Günther Scholz Explained

Günther Scholz
Birth Date:8 December 1911
Unit:Condor Legion
Commands:Jagdgeschwader 5
Jagdfliegerführer Norwegen
Known For:Last surviving veteran of the Condor Legion
Battles:Spanish Civil War
World War II
Awards:German Cross in Gold

Günther Scholz (8 December 1911 – 24 October 2014)[1] was a German Luftwaffe military aviator and wing commander during World War II, and was the last surviving member of the Condor Legion during the Spanish Civil War. He later participated in the Battle of Britain and commanded Jagdgeschwader 5 (JG 5—5th Fighter Wing) during World War II. He had accumulated at least 33 "kills" during his time of service. His memoirs are documented in the book "In the Skies over Europe."

Career

On 1 September 1943, Scholz was promoted to Geschwaderkommodore (Wing Commander) of JG 5 thus succeeding Oberstleutnant Gotthard Handrick. Scholz's previous position of Gruppenkommandeur (Group Commander) of III. Gruppe of JG 5 was backfilled by Hauptmann (captain) Heinrich Ehrler. On 1 August 1944, Scholz was given the position of Jagdfliegerführer Norwegen. In consequence of this decision, Major Ehrler again succeeded Scholz in his previous command position of Geschwaderkommodore of JG 5. At the time of his death, he was the last known surviving Lieutenant Colonel of the Wehrmacht.

Summary of career

Aerial victory claims

Mathews and Foreman, authors of Luftwaffe Aces — Biographies and Victory Claims, researched the German Federal Archives and state that Scholz was credited with 33 aerial victories. This figure includes one claim during the Spanish Civil War, eight claims during the Battle of France and Battle of Britain on the Western Front, eighteen claims during Operation Barbarossa and six further claims at the Arctic Sea of the Eastern Front.

Victory claims were logged to a map-reference (PQ = Planquadrat), for example "PQ 36 Ost 2912". The Luftwaffe grid map (German: Jägermeldenetz) 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 360sqmi. These sectors were then subdivided into 36 smaller units to give a location area 3x in size.

Chronicle of aerial victories
ClaimDateTimeTypeLocationClaimDateTimeTypeLocation
– 3. Staffel of Jagdgruppe 88 –
Spanish Civil War
119 August 1938I-16
– 1. Staffel of Jagdgeschwader 21 –
Battle of France — 10 May – 25 June 1940
213 May 194006:50Hawk 75east of Leuven426 May 194009:06Hawk 75vicinity of Lens/Douai
320 May 194018:22M.S.406west of Péronne526 May 194009:16Hawk 75vicinity of Lens/Douai
– 7. Staffel of Jagdgeschwader 54 –
Action at the Channel and over England — 26 June – 5 September 1940
625 August 194020:10Spitfirewest of Folkestone82 September 194013:55Spitfire
728 August 194017:20Hurricane
Stab III. Gruppe of Jagdgeschwader 54 –
Action at the Channel and over England — 5 September – 27 October 1940
928 September 194011:07Spitfire
– 7. Staffel of Jagdgeschwader 54 –
Operation Barbarossa — 22 June – 5 December 1941
1023 June 194111:50SB-21912 July 194116:00DB-3
1130 June 194112:10DB-32014 July 194103:30I-16
1230 June 194112:12DB-32121 July 194120:55SB-3
1330 June 194112:14DB-3221 August 194119:05DB-3
146 July 194110:00SB-3east of Ostrov2319 September 194114:00I-153
156 July 194110:07SB-3east of Ostrov2426 September 194116:07MiG-1
167 July 194115:40SB-32530 September 194115:40I-153
177 July 194115:41SB-3264 October 194108:35I-18 (MiG-1)
1810 July 194109:15SB-3east of Pskov2711 October 194111:10I-26 (Yak-1)
– III. Gruppe of Jagdgeschwader 5 –
Artic Front
286 February 194211:10P-403114 July 194212:35HurricaneMurmansk
vicinity of Murmashi
2924 March 194218:25Hurricane3212 August 194214:30MiG-1PQ 36 Ost 2912
3018 May 194210:25Hurricane20km (10miles) west of Murmansk3318 August 194316:24P-40west of Cap Korabelnyj

Awards

References

Bibliography

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Obituary Günther Scholz. de.