A puzzle on Lt Heinz Wilberg

[Andre Stewart]

Hello all,

I wonder if anyone can help with a little puzzle I've always had on this pilot -- we know of a Lt Heinz Wilberg who flew with 2./ZG2 in 1939-40 and calimed 1 victory over Poland. Apparently Wilberg remained with the Gruppe until the unit was disbanded around Sep 1940, after which he "disappears" from our records.

At the same time, we have the loss info of one Lt Heinz Wilberg of Stab II./NJG4 who was KIC on the nite of 9/10 May 1944 when his Bf-110 collided with another landing a/c at Coulommiers airbase.

My question is -- is this the same guy? The unit movements make this plausible, but what really puzzles me is his rank. If he really is the same person, could he have remained Leutnant after more than 4 years service? Seems very unlikely...

Can anyone confirm or disprove this? Perhaps from his EKM Nr in the NVM?
And can someone please tell me Wilberg's date and place of birth?

Thanks in advance.

rgds
andre

[Larry deZeng]

Lt Heinz Wilberg

(1) L.Dv.Nr. 2010/1 Dienstaltersliste der Offiziere der deutschen Luftwaffe nach dem Stande vom 1. August 1944 – Truppenoffiziere (A 1), bearteitet im Luftwaffenpersonalamt, has a Lt. Wilberg listed on page 489 with other Leutnante having dates of rank back in the 1939-41 time frame. His first name is not given so I doubt if this is Heinz Wilberg. This same document identifies numerous Truppenoffiziere in the rank of Leutnant with dates of rank as far back as 1.10.35 (that individual’s name was Gerhard Gertz, born 17.6.12).

(2) According to Horst Scheibert, Die Inhaber des Ehrenpokals für besondere Leistung im Luftkrieg (Friedberg: Podzun-Pallas-Verlag, 1986), Heinz Wilberg is listed as an Unteroffizier and pilot at the time he was awarded the Ehrenpokal on 17.11.41.

(3) The Kracker Archive ( http://aircrewremembrancesociety.com/Kracker/LuftwaffeGermanPilotsW.html ) lists him as an Oberleutnant.

I think it is safe to conclude that Wilberg was an enlisted pilot who later was commissioned (1942?) and was promoted to at least Oberleutnant before his death.

L.

[John Manrho]

According to NVM:

Lt. Heinz Wilberg, born 03.10.1916 Düsseldorf.
KIA 10.05.1944
Stab II./NJG 4
EM 55565/4

Perhaps somebody can check Mob.Nr. for 55565.

Cheers,

John

[karl lusink]

Originally Posted by John Manrho

According to NVM:

Lt. Heinz Wilberg, born 03.10.1916 Düsseldorf.
KIA 10.05.1944
Stab II./NJG 4
EM 55565/4

Perhaps somebody can check Mob.Nr. for 55565.

Cheers,

John

Hello
55565 = 2./Zerst.G. 2

karl lusink
ARGA

[John Manrho]

Well Mr. Stewart....problem solved then...:-))))

[Andre Stewart]

Spot on!

Thanks John, Larry and Karl. Great info.

rgds
andre

[Tom Semenza]

I hate to throw a monkey wrench into the works but the Heinz Wilberg of ZG 2 and NJG 4 would appear to be two seperate individuals. The ZG 2 Wilburg was a Leutnant in Sept. 1939, while the NJG 4 Wilburg was a Feldwebel as late as June 1943. By May 1944 he had been promoted Leutnant. Now it is certainly possible that the ZG 2 Wilberg was demoted for disciplinary reasons, several other examples are known.

I would however point out a few anomalies. Larry de Zeng says that he was awarded the Ehrenpokal on 17.11.41. Wilberg's first night claim was on 25.10.42! Seems odd that a Nachtflieger without any claims would have been awarded the EP. Further, while Theo Boiten lists the 5 night claims of Heinz Wilberg of NJG 4 as his 1st through 5th in the text of his books, in the pilot index at the end of The Nachtjagd War Diaries, Vol. 2 Boiten shows Wilberg with 5 night claims plus 13 day victories! However no other unit except NJG 4 is listed for Wilberg. Curiuoser and curiouser!

Regards,
Tom

[Andre Stewart]

Tom,

No problem with the monkey wrench!

My own line of thinking is that the ZG2 Wilberg and the NJG4 Wilberg are the same person, as the EK Nr provides a direct link between them. But you are right to say that it does not address the anomalies in rank and awards. And it is probably these anomalies that have led both you and the Kracker Archives (there are 2 entries for Heinz Wilberg) to conclude that there are 2 persons involved. Demotion is certainly a possibility but that is not known for certain with the info we currently have on him.

I think the key to resolving this issue with certainty is the unit transfers and other records of the ZG2 Wilberg in the period from late 1940 until mid-1942. And that answer could be found in the Personnel files at BAMA Freiburg, where I hope to make a search request.

Unless someone has already done that and is willing to share his findings here ... ??? ...

rgds
andre

[Evgeny Velichko]

Andre:

Lt. Heinz Wilberg served with 2./ZG2 during 1939-autumn 1940. He had some (13?) claims as Zerstorer).
Then, together with those pilots of ZG2, who was not applied to instrumental(blind) flight and not fit with NachtJagd (for example - Lt. Tratt, Lt. Zimmermann e.t.c.), was transferred to different Zerstorer units, with Lt. Wilberg went to Theo Rossiwall's 5./ZG26.
Then happened strange: with his new unit he is listed with rank as "FLIEGER"!
With his new Staffel he flew over USSR during Barbarossa operation.
On 27.06.1941 Flieger Heinz Wilberg was awarded FrontFlügSpange für Zerstörer in Silber (Operational Flying Clasp for Destroyers in Silver) for 60 Frontflügen.
On 24.07.1941 Flieger Heinz Wilberg was awarded FrontFlügSpange für Zerstörer in Gold for 110 Frontflügen.

He flew with his 5./ZG26 untill Staffel was withdrawn back to Germany to convert on NightFighters.

In April 1942, 5./ZG26 was used to form II./NJG4, with Hptm. Rossiwall becomes GruppenKomandeur. Heinz Wilberg was posted to 4./NJG4.

With this Staffel he got his first night victory on 25.10.42 as Feldwebel. You know his further bio.

[Marcel Hogenhuis]

Hello all,

Just a minor addition:
In June 1943 Feldwebel Heinz Wilberg (3./NJG 4) was temporarily attached to the 3./NJG 1, having 1 nocturnal victory in the night of 21/22 June 1943 (Halifax near Harskamp/Netherlands)

Greetz, Marcel