Friedrich Körner Explained

Friedrich Körner
Birth Date:	24 January 1921
Birth Place:	Schwerte, Province of Westphalia
Death Place:	Bailly, France
Allegiance:	(to 1945)
Branch:	German Air Force
Serviceyears:	1939–45 1956–79
Rank:	Oberleutnant (Wehrmacht) Brigadegeneral (Bundeswehr)
Unit:	JG 27
Battles:	World War II North African Campaign
Awards:	Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross

Friedrich Körner (24 January 1921 – 3 September 1998) was a World War II Luftwaffe Flying ace. He was also a recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross. The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross was awarded to recognise extreme battlefield bravery or successful military leadership. Körner was credited with 36 victories in over 250 missions. All of his victories were scored whilst flying the Messerschmitt Bf 109.

Military career

Körner joined the Luftwaffe on 15 November 1939 and after completion of his pilot training joined I. Gruppe of Jagdgeschwader 27 (JG 27—27th Fighter Wing) in North Africa on 4 July 1941. Körner claimed his first victory on 12 October 1941 near Sallum. In June 1942 he scored 20 kills, five on the 26 June making him an "ace-in-a-day", Körner's most successful day. On 4 July 1942, a year to the day of his arrival, he was shot down whilst scrambling to intercept a Royal Air Force (RAF) bomber formation over the front line near El Alamein in his Bf 109 F-4/Trop (Werknummer 8696—factory number) "Red 11". His victor was Lieutenant Lawrence Waugh of 1 Squadron SAAF. Körner was captured and sent to a prisoner of war camp in Canada, and released in 1947.

After the war

In January 1956, Körner joined the West German Air Force, at the time referred to as the Bundesluftwaffe, holding the rank of Oberleutnant. Initially serving as a flight instructor, he later received general staff training. He retired from military service on 30 June 1979, having reached the rank of Brigadegeneral. Following his retirement, Körner and his wife lived in Paris. He died on 3 September 1998 at the age of in Bailly north-central France.

Summary of career

Aerial victory claims

Körner was credited with 36 aerial victories claimed in approximately 250 combat missions, all of which over North Africa. Mathews and Foreman, authors of Luftwaffe Aces — Biographies and Victory Claims, researched the German Federal Archives and found records for 36 aerial victory claims, all of which over North Africa.

Chronicle of aerial victories
Claim	Date	Time	Type	Location	Claim	Date	Time	Type	Location
– 2. Staffel of Jagdgeschwader 27 – Sicily, Balkans and North Africa — 19 July – 17 November 1941
1	12 October 1941	09:34	P-40	southeast of Sallum	2	20 October 1941	09:45	Blenheim	100km (100miles) north of Marsa Luccech
– 2. Staffel of Jagdgeschwader 27 – In North Africa — 18 November 1941 – 4 July 1942
3	10 December 1941	14:03	Boston	25km (16miles) east of Bir Hacheim	20	14 June 1942	11:05	P-40	north of Kambut
4	28 December 1941	08:55	Hurricane	northeast of El Hasseiat	21	14 June 1942	11:10	P-40	north of Kambut
5	11 January 1942	12:50	P-40	north of Marsa al-Brega	22	14 June 1942	17:05	Beaufighter	north-northeast of Derna
6	13 January 1942	14:35	P-40	Antelat	23	16 June 1942	15:20	P-40	east of El Adem
7	7 February 1942	14:27	Blenheim	northeast of Derna	24	16 June 1942	18:50	P-40	southwest of Kambut
8	8 February 1942	14:27	P-40	Bomba Bay	25	17 June 1942	08:50	P-40	east of Sidi Rezegh
9	9 March 1942	16:50	Albacore	southwest of Sidi Barrani	26♠	26 June 1942	11:48	P-40	west of Marsa Matruh
10	19 March 1942	10:35	P-40	north of Kambut	27♠	26 June 1942	12:18	P-40	west of Marsa Matruh
11	20 March 1942	08:03	P-40	south of Martuba	28♠	26 June 1942	18:42	P-40	south of Marsa Matruh
12	20 March 1942	08:08	P-40	south of Ayn al-Ġazāla	29♠	26 June 1942	18:46	Spitfire	Marsa Matruh
13	21 March 1942	08:55	Boston	southeast of Bir Hacheim	30♠	26 June 1942	19:05	Spitfire	southeast of Marsa Matruh
14	2 April 1942	14:28	Hurricane	north of Kambut	31	1 July 1942	19:01	P-40	west of Borg El Arab
15	27 May 1942	15:30	P-40	south of Kambut	32	1 July 1942	19:03	P-40	west of Borg El Arab
16	29 May 1942	07:52	P-40	west of Tobruk	33	1 July 1942	19:11	P-40	west of Borg El Arab
17	13 June 1942	06:40	P-40	south of Fort Acroma	34	2 July 1942	18:15	P-40	El Alamein
18	13 June 1942	06:50	Hurricane	north of Wadi Es Sahaae	35	2 July 1942	18:20	P-40	Borg El Arab
19	13 June 1942	06:53	P-40	Tobruk	36	3 July 1942	15:11	Hurricane	southeast of El Alamein

Awards

• Iron Cross (1939) 2nd and 1st Class
• German Cross in Gold on 21 August 1942 as Leutnant in the I./Jagdgeschwader 27
• Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross on 6 September 1942 as Leutnant and Staffelführer of the 2./Jagdgeschwader 27

References

Bibliography

• Book: Dixon , Jeremy . 2023 . Day Fighter Aces of the Luftwaffe: Knight's Cross Holders 1939–1942 . . 978-1-52677-864-2.
• Book: Fellgiebel , Walther-Peer .

  de:Walther-Peer Fellgiebel

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• Book: Prien . Jochen . Stemmer . Gerhard . Rodeike . Peter . Bock . Winfried . 2003 . Die Jagdfliegerverbände der Deutschen Luftwaffe 1934 bis 1945—Teil 5—Heimatverteidigung—10. Mai 1940 bis 31 Dezember 1941—Einsatz im Mittelmeerraum—Oktober 1940 bis November 1941—Einsatz im Westen—22. Juni bis 31. Dezember 1941—Die Ergänzungsjagdgruppen—Einsatz 1941 bis zur Auflösung Anfang 1942 . The Fighter Units of the German Air Force 1934 to 1945—Part 5—Defense of the Reich—10 May 1940 to 31 December 1941—Action in the Mediterranean Theater—October 1940 to November 1941—Action in the West—22 June to 31 December 1941—The Supplementary Fighter Groups—Action from 1941 until their Breakup in Early 1942 . de . Eutin, Germany . Struve-Druck . 978-3-923457-68-7.
• Book: Prien . Jochen . Stemmer . Gerhard . Rodeike . Peter . Bock . Winfried . 2004 . Die Jagdfliegerverbände der Deutschen Luftwaffe 1934 bis 1945—Teil 8/I—Einsatz im Mittelmeerraum—November 1941 bis December 1942 . The Fighter Units of the German Air Force 1934 to 1945—Part 8/I—Action in the Mediterranean Theater—November 1941 to December 1942 . de . Eutin, Germany . Struve-Druck . 978-3-923457-74-8.
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