[John Manrho]

First of all the information available on the Bodenplatte mission of I./JG 27 is fairly limited. Unfortunately the number of surviving pilots is declining and at the time of my book I only had a statement of Fhr. Otto Theisen on hand (published in Jägerblatt 1984). The maxiumum number of pilots who could have participated in Bodenplatte was in my opinion 22. However, based on the ADI(K) Report of Fhr. Theisen is seems more likely that 16-20 a/c participated. In my book I used the low number of 16 as the most probable. The following pilots participated for sure;

Oblt. Eberhard Schade (Kdr, Stab. I./JG 27)
Fj.Uffz. Ferdinand Fink (1.St) (KIA)
Lt. Heinrich Wiese (St.Fhr. 2. St) (KIA)
Uffz. Heinrich Braun (2.St) (KIA)
Fhr. Otto Theisen (2.St) (POW/WIA)
Lt. Joachim von Stechow (2.St) (KIA)
Fw. Gert Gäbel (3.St) (KIA)
Gefr. Arno Diesing (4.St) (MIA)

The following pilots are likely to have participated. This is based on information which pilot was with I./JG 27 at that time, had flown misisons before and is known not to have been recovering from wounds etc.

Oblt. Max Winkler (St.Fhr. 1.St)
Uffz. Walter Neumann (2.St)
Ofhr. Kurt Stähler (3.St) (KIA on 1.3.45)
Uffz. Oskar Badelsmayer (3.St) (KIA on 14.1.45)
Uffz. Helmut Kabas (3.St) (KIA on 25.2.45)
Lt. Helmut Beckmann (St.Fhr. 4.St) (could be that he was recovering from injuries sustained on 27.12.1944)
Uffz. Werner Sperling (4.St)

OK, we have now 15 names, I would assume there are a couple of more candidates but perhaps Dr. Jochen Prien could assist here further. The name of Lt. Ludwig Perrette is unknown to me. If he particpated in Bodenplatte I would be delighted to hear his story. Regards, John Manrho.