Siegfried Freytag (10 November 1919 – 2 June 2003) was a
World War II
World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the World War II by country, vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great power ...
German
Luftwaffe
The ''Luftwaffe'' () was the aerial-warfare branch of the German '' Wehrmacht'' before and during World War II. Germany's military air arms during World War I, the '' Luftstreitkräfte'' of the Imperial Army and the '' Marine-Fliegerabt ...
pilot and
wing commander
Wing commander (Wg Cdr in the RAF, the IAF, and the PAF, WGCDR in the RNZAF and RAAF, formerly sometimes W/C in all services) is a senior commissioned rank in the British Royal Air Force and air forces of many countries which have historic ...
. As a
fighter ace
A flying ace, fighter ace or air ace is a military aviator credited with shooting down five or more enemy aircraft during aerial combat. The exact number of aerial victories required to officially qualify as an ace is varied, but is usually co ...
, he was credited with 102 aerial victories of which 49 victories were claimed over the
Eastern Front. Among his victories over the
Western Front Western Front or West Front may refer to:
Military frontiers
*Western Front (World War I), a military frontier to the west of Germany
*Western Front (World War II), a military frontier to the west of Germany
*Western Front (Russian Empire), a majo ...
are at least 2 four-engine bombers. He was a recipient of the
Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross
The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross (german: Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes), or simply the Knight's Cross (), and its variants, were the highest awards in the military and paramilitary forces of Nazi Germany during World War II.
The Knight' ...
Freytag had been nominated for the
Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves
The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross (german: Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes), or simply the Knight's Cross (), and its variants, were the highest awards in the military and paramilitary forces of Nazi Germany during World War II.
The Knight' ...
, but the war ended before the paperwork had been processed.
Freytag was born on 10 November 1919 and joined the Luftwaffe in 1938. After completing training as a fighter pilot he was posted to 6. ''
Staffel'' (squadron)
''Jagdgeschwader'' 77 (JG 77—Fighter Wing 77) in the autumn, 1940. Freytag claimed his first victory on 31 October 1940 on the final day of the
Battle of Britain
The Battle of Britain, also known as the Air Battle for England (german: die Luftschlacht um England), was a military campaign of the Second World War, in which the Royal Air Force (RAF) and the Fleet Air Arm (FAA) of the Royal Navy defended ...
. In April 1941 he participated in the
Balkans Campaign, the
Battle of Greece and
Battle of Crete
The Battle of Crete (german: Luftlandeschlacht um Kreta, el, Μάχη της Κρήτης), codenamed Operation Mercury (german: Unternehmen Merkur), was a major Axis airborne and amphibious operation during World War II to capture the islan ...
. In June Freytag was deployed to the Eastern Front with JG 77 for
Operation Barbarossa
Operation Barbarossa (german: link=no, Unternehmen Barbarossa; ) was the invasion of the Soviet Union by Nazi Germany and many of its Axis allies, starting on Sunday, 22 June 1941, during the Second World War. The operation, code-named afte ...
, the invasion of the
Soviet Union
The Soviet Union,. officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics. (USSR),. was a List of former transcontinental countries#Since 1700, transcontinental country that spanned much of Eurasia from 1922 to 1991. A flagship communist state, ...
. Freytag passed five victories becoming a flying ace and by 3 June 1942 he had claimed 50 enemy aircraft destroyed.
On 27 June 1942, Freytag was appointed ''
Staffelkapitän
''Staffelkapitän'' is a position (not a rank) in flying units ( ''Staffel'') of the German Luftwaffe that is the equivalent of RAF/USAF Squadron Commander. Usually today a ''Staffelkapitän'' is of ''Oberstleutnant'' or '' Major'' rank.
In the ...
'' (
Squadron leader
Squadron leader (Sqn Ldr in the RAF ; SQNLDR in the RAAF and RNZAF; formerly sometimes S/L in all services) is a commissioned rank in the Royal Air Force and the air forces of many countries which have historical British influence. It is als ...
) of 1. ''Staffel'' and relocated to the
Mediterranean Theatre. Freytag participated in the air battle
over Malta. On 3 July 1942 Freytag was awarded the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross for 53 aerial victories. He became the most successful German pilot over Malta. Freytag was transferred with his unit to
North Africa
North Africa, or Northern Africa is a region encompassing the northern portion of the African continent. There is no singularly accepted scope for the region, and it is sometimes defined as stretching from the Atlantic shores of Mauritania in t ...
to assist the
collapsing Axis forces. On 13 March 1943, Freytag was appointed ''
Gruppenkommandeur
''Gruppenkommandeur'' is a Luftwaffe position (not rank), that is the equivalent of a commander of a group or wing in other air forces. A ''Gruppenkommandeur'' usually has the rank of Major or '' Oberstleutnant'' (Lieutenant Colonel), and comma ...
'' (Group Commander) of II./JG 77. By this date he had claimed 85 victories. Freytag continued operations
over Sicily where he was shot down and
wounded in action
Wounded in Action (WIA) describes combatants who have been wounded while fighting in a combat zone during wartime, but have not been killed. Typically, it implies that they are temporarily or permanently incapable of bearing arms or continui ...
on 12 July 1943.
Thereafter, Freytag led the group in
Defence of the Reich
The Defence of the Reich (german: Reichsverteidigung) is the name given to the military strategy, strategic defensive aerial campaign fought by the Luftwaffe of Nazi Germany over German-occupied Europe and Germany during World War II. Its aim w ...
operations. On 13 June 1944 Freytag scored his 100th victory. In December 1944 Freytag commanded JG 77 in
air superiority
Aerial supremacy (also air superiority) is the degree to which a side in a conflict holds control of air power over opposing forces. There are levels of control of the air in aerial warfare. Control of the air is the aerial equivalent of comm ...
operations on the Western Front at the beginning
Ardennes Offensive
The Battle of the Bulge, also known as the Ardennes Offensive, was the last major German offensive campaign on the Western Front during World War II. The battle lasted from 16 December 1944 to 28 January 1945, towards the end of the war in ...
until 25 December 1944 when he was appointed ''
Geschwaderkommodore'' (Wing Commander) on a temporary basis. Freytag scored his 102nd and last aerial victory during
Operation Bodenplatte, on 1 January 1945. In April 1945 Freytag served with
''Jagdgeschwader'' 51 (JG 51—Fighter Wing 51) and
''Jagdgeschwader'' 7 (JG 7—Fighter Wing 7), where he flew the
Messerschmitt Me 262
The Messerschmitt Me 262, nicknamed ''Schwalbe'' (German: "Swallow") in fighter versions, or ''Sturmvogel'' (German: "Procellariidae, Storm Bird") in fighter-bomber versions, is a fighter aircraft and fighter-bomber that was designed and produc ...
until the German surrender in May 1945.
After war he served in the
French Foreign Legion
The French Foreign Legion (french: Légion étrangère) is a corps of the French Army which comprises several specialties: infantry, cavalry, engineers, airborne troops. It was created in 1831 to allow foreign nationals into the French Army ...
. Freytag died in
France
France (), officially the French Republic ( ), is a country primarily located in Western Europe. It also comprises of overseas regions and territories in the Americas and the Atlantic, Pacific and Indian Oceans. Its metropolitan ar ...
in 2003.
Early life
Freytag was born on 10 November 1919 in
Danzig-Langfuhr, at the time in the
Province of West Prussia. Today Danzig-Langfuhr is Wrzeszcz, a borough of the Polish city of
Gdańsk
Gdańsk ( , also ; ; csb, Gduńsk;Stefan Ramułt, ''Słownik języka pomorskiego, czyli kaszubskiego'', Kraków 1893, Gdańsk 2003, ISBN 83-87408-64-6. , Johann Georg Theodor Grässe, ''Orbis latinus oder Verzeichniss der lateinischen Benen ...
. Following flight training, he was posted to the 6. ''
Staffel'' (6th squadron) of
''Jagdgeschwader'' 77 (JG 77—77th Fighter Wing).
World War II
World War II in Europe had begun on Friday 1 September 1939 when German forces
invaded Poland. Freytag began wartime operations in October 1940. On 31 October—considered by the British to be the final day of the
Battle of Britain
The Battle of Britain, also known as the Air Battle for England (german: die Luftschlacht um England), was a military campaign of the Second World War, in which the Royal Air Force (RAF) and the Fleet Air Arm (FAA) of the Royal Navy defended ...
—on patrol west of
Lister,
Norway
Norway, officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic country in Northern Europe, the mainland territory of which comprises the western and northernmost portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula. The remote Arctic island of Jan Mayen and t ...
, at 16:00
CET, he shot down a
RAF Coastal Command
RAF Coastal Command was a formation within the Royal Air Force (RAF). It was founded in 1936, when the RAF was restructured into Fighter, Bomber and Coastal Commands and played an important role during the Second World War. Maritime Aviation ...
Lockheed Hudson
The Lockheed Hudson is a light bomber and coastal reconnaissance aircraft built by the American Lockheed Aircraft Corporation. It was initially put into service by the Royal Air Force shortly before the outbreak of the Second World War and pr ...
, ''T9377'' from
No. 233 Squadron RAF.
Pilot Officer
Pilot officer (Plt Off officially in the RAF; in the RAAF and RNZAF; formerly P/O in all services, and still often used in the RAF) is the lowest commissioned rank in the Royal Air Force and the air forces of many other Commonwealth countrie ...
W.O. Weaber, B. P. Erskine
Sergeant J. A. Wallace and H. Dean were
killed in action, buried
Sola Church and commemorated at the
Runnymede Memorial
The Air Forces Memorial, or Runnymede Memorial, in Englefield Green, near Egham, Surrey, England is a memorial dedicated to some 20,456 men and women from air forces of the British Empire who were lost in air and other operations during World W ...
. During the
Battle of Greece, on 24 April 1941, Freytag crashed his Bf 109E near Athens following combat and was wounded.
Eastern Front
In early June I. and III./JG 77 were deployed to
Romania
Romania ( ; ro, România ) is a country located at the crossroads of Central, Eastern, and Southeastern Europe. It borders Bulgaria to the south, Ukraine to the north, Hungary to the west, Serbia to the southwest, Moldova to the east, a ...
and subordinated to
IV. ''Fliegerkorps'' under the command of
Kurt Pflugbeil. The battle group was designated as
close air support
In military tactics, close air support (CAS) is defined as air action such as air strikes by fixed or rotary-winged aircraft against hostile targets near friendly forces and require detailed integration of each air mission with fire and movemen ...
to
Army Group South
Army Group South (german: Heeresgruppe Süd) was the name of three German Army Groups during World War II.
It was first used in the 1939 September Campaign, along with Army Group North to invade Poland. In the invasion of Poland Army Group Sou ...
. On 22 June 1941 the German
Wehrmacht
The ''Wehrmacht'' (, ) were the unified armed forces of Nazi Germany from 1935 to 1945. It consisted of the ''Heer'' (army), the ''Kriegsmarine'' (navy) and the ''Luftwaffe'' (air force). The designation "''Wehrmacht''" replaced the previou ...
commenced
Operation Barbarossa
Operation Barbarossa (german: link=no, Unternehmen Barbarossa; ) was the invasion of the Soviet Union by Nazi Germany and many of its Axis allies, starting on Sunday, 22 June 1941, during the Second World War. The operation, code-named afte ...
, the invasion of the
Soviet Union
The Soviet Union,. officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics. (USSR),. was a List of former transcontinental countries#Since 1700, transcontinental country that spanned much of Eurasia from 1922 to 1991. A flagship communist state, ...
. Freytag achieved steady success. He reported his 10th claim on 12 August 1941 and his 20th victory on 31 October 1941. This day he downed a
Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-3
The Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-3 (russian: Микоян и Гуревич МиГ-3) was a Soviet fighter-interceptor used during World War II. It was a development of the MiG-1 by the OKO (opytno-konstruktorskij otdel — Experimental Design Departme ...
in the morning during a
combat air patrol
Combat air patrol (CAP) is a type of flying mission for fighter aircraft. A combat air patrol is an aircraft patrol provided over an objective area, over the force protected, over the critical area of a combat zone, or over an air defense area ...
to support German forces in the
Battle of Rostov. Aleksandr Grosul and Ivan Voytenko of the 55 IAP were reported
missing in action
Missing in action (MIA) is a casualty classification assigned to combatants, military chaplains, combat medics, and prisoners of war who are reported missing during wartime or ceasefire. They may have been killed, wounded, captured, e ...
. On 23 March 1942, Freytag engaged and shot down a
Yakovlev Yak-1. The ''Staffel'' engaged three Yak-1s from the 247 IAP this day, piloted by Major Mikhail Fedoseyev, the unit commander, Stepan Karnach, Vasiliy Shevchuk and Viktor Golovko. Fedoseyev was killed while Shevchuk was shot down and force-landed. One of the Yak fighters became Freytag's 26th victory. II./JG 77 also took a heavy toll of Soviet air forces in the
Siege of Odessa
The siege of Odessa, known to the Soviets as the defence of Odessa, lasted from 8 August until 16 October 1941, during the early phase of Operation Barbarossa, the Axis invasion of the Soviet Union during World War II.
Odessa was a port on the ...
, before Freytag's group was withdrawn to
Kherson. In the autumn, 1941, JG 77 was heavily involved in operations over the
Crimea
Crimea, crh, Къырым, Qırım, grc, Κιμμερία / Ταυρική, translit=Kimmería / Taurikḗ ( ) is a peninsula in Ukraine, on the northern coast of the Black Sea, that has been occupied by Russia since 2014. It has a p ...
. In December the
Red Army
The Workers' and Peasants' Red Army (Russian language, Russian: Рабо́че-крестья́нская Кра́сная армия),) often shortened to the Red Army, was the army and air force of the Russian Soviet Federative Socialist R ...
made an
amphibious assault
Amphibious warfare is a type of Offensive (military), offensive military operation that today uses naval ships to project ground and air power onto a hostile or potentially hostile shore at a designated landing beach. Through history the opera ...
on the eastern end of the region to disrupt the
Siege of Sevastopol and re-establish airbases there. Throughout December 1941 and through to June 1942, north I. and II./JG 77 were involved in combat operations (III./JG 77 was removed because of losses).
Kerch
Kerch ( uk, Керч; russian: Керчь, ; Old East Slavic: Кърчевъ; Ancient Greek: , ''Pantikápaion''; Medieval Greek: ''Bosporos''; crh, , ; tr, Kerç) is a city of regional significance on the Kerch Peninsula in the east of ...
fell to the Axis on 20 May 1942. Freytag's II. ''
Gruppe'' (2nd group) participated in the Sevastopol operation with III. ''Gruppe'' until mid-June.
Malta, North Africa and Sicily
On 27 June 1942, Freytag was appointed ''
Staffelkapitän
''Staffelkapitän'' is a position (not a rank) in flying units ( ''Staffel'') of the German Luftwaffe that is the equivalent of RAF/USAF Squadron Commander. Usually today a ''Staffelkapitän'' is of ''Oberstleutnant'' or '' Major'' rank.
In the ...
'' (squadron leader) of 1. ''Staffel'' and was transferred with this squadron to
Sicily
(man) it, Siciliana (woman)
, population_note =
, population_blank1_title =
, population_blank1 =
, demographics_type1 = Ethnicity
, demographics1_footnotes =
, demographi ...
. From here, I./JG 77 was to escort German bomber formations attacking Malta and its sea communications. Freytag achieved a series of successes against
Royal Air Force
The Royal Air Force (RAF) is the United Kingdom's air and space force. It was formed towards the end of the First World War on 1 April 1918, becoming the first independent air force in the world, by regrouping the Royal Flying Corps (RFC) an ...
(RAF) fighters over the summer 1942 that he was nicknamed the ''Stern von Malta'' (The Star of Malta). On 3 July Freytag was awarded the
Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross
The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross (german: Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes), or simply the Knight's Cross (), and its variants, were the highest awards in the military and paramilitary forces of Nazi Germany during World War II.
The Knight' ...
() for 50 victories. On 27 July Freytag led eight Bf 109s in a battle against
Supermarine Spitfire
The Supermarine Spitfire is a British single-seat fighter aircraft used by the Royal Air Force and other Allies of World War II, Allied countries before, during, and after World War II. Many variants of the Spitfire were built, from the Mk 1 ...
s, but the German formation lost three—including Freytag who ditched into the
Mediterranean Sea
The Mediterranean Sea is a sea connected to the Atlantic Ocean, surrounded by the Mediterranean Basin and almost completely enclosed by land: on the north by Western and Southern Europe and Anatolia, on the south by North Africa, and on the ...
after being shot down. Freytag was rescued by a
seaplane
A seaplane is a powered fixed-wing aircraft capable of takeoff, taking off and water landing, landing (alighting) on water.Gunston, "The Cambridge Aerospace Dictionary", 2009. Seaplanes are usually divided into two categories based on their tec ...
. On 6 July Freytag shot down American
Flight Sergeant Edwin Moye of
No. 185 Squadron RAF, who was killed. By 11 October 1942 Freytag had claimed 73 aircraft destroyed. On this date Freytag claimed a solitary Spitfire.
On 23 October 1942 1. ''Staffel'' was transferred to
Egypt
Egypt ( ar, مصر , ), officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, is a transcontinental country spanning the northeast corner of Africa and southwest corner of Asia via a land bridge formed by the Sinai Peninsula. It is bordered by the Med ...
as the
North African campaign entered its final phase. The
British Army
The British Army is the principal land warfare force of the United Kingdom, a part of the British Armed Forces along with the Royal Navy and the Royal Air Force. , the British Army comprises 79,380 regular full-time personnel, 4,090 Gur ...
began the
Second Battle of El Alamein
The Second Battle of El Alamein (23 October – 11 November 1942) was a battle of the Second World War that took place near the Egyptian railway halt of El Alamein. The First Battle of El Alamein and the Battle of Alam el Halfa had prevented ...
and the Luftwaffe rushed in reinforcements. On 11 November 1942, near
El Alamein
El Alamein ( ar, العلمين, translit=al-ʿAlamayn, lit=the two flags, ) is a town in the northern Matrouh Governorate of Egypt. Located on the Arab's Gulf, Mediterranean Sea, it lies west of Alexandria and northwest of Cairo. , it had ...
, Freytag claimed two Spitfires. On 13 January Freytag may have shot down a
Martin Baltimore
The Martin 187 Baltimore was a twin-engined light attack bomber built by the Glenn L. Martin Company in the United States as the A-30. The model was originally ordered by the French in May 1940 as a follow-up to the earlier Martin Maryland, then ...
. On 28 January he accounted for a
B-26 Marauder
The Martin B-26 Marauder is an American twin-engined medium bomber that saw extensive service during World War II. The B-26 was built at two locations: Baltimore, Maryland, and Omaha, Nebraska, by the Glenn L. Martin Company.
First used in ...
. On 1 March 1943 Freytag was promoted to ''
Hauptmann
is a German word usually translated as captain when it is used as an officer's rank in the German, Austrian, and Swiss armies. While in contemporary German means 'main', it also has and originally had the meaning of 'head', i.e. ' literally ...
''.
Group commander
On 7 March 1943 Freytag was appointed temporary ''
Gruppenkommandeur
''Gruppenkommandeur'' is a Luftwaffe position (not rank), that is the equivalent of a commander of a group or wing in other air forces. A ''Gruppenkommandeur'' usually has the rank of Major or '' Oberstleutnant'' (Lieutenant Colonel), and comma ...
'' (group commander) of II./JG 77 based at La Fauconnerie,
Tunisia
)
, image_map = Tunisia location (orthographic projection).svg
, map_caption = Location of Tunisia in northern Africa
, image_map2 =
, capital = Tunis
, largest_city = capital
, ...
. He officially succeeded ''Major''
Anton Mader in this capacity who had been transferred on 1 April. In the afternoon of the 13 March ''
Geschwaderkommodore'' (wing commander)
Joachim Müncheberg
Joachim Müncheberg (31 December 1918 – 23 March 1943) was a German Luftwaffe fighter pilot during World War II and an ace credited with 135 air victories. The majority of his victories were claimed over the Western Front, with 33 claims ov ...
led I./JG 77 over
Gabes. On this sortie, Freytag claimed his 86th and 87th victories, after Müncheberg ordered them to attack some low-flying
United States Army Air Force
The United States Army Air Forces (USAAF or AAF) was the major land-based aerial warfare service component of the United States Army and ''de facto'' aerial warfare service branch of the United States during and immediately after World War II ...
(USAAF)
P-39 Airacobra
The Bell P-39 Airacobra is a fighter produced by Bell Aircraft for the United States Army Air Forces during World War II. It was one of the principal American fighters in service when the United States entered combat. The P-39 was used by the ...
s.
On 30 March Freytag led the ''Gruppe'' against USAAF bombing raids. The Bf 109s engaged the US
52d Fighter Group
5 (five) is a number, numeral and digit. It is the natural number, and cardinal number, following 4 and preceding 6, and is a prime number. It has attained significance throughout history in part because typical humans have five digits on eac ...
, which was escorting 18
A-20 Havoc
The Douglas A-20 Havoc (company designation DB-7) is an American medium bomber, attack aircraft, Intruder (air combat), night intruder, night fighter, and reconnaissance aircraft of World War II.
Designed to meet an Army Air Corps requirement f ...
bombers against La Fauconnerie.
Ernst-Wilhelm Reinert claimed two bombers before the P-40s claimed two German fighters. Freytag claimed one P-40 in this battle for his 88th victory. On 4 April JG 77 engaged in a day of heavy air combat with the new commanding officer
Johannes Steinhoff
Johannes "Macky" Steinhoff (15 September 1913 – 21 February 1994) was a Luftwaffe fighter ace during World War II, German general, and NATO official. He was one of very few Luftwaffe pilots who survived to fly operationally through the whole ...
and lost three pilots. Steinhoff and Reinert claimed three and one respectively. Their opponents were Spitfires and
Curtiss P-40 Warhawk
The Curtiss P-40 Warhawk is an American single-engined, single-seat, all-metal fighter and ground-attack aircraft that first flew in 1938. The P-40 design was a modification of the previous Curtiss P-36 Hawk which reduced development time and ...
s from the US
33rd Fighter Group
The 33d Operations Group is the flying component of the 33d Fighter Wing, assigned to Air Education and Training Command of the United States Air Force. The group is stationed at Eglin Air Force Base, Florida.
The group was first activated in ...
. Freytag claimed a Spitfire on this day. On 5 April
Operation Flax
Operation Flax was a Western Allied air operation during the Tunisian campaign, as part of the larger North African campaign of the Second World War. It was designed to cut air supply between Italy and the Axis armies in Tunis, Tunisia, in Apr ...
commenced as Allied air forces attacked German air transports. The
Tunisian Campaign
The Tunisian campaign (also known as the Battle of Tunisia) was a series of battles that took place in Tunisia during the North African campaign of the Second World War, between Axis and Allied forces from 17 November 1942 to 13 May 1943. T ...
ended with the Axis capitulation on 13 May 1943. Freytag accounted for his last victory in this theatre on 7 May when he downed a Spitfire over
Tunis
''Tounsi'' french: Tunisois
, population_note =
, population_urban =
, population_metro = 2658816
, population_density_km2 =
, timezone1 = CET
, utc_offset1 ...
—his 94th victory. JG 77 was the last German fighter unit to leave
Africa
Africa is the world's second-largest and second-most populous continent, after Asia in both cases. At about 30.3 million km2 (11.7 million square miles) including adjacent islands, it covers 6% of Earth's total surface area ...
.
II./JG 77 relocated to Sicily. There the formation was responsible for the air defence of the island. Freytag gained four victories over Sicily including two on 9 July. The same day
Operation Husky
Operation or Operations may refer to:
Arts, entertainment and media
* ''Operation'' (game), a battery-operated board game that challenges dexterity
* Operation (music), a term used in musical set theory
* ''Operations'' (magazine), Multi-Ma ...
began and Allied forces landed. Three days later Freytag was shot down and wounded in combat with
Lockheed P-38 Lightning
The Lockheed P-38 Lightning is an American single-seat, twin piston-engined fighter aircraft that was used during World War II. Developed for the United States Army Air Corps by the Lockheed Corporation, the P-38 incorporated a distinctive twi ...
over
Gela
Gela (Sicilian and ; grc, Γέλα) is a city and (municipality) in the Autonomous Region of Sicily, Italy; in terms of area and population, it is the largest municipality on the southern coast of Sicily. Gela is part of the Province of C ...
. Allied forces achieved
air supremacy
Aerial supremacy (also air superiority) is the degree to which a side in a conflict holds control of air power over opposing forces. There are levels of control of the air in aerial warfare. Control of the air is the aerial equivalent of comm ...
by 13 July and all except II./
''Jagdgeschwader'' 51 (JG 51—51st Fighter Wing) had been driven to the northeastern coast. Few fighters remained, but II./JG 77 abandoned
Trapani
Trapani ( , ; scn, Tràpani ; lat, Drepanum; grc, Δρέπανον) is a city and municipality (''comune'') on the west coast of Sicily, in Italy. It is the capital of the Province of Trapani. Founded by Elymians, the city is still an impor ...
and the remnants of the German fighter units retreated to
Foggia
Foggia (, , ; nap, label= Foggiano, Fògge ) is a city and former ''comune'' of Apulia, in Southern Italy, capital of the province of Foggia. In 2013, its population was 153,143. Foggia is the main city of a plain called Tavoliere, also know ...
in
Italy
Italy ( it, Italia ), officially the Italian Republic, ) or the Republic of Italy, is a country in Southern Europe. It is located in the middle of the Mediterranean Sea, and its territory largely coincides with the homonymous geographical ...
. By the time JG 77 departed Sicily, it had claimed 27 Allied aircraft in combat from 10 to 31 July 1943 but lost 51 Bf 109s and 12 pilots killed. II./JG 77 remained on the Mediterranean Front. Freytag was wounded by an Allied air attack on the group's airfield at
Siena
Siena ( , ; lat, Sena Iulia) is a city in Tuscany, Italy. It is the capital of the province of Siena.
The city is historically linked to commercial and banking activities, having been a major banking center until the 13th and 14th centur ...
, Italy on 29 January 1944. During his convalescence, he was temporarily replaced by ''Hauptmann''
Emil Omert
Emil Omert (15 January 1918 – 24 April 1944) was a German Luftwaffe fighter ace, ace and recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross during World War II. Omert claimed 70 aerial victories in over 700 missions, including 125 fighter-bomber ...
as ''Gruppenkommandeur'' of II. ''Gruppe''. Freytag returned to his command in April 1944.
The ''Gruppe'' participated in the
Italian Campaign until its withdrawal the following summer. Freytag claimed his victories over
Consolidated B-24 Liberator
The Consolidated B-24 Liberator is an American heavy bomber, designed by Consolidated Aircraft of San Diego, California. It was known within the company as the Model 32, and some initial production aircraft were laid down as export models ...
s on 29 May and 13 June 1944. On the latter date the
US 15th Air Force
The Fifteenth Air Force (15 AF) is a numbered air force of the United States Air Force's Air Combat Command (ACC). It is headquartered at Shaw Air Force Base. It was reactivated on 20 August 2020, merging the previous units of the Ninth Air For ...
bombed targets in
Sisak
Sisak (; hu, Sziszek ; also known by other alternative names) is a city in central Croatia, spanning the confluence of the Kupa, Sava and Odra rivers, southeast of the Croatian capital Zagreb, and is usually considered to be where the Posavin ...
,
Yugoslavia
Yugoslavia (; sh-Latn-Cyrl, separator=" / ", Jugoslavija, Југославија ; sl, Jugoslavija ; mk, Југославија ;; rup, Iugoslavia; hu, Jugoszlávia; rue, label= Pannonian Rusyn, Югославия, translit=Juhoslavij ...
and
Pétfürdő,
Hungary
Hungary ( hu, Magyarország ) is a landlocked country in Central Europe. Spanning of the Carpathian Basin, it is bordered by Slovakia to the north, Ukraine to the northeast, Romania to the east and southeast, Serbia to the south, Croa ...
using the
47th Bomb Wing
The 47th Flying Training Wing is a United States Air Force pilot training wing based at Laughlin Air Force Base, near Del Rio, Texas. It is one of five pilot training units in the Air Force's Air Education and Training Command which condu ...
and
55th Bomb Wing. The B-24 Freytag claimed was his 100th victory. According to Obermaier, he claimed his 100th aerial victory in December 1944 which would make him the 96th Luftwaffe pilot to achieve the century mark.
Defence of the Reich and Western Front
In the summer, II./JG 77 moved back to Germany for
Defence of the Reich
The Defence of the Reich (german: Reichsverteidigung) is the name given to the military strategy, strategic defensive aerial campaign fought by the Luftwaffe of Nazi Germany over German-occupied Europe and Germany during World War II. Its aim w ...
operations. This period was not successful for Freytag. One notable dogfight occurred on 27 September 1944. Feytag may have shot down
Henry Wallace McLeod
Flight Lieutenant Henry Wallace McLeod DSO, DFC and Bar (17 December 1915 – 27 September 1944) was a Canadian fighter pilot and flying ace with the Royal Canadian Air Force during the Second World War. He achieved a total of 21 enemy aircraft ...
, who was also one of the most successful aces over Malta. Freytag claimed the only Spitfire on 27 September 1944 in the
Duisburg
Duisburg () is a city in the Ruhr metropolitan area of the western German state of North Rhine-Westphalia. Lying on the confluence of the Rhine and the Ruhr rivers in the center of the Rhine-Ruhr Region, Duisburg is the 5th largest city in No ...
area.
James "Johnnie" Johnson had been in the same combat and saw McLeod chasing a Bf 109 and then lost sight of McLeod. Johnson concluded that the Bf 109 had shot down McLeod. His body was found in the wreckage of his Spitfire near
Wesel
Wesel () is a city in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. It is the capital of the Wesel district.
Geography
Wesel is situated at the confluence of the Lippe River and the Rhine.
Division of the city
Suburbs of Wesel include Lackhausen, Obrigh ...
, not far from Duisburg.
On 16 December the German High Command (''
Oberkommando der Wehrmacht'') initiated ''
Unternehmen Wacht am Rhein'' (Operation
''Watch on the Rhine''), a land offensive through the
Ardennes
The Ardennes (french: Ardenne ; nl, Ardennen ; german: Ardennen; wa, Årdene ; lb, Ardennen ), also known as the Ardennes Forest or Forest of Ardennes, is a region of extensive forests, rough terrain, rolling hills and ridges primarily in Be ...
. The Luftwaffe supported the offensive. JG 77 suffered heavily in the air battles with the
RAF Second Tactical Air Force
The RAF Second Tactical Air Force (2TAF) was one of three tactical air forces within the Royal Air Force (RAF) during and after the Second World War. It was made up of squadrons and personnel from the RAF, other British Commonwealth air forces ...
and the US
Ninth Air Force
The Ninth Air Force (Air Forces Central) is a Numbered Air Force of the United States Air Force headquartered at Shaw Air Force Base, South Carolina. It is the Air Force Service Component of United States Central Command (USCENTCOM), a joint De ...
and
Eighth Air Force
The Eighth Air Force (Air Forces Strategic) is a numbered air force (NAF) of the United States Air Force's Air Force Global Strike Command (AFGSC). It is headquartered at Barksdale Air Force Base, Louisiana. The command serves as Air Forces ...
. On 23 December 1944 I./JG 77 lost 15 fighters and six pilots killed in exchange for one
P-47 Thunderbolt
The Republic P-47 Thunderbolt is a World War II-era fighter aircraft produced by the American company Republic Aviation from 1941 through 1945. It was a successful high-altitude fighter and it also served as the foremost American fighter-bombe ...
and a B-26 Marauder. In the afternoon, III./JG 77 were engaged by P-47s over
Bad Münstereifel
Bad Münstereifel () is a historical spa town in the district of Euskirchen, Germany, with about 17,000 inhabitants, situated in the far southwest of the German state of North Rhine-Westphalia. The little town is one of only a few historical tow ...
and lost 10 Bf 109s destroyed and three damaged along with two pilots killed and six wounded. Only three P-47s were claimed.
On Christmas Eve, JG 77 attempted an all-out effort to support the
5th Panzer Army
5th Panzer Army (german: 5. Panzerarmee) was the name of two different German armoured formations during World War II. The first of these was formed in 1942, during the North African campaign and surrendered to the Allies at Tunis in 1943. The a ...
and the
6th Panzer Army
The 6th Panzer Army (german: 6. Panzerarmee) was a formation of the German Army, formed in the autumn of 1944. The 6th Panzer Army was first used as an offensive force during the Battle of the Bulge, in which it operated as the northernmost element ...
as their advance stalled. Freytag's I./JG 77 took off from
Dortmund
Dortmund (; Westphalian nds, Düörpm ; la, Tremonia) is the third-largest city in North Rhine-Westphalia after Cologne and Düsseldorf, and the eighth-largest city of Germany, with a population of 588,250 inhabitants as of 2021. It is th ...
with 24 Bf 109s and flew a patrol in the
Luxembourg
Luxembourg ( ; lb, Lëtzebuerg ; french: link=no, Luxembourg; german: link=no, Luxemburg), officially the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg, ; french: link=no, Grand-Duché de Luxembourg ; german: link=no, Großherzogtum Luxemburg is a small land ...
area. In large-scale air fighting, ''Major''
Johannes Wiese, ''Geschwaderkommodore'' of JG 77 was wounded in combat with Spitfires. I./JG 77 was decimated when it encountered P-47 and P-38s in the target area. 16 Bf 109s were shot down and 10 pilots killed, including experienced leader Lothar Baumann (2./JG 77). One pilot became a
prisoner of war
A prisoner of war (POW) is a person who is held captive by a belligerent power during or immediately after an armed conflict. The earliest recorded usage of the phrase "prisoner of war" dates back to 1610.
Belligerents hold prisoners of ...
in exchange for a single P-38. The losses had a devastating effect on morale. Until Wiese's formal replacement arrived with the ''Geschwader'', command was temporally passed on to Freytag. JG 77's ordeal was not over. On Christmas Day 1944, the Eighth Air Force sent 2,034
heavy bomber
Heavy bombers are bomber aircraft capable of delivering the largest payload of air-to-ground weaponry (usually bombs) and longest range (takeoff to landing) of their era. Archetypal heavy bombers have therefore usually been among the large ...
s and 818 fighters to attack airfields and communication centres in the largest single-attack of the war.
RAF Bomber Command
RAF Bomber Command controlled the Royal Air Force's bomber forces from 1936 to 1968. Along with the United States Army Air Forces, it played the central role in the Strategic bombing during World War II#Europe, strategic bombing of Germany in W ...
sent 338 aircraft (248
Avro Lancaster
The Avro Lancaster is a British World War II, Second World War heavy bomber. It was designed and manufactured by Avro as a contemporary of the Handley Page Halifax, both bombers having been developed to the same specification, as well as the S ...
, 248
Handley-Page Halifax and 11
de Havilland Mosquito
The de Havilland DH.98 Mosquito is a British twin-engined, shoulder-winged, multirole combat aircraft, introduced during the World War II, Second World War. Unusual in that its frame was constructed mostly of wood, it was nicknamed the "Wooden ...
bombers) to attack airfields at
Düsseldorf-Lohausen
Lohausen is an urban quarter in the north of Düsseldorf, bordering on Stockum, Kaiserswerth, Unterrath
Unterrath is one of the 50 quarters of the City of Düsseldorf, Germany. Located in the north of the city, it is part of Borough 6. It ...
and
Essen
Essen (; Latin: ''Assindia'') is the central and, after Dortmund, second-largest city of the Ruhr, the largest urban area in Germany. Its population of makes it the fourth-largest city of North Rhine-Westphalia after Cologne, Düsseldorf and ...
-
Mülheim
Mülheim, officially Mülheim an der Ruhr () and also described as ''"City on the River"'', is a city in North Rhine-Westphalia in Germany. It is located in the Ruhr Area between Duisburg, Essen, Oberhausen and Ratingen. It is home to many co ...
. The airfields were home to III. and II./JG 77. The bases were severely damaged and forced the units to operate from grass airfields.
Acting wing commander and end of war
On 26 December, Freytag temporarily assumed command of JG 77 as ''Geschwaderkommodore''. JG 77 tried to support the offensive in the last week of December. On 27 December, the ''Geschwader'' flew operations with all ''Gruppen'' but in small numbers. Three P-47s were claimed for the loss of three pilots and four Bf 109s. On 29 December the grass at Essen became to wet and II./JG 77 moved to
Bönninghardt, a small grass field southwest of Wesel. On 31 December Freytag organised III./JG 77s withdrawal to Dortmund. During the transfer, the remaining 12 Bf 109s of the ''Gruppe'' were engaged by Allied fighters and lost three Bf 109s and two pilots. Freytag's command had lost 31 dead or missing, 13 wounded and one captured. The fighter unit had lost 86 Bf 109s destroyed or damaged against 15 Allied aircraft claimed.

Freytag participated and led JG 77 in
Operation Bodenplatte, the failed attempt to cripple
Allied air forces in the Low Countries. The objective of Bodenplatte was to gain air superiority. Freytag was ordered to lead II./JG 77 in an attack on the airfield at
Antwerp-
Deurne. This airbase hosted RAF
Hawker Typhoon
The Hawker Typhoon is a British single-seat fighter-bomber, produced by Hawker Aircraft. It was intended to be a medium-high altitude interceptor, as a replacement for the Hawker Hurricane, but several design problems were encountered an ...
wings that had dogged German forces from
Normandy
Normandy (; french: link=no, Normandie ; nrf, Normaundie, Nouormandie ; from Old French , plural of ''Normant'', originally from the word for "northman" in several Scandinavian languages) is a geographical and cultural region in Northwestern ...
to Germany. On the morning of 1 January 1945 Freytag was ordered to lead both I. and III. He conducted the brief that morning. At 08:00, the two formations 18 Bf 109s of I. and III./JG 77 took off. At the same time 23 Bf 109s of II./JG 77 took off. Around the
Bocholt area they formed up with the other two ''Gruppen''. As the fighter wing headed north, it passed
Woensdrecht airfield
Woensdrecht Air Base ( nl, Vliegbasis Woensdrecht) is a military airport between the villages of Woensdrecht and Huijbergen, about south of the city of Bergen op Zoom in the Netherlands. It is located near the A58 motorway and the border with B ...
. The aerodrome was home to
132 Wing and its five Spitfire squadrons;
331
__NOTOC__
Year 331 ( CCCXXXI) was a common year starting on Friday (link will display the full calendar) of the Julian calendar. At the time, it was known as the Year of the Consulship of Bassus and Ablabius (or, less frequently, year 1084 ' ...
,
332
Year 332 ( CCCXXXII) was a leap year starting on Saturday (link will display the full calendar) of the Julian calendar. At the time, it was known as the Year of the Consulship of Pacatianus and Hilarianus (or, less frequently, year 1085 ''Ab ur ...
,
66 and
127 127 may refer to:
*127 (number), a natural number
*AD 127, a year in the 2nd century AD
*127 BC, a year in the 2nd century BC
*127 (band), an Iranian band
See also
*List of highways numbered 127
Route 127 or Highway 127 can refer to multiple roads ...
, and
322
__NOTOC__
Year 322 ( CCCXXII) was a common year starting on Monday (link will display the full calendar) of the Julian calendar. At the time, it was known as the Year of the Consulship of Probianus and Iulianus (or, less frequently, year 1075 ...
(Dutch). Some pilots from II./JG 77 either mistakenly believed it to be Antwerp, or thought the opportunity was too good to pass up. Two German fighters were claimed shot down, and one pilot captured. However, none of the JG 77 casualties fit this description.
The main body continued to Antwerp. Some 12–30 German fighters attacked the airfield from 09:25 to 09:40. The ground defences were alert and the German formations attacked in a disorganised manner. 145 Wing RAF was missed completely and considering the large number of targets the destruction was light; just 12 Spitfires were destroyed. In total, 14 Allied aircraft were destroyed and nine damaged. JG 77 lost 11 Bf 109s and their pilots were lost. Six were killed and five captured according to Allied sources. However, German records show the loss of only 10 pilots. Four are listed as captured. During the battle Freytag claimed his 102nd aerial victory over a Spitfire that day, his last aerial victory claimed. No details are known. JG 77's attack was failure.
On 15 January 1945, Freytag relinquished command of JG 77 to ''Major''
Erich Leie who had already officially been appointed ''Geschwaderkommodore'' on 29 December 1944. On 7 March 1945, Leie was killed in action when he collided with a crashing Russian
Yakovlev Yak-9
The Yakovlev Yak-9 (russian: Яковлев Як-9) is a single-engine, single-seat multipurpose fighter aircraft used by the Soviet Union and its allies during World War II and the early Cold War. It was a development of the robust and succes ...
fighter which he had just shot down. Freytag was subsequently again given the task of leading JG 77. Freytag returned to II. ''Gruppe'' on 1 April when command of JG 77 was given to ''Major''
Fritz Losigkeit. Freytag had left JG 77 in late April. He was scheduled to take over command of JG 51 but never took command of this unit. Instead, he traveled to
Prague
Prague ( ; cs, Praha ; german: Prag, ; la, Praga) is the capital and largest city in the Czech Republic, and the historical capital of Bohemia. On the Vltava river, Prague is home to about 1.3 million people. The city has a temperate ...
where he joined
''Jagdgeschwader'' 7 "Nowotny" (JG 7—7th Fighter Wing), flying the
Messerschmitt Me 262
The Messerschmitt Me 262, nicknamed ''Schwalbe'' (German: "Swallow") in fighter versions, or ''Sturmvogel'' (German: "Procellariidae, Storm Bird") in fighter-bomber versions, is a fighter aircraft and fighter-bomber that was designed and produc ...
first operational
jet fighter
Fighter aircraft are fixed-wing military aircraft designed primarily for air-to-air combat. In military conflict, the role of fighter aircraft is to establish air superiority of the battlespace. Domination of the airspace above a battlefield ...
.
French Foreign Legion and death
Following World War 2, Freytag was without a job and without a family. One of his brothers was killed in 1944 on the Eastern Front, his sister and the rest of his family disappeared in the sinking of the
MV ''Wilhelm Gustloff''. The family assets having been confiscated by the post-war territorial divisions, he then worked as a miner and then as a technician.
In 1952, Freytag, volunteered in the Legion thinking that the
Legion would recruit pilots; at least, that was the official version of a wrong assumption. Assigned to the
5th Foreign Infantry Regiment
The 5th Foreign Infantry Regiment (abbr. 5th REI, french: 5e Régiment Étranger d'Infanterie), nicknamed the "Regiment of Tonkin" (french: "Régiment du Tonkin"), was a regiment of the Foreign Legion of the French Army created under the Thir ...
after his basic training at
Sidi Bel Abbès
Sidi Bel Abbès ( ar, سيدي بلعباس), also called Bel Abbès, is the capital (2005 pop. 200,000)''Sidi Bel Abbes'', lexicorient.com (Encyclopaedia of the Orient), internet article. of the Sidi Bel Abbès wilaya (2005 pop. 590,000), Alger ...
, Legionnaire Siegfried served and fought with distinction for 18 years with the
13th Demi-Brigade of the Foreign Legion
) and veteran foreign regiments (french: Anciens régiment étranger, link=no) of the Legion, in case of the CEPs, BEPs & REPs, the context reference is referring to the paratrooper veterans (french: Anciens legionnaires parachutistes, link=no) ...
; the former
Free French
Free France (french: France Libre) was a political entity that claimed to be the legitimate government of France following the dissolution of the Third Republic. Led by French general , Free France was established as a government-in-exil ...
Demi-Brigade, in the
Indochina War
The First Indochina War (generally known as the Indochina War in France, and as the Anti-French Resistance War in Vietnam) began in French Indochina from 19 December 1946 to 20 July 1954 between France and Việt Minh ( Democratic Republic of ...
, the
Algerian War
The Algerian War, also known as the Algerian Revolution or the Algerian War of Independence,( ar, الثورة الجزائرية '; '' ber, Tagrawla Tadzayrit''; french: Guerre d'Algérie or ') and sometimes in Algeria as the War of 1 November ...
and
Djibouti
Djibouti, ar, جيبوتي ', french: link=no, Djibouti, so, Jabuuti officially the Republic of Djibouti, is a country in the Horn of Africa, bordered by Somalia to the south, Ethiopia to the southwest, Eritrea in the north, and the Re ...
. Promoted to
Sergent in 1962, he asked to be demoted to the rank of Caporal Chef and served in the
1st Foreign Regiment
The 1st Foreign Regiment (french: 1er Régiment étranger, 1er RE) and the 2nd Foreign infantry Regiment are the original and most senior founding regiments of the Foreign Legion in the French Army.
The regiment is also responsible for running s ...
from 1965 to 1970, the year in which he retired from active duty. Freytag died on 2 June 2003 in
Marseille
Marseille ( , , ; also spelled in English as Marseilles; oc, Marselha ) is the prefecture of the French department of Bouches-du-Rhône and capital of the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region. Situated in the camargue region of southern Fran ...
. He was interred in the ''Carré militaire'' of the ''
Institution des invalides de la Légion étrangère'' in
Puyloubier
Puyloubier (; oc, Pueglobier) is a commune in the Bouches-du-Rhône department in southern France.
In Puyloubier can be found the '' Institution des invalides de la Légion étrangère'' which is a retirement home for former members of the Fre ...
.
Summary of career
Aerial victory claims
According to US historian
David T. Zabecki
David T. Zabecki (born 1947) is an American military historian, author and editor. Zabecki served in the U.S. Army both in the Vietnam War and in United States Army Europe in Germany attaining the rank of major general. Zabecki holds PhDs in eng ...
, Freytag was credited with 102 aerial victories. Spick lists Freytag with 102 aerial victories as well, of which approximately 70 were claimed over the Eastern Front and further 32 over the Western Front, North Africa and Meditarraenan theater, claimed in an unknown number of combat missions. Obermaier also lists him 102 aerial victories of which 49 were claimed over the Eastern Front. Mathews and Foreman, authors of ''Luftwaffe Aces — Biographies and Victory Claims'', researched the
German Federal Archives
, type = Archive
, seal =
, seal_size =
, seal_caption =
, seal_alt =
, logo = Bundesarchiv-Logo.svg
, logo_size =
, logo_caption =
, lo ...
and state that Freytag was credited with 89 aerial victories, 44 on the Eastern Front and 45 on the Western Front, including three heavy bombers. In addition to these claims, according to Prien, Stemmer, Rodeike and Bock, Freytag further claimed eleven, potentially twelve, undocumented aerial victories.
Victory claims were logged to a map-reference (PQ = ''Planquadrat''), for example "PQ 35391". The Luftwaffe grid map () covered all of Europe, western Russia and North Africa and was composed of rectangles measuring 15
minutes
Minutes, also known as minutes of meeting (abbreviation MoM), protocols or, informally, notes, are the instant written record of a meeting or hearing. They typically describe the events of the meeting and may include a list of attendees, a state ...
of
latitude
In geography, latitude is a coordinate that specifies the north– south position of a point on the surface of the Earth or another celestial body. Latitude is given as an angle that ranges from –90° at the south pole to 90° at the north po ...
by 30 minutes of
longitude
Longitude (, ) is a geographic coordinate that specifies the east– west position of a point on the surface of the Earth, or another celestial body. It is an angular measurement, usually expressed in degrees and denoted by the Greek let ...
, an area of about . These sectors were then subdivided into 36 smaller units to give a location area 3 × 4 km in size.
Awards
*
Honour Goblet of the Luftwaffe (''Ehrenpokal der Luftwaffe'') on 18 May 1942 ''
Oberleutnant'' and pilot
*
Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross
The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross (german: Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes), or simply the Knight's Cross (), and its variants, were the highest awards in the military and paramilitary forces of Nazi Germany during World War II.
The Knight' ...
on 3 July 1942 as ''Oberleutnant'' and pilot in the I./''Jagdgeschwader'' 77
*
German Cross
The War Order of the German Cross (german: Der Kriegsorden Deutsches Kreuz), normally abbreviated to the German Cross or ''Deutsches Kreuz'', was instituted by Adolf Hitler on 28 September 1941. It was awarded in two divisions: in gold for repe ...
in Gold on 25 January 1943 as ''Oberleutnant'' in the 1./''Jagdgeschwader'' 77
Notes
References
Citations
Bibliography
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Freytag, Siegfried
1919 births
2003 deaths
Luftwaffe pilots
German World War II flying aces
Military personnel from Gdańsk
People from West Prussia
Recipients of the Gold German Cross
Recipients of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross
Soldiers of the French Foreign Legion
French military personnel of the First Indochina War
French military personnel of the Algerian War