Greetings! I'm new to the board.

[S Heisey]

Greetings to all,

My name is Scott and I am very pleased to have found this board. In the short time I have been a guest here I have learned quit a bit. I was hoping for some help in getting information on Hans Roehrig JG/53? I have cause to think he was actually shot down by ground fire in or around Palermo and not by Spitfires as he was listed as MIA/KIA without recovery?.I'd be happy to post all the possible pieces of the puzzle if interested? Also if anyone can tell me if he had a comrad or wingman that was taken as POW in mid 1943 possibly May or June most likely by the british and I suspect around Sicily or was this possibly Hienz-Karl Muller who went on extended leave around thistime and Roehrig thought he was captured, although I cannot find any evidence that he was shot down during this time.

Thank you
Sincerely
Scott

[John Beaman]

Scott:

Have you read Jochen Prien's Volume II of his JG 53 history. It should answer many of your questions.

[S Heisey]

Thank you John,

I'll see if I can locate a copy. Do you know if other units did cooperative missions. Like JG/77 flying a cooperative with JG/53, in particular July 13, 1943 escorting JU52's around Catania?

Thank you
Scott

[John Vasco]

The Namentliche Verlustmeldung for Hans Roehrig states the following: "Flugauftrag: Freie Jagd an der Ostküste Siziliens. Vorgang: Oberlt. Roehrig startete am 13.7.1943, 10,oo Uhr mit seinem Rottenflieger zur freien Jagd an der Ostküste Siziliens. In einer Höhe von 2ooo m fliegend wurden über Syracusa 6 - 8 Spitfires in 3ooo m gesichet. Oblt. R. zog den Flugzeugen entgegen und griff sie aus der tiefen Position an. Der Rottenflieger wurde von 2 Spitfires angegriffen und verlor dabei seinen Rottenführer aus den Augen. Weitere Bestellungen konnten von dem Rottenflieger nicht mehr gemacht werden."

Roehrig was flying a Bf 109 G-4, Yellow 5, W. Nr. 15063. His rank was originally typed in as Oblt. on the Namentliche Verlustmeldung. It was later crossed through and 'hptm' hand-written above it. The location of the loss is given as "im Raume Syracusa-Catania".

Hope this is of some help.


John Vasco

[Andy Fletcher]

Hi Scott,

Not sure if you are already aware of this site.

http://www.luftwaffe.cz/roehrig.html

It has a short bio and claims list for Roehrig.

Regards

Andy Fletcher

[S Heisey]

Thank you John and Andy for your input I appreciate it very much. I'll post the information I've discovered and let the better educated folks here shoot holes in it and/or perhaps confirm some of what I think is the case. Either way I'd like to know the truth as much as possible.

Thanks
Scott