Royal Prussian Jagdstaffel 62, commonly abbreviated to Jasta 62, was a "hunting group" (i.e., fighter squadron) of the ''
Luftstreitkräfte'', 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 squadron would score more than 42 aerial victories during the war,
including 16 observation balloons downed. The unit's victories came at the expense of three pilots killed in action, two wounded in action, and two taken prisoner of war.
History
Jasta 62 was founded on 16 January 1918 at the pilots and observers training school in
Diest. It was attached to ''
1 Armee'' by 26 January 1918. On 1 March, the new squadron flew its first combat missions. It then transferred to ''
18 Armee'' on 16 March 1918. Jasta 62 drew its first blood on 31 March. On 5 July 1918, it returned to service with ''1 Armee''. It took up its final posting of the war with ''
Armee-Abteilung C
Armee-Abteilung Strantz / Armee-Abteilung C (Army Detachment C) was an army level command of the German Army in World War I. It served on the Western Front throughout its existence.
History
''Armee-Abteilung'' C was formed on 18 September 191 ...
'' on 14 September 1918.
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 ...
'')
*
Ludwig Luer
''Leutnant'' Ludwig Luer was a German World War I flying ace credited with six aerial victories.
World War I service
Luer was forwarded from ''Armee-Flug-Park'' 4 (Army Flight Park 4) to ''Jagdstaffel 27'', a fighter squadron, on 7 March 1917. At ...
: 16 January 1918 – 22 May 1918
*
Leutnant Tonjes: 22 May 1918 – 6 July 1918
*
Max Näther
''Leutnant'' Max Näther (24 August 18998 January 1919) HOH, IC, was a German World War I ace fighter pilot who destroyed 26 enemy aircraft. He shot down ten observation balloons and sixteen airplanes, including ten SPAD S.XIII fighters and a ...
: 7 July 1918 – War's end
Duty stations
*
Thugny-Trugny
Thugny-Trugny () is a commune in the Ardennes department in northern France.
Population
See also
*Communes of the Ardennes department
The following is a list of the 449 communes of the Ardennes department of France.
The communes coo ...
, France: ca 26 January 1918
*
Bohain-en-Vermandois
Bohain-en-Vermandois ( pcd, Bohain-in-Vérmindos) is a commune in the department of Aisne in Hauts-de-France in northern France.
It is the place where the painter Henri Matisse grew up.
Etymology
Formerly called Bohain, the town acquired it ...
, France: 16 March 1918 – 19 March 1918
*
Balatre, France: 19 March 1918
* Saint-Rémy: 5 July 1918
*
Preutin-Higny, France: 14 September 1918
References
;Bibliography
*
62
Military units and formations established in 1918
1918 establishments in Germany
Military units and formations disestablished in 1918
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