Wolfgang Ewald (26 March 1911 – 24 February 1995) was a

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 ...

ace An ace is a playing card, die or domino with a single pip. In the standard French deck, an ace has a single suit symbol (a heart, diamond, spade, or club) located in the middle of the card, sometimes large and decorated, especially in the c ...

and recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross during

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 opposing ...

. The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross was awarded to recognise extreme battlefield bravery or successful military leadership.

Career

On 18 August 1940, known as The Hardest Day, twelve Messerschmitt Bf 109s from 2. ''Staffel'' of ''Jagdgeschwader'' 52 (JG 52—52nd Fighter Wing), led by Ewald, attacked RAF fighters out in the open at

RAF Manston Royal Air Force Manston or more simply RAF Manston is a former Royal Air Force station located in the north-east of Kent, at on the Isle of Thanet from 1916 until 1996. The site was split between a commercial airport Kent International Airpo ...

. After two passes, the Germans claimed ten fighters and three

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 destroyed. In fact, just two No. 266 Squadron Supermarine Spitfire fighters were destroyed with another six

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 b ...

fighters damaged but repairable. A single Hurricane was also destroyed. On 23 July 1942, Ewald was given command as '' Gruppenkommandeur'' (group commander) of III. ''Gruppe'' of ''Jagdgeschwader'' 3 "Udet" (JG 3—3rd Fighter Wing). He replaced ''Major'' Karl-Heinz Greisert who was killed in action the day before. Ewald was awarded the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross () on 9 December 1942. On 14 July 1943 during the

Battle of Kursk The Battle of Kursk was a major World War II Eastern Front engagement between the forces of Nazi Germany and the Soviet Union near Kursk in the southwestern USSR during late summer 1943; it ultimately became the largest tank battle in history ...

, Ewald was shot down in his Bf 109 G-6 (''Werknummer'' 20220—factory number) by Soviet flak northeast of

Belgorod Belgorod ( rus, Белгород, p=ˈbʲeɫɡərət) is a city and the administrative center of Belgorod Oblast, Russia, located on the Seversky Donets River north of the border with Ukraine. Population: Demographics The population of B ...

. He was temporarily replaced by ''Hauptmann'' Leo Eggers and ''Hauptmann'' Karl-Heinz Langer before command of III. ''Gruppe'' was officially given to ''Hauptmann''

Walther Dahl Walther Dahl (27 March 1916 – 25 November 1985) was a German pilot and a fighter ace during World War II. He was a recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves of Nazi Germany. Dahl claimed some 128 enemy aircraft shot do ...

on 20 July. Ewald was 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 w ...

and was held until 1949.

Summary of career

Aerial victory claims

According to Spick, Ewald was credited with 78 aerial victories claimed in an unknown number combat missions. This figure includes one aerial victory during the Spanish Civil War, two during the Battle of France and Britain and further 75 aerial victories on the Eastern Front. Mathews and Foreman, authors of ''Luftwaffe Aces — Biographies and Victory Claims'', researched the German Federal Archives and found documentation for 65 aerial victory claims, plus two further unconfirmed claims. This number includes one claim during the Spanish Civil War, one over the

Western Allies The Allies, formally referred to as the United Nations from 1942, were an international military coalition formed during the Second World War (1939–1945) to oppose the Axis powers, led by Nazi Germany, Imperial Japan, and Fascist Italy ...

, and 63 on the Eastern Front.

Awards

Aviator badge An aviator badge is an insignia used in most of the world's militaries to designate those who have received training and qualification in military aviation. Also known as a Pilot's Badge, or Pilot Wings, the Aviator Badge was first conceived to re ...

Spanish Cross The Spanish Cross (german: Spanien-Kreuz) was an award of Nazi Germany given to German troops who participated in the Spanish Civil War, fighting for nationalist general, later Spanish caudillo, Francisco Franco. History With the outbreak o ...

in Gold with Swords (14 April 1939) *

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 es ...

(1939) 2nd and 1st Class *

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 21 September 1942 as ''

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 ...

'' and '' Gruppenkommandeur'' *

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 3 October 1942 as ''

'' in the III./''Jagdgeschwader'' 3 * Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross on 9 December 1942 as '' Major'' and '' Gruppenkommandeur'' of the III./''Jagdgeschwader'' 3 "Udet"

References

Citations

Bibliography

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External links

Luftwaffe 1939–1945 History

TracesOfWar.com
{{DEFAULTSORT:Ewald, Wolfgang 1911 births 1995 deaths Condor Legion personnel German Air Force personnel German military personnel of the Spanish Civil War German prisoners of war in World War II held by the Soviet Union German World War II flying aces Luftwaffe pilots Military personnel from Hamburg Recipients of the Gold German Cross Recipients of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross Shot-down aviators