Johann Pichler

Johann Pichler (15 December 1912 – 16 February 1995) was a Luftwaffe ace and recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross during World War II. The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross was awarded to recognise extreme battlefield bravery or successful military leadership. During his career Johann Pichler was credited with between 52 and 75 aerial victories.

Career

Pichler was born on 15 December 1912 in Oberschweinbach in the Kingdom of Bavaria within the German Empire. In November 1934, Pichler joined the military service of the Wehrmacht, initially serving in the Army.

In preparation for Operation Marita, the German invasion of Greece, III. ''Gruppe'' of JG 77 was moved to Deta in western Romania on 4 April 1941.

Mediterranean Theater and Romania

On 23 October 1942, the British Eighth Army launched the Second Battle of El Alamein. Preceding this attack, the Luftwaffe had already planned to replace ''Jagdgeschwader'' 27 (JG 27—27th Fighter Wing), which had been fighting in North African theater, with JG 77. In preparation for this rotation, III. ''Gruppe'' of JG 77 was moved to Munich on 19 October where it was equipped with the Messerschmitt Bf 109 G-2/trop. On 23 and 24 October, the ''Gruppe'' moved to Bari in southern Italy. The ''Gruppe'' then relocated to Tobruk Airfield on 26 October. The following day, the ''Gruppe'' moved to an airfield at Tanyet-Harun.

On 14 July 1943, Pichler was shot down and wounded during aerial combat with Supermarine Spitfire fighters northwest of Lentini, he bailed out of his Bf 109 G-6 (''Werknummer'' 18151—factory number). On 28 July 1944, Pichler was again shot down and severely wounded. Following aerial combat in the area of Pitești, he bailed out of his Bf 109 G-6 (''Werknummer'' 165685) near Titu. Taken to a hospital, Pichler was captured and taken prisoner of war by advancing Soviet forces on 30 August. He was released from Soviet captivity in January 1950. Upon his return to Germany, he was informed that he had been awarded the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross () on 19 August 1944.

Later life

Pichler died on 16 February 1995 at the age of in Oberschweinbach, Germany.

Summary of career

Aerial victory claims

According to Spick, Pichler was credited with 75 aerial victories claimed in approximately 700 combat missions. This number includes 29 claims on the Eastern Front and 45 claims over the Western Allies, including sixteen heavy bombers. Mathews and Foreman, authors of ''Luftwaffe Aces — Biographies and Victory Claims'', researched the German Federal Archives and found records for 39 aerial victory claims, and one further unconfirmed claim. This figure includes 16 aerial victory over the Western Allies, including ten heavy bombers, and 23 on the Eastern Front.

Victory claims were logged to a map-reference (PQ = ''Planquadrat''), for example "PQ 3787". 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.

Awards and decorations

* Iron Cross (1939) 2nd and 1st Class
* Honor Goblet of the Luftwaffe on 25 June 1943 as ''Oberfeldwebel'' and pilot
* German Cross in Gold on 18 March 1943 as ''Oberfeldwebel'' in the 7./''Jagdgeschwader'' 77
* Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross on 19 August 1944 as ''Fahnenjunker''-''Oberfeldwebel'' and pilot in the 7./''Jagdgeschwader'' 77

Notes

References

Citations

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External links

TracesOfWar.com

{{DEFAULTSORT:Pichler, Johann
1912 births
1995 deaths
People from Fürstenfeldbruck (district)
Military personnel from the Kingdom of Bavaria
Luftwaffe pilots
German World War II flying aces
Recipients of the Gold German Cross
Recipients of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross
German prisoners of war in World War II held by the Soviet Union
Military personnel from Bavaria