Hans Dammers

Hans Dammers

Hans Dammers
Born (1913-12-08)8 December 1913
Scherpenberg near Moers
Died 17 March 1944(1944-03-17) (aged 30)
Stanislau
Allegiance  Nazi Germany
Service/branch  Luftwaffe
Rank Leutnant (posthumous)
Unit JG 52, EJGr Ost
Battles/wars World War II
Awards Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross

Hans Dammers (8 August 1913 – 17 March 1944) was a German World War II fighter ace and was credited with 113 aerial victories, with 23 unconfirmed claims. During his numerous ground attack missions he destroyed 11 aircraft, 8 locomotives, 39 horse-drawn wagons, 34 trucks, 3 anti-aircraft emplacements and 1 armoured reconnaissance vehicle.[1] He was also a recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross (German: Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes). The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross was awarded to recognise extreme battlefield bravery or successful military leadership.

Career

Following the launch of Operation Barbarossa in June 1941 Dammers was credited with 48 kills as part of Jagdgeschwader 52 (JG 52—52nd Fighter Wing). His first victory of 1942—a MiG-1—occurred on 13 May followed by a Pe-2 bomber on 28 May. On 17 July 1942 Dammers (flying Bf 109 G-2 Werknummer 13435—factory number) and his wingman Unteroffizier Kurt Keser jumped Soviet Yak-1 pilot (then Starshiy Leytenant) Aleksandr Pokryshkin, but the future second highest scoring Soviet ace managed to shoot both down. Keser was killed and Dammers bailed out.[2]

He resumed his successes, shooting down two LaGG-3s on 28 July, and on 6 August 1942 he claimed an I-153 biplane fighter and two LaGG-3s. Dammers had 57 victories when he was awarded the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross on 23 August 1942. On 5 May 1943, Dammers was credited with his 100th aerial victory. He was the 39th Luftwaffe pilot to achieve the century mark.[3]

Dammers' Bf 109 G-6 (Werknummer 20162) "yellow 9" was struck on 13 March 1944 by debris from a shot down Lavochkin La-5. Dammers bailed out but his parachute got caught on his wing. Dammers succumbed to his injuries and died in hospital on 17 March 1944 in Stanislau. He was posthumously promoted to Leutnant.

Awards

Notes

  1. ↑ According to Obermaier on 20 July 1942.[1]
  2. ↑ According to Scherzer as pilot in the 7./Jagdgeschwader 52.[6]

References

Citations

  1. 1 2 3 Obermaier 1989, p. 99.
  2. ↑ Bergstrom 2006, p. 43.
  3. ↑ Obermaier 1989, p. 243.
  4. ↑ Patzwall & Scherzer 2001, p. 78.
  5. ↑ Fellgiebel 2000, p. 157.
  6. ↑ Scherzer 2007, p. 265.

Bibliography

  • Bergström, Christer; Dikov, Andrey; Antipov, Vlad; Sundin, Claes (2006). Black Cross / Red Star Air War Over the Eastern Front, Volume 3, Everything for Stalingrad. Hamilton MT: Eagle Editions. ISBN 978-0-9761034-4-8. 
  • Fellgiebel, Walther-Peer (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] (in German). Friedberg, Germany: Podzun-Pallas. ISBN 978-3-7909-0284-6. 
  • Obermaier, Ernst (1989). Die Ritterkreuzträger der Luftwaffe Jagdflieger 1939 – 1945 [The Knight's Cross Bearers of the Luftwaffe Fighter Force 1939 – 1945] (in German). Mainz, Germany: Verlag Dieter Hoffmann. ISBN 978-3-87341-065-7. 
  • 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] (in German). Norderstedt, Germany: Verlag Klaus D. Patzwall. ISBN 978-3-931533-45-8. 
  • 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] (in German). Jena, Germany: Scherzers Militaer-Verlag. ISBN 978-3-938845-17-2. 
  • Weal, John (2004). Jagdgeschwader 52: The Experten (Aviation Elite Units). London, UK: Osprey Publishing. ISBN 978-1-84176-786-4. 

External links

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