Heinrich Sterr Explained

Heinrich Sterr
Birth Date:24 September 1919
Birth Place:Ortenburg, Vilshofen
Death Place:airport of Vörde/Bramsche
Child:yes
Death Cause:Killed in action
Serviceyears:1939–1944
Rank:Oberleutnant (first lieutenant)
Commands:16./JG 54
Unit:JG 54
Battles:World War II
Awards:Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross

Heinrich Sterr (24 September 1919 – 26 November 1944) was a World War II Luftwaffe military aviator. As a flying ace, he is credited with 130 aerial victories predominantly claimed on the Eastern Front. He was a 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. On 26 November 1944, he was shot down and killed in action by USAAF fighters.

Career

Sterr was born on 24 September 1919 in Ortenburg, Lower Bavaria as part of the Free State of Bavaria. Unlike many other flying aces in the Luftwaffe, he was not a member of the pre-war Luftwaffe (he had only just turned 20 when war broke out) and he missed the early warfare over Poland, France and the first year in the East. After completing his pilot-training in 1942, Sterr was sent as an Unteroffizier, to 6. Staffel (6th squadron) of Jagdgeschwader 54 (JG 54—54th Fighter Wing). At the time it was based at Ryelbitzi, west of Lake Ilmen covering the battles around Demyansk Pocket as the Soviets continued to try and break through the German forces in front of Leningrad where he scored his first victory on 6 April when he shot down a Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-3 fighter aircraft.

In late 1942, II. Gruppe was scheduled to be reequipped with the Focke-Wulf Fw 190 A-4 at Heiligenbeil, present-day Mamonovo. On 7 January 1943, Sterr was shot down and wounded in his Messerschmitt Bf 109 G-2 (Werknummer 13609—factory number) by Lavochkin-Gorbunov-Gudkov LaGG-3 fighters in the vicinity of Ramushevo on the Lovat River. By the end of March 1943, Sterr had over 30 victories, and on 30 April he was awarded the Honour Goblet of the Luftwaffe (German: Ehrenpokal der Luftwaffe). In June, Luftflotte 1 staged a last big effort to blow the railway bridges of the vital supply link to Leningrad. In July, most other fighter Gruppen were assembled around the Kursk salient for the next German offensive - Operation Zitadelle. Although II./JG 54 was kept back guarding Leningrad, it appears several of its pilots, including Oberfeldwebel Sterr, went with I./JG 54 to Orel. In the fortnight or so that it was where he scored a further ten victories to add to his tally of shootdowns. On 23 July, he was awarded the German Cross in Gold (German: Deutsches Kreuz in Gold).

Eventually the German forces were stretched too thin across the Eastern Front to provide constant air cover and were increasingly being used as "fire brigades", as new Soviet offensives broke out up and down the line. Sterr's victory list is a case in point, on the nomadic existence of II./JG 54 from here on: early August gave 15 victories over Leningrad, then later in the month a clutch of victories south-east of Smolensk. On 8 October 1943, Sterr became an "ace-in-a-day" for the second time, claiming six Lavochkin La-5 fighters shot down north of Kiev. That day, Sterr was also shot down in his Fw 190 A-6 (Werknummer 530353) 3km (02miles) northeast of Dymer. He managed to bail out but was wounded nevertheless.

Oberfeldwebel Sterr was awarded the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross (German: Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes) on 5 December 1943 (nominally for 86 victories) and sent home for officer-training. Returning as a Leutnant in January he was back to Ukraine where he shot down more Soviet aircraft. On 31 March 1944, Sterr was credited with his 100th aerial victory, making him the 68th Luftwaffe pilot to achieve the century mark. In March, he was then briefly posted to 3. Staffel of JG 54 in Estonia for a couple of months. On 3 April, Sterr was appointed Staffelkapitän (squadron leader) of 6. Staffel of JG 54, replacing Leutnant Albin Wolf who had been killed in action the day before. On 29, II. Gruppe received orders to send a fully staffed Staffel for fighting in defense of the Reich. In consequence, 6. Staffel, augmented by pilots from the other Staffeln, was detached and became a fourth Staffel of IV. Gruppe of JG 54.

IV. Gruppe of JG 54 had been withdrawn from the Eastern Front on 25 May and sent to Illesheim Airfield for conversion training to the Fw 190. Here, the Gruppe was placed under command of Major Wolfgang Späte and was joined by the pilots of 6. Staffel led by Sterr. On 22 June, Soviet forces launched Operation Bagration, attacking Army Group Centre in Byelorussia, with the objective of encircling and destroying its main component armies. In consequence, IV. Gruppe was not sent to the Western Front but was ordered to relocate east on 26 June. The following day, the Gruppe arrived at an airfield near Baranavichy located approximately 130abbr=offNaNabbr=off southwest of Minsk. On 20 August, the Jagdwaffe (Luftwaffe fighter force) had a major unit re-organization. Within IV. Gruppe, the 10. Staffel became the 13., the 11. was renamed to 14., the 12. to 15., and Sterr's 6. Staffel was made the 16. Staffel of JG 54.

Defense of the Reich

On 14 September, IV. Gruppe was withdrawn from the Eastern Front and relocated to Löbnitz. Three days later, the Allied Forces launched Operation Market Garden to seize the bridges to Arnhem. This forced the urgent transfer of IV. Gruppe of JG 54 to Plantlünne where the unit was subordinated to the 3. Jagd Division (3rd Fighter Division). This was now a different air war - not the low-level dogfighting and pursuits of the Eastern Front, but the high-altitude engagement against the massive American bomber formations, and their hundreds of escort fighters. With such odds stacked against them, it was often just luck if a pilot would survive. In just 3 weeks, IV. Gruppe of JG 54 lost 30 pilots for only 10 victories - and was soon pulled out the line to reform for the second time in a month.

Flying Fw 190 A-8 (Werknummer 171684), Sterr was killed in action on 26 November 1944 while during his landing approach at an airfield at Vörden. He was shot down by a Republic P-47 Thunderbolt piloted by Captain P.L. Larsen from the 78th Fighter Group. He was nominated for the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves (German: Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes mit Eichenlaub). He was succeeded by Leutnant Paul Brandt as commander of 16. Staffel of JG 54.

Summary of career

Aerial victory claims

According to US historian David T. Zabecki, Sterr was credited with 129 aerial victories. Spick lists Sterr with 130 aerial victories in an unknown number of combat missions, all but three on the Eastern Front. Mathews and Foreman, authors of Luftwaffe Aces — Biographies and Victory Claims, researched the German Federal Archives and found records for 108 aerial victories, all but two claimed on the Eastern Front.

Victory claims were logged to a map-reference (PQ = Planquadrat), for example "PQ 28142". 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
– 6. Staffel of Jagdgeschwader 54 –
Eastern Front — 20 January – 30 April 1942
16 April 194214:05MiG-3
– 6. Staffel of Jagdgeschwader 54 –
Eastern Front — 1 May 1942 – 3 February 1943
29 June 194210:04Pe-2925 December 194212:13Il-22km (01miles) southeast of Strelitzky
319 July 194214:44Il-2Pola railway station1029 December 194211:05LaGG-3PQ 28142
30km (20miles) northwest of Demyansk
428 September 194213:06?LaGG-3PQ 18242
20km (10miles) southeast of Staraya Russa
1129 December 194212:45?Il-2PQ 28171
25km (16miles) west-northwest of Demyansk
529 September 194209:05Yak-1PQ 18254
20km (10miles) southeast of Staraya Russa
1230 December 194209:45Il-2PQ 28114
40km (30miles) northwest of Demyansk
66 December 194212:30Pe-2PQ 28354
10km (10miles) west of Demyansk
1330 December 194212:17LaGG-3PQ 18262
30km (20miles) east-southeast of Staraya Russa
712 December 194214:00LaGG-310km (10miles) east of Lake Werchne147 January 194310:50LaGG-3PQ 18294
40km (30miles) southeast of Staraya Russa
817 December 194213:50LaGG-3PQ 28653
30km (20miles) south-southeast of Demyansk
1525 January 194309:53LaGG-3PQ 00291
10km (10miles) west of Mga
– 6. Staffel of Jagdgeschwader 54 –
Eastern Front — 4 February – 31 December 1943
1611 February 194310:19La-5PQ 36 Ost 10621
25km (16miles) northeast of Lyuban
4613 July 194314:14Il-2PQ 35 Ost 63273
30km (20miles) northwest of Bolkhov
1723 February 194313:47P-40PQ 35 Ost 19842
20km (10miles) northeast of Staraya Russa
4713 July 194314:16Il-2PQ 35 Ost 63254
40km (30miles) east-southeast of Oryol
1827 February 194315:26P-40PQ 35 Ost 28311
20km (10miles) west-northwest of Demyansk
4814 July 194314:15LaGG-3PQ 35 Ost 54362
45km (28miles) east-southeast of Zhizdra
1927 February 194315:38La-5PQ 35 Ost 18492
30km (20miles) west-southwest of Demyansk
4914 July 194314:20LaGG-3PQ 35 Ost 54333
45km (28miles) east-southeast of Zhizdra
2028 February 194313:55Pe-2PQ 35 Ost 18382
45km (28miles) north of Chełm
5017 July 194306:47La-5PQ 35 Ost 54613
25km (16miles) west of Bolkhov
2128 February 194313:57LaGG-3PQ 35 Ost 18382
45km (28miles) north of Chełm
5118 July 194319:18La-5PQ 35 Ost 54455
25km (16miles) northwest of Bolkhov
225 March 194316:16La-5PQ 35 Ost 18364
40km (30miles) south of Staraya Russa
5219 July 194311:41Yak-7PQ 35 Ost 54623
20km (10miles) west of Bolkhov
235 March 194316:17La-5PQ 35 Ost 18362
40km (30miles) south of Staraya Russa
5319 July 194311:43Yak-7PQ 35 Ost 54622
20km (10miles) west of Bolkhov
247 March 194309:22Pe-2PQ 35 Ost 18274
25km (16miles) southeast of Staraya Russa
5421 July 194307:13La-5PQ 35 Ost 63211
35km (22miles) east of Oryol
257 March 194315:55P-39PQ 35 Ost 18472
55km (34miles) west-southwest of Demyansk
5528 July 194309:15Pe-2PQ 36 Ost 10243
25km (16miles) east-southeast of Shlisselburg
267 March 194315:57LaGG-3PQ 35 Ost 18473
55km (34miles) west-southwest of Demyansk
5628 July 194309:18La-5PQ 36 Ost 10172
vicinity of Mga
2714 March 194313:58?P-40PQ 35 Ost 18452
40km (30miles) west of Demyansk
5728 July 194314:56Yak-7PQ 36 Ost 10441
30km (20miles) southeast of Mga
2815 March 194315:53LaGG-3PQ 35 Ost 18272
25km (16miles) southeast of Staraya Russa
5829 July 194308:05La-5PQ 36 Ost 10194
east of Mga
2918 March 194309:18La-5PQ 35 Ost 18221
25km (16miles) east-southeast of Staraya Russa
5929 July 194308:08Yak-7PQ 36 Ost 10413
25km (16miles) east-southeast of Mga
3019 March 194315:24Pe-2PQ 36 Ost 00412
10km (10miles) east of Pushkin
6029 July 194308:11Yak-7PQ 36 Ost 10191
south of Shlisselburg
3123 March 194308:06P-40PQ 36 Ost 00411
10km (10miles) east of Pushkin
6131 July 194313:54P-39PQ 36 Ost 10142
south of Shlisselburg
3217 May 194305:09La-5PQ 36 Ost 10742
30km (20miles) south-southwest of Lyuban
621 August 194306:31La-5PQ 36 Ost 10142
south of Shlisselburg
3322 May 194310:56La-5PQ 36 Ost 2189363♠2 August 194310:25Il-2PQ 36 Ost 10182
east of Mga
3422 May 194310:58La-5PQ 36 Ost 2022264♠2 August 194312:55Il-2PQ 36 Ost 10322
10km (10miles) southeast of Mga
3530 May 194313:44Yak-1PQ 36 Ost 10113
vicinity of Shlisselburg
65♠2 August 194312:57Il-2PQ 36 Ost 10323
10km (10miles) southeast of Mga
3630 May 194320:16P-40PQ 36 Ost 11773
30km (20miles) northwest of Spaskaja-Polist
66♠2 August 194313:24La-5PQ 36 Ost 10331
20km (10miles) east-southeast of Mga
373 June 194312:57?Pe-2PQ 26 Ost 90141
30km (20miles) west-southwest of Lomomosov
67♠2 August 194313:25LaGG-3PQ 36 Ost 10183
east of Mga
3810 June 194315:52LaGG-3PQ 26 Ost 90121
20km (10miles) west of Lomomosov
68♠2 August 194317:34La-5PQ 36 Ost 10113
vicinity of Shlisselburg
3917 June 194305:07La-5PQ 36 Ost 20224
20km (10miles) east of Volkhov
69♠2 August 194319:21La-5PQ 36 Ost 10354
20km (10miles) southeast of Mga
4017 June 194305:17HurricanePQ 36 Ost 20174
vicinity of Volkhov
7011 August 194305:10LaGG-3PQ 35 Ost 45724
15km (09miles) north-northeast of Kirov
4118 June 194312:12LaGG-3PQ 36 Ost 10262
25km (16miles) west-southwest of Shlisselburg
7112 August 194307:50La-5PQ 35 Ost 45751
5km (03miles) northwest of Kirov
4223 June 194320:07P-39PQ 36 Ost 11741
20km (10miles) north of Shlisselburg
7212 August 194307:59La-5PQ 35 Ost 45761
5km (03miles) north-northeast of Kirov
4324 June 194311:11Yak-1?PQ 36 Ost 20191
west of Volkhov
7312 August 194316:02Yak-7PQ 35 Ost 45742
15km (09miles) west of Kirov
449 July 194308:42Yak-9PQ 36 Ost 10264
25km (16miles) west-southwest of Shlisselburg
7414 August 194304:59La-5PQ 35 Ost 45751
5km (03miles) northwest of Kirov
4512 July 194318:19La-5PQ 35 Ost 64882
25km (16miles) southeast of Mtsensk
7514 August 194305:02La-5PQ 35 Ost 45753
5km (03miles) north of Kirov
The authors Prien, Stemmer, Rodeike and Bock have an unaccounted gap of six aerial victories, ranging from aerial victory 76 to 81. According to Mathews and Foreman, these six aerial victories are also not documented.
827 October 194313:39La-5PQ 35 Ost 11794
over Lake Ladoga
86♠8 October 194305:57La-5PQ 35 Ost 01131
over Lake Ladoga
837 October 194314:03La-5PQ 35 Ost 10124
east of Shlisselburg
87♠8 October 194308:24La-5PQ 35 Ost 01411
over Lake Ladoga
84♠8 October 194305:51La-5PQ 35 Ost 0279388♠8 October 194308:25La-5PQ 35 Ost 01413
over Lake Ladoga
85♠8 October 194305:53La-5PQ 35 Ost 0279489♠8 October 194308:27La-5PQ 35 Ost 01413
over Lake Ladoga
– 6. Staffel with II. Gruppe of Jagdgeschwader 54 –
Eastern Front — 1 January – 29 May 1944
9011 January 194413:42Yak-4PQ 26 Ost 80792
35km (22miles) southeast of Narva
10031 March 194417:12Pe-2PQ 25 Ost 78243
9125 January 194410:46La-5PQ 26 Ost 90571
35km (22miles) southwest of Lissino
1011 April 194412:45Yak-9PQ 25 Ost 88392
10km (10miles) southeast of Selo
9225 January 194410:48Il-2PQ 26 Ost 80661
40km (30miles) east of Narva
1022 April 194414:40Il-2PQ 25 Ost 88413
10km (10miles) southwest of Pskov
9328 January 194415:10La-5PQ 26 Ost 80663
40km (30miles) east of Narva
1038 April 194405:33Il-2PQ 25 Ost 78291
30km (20miles) west of Pskov
9419 March 194409:36Yak-9PQ 25 Ost 88133
15km (09miles) north-northeast of Pskov
10428 April 194417:52Yak-9PQ 25 Ost 87694
vicinity of Idritsa
9527 March 194406:20Il-2PQ 25 Ost 78532, east-northeast of Petseri10528 April 194417:54Il-2PQ 25 Ost 97572
10km (10miles) east of Idritsa
9627 March 194406:22Il-2PQ 25 Ost 78254, east-northeast of Petseri1061 May 194411:10Yak-9PQ 25 Ost 96513
15km (09miles) east of Polotsk
9727 March 194406:24Il-2PQ 25 Ost 7826, east-northeast of Petseri1071 May 194411:13Il-2PQ 25 Ost 96381
15km (09miles) southeast of Dretun
9827 March 194406:26Yak-9PQ 25 Ost 78264, Kriwska, east-northeast of Petseri1081 May 194411:14Il-2PQ 25 Ost 96381
15km (09miles) southeast of Dretun
9931 March 194412:43Il-2PQ 25 Ost 88334
15km (09miles) south of Pskov
– 6. Staffel with IV. Gruppe of Jagdgeschwader 54 –
Eastern Front — June – 20 August 1944
9 July 194409:39P-40PQ 25 Ost 4116521 July 194404:15Yak-9
15 July 194413:48Yak-9PQ 26 Ost 50155
over sea in the middle of the Gulf of Finland
11812 August 194410:15Yak-9Warka
The authors Prien, Stemmer, Balke and Bock state that Sterr claimed 13 undocumented aerial victories in the timeframe June to September 1944 while serving with 6. and 16. Staffel. These claims are also not listed by Mathews and Foreman.
– 16. Staffel of Jagdgeschwader 54 –
Western Front — September 1944
12623 September 194418:45P-47PQ 05 Ost 62256
vicinity of Nijmegen
12725 September 194418:05B-25PQ 05 Ost 52238

Awards

References

Bibliography