). Luftwaffe Aces — Biographies and Victory Claims — Volume 2 G–L. Walton on Thames: Red Kite. ISBN 978-1-906592-19-6.
- 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.
- 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.