|
Joachim Müncheberg (31 December 1918 – 23 March 1943) was a German ''Luftwaffe'' military aviator during World War II, a fighter ace credited with 135 enemy aircraft shot down in over 500 combat missions. The majority of his victories were claimed over the Western Front, with 33 claims over the Eastern Front. Of his 102 aerial victories achieved over the Western Allies, 46 were against Supermarine Spitfire fighters. Born in Friedrichsdorf, Müncheberg, who had strong ambitions as a track and field athlete, volunteered for military service in the Wehrmacht of the Third Reich in 1936. Initially serving in the ''Heer'' (Army), he transferred to the ''Luftwaffe'' (Air Force) in 1938. Following flight training, he was posted to ''Jagdgeschwader'' 234 (JG 234—234th Fighter Wing) in October 1938. He was transferred to ''Jagdgeschwader'' 26 "Schlageter" (JG 26—26th Fighter Wing) a year later and was appointed adjutant of the III. ''Gruppe'' (3rd Group). He fought in the Battle of France and received the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross () following his 20th aerial victory and during the Battle of Britain. Serving as a ''Staffelkapitän'' (Squadron Leader) he fought in the aerial battles during the siege of Malta and Balkans Campaign. He received the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves () and Italian Gold Medal of Military Valor ((イタリア語:Medaglia d'oro al Valore Militare)) after 43 aerial victories. Müncheberg then briefly served in North Africa in support of Field Marshal Erwin Rommel's Afrika Korps before transferring to France. He was given command of JG 26's II. ''Gruppe'' (2nd Group) in September 1941 and was then posted to ''Jagdgeschwader'' 51 (JG 51—51st Fighter Wing), operating on the Eastern Front, in July 1942. Serving as a ''Geschwaderkommodore'' (Wing Commander) in training under JG 51 wing commander Karl-Gottfried Nordmann, he claimed his 100th aerial victory on 5 September 1942 for which he was awarded the Swords () to his Knight's Cross on 9 September, his score then at 103 aerial victories. On 1 October 1942 Müncheberg was given command of ''Jagdgeschwader'' 77 (JG 77—77th Fighter Wing), operating in the Mediterranean Theatre. He died of wounds following a mid-air collision during combat near Meknassy, Tunisia on 23 March 1943. ==Childhood, education and early career== Joachim "Jochen" Müncheberg was born on 31 December 1918 in Friedrichsdorf near Dramburg in the Province of Pomerania, at the time a province of the Free State of Prussia. Today it is Darskowo in the administrative district of Gmina Złocieniec, within Drawsko County, Poland. He was the second child of Paul Müncheberg, a farmer, and his wife Erika, née Ulrich. His sister Eva-Brigitte was one and a half years older.〔Röll 2010, p. 59.〕 His father had served as a cavalry officer of the reserves during World War I. The hyperinflation in the Weimar Republic forced his father to sell their farm Friedrichshof in 1923; they resettled in Königsberg, where Müncheberg started his elementary schooling (''Grundschule''). His father was able to repurchase their old farm in 1927 and the family moved back to Friedrichshof. Müncheberg completed his elementary school in Falkenburg, Pomerania. He walked or rode on a horse-drawn wagon each way to school. In 1928 he transferred to the ''Realgymnasium'' (a type of secondary school) in Dramburg and graduated with his ''Abitur'' (diploma) in 1936.〔 Müncheberg, who was talented in sports and athletics, played football for the T.V. Falkenburg youth team in the early 1930s. He attended the Sturmabteilung-sports school in Hammerstein for a few weeks in 1934 and in 1935 spent his summer vacation in Bulgaria where he, among other places, stayed at the Rila Monastery. In early 1936 he attended a National Socialism course in Lauenburg, Pomerania. He completed his compulsory labour service (''Reichsarbeitsdienst'') in October 1936 with ''Abteilung'' (department) 5/50 in Lüttmannshagen, district of Cammin. As an athlete, he especially excelled in the decathlon; almost daily he practised the ten different disciplines. Aged 17, he attended a summer camp held in conjunction with the 1936 Summer Olympics in Berlin.〔 In his youth he was keenly interested in flying and other technical things.〔Berger 2000, p. 236.〕 His interest in flying was kindled by his cousin Hermann Hackbusch, a pilot during World War I, who often took Müncheberg to the Berlin-Staaken airfield for sightseeing flights.〔Schumann and Westerwelle 2010, p. 2.〕 He volunteered for service in the then newly emerging ''Luftwaffe'' and started his recruit training on 4 December 1936 in the ''Heer'' of the Wehrmacht. Müncheberg spent his 1936/37 winter vacation in Altenberg in the Erzgebirge.〔 He then attended the III. ''Lehrgang'' (3rd training course) in the 4. ''Schülerkompanie'' (4th student company) at the ''Luftkriegsschule'' 1 (1st Air War School) in Dresden as a ''Fahnenjunker'' (Officer Applicant) from 1 April to 30 June 1937.〔Röll 2010, pp. 59–60.〕 A year later he completed his flight training there and was promoted to ''Fähnrich'' (Officer Cadet) on 16 December 1937.〔Röll 2010, pp. 60, 154.〕〔Flight training in the ''Luftwaffe'' progressed through the levels A1, A2 and B1, B2, referred to as A/B flight training. A training included theoretical and practical training in aerobatics, navigation, long-distance flights and dead-stick landings. The B courses included high-altitude flights, instrument flights, night landings and training to handle the aircraft in difficult situations.〕 He transferred to the ''Luftwaffe'' in 1938 and attended the ''Jagdfliegerschule'' (Fighter Pilot School) in Werneuchen, under the command of ''Oberst'' (Colonel) Theodor Osterkamp. He was then posted to I. ''Gruppe'' (1st group) of ''Jagdgeschwader'' 234 (JG 234—234th Fighter Wing) stationed at Cologne on 23 September 1938.〔Schumann and Westerwelle 2010, p. 3.〕〔Williamson 2005, p. 59.〕〔Röll 2010, p. 60.〕〔For an explanation of ''Luftwaffe'' unit designations, see Organisation of the ''Luftwaffe'' during World War II.〕 He was promoted to ''Leutnant'' (Second Lieutenant) on 8 November 1938.〔Röll 2010, p. 154.〕 While stationed in Cologne, Müncheberg trained for the decathlon at the ASV Köln (sports club in Cologne) during his spare time and competed in various national and international track and field events. He even had a training field built on the family estate at Friedrichshof in Pomerania and at the time had strong ambitions to compete in the 1940 Summer Olympics. His commanding officers supported him in this athletic vision and gave him additional time off to practice for the Olympics. Müncheberg owned a dachshund (''Dackel''), which his mother had bred, named Seppl. The dog accompanied him from the start of World War II until his death on 23 March 1943.〔 I./JG 234 was equipped with the Messerschmitt Bf 109 E-3 in December 1938 and re-designated as I. ''Gruppe'' of Jagdgeschwader 26 "Schlageter" (JG 26—26th Fighter Wing), named after Albert Leo Schlageter, on 1 May 1939. Müncheberg was transferred to 11. ''Staffel'' of Lehrgeschwader 2 (11./LG 2—11th squadron of the 2nd Demonstration Wing) in mid-1939. 11.(Nacht)/LG 2 was formed on 1 August 1939 and experimented with night fighting techniques. Only pilots with excellent flying abilities, especially blind flying, were chosen.〔 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「Joachim Müncheberg」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
|