Majo Klaus Mietusch Personal information and photos

[Doug Stankey]

Here is what we have about this guy:

MIETUSCH, Klaus.
(DOB: 05.08.18 in Posen).
1938-39 in JG 234, then JG 132 and finally JG 26.
23.09.39 Lt., trf to 7./JG 26.
11.39 Techn.Offz. of Stab/JG 26 (to 14.12.39).
1940 promo to Oblt.
18.09.41 Hptm., appt Staka 7./JG 26 (to 29.06.43).
15.10.42 awarded DKG, 7./JG 26.
05.07.43 Hptm., appt Kdr. III./JG 26 (to 17.09.44).
26.03.44 Hptm., awarded Ritterkreuz, Kdr. III./JG 26.
01.05.44 promo to Maj.
17.09.44 KIA – shot down by P-51 Mustangs while landing following combat over the Rheinland area in the vicinity of Rath-Aldekerk.
18.11.44 Maj., posthumously awarded Eichenlaub, Kdr. III./JG 26.
Credited with 452 combat missions and 76 air victories.


We hope that this helps.

HLdZ
DGS

[Juergen]

As web publisher of the Mietusch photo pic I have to add some amendments which have gathered since the first publication of my Boenninghardt a/f homepage in Sept. 2005.
The photo is an excerpt from one of the Dr. Prien books and shows pilots of 6./JG 26 at Boenninghardt along with Mietusch whose rank was Leutnant then (allegedly with 7./JG 26). The print was quite surely made in late summer 1939 (II./JG 26 was stationed there 25. Aug. to 02. Nov. 1939).
I never noticed it so far, but the lady left from Mietusch in fact seems to wear a bride gown, so there is some little probability that this is a take of Mietusch´s wedding fete with his comrades of II./JG 26.
I live near Mietusch´s death place of 17. Sept. 44 but could not locate the precise spot so far. There is an aviation art of William Beyer´s first air victory, which (not only) I must dismiss as nonsense for some reasons. There were no glider activities in our region (the area around Geldern). Mietusch was killed rather during a belly landing or emergency landing as there never was an a/f at Aldekerk. I fear his defeat was rather an air-to- ground than an air-to-air victory, though I do not intend to put Beyer´s first acknowledged claim into doubt.
To my knowledge Mietusch has his last rest at the Nordfriedhof Düsseldorf.

kind regards from Juergen Haus, Issum