Joachim Müncheberg

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Joachim Müncheberg
18 December 1918(1918-12-18) — 23 March 1943 (aged 24)

Joachim Müncheberg
Place of birth Friedrichsdorf, Dramburg, Province of Pomerania
Place of death Maknassy, Tunesia
Allegiance Flag of Nazi Germany Nazi Germany
Service/branch Heer (1936 - 1938)
Luftwaffe (1938 – 1943)
Years of service 1936-1943
Rank Major
Unit JG 26, JG 51, JG 77
Commands held 7./JG 26, II./JG 26 , JG 77
Battles/wars World War II
Awards Knight's Cross with Oak Leaves and Swords

Medagalia d'Oro

Joachim Müncheberg (18 December 1918 – 23 March 1943) was a German fighter ace of World War II.

Müncheberg was born at Friedrichsdorf near Dramburg. After joining the Wehrmacht Heer in 1936, he transferred to the Luftwaffe in 1938. He was then posted to Jagdgeschwader 234.

Contents

[edit] Early World War II

In October 1939, Müncheberg joined III Gruppe, Jagdgeschwader 26. He claimed his first victory on 7 November 1939, a RAF Bristol Blenheim bomber. During the invasion of France, Müncheberg claimed eight Allied aircraft shot down. During the early part of the Battle of Britain Müncheberg flew as wingman to Major Adolf Galland, Gruppenkommandeur of III/JG 26. In late August, he was promoted to Staffelkapitän, 7 Staffel, JG 26, and on 14 September 1940 was awarded the Ritterkreuz. He claimed 14 victories in total during the Battle of Britain.

[edit] Malta Operations

From February 1941, Müncheberg's staffel became the first Bf-109 unit to operate in the Mediterranean theatre, and from bases in Sicily the staffel was to achieve success out of all proportion to its size, with some 52 victories claimed without losing a single pilot. Müncheberg claimed almost half of these victories. Flying missions over Yugoslavia in support of the German invasion of the Balkans, he also claimed a Yugoslav 'Hawker Fury biplane' on 6 April 1941 and claimed another destroyed on the ground (Both victories were in fact Avia BH-33 biplanes).

In May 1941, Müncheberg was awarded the Oak Leaves and the Italian Medagalia d'Oro and by this time had 43 victories. A 2-month spell in Libya in mid 1941 to support the Afrika Korps saw a further 5 victories claimed.

In August 1941, 7./JG 26 returned to France. Müncheberg was to claim a further 35 victories (including 34 Spitfires) by June 1942. On 19 September, Müncheberg was promoted to the rank of Hauptmann and became Gruppenkommandeur of II/JG 26. On 29 April 1942 Müncheberg probably shot down and killed the Northolt Wing Leader and Polish ace Wing Commander Marian Pisarek.

[edit] Russia 1942

In July 1942, Müncheberg was posted to the Eastern Front, joining Jagdgeschwader 51. On 5 September, he claimed his 100th kill. On 9 September, he was awarded the 'Swords' following his 103rd victory. Müncheberg shot down 33 victories over Russian aircraft while being shot down twice himself.

[edit] North Africa

On 1 October 1942, Major Müncheberg was appointed Geschwaderkommodore of Jagdgeschwader 77, operating over North Africa and Tunisia. He added 24 victories but force-landed unhurt in his Bf 109-G2 after combat with RAF Kittyhawk fighters on 10 December 1942.

Müncheberg was killed on 23 March 1943 over Tunisia when his 135th victim, a USAAF 52nd Fighter Group Spitfire exploded in front of him after a close burst of cannon fire. The Spitfire was piloted by Captain Sweetman. [1]

Müncheberg claimed 135 aerial victories in over 500 missions. 102 victories were achieved over the Western Allies and 33 on the Eastern Front. He shot down some 46 Spitfire fighters.

[edit] Awards and Honors

On 30 November 1962 an honorary one-time pension of 1,500 DM was paid to the relatives of Müncheberg (and relatives of Hans-Joachim Marseille) by the Italian Minster of Defence Giulio Andreotti[2].

[edit] References

  1. ^ Jerry Scutts; page 88
  2. ^ Wübbe 2001, p. 66.
  • Aces of the Luftwaffe. Joachim Müncheberg. Retrieved on 16 April 2007.
  • Berger, Florian. Mit Eichenlaub und Schwertern. Die höchstdekorierten Soldaten des Zweiten Weltkrieges. Wien, Austria: Selbstverlag Florian Berger, 2006. ISBN 3-9501307-0-5.
  • Fellgiebel, Walther-Peer. Die Träger des Ritterkreuzes des Eisernen Kreuzes 1939-1945. Friedburg, Germany: Podzun-Pallas, 2000. ISBN 3-7909-0284-5.
  • Scutts, Jerry. Bf 109 Aces of North Africa and the Mediterranean. 1994. ISBN 1-85532-448-2.
  • Wübbe, Walter. Hauptmann Hans Joachim Marseille Ein Jagdfliegerschicksal in Daten, Bildern und Dokumenten. Schnellbach, Germany: Verlag Siegfried Bublies, 2001. ISBN 3-926584-78-5.
Military offices
Preceded by
Major Gordon Gollob		 Commander of Jagdgeschwader 77 Herz As
October 1, 1942 - March 23, 1943		 Succeeded by
Oberstleutnant Johannes Steinhoff