Heinz Strüning

Heinz Strüning (13 January 1912 – 24 December 1944) was a German Luftwaffe military aviator during World War II, a night fighter ace credited with 56 nocturnal aerial victories claimed in 280 combat missions.For a list of Luftwaffe night fighter aces see ''List of German World War II night fighter aces''.

All of his victories were claimed over the Western Front in Defense of the Reich missions against the Royal Air Force's Bomber Command. He was shot down and killed in action on Christmas Eve, 24 December 1944.

Early life and career

Strüning was born on 13 January 1912 in Neviges, at the time in the Rhine Province of the German Empire. He was the son of electrician Karl Strüning. Following graduation from the ''Realgymnasium''—a secondary school built on the mid-level ''Realschule''—in Langenberg he began his vocational education as a merchant. In March 1935, he joined the Luftwaffe and was trained as a pilot.

Holding the rank of ''Unteroffizier'', he was posted to 5. '' Staffel'' (5th squadron) of ''Zerstörergeschwader'' 26 "Horst Wessel" (ZG 26—26th Destroyer Wing), named after the Nazi martyr Horst Wessel, on 2 August 1939.For an explanation of the meaning of Luftwaffe unit designation see Organisation of the Luftwaffe during World War II.

World War II

World War II in Europe began on Friday, 1 September 1939, when German forces invaded Poland. Flying with ZG 26, he flew several patrol missions on the Western Front during the Phoney War period. On 9 April 1940, the ''Wehrmacht'' launched Operation Weserübung, the German assault on Denmark and Norway. Two days later, Strüning was reassigned to the ''Zerstörrerstaffel'' of ''Kampfgeschwader'' 30 (KG 30—30th Bomber Wing). Until 9 June, he flew escort missions in support of the German troops at Narvik. For his service in Norway, he was awarded the Iron Cross second Class () on 15 July 1940. On 1 August 1940, Strüning was promoted to ''Feldwebel'' (sergeant).

Night fighter career

Following the 1939 aerial Battle of the Heligoland Bight, Royal Air Force (RAF) attacks shifted to the cover of darkness, initiating the Defence of the Reich campaign. By mid-1940, ''Generalmajor'' (Brigadier General) Josef Kammhuber had established a night air defense system dubbed the Kammhuber Line. It consisted of a series of control sectors equipped with radars and searchlights and an associated night fighter. Each sector named a ''Himmelbett'' (canopy bed) would direct the night fighter into visual range with target bombers. In 1941, the Luftwaffe started equipping night fighters with airborne radar such as the ''Lichtenstein'' radar. This airborne radar did not come into general use until early 1942.

In July 1940, elements of (Z)KG 30 were trained and converted to flying night fighter missions. These elements then became the 4. ''Staffel'' in the II. '' Gruppe'' (2nd group) of the newly created ''Nachtjagdgeschwader'' 1 (NJG 1—1st Night Fighter Wing). On 11 September, II. ''Gruppe'' of NJG 1 was reassigned and became the I. ''Gruppe'' of ''Nachtjagdgeschwader'' 2 (NJG 2—2nd Night Fighter Wing), subsequently Strünning became a pilot of 1./NJG 2. Kammhuber had created I./NJG 2 with the idea of utilizing the Junkers Ju 88 C-2 and Dornier Do 17 Z as an offensive weapon, flying long range intruder () missions into British airspace, attacking RAF airfields. Until October 1941, I. ''Gruppe'' operated from the Gilze-Rijen Air Base.

With this unit, Strüning flew 66 intruder missions over England at night, and claimed his first aerial victory on the night of 23 November 1940 over a Vickers Wellington bomber west of Scheveningen. Two days later, he received the Iron Cross first Class (). For his service in Norway, he was presented the Narvik Shield on 30 January 1941. On the evening of 15 February 1941, Strüning claimed a Lockheed Hudson east of Great Yarmouth and a Wellington east-northeast of Southend-on-Sea. Following his fifth aerial victory, he received the Honour Goblet of the Luftwaffe () on 12 June 1941. On 1 July 1941, Strüning was promoted to ''Oberfeldwebel'' (Master Sergeant). He claimed his ninth and last intruder aerial victory on 13 October 1941 over a Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress in the vicinity of Upwood over England.

In the timeframe 24 October 1940, the date of I. ''Gruppe''s first aerial victory, to 12 October 1941, the intruder ''Gruppe'' claimed approximately 100 RAF aircraft destroyed, additionally further aircraft were damaged as well as RAF ground targets attacked. This came at the expense of 26 aircraft lost. In October 1941, Hitler ordered the intruder operations stopped as he was skeptical of the results. The unit was then ordered to Catania, Sicily in the Mediterranean theater of operations. Strüning however stayed at Gilze-Rijen and was transferred to the ''Ergänzungsjagdgruppe'', a supplementary unit of NJG 2.

In November 1941, he was transferred to 7./NJG 2. With this unit, Strüning gained 15 victories until mid-September 1942. He received the German Cross in Gold () in July 1942, after his 19th claim. In mid September 1942 he was promoted to ''Leutnant'' and awarded the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross () in October 1942. Strüning is then transferred to 2./NJG 1 in May 1943.

''Staffelkapitän'' and death

Strüning was promoted to ''Oberleutnant'' (first lieutenant) on 1 August 1943. On 15 August, he was then appointed ''Staffelkapitän'' of 3. ''Staffel'' of ''Nachtjagdgeschwader'' 1 (NJG 1—1st Night Fighter Wing). On 23 August 1943, Strüning claimed a Lancaster shot down east of Eindhoven.

Strüning coordinated the introduction of the new Heinkel He 219 "Uhu". With this aircraft, Strüning downed three bombers on the night of 31 August 1943, a Halifax west of Mönchengladbach. On 22 June 1944, he shot down three RAF bombers. Strüning was awarded the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves () on 20 July 1944.

On 7 October, Helmut Lent, the ''Geschwaderkommodore'' of NJG 3, died of wounds sustained in a flying accident the day before. Lent's state funeral was held in the Reich Chancellery, Berlin, on Wednesday 11 October 1944. Strüning, together with ''Oberstleutnant'' Hans-Joachim Jabs, ''Major'' Rudolf Schoenert, ''Oberstleutnant'' Günther Radusch, ''Hauptmann'' Karl Hadeball and ''Hauptmann'' Paul Zorner, formed the guard of honor. On 15 November, Strüning again participated in a guard of honor. He and ''Leutnant'' Karl Schnörrer, ''Oberst'' Gordon Gollob, ''Major'' Georg Christl, ''Major'' Rudolf Schoenert, ''Major'' Josef Fözö formed the guard of honor at Walter Nowotny funeral at the ''Zentralfriedhof'' in Vienna. Nowotny had been killed in action on 8 November 1944. The eulogy was delivered by ''Generaloberst'' Otto Deßloch.

At about 6 pm on 24 December 1944 his Messerschmitt Bf 110 G-4 (''Werknummer'' 740 162—factory number) G9+CT was shot down by 10-kill ace F/L R.D. Doleman and F/L D.C. Bunch of No. 157 Squadron RAF in a de Havilland Mosquito Intruder while he tried to attack a Lancaster bomber over Cologne. He bailed out but struck the tail of his plane and fell to his death. His body was found two months after his death. Strüning was buried at the ''Ostfriedhof'' (eastern cemetery) in Westönnen in field X, grave 14.

Summary of career

Aerial victory claims

During his career, Hauptmann Heinz Strüning had made 280 combat missions (250 at night), and claimed 56 victories at night (including two Mosquitoes).

Foreman, Parry and Mathews, authors of ''Luftwaffe Night Fighter Claims 1939 – 1945'', researched the German Federal Archives and found records for 56 nocturnal victory claims. Mathews and Foreman also published ''Luftwaffe Aces — Biographies and Victory Claims'', listing Strüning with 56 aerial victories claimed in 280 combat missions.

Awards

* Iron Cross (1939)
** 2nd Class (15 July 1940)
** 1st Class (25 November 1940)
* Narvik Shield (30 January 1941)
* Honour Goblet of the Luftwaffe (''Ehrenpokal der Luftwaffe'') on 12 June 1941 as ''Feldwebel'' in a ''Nachtjagdgeschwader''
* German Cross in Gold on 10 July 1942 as ''Oberfeldwebel'' in the ''Ergänzungsstaffel''/''Nachtjagdgeschwader'' 2
* Wound Badge in Black (10 September 1943)
* Front Flying Clasp of the Luftwaffe for Night Fighter in Gold with Pennant (31 May 1944)
* Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves
** Knight's Cross on 29 October 1942 as ''Leutnant'' of the Reserves and pilot in the 3./''Nachtjagdgeschwader'' 1
** 528th Oak Leaves on 20 July 1944 as ''Hauptmann'' of the Reserves and ''Staffelkapitän'' of the 3./''Nachtjagdgeschwader'' 1

Dates of rank

Notes

References

Citations

Bibliography

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{{DEFAULTSORT:Struning, Heinz
Luftwaffe pilots
German World War II flying aces
Luftwaffe personnel killed in World War II
Recipients of the Gold German Cross
Recipients of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves
1912 births
1944 deaths
Military personnel from North Rhine-Westphalia
People from Velbert
Aviators killed by being shot down