Helmut Grollmus Explained

Helmut Grollmus
Birth Date:	8 January 1918
Death Place:	Viipuri, Finland Child: yes Death Cause: Killed in action
Serviceyears:	1942–1944
Rank:	Leutnant
Commands:	2./JG 54
Battles:	World War II Eastern Front
Awards:	German Cross Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross

Helmut Grollmus (8 January 1918 – 19 June 1944) was a Luftwaffe fighter ace and recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross during World War II. Helmuth Grollmus was credited with 75 aerial victories during World War II. In 1944 he was killed in action during a dogfight over Finland.

Career

Grollmus was born on 8 January 1918 in Lissa, at the time in the Province of Posen, a province of the Kingdom of Prussia. Today Lissa is Leszno in western Poland. Following flight training, Grollmus was posted to the Ergänzungsjagdgruppe of Jagdgeschwader 54 (JG 54—54th Fighter Wing), a supplementary training group, in November 1941. On 9 March 1942, the Ergänzungsgruppe of JG 54 was disbanded and the pilots were transferred to I. Gruppe (1st group) of JG 54. In consequence, Grollmus was transferred to 2. Staffel of JG 54. As part of a Luftwaffe plan to exchange fighter units operating on the Eastern Front with fighter units flying on the Western Front, Grollmus was assigned to 12. Staffel of JG 54 in July 1943 which had been newly formed from elements of 7. Staffel of Jagdgeschwader 26 "Schlageter" (JG 26—26th Fighter Wing) and 4. Staffel of JG 54 and was subordinated to II. Gruppe of JG 54.

Grollmus was killed in action over Viipuri, Finland 19 June 1944. He was shot down in his Focke-Wulf Fw 190 A-6 (Werknummer 470075—factory number) during aerial combat with Petlyakov Pe-2 bombers and Bell P-39 Airacobra fighters in a position 20abbr=offNaNabbr=off northeast of Viipuri. Grollmus parachuted out safely but was killed by ground fire. He is buried in the Helsinki-Hietaniemi Cemetery.^[1]

Summary of career

Aerial victory claims

According to Spick, Grollmus was credited with 75 aerial victories claimed in an unknown number missions on the Eastern Front. Heaton, Lewis, Olds and Schulze also list him with 75 aerial victories. Mathews and Foreman, authors of Luftwaffe Aces — Biographies and Victory Claims, researched the German Federal Archives and found records for 68 aerial victory claims, all of which claimed on the Eastern Front.

Victory claims were logged to a map-reference (PQ = Planquadrat), for example "PQ 10163". 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
Claim	Date	Time	Type	Location	Claim	Date	Time	Type	Location
– 1. Staffel of Ergänzungsgruppe/Jagdgeschwader 54 – Eastern Front — 6 December 1941 – 9 March 1942
1	28 January 1942?	09:42	I-18 (MiG-1)	southwest of Malaya Vishera	2?	5 February 1942	08:50	I-18 (MiG-1)	Malaya Vishera
– 2. Staffel of Jagdgeschwader 54 – Eastern Front — 1 May 1942 – 3 February 1943
3	21 July 1942?	19:09	MiG-3		5	15 January 1943	13:50	Il-2	PQ 10163 southwest of Vishera
4	23 July 1942?	08:05	MiG-3
– 2. Staffel of Jagdgeschwader 54 – Eastern Front — 1 May – 30 June 1943
6	24 February 1943	11:30	LaGG-3	PQ 36 Ost 10162	7	28 February 1943	15:40	Pe-2	PQ 26 Ost 90164 southeast of Shlisselburg
– 12. Staffel of Jagdgeschwader 54 – Eastern Front — 1 July – 31 December 1943
8	12 July 1943	14:44	Il-2	PQ 35 Ost 64683 southeast of Shlisselburg	26	1 September 1943	18:17	Il-2?	PQ 35 Ost 35363 15km (09miles) northeast of Yelnya
9	13 July 1943	05:27	Yak-7	PQ 35 Ost 64894 10km (10miles) southwest of Lomonosov	27	7 October 1943	07:23	La-5	southwest of Oster
10	13 July 1943	10:45	Il-2	PQ 35 Ost 63256	28	11 October 1943	12:32	Yak-9	east of the Dnieper
11	13 July 1943	10:48	Il-2	PQ 35 Ost 63283 25km (16miles) southeast of Mtsensk	29	13 October 1943	05:56	Yak-9	southeast of Kiev
12	1 August 1943	07:16?	LaGG-3	PQ 36 Ost 10143 south of Shlisselburg	30	13 October 1943	06:07	Yak-9	southeast of Kiev
13	2 August 1943	10:13	LaGG-3	PQ 36 Ost 10322 10km (10miles) southeast of Mga	31	21 October 1943	09:48	Il-2	eastern bank of the Dnieper
14	3 August 1943	14:02	Yak-7	PQ 36 Ost 10272 25km (16miles) east-southeast of Mga	32	21 October 1943	09:56	Pe-2	eastern bank of the Dnieper
15	8 August 1943	17:10	Yak-7	PQ 35 Ost 5336	33	21 October 1943	15:20	La-5	west-northwest of Rshitschtschew
16	13 August 1943	16:31?	Il-2	PQ 35 Ost 44891 10km (10miles) southwest of Karachev	34	24 October 1943	14:56	La-5	northeast of Kanev
17	14 August 1943	05:05	La-5	PQ 35 Ost 4575	35	3 November 1943	14:56	Yak-9	south of Ljutesh
18	16 August 1943	13:15?	Yak-9	PQ 35 Ost 45553 15km (09miles) north-northeast of Kirov	36	5 November 1943	14:29	Il-2	southeastern suburbs of Kiev
19	19 August 1943	12:47	La-5	PQ 35 Ost 43863 25km (16miles) east-southeast of Sevsk	37	5 November 1943	14:41	Il-2	southern suburbs of Kiev
20	23 August 1943	13:32	Pe-2	PQ 35 Ost 53413 30km (20miles) northeast of Dmitrowsk	38	22 November 1943	14:19	Il-2	east of Zhytomyr
21	24 August 1943	07:06	DB-3	PQ 35 Ost 44452	39	22 November 1943	14:23	Yak-9	east of Zhytomyr
22	24 August 1943	07:12	LaGG-3	PQ 35 Ost 44532 15km (09miles) south of Datrovo	40	29 November 1943	06:54	La-5	west of Kornin
23	26 August 1943	16:05	Pe-2	PQ 35 Ost 43794 15km (09miles) south-southwest of Sevsk	41	29 November 1943	06:55	La-5	west of Kornin
24	26 August 1943	16:10	LaGG-3	PQ 35 Ost 43782 15km (09miles) south-southwest of Sevsk	42	29 November 1943	10:38	Il-2	PQ 25 Ost 91531 30km (20miles) north of Zelenogorsk
25	31 August 1943	10:05	Yak-9	PQ 35 Ost 25463 20km (10miles) west of Yelnya	43	13 December 1943	12:34	Il-2	northeast of Hrebinky
– 12. Staffel of Jagdgeschwader 54 – Eastern Front — 1 January – 27 February 1944
44	24 January 1944	10:26	La-5	PQ 26 Ost 80694 35km (22miles) east-southeast of Narva	47	13 February 1944	13:36	La-5	PQ 35 Ost 00783 20km (10miles) south of Siversky
45	24 January 1944	10:32	Il-2	PQ 26 Ost 90574 35km (22miles) southwest of Lissino	48	16 February 1944	10:28	U-2	PQ 36 Ost 00831 10km (10miles) east of Leningrad
46	29 January 1944	10:34	Yak-9	PQ 26 Ost 90584 25km (16miles) southwest of Lissino
– 4. Staffel of Jagdgeschwader 54 – Eastern Front — 1 March – 19 June 1944
49	7 March 1944	08:49	Yak-9	PQ 25 Ost 70321 Baltic Sea, 45km (28miles) northeast of Kunda	60	8 April 1944	09:52	Il-2	PQ 26 Ost 88853 40km (30miles) southeast of Ostrov
50	19 March 1944	08:57	LaGG-3	PQ 25 Ost 88411 10km (10miles) southwest of Pskov	61	15 April 1944	15:06	Yak-1?	PQ 25 Ost 88355 east of Ostrov
51	19 March 1944	09:10	LaGG-3	PQ 25 Ost 88274 15km (09miles) east of Pskov	62	17 June 1944	13:25?	Il-2	PQ 25 Ost 91545 25km (16miles) northwest of Zelenogorsk
52	19 March 1944	09:10?	Yak-9	PQ 25 Ost 88122 15km (09miles) north-northwest of Pskov	63	17 June 1944	13:40	Il-2	PQ 26 Ost 81664 35km (22miles) south-southeast of Vyborg
53	26 March 1944	13:00	Yak-9	PQ 25 Ost 78284 40km (30miles) west of Pskov	64♠	19 June 1944	12:48?	P-39	PQ 26 Ost 81462 20km (10miles) southeast of Vyborg
54	26 March 1944	15:38	Pe-2	PQ 25 Ost 89722 25km (16miles) northwest of Pskov	65♠	19 June 1944	12:53	Il-2	PQ 26 Ost 81467 10km (10miles) southeast of Vyborg
55	27 March 1944	06:26	Yak-9	PQ 25 Ost 78262	66♠	19 June 1944	12:56	Il-2	PQ 26 Ost 81497 10km (10miles) southeast of Vyborg
56	1 April 1944	10:24	Yak-9	PQ 25 Ost 88524 10km (10miles) west of Selo	67♠	19 June 1944	17:07	Il-2	PQ 26 Ost 91377 30km (20miles) south-southeast of Vyborg
57	3 April 1944	12:33	Yak-9	20km (10miles) southwest of Selo	68♠	19 June 1944	17:42	Il-2	PQ 26 Ost 91381 35km (22miles) southeast of Vyborg
58	7 April 1944	09:43	Il-2	PQ 25 Ost 88355 vicinity of Selo	69♠	19 June 1944	20:25	P-39	PQ 26 Ost 81833 10km (10miles) east of Vyborg
59	8 April 1944	09:47	Il-2	PQ 25 Ost 88854 40km (30miles) southeast of Ostrov

Awards

• Iron Cross (1939) 2nd and 1st Class
• Honor Goblet of the Luftwaffe on 1 November 1943 as Unteroffizier and pilot
• German Cross in Gold on 12 December 1943 as Feldwebel in the 12./Jagdgeschwader 54
• Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross on 6 October 1944 as Leutnant and pilot in the II./Jagdgeschwader 54

References

Bibliography

• Web site: Bergström . Christer .

  sv:Christer Bergström

  . Identifying a Luftwaffe Planquadrat . Bergström Black Cross/Red Star website . 30 January 2023 . . https://web.archive.org/web/20181222042030/http://www.bergstrombooks.elknet.pl/bc-rs/planquadrat.htm . 22 December 2018 . dead.
• Book: Dixon , Jeremy . 2023 . Day Fighter Aces of the Luftwaffe: Knight's Cross Holders 1943–1945 . Barnsley . . 978-1-39903-073-1.
• Book: Fellgiebel , Walther-Peer .

  de:Walther-Peer Fellgiebel

  . 2000 . 1986 . Die Träger des Ritterkreuzes des Eisernen Kreuzes 1939–1945 — Die Inhaber der höchsten Auszeichnung des Zweiten Weltkrieges aller Wehrmachtteile . The Bearers of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross 1939–1945 — The Owners of the Highest Award of the Second World War of all Wehrmacht Branches . German . Friedberg, Germany . Podzun-Pallas . 978-3-7909-0284-6.
• Book: Hannig . Norbert . 2004 . Luftwaffe Fighter Ace . Grub Street . London . 978-1-904010-94-4 . 22 October 2021.
• Book: Heaton . Colin D. . Lewis . Anne-Marie . Olds . Robin . Robin Olds . Schulze . Kurt . 2011 . The German Aces Speak: World War II Through the Eyes of Four of the Luftwaffe's Most Important Commanders . . 978-1-61059-748-7.
• Book: Mathews . Andrew Johannes . Foreman . John . 2015 . Luftwaffe Aces — Biographies and Victory Claims — Volume 2 G–L . Walton on Thames . Red Kite . 978-1-906592-19-6.
• Book: Obermaier , Ernst . 1989 . Die Ritterkreuzträger der Luftwaffe Jagdflieger 1939 – 1945 . The Knight's Cross Bearers of the Luftwaffe Fighter Force 1939 – 1945 . German . Mainz, Germany . Verlag Dieter Hoffmann . 978-3-87341-065-7.
• Book: Patzwall . Klaus D. . Scherzer . Veit . 2001 . Das Deutsche Kreuz 1941 – 1945 Geschichte und Inhaber Band II . The German Cross 1941 – 1945 History and Recipients Volume 2 . German . Norderstedt, Germany . Verlag Klaus D. Patzwall . 978-3-931533-45-8.
• Book: Patzwall . Klaus D. . 2008 . Der Ehrenpokal für besondere Leistung im Luftkrieg . The Honor Goblet for Outstanding Achievement in the Air War . de . Norderstedt, Germany . Verlag Klaus D. Patzwall . 978-3-931533-08-3.
• Book: Prien . Jochen . Stemmer . Gerhard . Rodeike . Peter . Bock . Winfried . 2005 . Die Jagdfliegerverbände der Deutschen Luftwaffe 1934 bis 1945—Teil 9/I—Winterkampf im Osten—6.12.1941 bis 30.4.1942 . The Fighter Units of the German Air Force 1934 to 1945—Part 9/I—Winter War in the East—6 December 1941 to 30 April 1942 . de . Eutin, Germany . Struve-Druck . 978-3-923457-76-2.
• Book: Prien . Jochen . Stemmer . Gerhard . Rodeike . Peter . Bock . Winfried . 2006 . Die Jagdfliegerverbände der Deutschen Luftwaffe 1934 bis 1945—Teil 9/III—Vom Sommerfeldzug 1942 bis zur Niederlage von Stalingrad—1 May 1942 bis 3 February 1943 . The Fighter Units of the German Air Force 1934 to 1945—Part 9/III—From the 1942 Summer Campaign to the Defeat at Stalingrad—1 May 1942 to 3 February 1943 . de . Eutin, Germany . Struve-Druck . 978-3-923457-78-6.
• Book: Prien . Jochen . Stemmer . Gerhard . Rodeike . Peter . Bock . Winfried . 2012 . Die Jagdfliegerverbände der Deutschen Luftwaffe 1934 bis 1945—Teil 12/III—Einsatz im Osten—4.2. bis 31.12.1943 . The Fighter Units of the German Air Force 1934 to 1945—Part 12/III—Action in the East—4 February to 31 December 1943 . de . Eutin, Germany . Buchverlag Rogge . 978-3-942943-07-9.
• Book: Prien . Jochen . Stemmer . Gerhard . Balke . Ulf . Bock . Winfried . 2022 . Die Jagdfliegerverbände der Deutschen Luftwaffe 1934 bis 1945—Teil 15/II—Einsatz im Osten—1.1. bis 31.12.1944 . The Fighter Units of the German Air Force 1934 to 1945—Part 15/II—Action in the East—1 January to 31 December 1944 . de . Eutin, Germany . Buchverlag Rogge . 978-3-942943-28-4.
• Book: Scherzer , Veit . 2007 . Die Ritterkreuzträger 1939–1945 Die Inhaber des Ritterkreuzes des Eisernen Kreuzes 1939 von Heer, Luftwaffe, Kriegsmarine, Waffen-SS, Volkssturm sowie mit Deutschland verbündeter Streitkräfte nach den Unterlagen des Bundesarchives . The Knight's Cross Bearers 1939–1945 The Holders of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross 1939 by Army, Air Force, Navy, Waffen-SS, Volkssturm and Allied Forces with Germany According to the Documents of the Federal Archives . German . Jena, Germany . Scherzers Militaer-Verlag . 978-3-938845-17-2.
• Book: Spick , Mike . 1996 . Luftwaffe Fighter Aces: The Jadgflieger and their Combat Tactics and Techniques . New York . . 978-0-8041-1696-1 . registration .
• Book: Weal , John . Jagdgeschwader 54 'Grünherz' . 2012-10-20 . Bloomsbury Publishing . 978-1-78200-533-9.

External links

• Traces of War

Notes and References

1. Web site: deZeng IV . Henry L. . Stankey . Douglas G. . Career Summaries - Luftwaffe Officers 1935 - 1945 . ww2.dk . Michael Holm . 23 October 2021.