Erwin Clausen (5 August 1911 – 4 October 1943) was a German Luftwaffemilitary aviator during World War II, a fighter ace credited with 132 aerial victories—that is, 132 aerial combat encounters resulting in the destruction of the enemy aircraft—claimed in 561 combat missions. He was "ace-in-a-day" four times, shooting down five or more aircraft on a single day.
Clausen was born on 5 August 1911 in Berlin-Steglitz, the son of a master craftsman (Meister) joiner. Before joining military service, he worked in his father's company. He joined the Reichsmarine, the German Navy during the Weimar Republic, in 1931. During his service with the Reichsmarine, he went on cruises on board of Hessen and the school shipGorch Fock. In 1935, Clausen transferred to the newly emerging Luftwaffe of the Nazi Germany. Holding the rank of Unteroffizier (subordinate officer or lance sergeant), he received flight training.[1][Note 1]
World War II
World War II in Europe had begun on Friday, 1 September 1939, when German forces invaded Poland. Clausen, now a Feldwebel (sergeant), had been assigned to the 3.(Jagd)/ LG 2, the 3. Staffel (3rd squadron) of Lehrgeschwader 2 (LG 2—2nd Demonstration Wing) before the outbreak of hostilities.[Note 2] This squadron was subordinated to I.(Jagd) Gruppe (1st group) of LG 2.[1]
On 9 September 1939, I.(Jagd) Gruppe was ordered to relocate to an airfield at Lauenburg west of Bydgoszcz. On the afternoon (16:06 – 17:10) of that day, the Gruppe flew a combat air patrol mission, and for the first time of the war 3. Staffel had enemy contact.[3] In this encounter, Clausen claimed his first aerial victory when he shot down a PWS-26 biplane trainer.[4] On 17 September, he received the Iron Cross 2nd Class (Eisernes Kreuz 2. Klasse).[1] Following the Battle of the Bzura on 20 September, I.(Jagd) Gruppe was ordered to relocate to Graz-Thalerhof.[5]
Battle of France and Britain
On 30 September, the Gruppe moved to an airfield at Uetersen, flying defensive missions over the German Bight.[6] The unit relocated multiple times and was flying in defense of the Reich from Esbjerg on 10 May 1940, the start of the Battle of France.[7] On 14 May, I.(Jagd) Gruppe transferred to Essen-Mülheim for operations against France.[8] On 23 May, they transferred again, this time to Ferme Montecouvez, an airfield approximately 15 kilometers (9.3 mi) south of Cambrai.[9] Two days later, I.(Jagd) Gruppe was tasked with providing fighter escort for German transports resupplying the 4th Army in the vicinity of Cambrai. On this mission, Clausen claimed an Armée de l'airPotez 63 twin-engined aircraft shot down. In this encounter, his Messerschmitt Bf 109 E was also damaged, resulting in a forced landing near Cambrai.[10] On 15 June, I.(Jagd) Gruppe was moved to Saint-Omer, the armistice was signed on 22 June, ending the Battle of France on 25 June.[11] The unit was given three days of rest, some of the pilots were sent on home leave. On 30 June, I.(Jagd) Gruppe was scrambled to intercept a flight of Royal Air ForceBristol Blenheim bombers resulting in combat southwest of Saint-Omer. In this encounter, Clausen claimed a Blenheim from No. 110 Squadron shot down which was not confirmed but was himself shot down in his Bf 109 E.[12][13] Clausen was awarded the Iron Cross 1st Class (Eisernes Kreuz 1. Klasse) on 4 July 1940 and was promoted to Oberleutnant (first lieutenant) on 1 February 1941.[1] That day, Clausen was also appointed Staffelkapitän (squadron leader) of 1.(Jagd) Staffel of LG 2, this squadron became the 1. Staffel of Jagdgeschwader 77 (JG 77—77th Fighter Wing) on 6 January 1942.[14]
Following the Balkan Campaign, I.(Jagd)/LG 2 was again subordinated to JG 77 on 18 June 1941 and was moved to Bucharest, Romania in preparation for Operation Barbarossa, the German invasion of the Soviet Union on 22 June 1941. JG 77 supported the German advance as part of Heeresgruppe Süd (Army Group South).[18] On 21 June, the Gruppe was ordered to Roman, a forward airfield near the Siret river.[19] Clausen claimed his first aerial victory on the Eastern Front, his seventh overall, on 2 July 1941. The mission, the second of the day, a combat air patrol encountered a flight of a Polikarpov I-153 biplane fighters east of Iași.[20] Later that afternoon, on the fourth mission of the day, he claimed another I-153 shot down.[21]
On 3 and 4 February 1942, Clausen and OberleutnantFriedrich Geißhardt shot down three Polikarpov R-5s or Polikarpov R-Zs of 622 LBAP (Legkii Bombardirovochnyy Aviatsionyy Polk—Light Bomber Aviation Regiment) and 672 LBAP.[22] Clausen became an "ace-in-a-day" for the first time on 9 March 1942, claiming aerial victories 36 to 40. Following the Battle of the Kerch Peninsula, his total had reached 52 aerial victories on 6 April 1942. For this, he was awarded the German Cross in Gold (Deutsches Kreuz in Gold) on 18 May 1942, a direct presentation by ReichsmarschallHermann Göring. Four days later, he was also honored with the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross (Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes).[17]
On 27 June 1942, Clausen was transferred to 6. Staffel of JG 77 and appointed its Staffelkapitän.[23] On 14 July during the landing approach at the airfield at Kastornoye, Clausen was injured when his Bf 109 F-4 (Werknummer 13121—factory number) collided with aircraft from 4. Staffel which were taking off.[24] On 21 July, he claimed four victories, three Petlyakov Pe-2 bombers and one LaGG-3. He reached his 100th victory after he claimed six further victories the next day. Shooting down a LaGG-3, a Hurricane and three Il-2s, took his tally to 101 aerial victories.[25] Clausen was the 12th Luftwaffe pilot to achieve the century mark.[26] For this achievement, he was awarded the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves (Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes mit Eichenlaub) on 23 July 1943. He was the 106th member of the German armed forces to be so honored. Clausen and together with OberleutnantViktor Bauer were presented the Oak Leaves by Adolf Hitler at the Führerhauptquartier at Rastenburg.[27]
On 5 December, II. Gruppe of JG 77 was transferred to the North African theater, arriving at an airfield near Janzur, located west of Tripoli. Clausen initially stayed in Europe because he had become ill with Malaria. During his absence, LeutnantJohann Badum temporarily assumed command of 6. Staffel.[28]
Defense of the Reich and death
Clausen, who for his facial features was nicknamed 'Caesar', was transferred to the Ergänzungs-Jagdgruppe Süd (Supplementary Fighter Group, South) on 1 February 1943, and promoted to Hauptmann (captain). On 20 June 1943, Clausen was appointed Gruppenkommandeur (group commander) of I. Gruppe of Jagdgeschwader 11 (JG 11—11th Fighter Wing), succeeding Major Walter Spies. This Gruppe was based in Husum and flew in defense of the Reich against the United States Army Air Forces (USAAF) Eighth Air Force.[29][30] On 17 July 1943, 332 heavy bombers of the 1st and 4th Bombardment Wing planned on targeting Hanover and Hamburg. The plan had to be abandoned due to changing weather conditions. Elements of 4th Bombardment Wing were already airborne and aimed at targeting the Fokker aircraft manufacturing sites at Amsterdam.[31] In defense of this attack, Clausen claimed his 121st aerial victory, a Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress shot down at 09:42.[32][30]
On 4 October 1943, the USAAF targeted and bombed Frankfurt am Main.[33] Clausen shot down a B-24 Liberator, his 12th over the USAAF, but then was killed in aerial combat over the North Sea in his Focke-Wulf Fw 190 A-5/U12 (Werknummer 7358—factory number) approximately 115 kilometers (71 mi) northwest of Borkum.[34] The exact circumstances of his death remain unknown, he made his last radio communication at 10:28, confirming the order to return to base. At the time, his wife and three children had been living with him at the Husum airbase.[35] Clausen was posthumously promoted to Major (major), the promotion backdated to 1 October 1943.[36][Note 3] Three of his brothers were also killed in action during World War II.[37]
Summary of career
Aerial victory claims
According to US historian David T. Zabecki, Clausen was credited with 132 aerial victories.[38] Spick also lists Clausen with 132 aerial victories with some unconfirmed victories in 561 combat missions. He claimed one victory over Poland, three over Yugoslavia, 17 victories over the Western Front, including 14 four-engined bombers, with the remaining victories achieved over the Eastern Front.[39] Mathews and Foreman, authors of Luftwaffe Aces — Biographies and Victory Claims, researched the German Federal Archives and found documentation for 100 aerial victory claims, plus one further unconfirmed claim. This number includes 1 claim over Poland, 3 over Yugoslavia, 16 on the Western Front, including 10 four-engined bombers, and 84 on the Eastern Front.[40]
Victory claims were logged to a map-reference (PQ = Planquadrat), for example "PQ 75234". The Luftwaffe grid map (Jägermeldenetz) covered all of Europe, western Russia and North Africa and was composed of rectangles measuring 15 minutes of latitude by 30 minutes of longitude, an area of about 360 square miles (930 km2). These sectors were then subdivided into 36 smaller units to give a location area 3 km × 4 km (1.9 mi × 2.5 mi) in size.[41]
Chronicle of aerial victories
This and the ♠ (Ace of spades) indicates those aerial victories which made Clausen an "ace-in-a-day", a term which designates a fighter pilot who has shot down five or more airplanes in a single day.
This and the – (dash) indicates unconfirmed aerial victory claims for which Clausen did not receive credit.
This and the ! (exclamation mark) indicates those aerial victories listed by Prien and Rodeike.
This and the # (hash mark) indicates those aerial victories listed by Mathews and Foreman.
Claim!
Claim#
Date
Time
Type
Location
Unit
Claim!
Claim#
Date
Time
Type
Location
Unit
– Claims with Jagdgeschwader 77 in Poland –[42][43] September 1939
^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. For pilots destined to fly multi-engine aircraft, the training was completed with the Luftwaffe Advanced Pilot's Certificate (Erweiterter Luftwaffen-Flugzeugführerschein), also known as the C-Certificate.[2]
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Cull, Brian (2013). First of the Few: 5 June – July 1940. Stroud, UK: Fonthill Media. ISBN978-1-78155-116-5.
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Mathews, Andrew Johannes; Foreman, John (2014). Luftwaffe Aces — Biographies and Victory Claims — Volume 1 A–F. Walton on Thames: Red Kite. ISBN978-1-906592-18-9.
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Prien, Jochen (1992). Geschichte des Jagdgeschwaders 77—Teil 1—1934–1941 [History of Jagdgeschwader 77—Volume 1—1934–1941] (in German). Eutin, Germany: Struve-Druck. ISBN978-3-923457-19-9.
Prien, Jochen (1993). Geschichte des Jagdgeschwaders 77—Teil 2—1941–1942 [History of Jagdgeschwader 77—Volume 2—1941–1942] (in German). Eutin, Germany: Struve-Druck. ISBN978-3-923457-22-9.
Prien, Jochen (1994). Geschichte des Jagdgeschwaders 77—Teil 3—1942–1943 [History of Jagdgeschwader 77—Volume 3—1942–1943] (in German). Eutin, Germany: Struve-Druck. ISBN978-3-923457-26-7.
Prien, Jochen (1995). Geschichte des Jagdgeschwaders 77—Teil 4—1944–1945 [History of Jagdgeschwader 77—Volume 4—1944–1945] (in German). Eutin, Germany: Struve-Druck. ISBN978-3-923457-29-8.
Prien, Jochen; Stemmer, Gerhard; Rodeike, Peter; Bock, Winfried (2006). Die Jagdfliegerverbände der Deutschen Luftwaffe 1934 bis 1945—Teil 9/III—Vom Sommerfeldzug 1942 bis zur Niederlage von Stalingrad—1 May 1942 bis 3 February 1943 [The Fighter Units of the German Air Force 1934 to 1945—Part 9/III—From the 1942 Summer Campaign to the Defeat at Stalingrad—1 May 1942 to 3 February 1943] (in German). Eutin, Germany: Struve-Druck. ISBN978-3-923457-78-6.
Prien, Jochen; Rodeike, Peter (1993). Jagdgeschwader 1 und 11—Einsatz in der Reichsverteidigung von 1939 bis 1945—Teil 1—1939–1943 [Jagdgeschwader 1 and 11—Operations in the Defense of the Reich from 1939 to 1945—Volume 1—1939–1943] (in German). Eutin, Germany: Struve-Druck. ISBN978-3-923457-21-2.
Shores, Christopher F.; Cull, Brian; Malizia, Nicola (1987). Air War for Yugoslavia, Greece, and Crete, 1940–41. London: Grub Street. ISBN978-0-948817-07-6.
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 [The Knight's Cross Bearers 1939–1945 The Holders of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross 1939 by Army, Air Force, Navy, Waffen-SS, Volkssturm and Allied Forces with Germany According to the Documents of the Federal Archives] (in German). Jena, Germany: Scherzers Militaer-Verlag. ISBN978-3-938845-17-2.
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Thomas, Franz (1997). Die Eichenlaubträger 1939–1945 Band 1: A–K [The Oak Leaves Bearers 1939–1945 Volume 1: A–K] (in German). Osnabrück, Germany: Biblio-Verlag. ISBN978-3-7648-2299-6.