Karl Borris (3 January 1916 – 18 August 1981) was a

World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...

Luftwaffe The ''Luftwaffe'' () was the aerial-warfare branch of the German ''Wehrmacht'' before and during World War II. Germany's military air arms during World War I, the ''Luftstreitkräfte'' of the Imperial Army and the '' Marine-Fliegerabtei ...

military aviator and

test pilot A test pilot is an aircraft pilot with additional training to fly and evaluate experimental, newly produced and modified aircraft with specific maneuvers, known as flight test techniques.Stinton, Darrol. ''Flying Qualities and Flight Testing ...

. As a

flying ace A flying ace, fighter ace or air ace is a military aviator credited with shooting down five or more enemy aircraft during aerial combat. The exact number of aerial victories required to officially qualify as an ace is varied, but is usually co ...

, he is credited with 43 victories, all of them over the Western Front, for which he was awarded the

Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross (german: Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes), or simply the Knight's Cross (), and its variants, were the highest awards in the military and paramilitary forces of Nazi Germany during World War II. The Knight' ...

, the highest award in the military and paramilitary forces of Nazi Germany during World War II. Borris was involved in the introduction of the

Focke-Wulf Fw 190 The Focke-Wulf Fw 190, nicknamed ''Würger'' (" Shrike") is a German single-seat, single-engine fighter aircraft designed by Kurt Tank at Focke-Wulf in the late 1930s and widely used during World War II. Along with its well-known counterpart, ...

to front line service. Borris and 30 other pilots, technicians and engineers extensively tested the Fw 190 and their input was used in the decision to continue the project.

World War II

World War II in Europe began on Friday 1 September 1939 when German forces invaded Poland. On 1 December 1939, ''

Leutnant () is the lowest Junior officer rank in the armed forces the German (language), German-speaking of Germany (Bundeswehr), Austrian Armed Forces, and military of Switzerland. History The German noun (with the meaning "" (in English "deputy") fro ...

'' Borris joined ''Jagdgeschwader'' 26 "Schlageter" (JG 26—26th Fighter Wing), which had been named after

Albert Leo Schlageter Albert Leo Schlageter (; 12 August 1894 – 26 May 1923) was a World War I veteran and German ''Freikorps'' member who became famous for acts of post-war sabotage against French occupation forces. Schlageter was arrested for sabotaging a secti ...

on 1 May 1939. There, he was assigned to II. '' Gruppe'' (2nd group). At the time, the ''

Geschwader This is a list of words, terms, concepts, and slogans that have been or are used by the German military. Ranks and translations of nicknames for vehicles are included. Also included are some general terms from the German language found frequently i ...

'' was commanded by ''

Oberst ''Oberst'' () is a senior field officer rank in several German-speaking and Scandinavian countries, equivalent to colonel. It is currently used by both the ground and air forces of Austria, Germany, Switzerland, Denmark, and Norway. The Swedish ...

Eduard Ritter von Schleich Eduard-Maria Joseph Ritter von Schleich (9 August 1888 – 15 November 1947), born Schleich, was a high scoring Bavarian flying ace of the First World War. He was credited with 35 aerial victories at the end of the war. During the Second World ...

and II. ''Gruppe'' was led by ''

Hauptmann is a German word usually translated as captain when it is used as an officer's rank in the German, Austrian, and Swiss armies. While in contemporary German means 'main', it also has and originally had the meaning of 'head', i.e. ' literally ...

'' Herwig Knüppel. The ''Gruppe'' was based at

Werl Werl (; Westphalian: ''Wiärl'') is a town located in the district of Soest in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. Geography Werl is easily accessible because it is located between the Sauerland, Münsterland, and the Ruhr Area. The Hellweg road ...

and patrolled western German border during the "

Phoney War The Phoney War (french: Drôle de guerre; german: Sitzkrieg) was an eight-month period at the start of World War II, during which there was only one limited military land operation on the Western Front, when French troops invaded Germa ...

" without having contact with the enemy. On 27 January, II. ''Gruppe'' was ordered to

Dortmund Dortmund (; Westphalian nds, Düörpm ; la, Tremonia) is the third-largest city in North Rhine-Westphalia after Cologne and Düsseldorf, and the eighth-largest city of Germany, with a population of 588,250 inhabitants as of 2021. It is the la ...

where it stayed until 9 May 1940. During the

Battle of France The Battle of France (french: bataille de France) (10 May – 25 June 1940), also known as the Western Campaign ('), the French Campaign (german: Frankreichfeldzug, ) and the Fall of France, was the Nazi Germany, German invasion of French Third Rep ...

on 13 May, Borris was shot down in his

Messerschmitt Bf 109 The Messerschmitt Bf 109 is a German World War II fighter aircraft that was, along with the Focke-Wulf Fw 190, the backbone of the Luftwaffe's fighter force. The Bf 109 first saw operational service in 1937 during the Spanish Civil War an ...

E-3 by a

Boulton Paul Defiant The Boulton Paul Defiant is a British interceptor aircraft that served with the Royal Air Force (RAF) during World War II. The Defiant was designed and built by Boulton Paul Aircraft as a "turret fighter", without any fixed forward-firing guns ...

fighter near

Dordrecht Dordrecht (), historically known in English as Dordt (still colloquially used in Dutch, ) or Dort, is a city and municipality in the Western Netherlands, located in the province of South Holland. It is the province's fifth-largest city after R ...

. He managed to

bail out A bailout is the provision of financial help to a corporation or country which otherwise would be on the brink of bankruptcy. A bailout differs from the term ''bail-in'' (coined in 2010) under which the bondholders or depositors of global sy ...

, was injured and returned to his ''Staffel'' on 17 May. According to Mathews and Foremann, his victor was either

Flight Lieutenant Flight lieutenant is a junior commissioned rank in air forces that use the Royal Air Force (RAF) system of ranks, especially in Commonwealth countries. It has a NATO rank code of OF-2. Flight lieutenant is abbreviated as Flt Lt in the India ...

Ken Gillies from No. 66 Squadron or

Pilot Officer Pilot officer (Plt Off officially in the RAF; in the RAAF and RNZAF; formerly P/O in all services, and still often used in the RAF) is the lowest commissioned rank in the Royal Air Force and the air forces of many other Commonwealth countri ...

P.E.J. Greenhous from No. 264 Squadron. Prior to this mission, Borris had attended a gas-protection course in Berlin. Command of II. ''Gruppe'' changed frequently in 1940. On 19 May, Knüppel was killed in action, he was temporarily replaced by ''Hauptmann'' Karl Ebbinghausen until he was appointed ''

Staffelkapitän ''Staffelkapitän'' is a position (not a rank) in flying units ( ''Staffel'') of the German Luftwaffe that is the equivalent of RAF/USAF Squadron Commander. Usually today a ''Staffelkapitän'' is of '' Oberstleutnant'' or ''Major'' rank. In the ...

'' (squadron leader) of 4. ''Staffel'' on 31 May. On 1 June, command of II. ''Gruppe'' was officially handed over to ''Hauptmann'' Erich Noack. Noack was killed in a landing accident on 24 July, and command of II. ''Gruppe'' was again given to Ebbighausen, who was then killed in action on 16 August. ''Hauptmann'' Erich Bode then led the ''Gruppe'' until 3 October when ''Hauptmann''

Walter Adolph Walter Adolph (11 June 1913 – 18 September 1941) was a German Luftwaffe military aviator in the Spanish Civil War and a fighter ace during World War II. He is credited with 25 aerial victories, including one in Spain, achieved in 79 combat mi ...

was given command. Boris claimed his first aerial victory on 1 June during the

Battle of Dunkirk The Battle of Dunkirk (french: Bataille de Dunkerque, link=no) was fought around the French port of Dunkirk (Dunkerque) during the Second World War, between the Allies and Nazi Germany. As the Allies were losing the Battle of France on ...

. He was credited with the destruction of a

Royal Air Force The Royal Air Force (RAF) is the United Kingdom's air and space force. It was formed towards the end of the First World War on 1 April 1918, becoming the first independent air force in the world, by regrouping the Royal Flying Corps (RFC) and ...

(RAF)

Supermarine Spitfire The Supermarine Spitfire is a British single-seat fighter aircraft used by the Royal Air Force and other Allied countries before, during, and after World War II. Many variants of the Spitfire were built, from the Mk 1 to the Rolls-Royce Grif ...

at 12:42 over the combat area of

Dunkirk Dunkirk (french: Dunkerque ; vls, label=French Flemish, Duunkerke; nl, Duinkerke(n) ; , ;) is a commune in the department of Nord in northern France.No. 266 or No. 611 Squadron. During the

Battle of Britain The Battle of Britain, also known as the Air Battle for England (german: die Luftschlacht um England), was a military campaign of the Second World War, in which the Royal Air Force (RAF) and the Fleet Air Arm (FAA) of the Royal Navy defende ...

, Borris was credited with two aerial victories on 13 August, a day that was codenamed ''

Adlertag ''Adlertag'' ("Eagle Day") was the first day of ''Unternehmen Adlerangriff'' ("Operation Eagle Attack"), which was the codename of a military operation by Nazi Germany's '' Luftwaffe'' (German air force) to destroy the British Royal Air Fo ...

'' (Eagle Day) by the Luftwaffe. II. ''Gruppe'' made contact with

Hawker Hurricane The Hawker Hurricane is a British single-seat fighter aircraft of the 1930s–40s which was designed and predominantly built by Hawker Aircraft Ltd. for service with the Royal Air Force (RAF). It was overshadowed in the public consciousness by ...

fighters from No. 56 Squadron over

Maidstone Maidstone is the largest Town status in the United Kingdom, town in Kent, England, of which it is the county town. Maidstone is historically important and lies 32 miles (51 km) east-south-east of London. The River Medway runs through the c ...

and for the loss of one Bf 109 E-1 shot down, claimed two Hurricanes destroyed, both of them by Borris between Maidstone and

Detling Detling is a village and civil parish in the Borough of Maidstone in Kent, England. The parish is located on the slope of the North Downs, north east of Maidstone, and on the Pilgrims' Way. History and features The ''Cock Horse Inn'' was used ...

. On 6 September, he claimed another Hurricane shot down. This Hurricane was a No. 501 Squadron aircraft ans was claimed at 09:55 near

Folkestone Folkestone ( ) is a port town on the English Channel, in Kent, south-east England. The town lies on the southern edge of the North Downs at a valley between two cliffs. It was an important harbour and shipping port for most of the 19th and 20t ...

. Borris claimed his final aerial victory of the Battle of Britain on 25 October. On an escort mission for fighter bombers from II. ''Gruppe'' of ''Lehrgeschwader'' 2 (LG 2—2nd Demonstration Wing), Borris claimed the destruction of a No. 603 Squadron Spitfire near Maidstone.

Testing the Fw 190

On 5 March 1941, Borris, at the time the technical officer of II. ''Gruppe'', and ''Oberleutnant'' Otto Behrens, the ''Staffelkapitän'' of 6. ''Staffel'', were sent to the Luftwaffe main testing ground () for new aircraft designs at

Rechlin Rechlin is a municipality in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, Germany, around 100 km (60 mi) northwest of Berlin. The town's airport has a long history and was the Luftwaffe's main testing ground for new aircraft designs in Nazi Germany. ...

for operational testing of the then new

Focke Wulf Fw 190 The Focke-Wulf Fw 190, nicknamed ''Würger'' ("Shrike") is a German single-seat, single-engine fighter aircraft designed by Kurt Tank at Focke-Wulf in the late 1930s and widely used during World War II. Along with its well-known counterpart, th ...

. Both Borris and Behrens were prewar aircraft mechanics and headed a team of 30 mechanics and engineers. The unit was given six pre-production Fw 190 A-0 fighters for evaluation and conducted numerous test flights and made various suggestions which proved vital to working out all the technical challenges associated with a new aircraft design. The ''Erprobungsstaffel'' 190, the operational Fw 190 test squadron, headed by Behrens, was ordered from Rechlin to the Le Bourget airfield near

Paris Paris () is the capital and most populous city of France, with an estimated population of 2,165,423 residents in 2019 in an area of more than 105 km² (41 sq mi), making it the 30th most densely populated city in the world in 2020. S ...

on 1 August. There, they were tasked with training II. ''Gruppe'' of JG 26 on the Fw 190 A-1. Borris was transferred to the 6. ''Staffel'' which at the time was commanded by ''Oberleutnant'' Walter Schneider and was based at an airfield in

Moorsele Wevelgem () is a municipality located in the Belgian province of West Flanders. The municipality comprises the towns of Gullegem, Moorsele and Wevelgem proper. On January 1, 2006, Wevelgem had a total population of 31,020. The total area is 38.7 ...

Belgium. 6. ''Staffel'' was the first operational unit to be equipped with the Fw 190. By September, the entire II. ''Gruppe'' was flying the Fw 190. On 9 August, he claimed his first aerial victory on the Fw 190. That day, the RAF had sent a "

Rodeo Rodeo () is a competitive equestrian sport that arose out of the working practices of cattle herding in Spain and Mexico, expanding throughout the Americas and to other nations. It was originally based on the skills required of the working va ...

" to

Neufchâtel-Hardelot Neufchâtel-Hardelot (; vls, Nieuwkasteel-Hardelo) is a commune in the Pas-de-Calais department in the Hauts-de-France region of France. The commune houses a PGL hotel named Le Pré Catelan. Geography Neufchâtel-Hardelot is a farming and tou ...

and Borris claimed a No. 403 Squadron Spitfire shot down near Campagne. On 20 September, the

RAF Fighter Command RAF Fighter Command was one of the commands of the Royal Air Force. It was formed in 1936 to allow more specialised control of fighter aircraft. It served throughout the Second World War. It earned near-immortal fame during the Battle of Brita ...

flew three "Circuses" simultaneously; No. 100A targeted the

Hazebrouck Hazebrouck (, nl, Hazebroek, , vls, Oazebroeke) is a commune in the Nord department, Hauts-de-France. It was a small market town in Flanders until it became an important railway junction in the 1860s. West Flemish was the usual language until 1 ...

motor yards, No. 100B the

Abbeville Abbeville (, vls, Abbekerke, pcd, Advile) is a commune in the Somme department and in Hauts-de-France region in northern France. It is the chef-lieu of one of the arrondissements of Somme. Located on the river Somme, it was the capital of ...

motor yards, and No. 100C hit the

Rouen Rouen (, ; or ) is a city on the River Seine in northern France. It is the prefecture of the Regions of France, region of Normandy (administrative region), Normandy and the Departments of France, department of Seine-Maritime. Formerly one of ...

shipyards. In defense of this attack, Borris was credited with destruction of Spitfire, claimed at 16:57 near

Mardyck Mardyck (Dutch: ''Mardijk'', vls, Mardyk) is a former commune in the Nord department in northern France. It is an associated commune with Dunkirk since it joined the latter in January 1980.Bristol Blenheim The Bristol Blenheim is a British light bomber aircraft designed and built by the Bristol Aeroplane Company (Bristol) which was used extensively in the first two years of the Second World War, with examples still being used as trainers until ...

bombers and escorted by fourteen squadrons of Spitfires and Hurricanes targeted

Béthune Béthune ( ; archaic and ''Bethwyn'' historically in English) is a city in northern France, sub-prefecture of the Pas-de-Calais department. Geography Béthune is located in the former province of Artois. It is situated south-east of Calais, ...

and

Gosnay Gosnay () is a commune in the Pas-de-Calais department in the Hauts-de-France region of France. Geography A former coal-mining town, now a light industrial and farming village, situated some southwest of Béthune and southwest of Lille, at t ...

. In combat over

Étaples Étaples or Étaples-sur-Mer (; vls, Stapel, lang; pcd, Étape) is a commune in the Pas-de-Calais department in northern France. It is a fishing and leisure port on the Canche river. History Étaples takes its name from having been a medieval ...

, Borris managed to shoot down a No. 315 Polish Fighter Squadron Spitfire at 16:30.

Squadron leader

On 6 November 1941, ''Hauptmann''

Johann Schmid Johann Schmid (13 January 1911 – 6 November 1941) was an Austrian-born Luftwaffe military aviator during the World War II, a fighter ace listed with 45 enemy aircraft shot down. A flying ace or fighter ace is a military aviator credited with ...

, the ''Staffelkapitän'' of 8. ''Staffel'', was killed in action. In consequence, Borris was transferred and chosen as his successor. 8. ''Staffel'' was a squadron of III. ''Gruppe'' and at the time commanded by ''

Major Major (commandant in certain jurisdictions) is a military rank of commissioned officer status, with corresponding ranks existing in many military forces throughout the world. When used unhyphenated and in conjunction with no other indicators ...

'' Gerhard Schöpfel. Borris claimed his first aerial victory whilst flying with 8. ''Staffel'' on 13 March 1942. By this date, his Fw 190 had been equipped with the

FuG 25a Erstling FuG 25a ''Erstling'' (German: ''"Firstborn"'', ''"Debut"'', sometimes FuGe) was an identification friend or foe (IFF) transponder installed in ''Luftwaffe'' aircraft starting in 1941 in order to allow German Freya radar stations to identify them ...

, an identification friend or foe

transponder In telecommunications, a transponder is a device that, upon receiving a signal, emits a different signal in response. The term is a blend word, blend of ''transmitter'' and ''responder''. In air navigation or radio frequency identification, a T ...

, allowing German radar operators to distinguish between friendly and enemy aircraft. That day, the RAF sent "Circus" No. 114 to bomb the railway yards at Hazebrouck. III. ''Gruppe'' was dispatched and fought a lengthy air battle with the Kenley Wing. During this air battle, Borris downed a No. 602 Squadron Spitfire for his tenth aerial victory. During the

Dieppe Raid Operation Jubilee or the Dieppe Raid (19 August 1942) was an Allied amphibious attack on the German-occupied port of Dieppe in northern France, during the Second World War. Over 6,050 infantry, predominantly Canadian, supported by a regiment o ...

on 19 August 1942, on III. ''Gruppe''s second patrol of the day, a flight led by Borris and ''Oberleutnant'' Klaus Mietusch took off from

Wevelgem Wevelgem () is a municipality located in the Belgian province of West Flanders. The municipality comprises the towns of Gullegem, Moorsele and Wevelgem proper. On January 1, 2006, Wevelgem had a total population of 31,020. The total area is 38.76 ...

airfield at 09:36. The flight intercepted Spitfire fighters from No. 19 and No. 121 Squadron, an

Eagle Squadron The Eagle Squadrons were three fighter squadrons of the Royal Air Force (RAF) formed with volunteer pilots from the United States during the early days of World War II (circa 1940), prior to America's entry into the war in December 1941. Wit ...

. In this encounter, Borris claimed a Spitfire shot down at 10:15 in the vicinity of

Dieppe Dieppe (; Norman: ''Dgieppe'') is a coastal commune in the Seine-Maritime department in the Normandy region of northern France. Dieppe is a seaport on the English Channel at the mouth of the river Arques. A regular ferry service runs to Newha ...

. Following this 21st aerial victory claim, he was awarded the

German Cross The War Order of the German Cross (german: Der Kriegsorden Deutsches Kreuz), normally abbreviated to the German Cross or ''Deutsches Kreuz'', was instituted by Adolf Hitler on 28 September 1941. It was awarded in two divisions: in gold for repe ...

in Gold () on 8 September.

Defense of the Reich

On 14 May 1943, the

United States Army Air Forces The United States Army Air Forces (USAAF or AAF) was the major land-based aerial warfare service component of the United States Army and ''de facto'' aerial warfare service branch of the United States during and immediately after World War II ...

(USAAF) targeted four separate targets in Germany, Belgium and the Netherlands. In defense of this attack, Borris was shot down in his Fw 190 A-5 (''Werknummer'' 7326—factory number) by the defensive gunfire of a

Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress The Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress is a four-engined heavy bomber developed in the 1930s for the United States Army Air Corps (USAAC). Relatively fast and high-flying for a bomber of its era, the B-17 was used primarily in the European Theater ...

bomber in combat near Wevelgem. He managed to bail out at but opened his parachute too soon, causing it to partially collapse. He sustained multiple broken bones, requiring a lengthy period in hospitals and convalescence. On 22 June, ''Major''

Fritz Losigkeit Fritz Losigkeit (17 November 1913 – 14 January 1994) was a German Luftwaffe military aviator during the Spanish Civil War and wing commander during World War II. As a fighter ace, he is credited with 68 aerial victories in approximately ...

the commander of I. ''Gruppe'' was transferred. In consequence, ''Oberst'' Josef Priller, the '' Geschwaderkommodore'' (wing commander) of JG 26, was forced to appoint a new ''

Gruppenkommandeur ''Gruppenkommandeur'' is a Luftwaffe position (not rank), that is the equivalent of a commander of a group or wing in other air forces. A ''Gruppenkommandeur'' usually has the rank of Major or ''Oberstleutnant'' (Lieutenant Colonel), and commands ...

'' (group commander). While Borris was still in a hospital, Priller called him and gave him command of I. ''Gruppe''. 24 July marked the beginning of a period in the

Combined Bomber Offensive The Combined Bomber Offensive (CBO) was an Allied offensive of strategic bombing during World War II in Europe. The primary portion of the CBO was directed against Luftwaffe targets which was the highest priority from June 1943 to 1 April 1944. ...

which was referred to as "

Blitz Week Blitz Week was a period of United States Army Air Forces (USAAF) aerial bombardment during the 1943 Combined Bomber Offensive of World War II. Air raids were conducted on six of seven days as part of Operation Gomorrah, against targets such as ...

". As part of the offensive, the next day, U.S.

Martin B-26 Marauder The Martin B-26 Marauder is an American twin-engined medium bomber that saw extensive service during World War II. The B-26 was built at two locations: Baltimore, Maryland, and Omaha, Nebraska, by the Glenn L. Martin Company. First used in t ...

bombers attacked the

Ghent Ghent ( nl, Gent ; french: Gand ; traditional English: Gaunt) is a city and a municipality in the Flemish Region of Belgium. It is the capital and largest city of the East Flanders province, and the third largest in the country, exceeded in ...

coke furnaces. I. ''Gruppe'', led by Borris, was scrambled at

Woensdrecht Woensdrecht () is a municipality (named after the village) in the southern Netherlands. Woensdrecht is the home of the Woensdrecht Air Base, which is located to the north-east of the village of Woensdrecht and to the north-west of Huijbergen. ...

to intercept the attack on Ghent. The ''Gruppe'' engaged the escorting fighters and claimed four Spitfires destroyed plus a further Spitfire damaged, without loss. Following this aerial battle, Borris was credited with two aerial victories over two No. 165 Squadron Spitfires claimed shot down north of Ghent at 15:04 and 15:09 respectively. The USAAF targeted the German aircraft industry on 17 August 1943 in the

Schweinfurt–Regensburg mission The Schweinfurt–Regensburg mission was a strategic bombing mission during World War II carried out by Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress heavy bombers of the U.S. Army Air Forces on August 17, 1943. The mission was an ambitious plan to cripple the ...

. In defense of this attack, Borris, who had returned to his unit, claimed the first of 60 B-17 bombers lost by the USAAF that day. At 11:30, he had shot down a B-17 from the

94th Bombardment Group The Type 094 (; Chinese designation: 09- IV; NATO reporting name: Jin class) is a class of ballistic missile submarine developed by China for the People's Liberation Army Navy Submarine Force. The Type 094 succeeds the Type 092 submarine and ...

which came down east of

Deest Deest is a village in the Dutch province of Gelderland. It is a part of the municipality of Druten, and lies about 9 km south of Wageningen. History It was first mentioned in 814 as T(h)esta (CL I, no. 101) and 997 as Dheste. The etymolo ...

. On 17 September 1944, Allied forces launched

Operation Market Garden Operation Market Garden was an Allies of World War II, Allied military operation during the World War II, Second World War fought in the Netherlands from 17 to 27 September 1944. Its objective was to create a Salient (military), salient into G ...

, the operation to secure a bridgehead over the River Rhine. As part of this operation, the Allies flew resupplies to the combat area around

Arnhem Arnhem ( or ; german: Arnheim; South Guelderish: ''Èrnem'') is a city and municipality situated in the eastern part of the Netherlands about 55 km south east of Utrecht. It is the capital of the province of Gelderland, located on both banks of ...

on 23 September. The transport aircraft were protected by 519 fighters from the

VIII Fighter Command The VIII Fighter Command was a United States Army Air Forces unit of command above the wings and below the numbered air force. Its primary mission was command of fighter operations within the Eighth Air Force. In the World War II European Thea ...

and 40

Lockheed P-38 Lightning The Lockheed P-38 Lightning is an American single-seat, twin piston-engined fighter aircraft that was used during World War II. Developed for the United States Army Air Corps by the Lockheed Corporation, the P-38 incorporated a distinctive twi ...

fighters from the

Ninth Air Force The Ninth Air Force (Air Forces Central) is a Numbered Air Force of the United States Air Force headquartered at Shaw Air Force Base, South Carolina. It is the Air Force Service Component of United States Central Command (USCENTCOM), a joint De ...

. German fighters dispatched by

Luftflotte Reich Luftflotte ReichFor an explanation of the meaning of Luftwaffe unit designation see Luftwaffe Organisation (Air Fleet ''Reich'') was one of the primary divisions of the German Luftwaffe in World War II. It was formed on February 5, 1944 in Berlin ...

never reached the transports. Borris led I. ''Gruppe'' to the

Goch Goch (; archaic spelling: Gog, Dutch: Gogh) is a town in the district of Kleve, in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. It is situated close to the border with the Siebengewald in Netherlands, approx. south of Kleve, and southeast of Nijmegen. His ...

Wesel Wesel () is a city in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. It is the capital of the Wesel district. Geography Wesel is situated at the confluence of the Lippe River and the Rhine. Division of the city Suburbs of Wesel include Lackhausen, Obrighove ...

area where he shot down a

North American P-51 Mustang The North American Aviation P-51 Mustang is an American long-range, single-seat fighter aircraft, fighter and fighter-bomber used during World War II and the Korean War, among other conflicts. The Mustang was designed in April 1940 by a team ...

fighter from the 339th Fighter Group.

Operation Bodenplatte and defeat

On 24 November 1944, Priller with his '' Geschwaderstab'' of JG 26 and Borris with his I. ''Gruppe'' moved to an airfield near

Handrup Handrup is a municipality in the Emsland district, in Lower Saxony, Germany Germany,, officially the Federal Republic of Germany, is a country in Central Europe. It is the second most populous country in Europe after Russia, and t ...

and Fürstenau. The next day, two pilots of JG 26 were awarded the

(), Borris for 41 aerial victories, and ''Leutnant''

Heinz-Gerhard Vogt Gerhard Vogt (29 November 1919 – 14 January 1945) was a German Luftwaffe military aviator and fighter ace during World War II. He is credited with 48 aerial victories, claimed over the Western Front and in Defense of the Reich in 174 combat ...

from 5. ''Staffel'' for 46 aerial victories. The presentation of the Knight's Cross was made by ''Oberst''

Hannes Trautloft Johannes "Hannes" Trautloft (3 March 1912 – 11 January 1995) was a German Luftwaffe military aviator during the Spanish Civil War and World War II, and general in the postwar German Air Force. As a fighter ace, he is credited with 58 enemy airc ...

, at the time ''Inspekteur der Tagjäger'' (Inspector of Day Fighters), at Fürstenau airfield on 5 December. Following the presentation, Borris led a flight of five Fw 190s against a formation of B-17s bombing Berlin and managed to shoot down a straggler from the 452d Bombardment Group west of

Lingen Lingen (), officially Lingen (Ems), is a town in Lower Saxony, Germany. In 2008, its population was 52,353, and in addition there were about 5,000 people who registered the city as their secondary residence. Lingen, specifically "Lingen (Ems)" is ...

. At Fürstenau airfield, the ''Gruppe'' was equipped with the Fw 190 D-9 aircraft and flew twelve combat missions in support of the Ardennes Counteroffensive, also known as the

Battle of the Bulge The Battle of the Bulge, also known as the Ardennes Offensive, was the last major German offensive (military), offensive military campaign, campaign on the Western Front (World War II), Western Front during World War II. The battle lasted fr ...

. In these missions, Borris lost eight pilots killed in action, five were wounded and further four pilots were taken

prisoner of war A prisoner of war (POW) is a person who is held captive by a belligerent power during or immediately after an armed conflict. The earliest recorded usage of the phrase "prisoner of war" dates back to 1610. Belligerents hold prisoners of wa ...

(POW). On 31 December, 20 Fw 190 aircraft from III. ''Gruppe'' of ''Jagdgeschwader'' 54 (JG 54—54th Fighter Wing) under the command of ''Oberleutnant'' Hans Dortenmann arrived at Fürstenau in preparation for

Operation Bodenplatte Operation Bodenplatte (; "Baseplate"), launched on 1 January 1945, was an attempt by the Luftwaffe to cripple Allied air forces in the Low Countries during the Second World War. The goal of ''Bodenplatte'' was to gain air superiority during th ...

. Bodenplatte was an attempt at gaining

air superiority Aerial supremacy (also air superiority) is the degree to which a side in a conflict holds control of air power over opposing forces. There are levels of control of the air in aerial warfare. Control of the air is the aerial equivalent of c ...

during the stagnant stage of the Battle of the Bulge. That evening, Borris briefs the pilots of the mission, which is the

Grimbergen Airfield Grimbergen Airfield ( nl, Vliegveld Grimbergen, ) is a general aviation aerodrome located in Grimbergen, a municipality of the province of Flemish Brabant in Belgium. Like many recreational aerodromes in Belgium, it is formally a private field, re ...

. Led by Priller and Borris, 47 aircraft from the ''Geschwaderstab'' and I. ''Gruppe'', and further 17 aircraft from III. ''Gruppe'' of JG 54 took off at 08:14 on 1 January 1945. Flying at an altitude of approximately , the attack force sustained losses during the approach to the target area, largely due to anti-artillery fire. The airfield at Gimbergen was almost completely abandoned, the damage inflicted was minimal, and the losses sustained where significant. III. ''Gruppe'' of JG 54 suffered five pilots killed or missing in action, plus four further taken prisoner of war, Borris lost six pilots either killed or missing in action, making the mission a total failure. Borris claimed his 43rd and last aerial victory on 14 January and German forces were on the retreat in the Ardennes. At 15:25, Borris led a flight of 31 Fw 190 D-9s from Fürstenfeld, three Fw 190 had to abord the mission prematurely, on mission to protect the German jet bomber airfields in the vicinity of Rheine- Hopsten. Borris and his flight of 28 aircraft encountered Spitfires of the

Second Tactical Air Force The RAF Second Tactical Air Force (2TAF) was one of three tactical air forces within the Royal Air Force (RAF) during and after the Second World War. It was made up of squadrons and personnel from the RAF, other British Commonwealth air forces ...

with the two Norwegian squadrons No. 331 and No. 332 Squadron. In this encounter, Borris claimed a Spitife shot down at 15:45 in the vicinity of Ibbenbüren. Based at Flensburg Airfield, Borris surrendered I. ''Gruppe'' to British forces on 6 May 1945. He and his men were taken to a makeshift POW nearby.

Summary of career

Aerial victory claims

Mathews and Foreman, authors of ''Luftwaffe Aces: Biographies and Victory Claims'', researched the

German Federal Archives The German Federal Archives or Bundesarchiv (BArch) (german: Bundesarchiv) are the National Archives of Germany. They were established at the current location in Koblenz in 1952. They are subordinated to the Federal Commissioner for Culture and t ...

and found records for 43 aerial victory claims, all of which were claimed on the Western Front. Victory claims were logged to a map-reference (PQ = ''Planquadrat''), for example "PQ 05 Ost BE". The Luftwaffe grid map () covered all of Europe, western Russia and North Africa and was composed of rectangles measuring 15

minutes Minutes, also known as minutes of meeting (abbreviation MoM), protocols or, informally, notes, are the instant written record of a meeting or hearing. They typically describe the events of the meeting and may include a list of attendees, a state ...

latitude In geography, latitude is a coordinate that specifies the north– south position of a point on the surface of the Earth or another celestial body. Latitude is given as an angle that ranges from –90° at the south pole to 90° at the north pol ...

by 30 minutes of

longitude Longitude (, ) is a geographic coordinate that specifies the east–west position of a point on the surface of the Earth, or another celestial body. It is an angular measurement, usually expressed in degrees and denoted by the Greek letter l ...

, an area of about . These sectors were then subdivided into 36 smaller units to give a location area 3 × 4 km in size.

Awards

Front Flying Clasp of the Luftwaffe The Front Flying Clasp of the Luftwaffe (german: Frontflugspange) was a World War II German military decoration awarded to aircrew and certain other Luftwaffe personnel in recognition of the number of operational flights flown. It was instituted by ...

Iron Cross The Iron Cross (german: link=no, Eisernes Kreuz, , abbreviated EK) was a military decoration in the Kingdom of Prussia, and later in the German Empire (1871–1918) and Nazi Germany (1933–1945). King Frederick William III of Prussia est ...

(1939) ** 2nd Class (7 September 1940) ** 1st Class (5 September 1941) *

Honour Goblet of the Luftwaffe The ''Ehrenpokal der Luftwaffe'' (Honor Goblet of the Luftwaffe) was a Luftwaffe award established on 27 February 1940 by Hermann Göring, ''Reichsmarschall'' Hermann Göring, the ''Reich'' Minister of Aviation and Commander-in-Chief of the Luft ...

on 25 May 1942 as ''

Oberleutnant () is the highest lieutenant officer rank in the German-speaking armed forces of Germany (Bundeswehr), the Austrian Armed Forces, and the Swiss Armed Forces. Austria Germany In the German Army, it dates from the early 19th century. Trans ...

'' and ''

'' *

in Gold on 8 September 1942 as ''

'' in the 8./''Jagdgeschwader'' 26 *

on 25 November 1944 as ''

'' and ''

'' of I./''Jagdgeschwader'' 26 "Schlageter"

Notes

References

Citations

Bibliography

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Borris, Karl 1916 births 1981 deaths German prisoners of war in World War II held by the United Kingdom German World War II flying aces Luftwaffe pilots People from the Province of Brandenburg People from Teltow-Fläming Recipients of the Gold German Cross Recipients of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross Military personnel from Brandenburg