Unknow german pilot kia 01.01.1945 "Bodenplatte"
 

Dear Ladies and Gentlemen!
For now one year we´re research for the name of a german fighter pilot who kia on Jan. 1st 1945 near Stolberg-Breinig, germany.
The pilot kia when his aircraft (Fw 190 D-9) was hit by Anti-Aircraft-Fire
from 430th. AAA Btln at 09.59 o`clock.
The pilot were found by US-troops near the wreckage of his aircraft and brought to St. Barbara church at Breinig.
After this point, we couldn´t find any more informations about him. We know at moment that for the time of crash the following US unit were at Breinig:
Detachment I 2 G 2 with the Detachment-Commander Capt. Turnbull.
We hope that anyone have had a photograph from the wreckage of the aircraft or we can found a notice with the name of the unknow german pilot or the way he will gone, when he were brought out of the church.
At moment we´re think, that he was one of the following three pilot from Jagdgeschwader 2: Ogfr. Albert Büttner, FjU. Wilhelm Eggert or Uffz. Adolf Redlich. This three pilots are mia on 01.01.45 in these territory.
I hope you will find informations to help us for our further research.
Best wishes from germany,
Dirk.

Re: Unknow german pilot kia 01.01.1945 "Bodenplatte"
 

Ogfr. Albert Büttner - Obergefreiter = senior lance-corporal

FjU. Wilhelm Eggert - Fahnenjunker = officer cadet corporal

Uffz. Adolf Redlich - Unteroffizier = corporal/sergeant

Amazing that these ranks were piloting a Fw-190D9, when many, far more experienced pilots were still in A-7/8s and 109s during Bodenplatte.

There was no thought to putting the most experienced pilots in the D9?

Bronc

Re: Unknow german pilot kia 01.01.1945 "Bodenplatte"
 

FjU was the abbreviation of the rank Fahnenjunker-Unteroffizier. Another rank was Fahnenjunker-Feldwebel (= FjFw).

Leo

Re: Unknow german pilot kia 01.01.1945 "Bodenplatte"
 

Yes, incredible that such 'Neulinge' were given Doras.

Re: Unknow german pilot kia 01.01.1945 "Bodenplatte"
 

As in any other Air Force, new Aircraft are given to units, not to individual pilots. In case of the Dora, III./JG 54 was first, then JG 26, then JG 2, allways the FW 190 Gruppen first. All very logical. I will respond to the initial question when I am back from travels.

Regards
John

Ps. On 1.1.45 no A-7 flew the Bodenplatte mission.

Re: Unknow german pilot kia 01.01.1945 "Bodenplatte"
 

Or perhaps the better aircraft were given to the newer pilots in the hope they will be more likely to survive, as Heinz Knoke suggested in his book at one point.
Peter

Re: Unknow german pilot kia 01.01.1945 "Bodenplatte"
 

Dirk,

As promised I would follow up on the initial question. I assume you are talking about the crash site at Gut Rochenhaus? The crash site and circumstances of this crash were also investigated by the late Franz Zimmermann (Aachen) in the early nineties. I corresponded extensively with Franz on some of these sites. 430th AAAA Bn claimed many more and the coordinates are known. The one that you mention was indeed claimed at 09.59 hrs and was according to the reports part of a group of 3. The 430th claimed it as an "Me 109" but indeed also Franz Zimmermann found D-9 parts at the site. Unfortunately we do not know what happened with the body of the pilot. Probably buried by US Forces? We simply do not know. If the US Burial Units took care of it it could have been buried at for instance Margaten and or Henri-Chapelle and then it ended in Lommel or Ysselsteyn. We simply could not find an answer. I have reviewed ALL US Report of Burials for Germans at Margraten, Henri-Chapelle, Fosse, etc. and could not find a 100% link to Stollberg-Breinig.

Be aware that of Bodenplatte still 55 pilots have no known grave an are therefore MIA. I have some 25 grave sites of unknown 1.1.45 pilots at mainly Lommel and Ysselsteyn and still work on trying to solve a few MIA cases. I could solve 8 MIA from 1.1.45 until now.

Regarding the site at Breinig. If indeed it is certain (100%) that it was an Fw 190D-9 and that the pilot was killed, I believe it should be one of these four;

Ogfr. Albert Büttner, 3./JG 2
Gefr. Werner Piesker, 4./JG 2
Fj.Uffz. Wilhelm Eggert, 4./JG 2
Uffz. Adolf Redlich, 12./JG 2

As you see I have one more candidate. There is no way to tell who it might have been. Please note that the 430th claimed also a Fw 190 north of Zweifall with pilot killed. Are we sure there is no mix up?

And last but not least. We know a D-9 crashed at Aldenhoven where plane and pilot were recovered in 1974. He is also still unknown and he must also have been one of these four.....

If you have any questions drop me a PM and we can continue to discuss per email.

Regards,

John Manrho

Re: Unknow german pilot kia 01.01.1945 "Bodenplatte"
 

John !

You know, that in Aldenhoven on December 17th, 1944, a Ju 52 came down.

Horst Weber

Re: Unknow german pilot kia 01.01.1945 "Bodenplatte"
 

Horst,

Yes, I know.....and I have pictures of that Ju 52 crash site. But what is the link with the Bodenplatte question?

Thanks,

John

Re: Unknow german pilot kia 01.01.1945 "Bodenplatte"
 

John,
thank you very much for the informations!
Aldenhoven? Is this the soccerplace, where they found the human remains?
I wait now for the papers from Horst Jeckel. I have had them before but I hope I can find in this papers more informations about the pilot from Aldenhoven. I have had the information, that Werner Piesker was hit over St. Trond and crashed there.
Best wishes from germany,
Dirk

Re: Unknow german pilot kia 01.01.1945 "Bodenplatte"
 

Dear John and others,
here my list of the kia and mia pilot with Fw 190 D-9 on "Bodenplatte" of Jagdgeschwader 2:

For Gefr. Werner Piesker I have pow.

Ogfr. Franz Dworak (3./JG 2) 210 117 G.1 + S. Heimbach
Flak, Notlandung.

Fhr. Richard Storkan (1./JG 2) 210 288 W. 8 + Elsenborn
Flak

Ogfr. Albert Büttner (3./JG 2) 500 394 G.10 V R. Lüttich
Flak

Gefr. Fritz Büscher (3./JG 2) 210 250 G. 6 + S. Lückerath
Flak, Hochspannungsmast

FjU. Wilhelm Eggert (4./JG 2) 210 277 Bl. 11 V R. Lüttich
vermutl. Flak

Uffz. Friedrich Optenhostert (4./JG 2) 500 390 Bl. 5 + S. As
LK

Uffz. Erwin Katzer (4./JG 2) 500 387 Bl. 7 + Gemünd-Mariawald-Neuweilnau Flak

Uffz. Ernst Klein (10./JG 2) 600 372 S. 3 + Eupen Binster
Flak

Lt. Christfried Clemens (III./JG 2) 600 380 + 4 km nw. Millen-Sittard
LK

Fhr. Martin Enge (10./JG 2) 400 223 S. 9 + 4 km sw. Euskirchen
vermtl. Flak

Lt. Fritz Swoboda (11./JG 2) 210 205 Bl. 16+ Eulenbusch w. Wassenberg
Flak

Uffz. Richard Ruppel (11./JG 2) 600 407 G. 3 + Mützenich
Flak

Uffz. Fritz Altpeter (11./JG 2) 600 145 G. 4 + Kausen s. Dierdorf
Motorbrand

Uffz. Adolf Redlich (12./JG 2) 210 145 Bl. 1 V R. Lüttich/ St. Trond
vermtl. Flak

FjOfw. Fritz Schuler (12./JG 2) 210 122 Bl. 7 + Eupen-Baelen
LK

Uffz. Johann Jäger (12./JG 2) 600 372 W. 2 + Eupen-Lontzen
LK

Re: Unknow german pilot kia 01.01.1945 "Bodenplatte"
 

Dirk,

Piesker was not a POW but is still listed as MIA. Although the crash sites of Storkan (likely), Klein (certain) und Schuler (certain) are known, they are still listed as MIA as we do not know their grave locations.

I will come back later this week on that D-9 near Aldenhoven. The pilot is buried as unknown at Aldenhoven.

Cheers,

John

Ps. I assume you have checked your loss details with the ones listed in my book...:-)

Re: Unknow german pilot kia 01.01.1945 "Bodenplatte"
 

Thank you, John!
The mistake were in my archiv. The Einheitsverlustmeldung of I./JG 2 says: "Vermisst, Schicksal unbekannt", "Gerichtlich für tot erklärt" and he is also in the "Vermisstenbildliste
from the german red cross. I seen some sites of your book before.
Thank you and best wishes,
Dirk

Re: Unknow german pilot kia 01.01.1945 "Bodenplatte"
 

Dirk,

Checked your list but all seems fine. I only don't think "Notlandung" for Dworak is correct.

Yes, the recovery of Aldenhoven on 28.02.1974 was indeed at the soccerfield. The unknown was buried at Ehrenfriedhof Aldenhoven Grave 8A. He is still unknown. I have a theory who this is but that will not survive scrutiny of the WASt....

The story is also in Girbig's Vermisst page 238-253.

Regards,

John