Royal Prussian Jagdstaffel 37, commonly abbreviated to Jasta 37, was a "hunting group" (i.e., fighter squadron) of the ''

Luftstreitkräfte The ''Deutsche Luftstreitkräfte'' (, German Air Force)—known before October 1916 as (Flyer Troops)—was the air arm of the Imperial German Army. In English-language sources it is usually referred to as the Imperial German Air Service, alt ...

'', the air arm of the

Imperial German Army The Imperial German Army (1871–1919), officially referred to as the German Army (german: Deutsches Heer), was the unified ground and air force of the German Empire. It was established in 1871 with the political unification of Germany under the l ...

during

World War I World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, the United States, and the Ottoman Empire, with fightin ...

. The unit would score over 70 aerial victories during the war, including 13 observation balloons downed. The squadron's victories came at the expense of seven killed in action, two killed in flying accidents, three wounded in action, and three taken prisoner of war.

History

Jasta 37 was founded on 10 January 1917 at ''Fliegerersatz-Abteilung'' (Replacement Detachment) 8, Graudenz. It flew its first combat missions on 23 March, and scored its first victory on 13 April 1917. It would serve until war's end, when the ''Luftstreitkräfte'' was disbanded.

Commanding officers (''
Staffelführer ''Staffelführer'' was one of the first paramilitary ranks used by the German ''Schutzstaffel'' (SS) in the early years of that group's existence. The later SS rank of ''Staffelführer'' traces its origins to the First World War, where the tit ...
'')

Kurt Grasshoff Kurt Grasshoff (January 24, 1891 – June 12, 1918) was a German pilot who commanded Jasta 37 in France and Jasta 38 in Macedonia in World War I. He commanded German ace Ernst Udet in Jasta 37, and chose Udet to command the unit upon his transfer ...

: circa 10 March 1917 #

Ernst Udet Ernst Udet (26 April 1896 – 17 November 1941) was a German pilot during World War I and a ''Luftwaffe'' Colonel-General (''Generaloberst'') during World War II. Udet joined the Imperial German Air Service at the age of 19, and eventually ...

: 7 November 1917 # Gustav Gobert: 24 March 1918 # Georg Meyer: 5 April 1918

Duty stations

# Möntingen: 10 March 1917 # Wynghene: 18 July 1917 # With '' 6 Armee'': 5 August 1917 # Wynghene: October 1917 # Le Cateau: 15 March 1918 # St. Christ: Unknown date

Notable personnel

Wilhelm Bittrich Wilhelm Bittrich (26 February 1894 – 19 April 1979) was a high-ranking Waffen-SS commander of Nazi Germany. Between August 1942 and February 1943, Bittrich commanded the SS Cavalry Division Florian Geyer, in rear security operations (''Banden ...

* Kurt Grasshoff * Heinrich Henkel * Georg Mayer *

Hans Waldhausen ''First lieutenant, Oberleutnant'' Hans Waldhausen was a World War I flying ace credited with six confirmed aerial victories in eight days. He was forced down and captured after his sixth victory. Waldhausen studied law after World War I and becam ...

Operations

Jasta 37 began operations in the ''

Armee-Abteilung A Armee-Abteilung Falkenhausen / Armee-Abteilung A (Army Detachment A) was an army level command of the German Army in World War I. It served on the left (southern) wing of the Western Front throughout its existence. History ''Armee-Abteilung'' ...

'' sector on or before 10 March 1917. It moved to support '' 4 Armee'' on 18 July 1917. It moved to support '' 6 Armee'' on 5 August, returning to serve with ''4 Armee'' in October. On 15 March 1918, the squadron moved to support '' 2 Armee''.

References