| Hans Dammers | |
|---|---|
 Hans Dammers | |
| Born | 8 December 1913 |
| Died | 17 March 1944 (aged 30) |
| Place of birth | Scherpenberg near Moers |
| Place of death | Stanislau |
| Allegiance |
 Nazi Germany |
| Service/branch |
 Luftwaffe |
| Rank | Leutnant (posthumous) |
| Unit | JG 52, EJGr Ost |
| Battles/wars | World War II |
| Awards | Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross |
Hans Dammers (8 August 1913 – 17 March 1944) was a German World War II fighter ace and was credited with 113 aerial victories, with 23 unconfirmed claims. During his numerous ground attack missions he destroyed 11 aircraft, 8 locomotives, 39 horse-drawn wagons, 34 trucks, 3 anti-aircraft emplacements and 1 armoured reconnaissance vehicle.[1] He was also a recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross (German language: Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes). The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross was awarded to recognise extreme battlefield bravery or successful military leadership.
Career[]
Following the launch of Operation Barbarossa in June 1941 Dammers was credited with 48 kills as part of Jagdgeschwader 52 (JG 52—52nd Fighter Wing). His first victory of 1942—a MiG-1—occurred on 13 May followed by a Pe-2 bomber on 28 May .[2] On 17 July 1942 Dammers (flying Bf 109 G-2 Werknummer 13435—factory number) and his wingman Unteroffizier Kurt Keiser jumped Soviet Yak-1 pilot (then Starshiy Leytenant) Aleksandr Pokryshkin, but the future second highest scoring Soviet ace managed to shoot both down. Keiser was killed and Dammers bailed out.[3]
He resumed his successes, shooting down two LaGG-3s on 28 July, and on 6 August 1942 he claimed an I-153 biplane fighter and two LaGG-3s. Dammers had 57 victories when he was awarded the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross on 23 August 1942.[2]
Dammers' Bf 109 G-6 (Werknummer 20162) "yellow 9" was struck on 13 March 1944 by debris from a shot down Lavochkin La-5. Dammers bailed out but his parachute got caught on his wing. Dammers succumbed to his injuries and died in hospital on 17 March 1944 in Stanislau. He was posthumously promoted to Leutnant.
Awards[]
- Ehrenpokal der Luftwaffe (29 June 1942)[1]
- Iron Cross (1939) 2nd and 1st class
- German Cross in Gold on 10 July 1942 as Unteroffizier in the 7./JG 52[4][Note 1]
- Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross on 23 August 1942 as Feldwebel and pilot in the 9./JG 52[5][Note 2]
Notes[]
References[]
- Citations
- Bibliography
- Fellgiebel, Walther-Peer (2000). Die Träger des Ritterkreuzes des Eisernen Kreuzes 1939–1945 (in German). Friedburg, Germany: Podzun-Pallas. ISBN 3-7909-0284-5.
- Obermaier, Ernst (1989). Die Ritterkreuzträger der Luftwaffe Jagdflieger 1939 - 1945 (in German). Mainz, Germany: Verlag Dieter Hoffmann. ISBN 3-87341-065-6.
- Patzwall, Klaus D. and Scherzer, Veit (2001). Das Deutsche Kreuz 1941–1945 Geschichte und Inhaber Band II (in German). Norderstedt, Germany: Verlag Klaus D. Patzwall (in German). ISBN 3-931533-45-X.
- Scherzer, Veit (2007). Die Ritterkreuzträger 1939–1945 Die Inhaber des Ritterkreuzes des Eisernen Kreuzes 1939 von Heer, Luftwaffe, Kriegsmarine, Waffen-SS, Volkssturm sowie mit Deutschland verbündeter Streitkräfte nach den Unterlagen des Bundesarchives (in German). Jena, Germany: Scherzers Miltaer-Verlag. ISBN 978-3-938845-17-2.
- Christer Bergstrom, Andrey Dikov & Vlad Antipov (2006) Black Cross – Red Star. Air War over the Eastern Front. Volume 3. Everything for Stalingrad. Eagle Editions Ltd. ISBN 0-9761034-4-3.
External links[]
- "Hans Dammers" (in German). Traditionsgemeinschaft Jagdgeschwader 52. http://www.jg52.net/ritterkreuztraeger/hans-dammers. Retrieved 2 July 2012.
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