Hugo Frey

Hugo Frey
Born14 April 1915
Heilbronn
Died6 March 1944(1944-03-06) (aged 28)
Sleen, Netherlands
Cause of deathKilled in action
Buried
Ysselsteyn German war cemetery, Netherlands
(Block AX-row 9-grave 210)
Allegiance Nazi Germany
Service/branchBalkenkreuz (Iron Cross) Luftwaffe
RankHauptmann (captain)
UnitLG 2, JG 1, JG 11
Commands held2./JG 1, 5./JG 11, 7./JG 11
Battles/warsWorld War II
AwardsKnight's Cross of the Iron Cross

Hugo Freyⓘ (14 April 1915 – 6 March 1944) was a Luftwaffe ace and recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross during World War II. On 6 March 1944, Frey was killed over Sleen, the Netherlands after attacking a formation of Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress bombers. He was posthumously awarded the Knight's Cross on 4 May 1944. During his career he was credited with 32 aerial victories including 25 four-engine bombers, all on the Western Front.

Career

Frey was born on 14 April 1915 in Heilbronn, at the time in the Kingdom of Württemberg within the German Empire.[1] Following his flight training,[Note 1] Frey was posted to I. (Jäger) Gruppe (I.(J)—1st fighter group) of Lehrgeschwader 2 (LG 2—2nd Demonstration Wing), an operational training unit tasked with the evaluation of new types of aircraft and tactics. There, he was assigned to the 1. Staffel (1st squadron).[3]

World War II

World War II in Europe began on Friday, 1 September 1939, when German forces invaded Poland. On 3 September, 1. Staffel moved to Lottin, present-day Lotyń. The next day, Frey claimed his first aerial victory when he shot down a Polish PZL P.24 fighter aircraft.[4]

On 26 October 1942, Frey was appointed Staffelkapitän (squadron leader) of 2. Staffel of Jagdgeschwader 1 (JG 1—1st Fighter Wing). He succeeded Hauptmann Werner Dolenga who was transferred.[5] On 1 April 1943, 2. Staffel was renamed and became the 5. Staffel of Jagdgeschwader 11 (JG 11—11th Fighter Wing).[6] On 1 May, Frey was transferred and appointed Staffelkapitän of the newly formed 7. Staffel of JG 11.[7] In consequence, command of 5. Staffel was passed to Oberleutnant Heinz Knoke.[8]

German War Cemetery Ysselsteyn - Hugo Frey

On 6 March 1944, the United States Army Air Forces (USAAF) Eighth Air Force sent 730 heavy bombers on a mission to bomb Berlin. Defending against this attack, Frey claimed four Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress bombers shot down.[9] During this aerial combat, Frey was shot down and killed in action in his Focke-Wulf Fw 190 A-7 near Sleen, 30 kilometers (19 miles) west of Meppen.[10] In April, command of 7. Staffel went to Hauptmann Horst-Günther von Fassong after Frey's immediate successor was also killed in action.[11] Posthumously, Frey was promoted to Hauptmann (captain) and awarded the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross (Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes) on 4 May 1944.[12] Frey is buried at the German War Cemetery Ysselsteyn (Block AX—Row 9—Grave 210) at Venray.[13]

Summary of career

Aerial victory claims

According to Weal, Frey, together with Major Hermann Staiger, was the most successful fighter pilot against the heavy bombers while flying the Bf 109.[14] Forsyth lists him with 25 heavy bombers shot down.[15] Mathews and Foreman, authors of Luftwaffe Aces — Biographies and Victory Claims, researched the German Federal Archives and found records for 17 aerial victory claims, plus two further unconfirmed claims. This figure includes one aerial victory over Poland and 17 on the Western Front, including 15 four-engine heavy bombers.[16]

Victory claims were logged to a map-reference (PQ = Planquadrat), for example "PQ 05 Ost S/HU-8". The Luftwaffe grid map (Jägermeldenetz) covered all of Europe, western Russia and North Africa and was composed of rectangles measuring 15 minutes of latitude by 30 minutes of longitude, an area of about 360 square miles (930 km2). These sectors were then subdivided into 36 smaller units to give a location area 3 km × 4 km (1.9 mi × 2.5 mi) in size.[17]

Chronicle of aerial victories
  This along with the * (asterisk) indicates an Herausschuss (separation shot)—a severely damaged heavy bomber forced to separate from his combat box which was counted as an aerial victory.
  This and the # (hash mark) indicates those aerial victories listed by Prien, Stemmer, Rodeike and Bock without an explicit sequence number.
  This and the ? (question mark) indicates information discrepancies listed by Prien, Stemmer, Rodeike, Bock, Mathews and Foreman.
Claim Date Time Type Location Claim Date Time Type Location
– 1.(Jagd) Staffel of Lehrgeschwader 2 –[18]
Invasion of Poland — 1–30 September 1939
1?[Note 2] 4 September 1939
—
 PZL P.24 vicinity of Poczałkowo[19]
– 1.(Jagd) Staffel of Lehrgeschwader 2 –[16]
Battle of France — 10 May – 25 June 1940
2?[Note 2] 27 May 1940 13:10 Potez 63 southwest of Amiens[20]
– 10. Staffel of Jagdgeschwader 1 –[16]
Defense of the Reich — 15 March – 25 October 1942
3?[Note 3] 28 August 1942 13:00 Boston[21]
– 2. Staffel of Jagdgeschwader 1 –[16]
Defense of the Reich — 26 October 1942 – 30 April 1943
4 27 January 1943 11:13?[Note 4] B-17 east of Emden[22]
20 km (12 mi) northwest of Tossens 		6 18 March 1943 15:18 B-24 north of Wangerooge[22]
10 km (6.2 mi) southwest of Schouwen
5 26 February 1943 11:20 B-24 north of Varel, over the mudflat[22] 7 22 March 1943 15:25 B-17 north of Heligoland[22]
– 7. Staffel of Jagdgeschwader 1 –[16]
Defense of the Reich — 1 May – 31 December 1943
# 28 July 1943 11:00 B-17 PQ 05 Ost S/HU-8, south of Hannover[23]
According to Prien, Stemmer, Rodeike and Bock, Frey claimed six undocumented aerial victories, including one after 8 August 1943, all of which Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress bombers.[24] Only two of these six claims are listed by Mathews and Foreman.[16]
15 4 October 1943 10:12 Beaufighter north of Langeoog[23] 21 26 November 1943 12:02 B-17 PQ 05 Ost S/DR-9
southeast of Oldenburg
?[Note 5] 8 October 1943 16:40 B-17 southeast of Wangerooge[16] 22 26 November 1943 13:06 P-47 PQ 05 Ost S/DM
southeast of Oldenburg
?[Note 5] 8 October 1943 12:29 B-17 PQ TB-35[16] 23 1 Decmember 1943 13:20 B-17 PQ 05 Ost S/F-7
Düren-Solingen
18 5 November 1943 13:59 B-24 PQ 05 Ost S/KP-3, 3 km (1.9 mi) north of Datteln[23] 24 1 Decmember 1943 13:00 B-17* PQ 05 Ost S/CM-5/9
Borkum-Emden
19?[Note 3] 18 November 1943
—
 B-24[23] 25 20 December 1943 12:00 B-17 PQ 05 Ost S/AP-7/6
Cuxhaven-Bremen
20 26 November 1943 12:00 B-17 PQ 05 Ost S/EQ-6/3
southeast of Oldenburg
– 7. Staffel of Jagdgeschwader 1 –[16]
Defense of the Reich — 1 January – 6 March 1944
26?[Note 3] 4 January 1944
—
 P-38 southeast of Kiel[25] 30?[Note 3] 6 March 1944
—
 B-17[25]
27 11 January 1944 12:24 B-17[25] Goslar/Oschersleben 31?[Note 3] 6 March 1944
—
 B-17[25]
28 11 January 1944 12:45 B-17[25] Goslar/Oschersleben 32?[Note 3] 6 March 1944
—
 B-17[25]
29?[Note 3] 6 March 1944
—
 B-17[25]

Awards

Notes

  1. ^ Flight training in the Luftwaffe progressed through the levels A1, A2 and B1, B2, referred to as A/B flight training. A training included theoretical and practical training in aerobatics, navigation, long-distance flights and dead-stick landings. The B courses included high-altitude flights, instrument flights, night landings and training to handle the aircraft in difficult situations.[2]
  2. ^ a b According to Mathews and Foreman this claim was unconfirmed.[16]
  3. ^ a b c d e f g This claim is not listed by Mathews and Foreman.[16]
  4. ^ According to Mathews and Foreman claimed at 11:23.[16]
  5. ^ a b This claim is not listed by Prien, Stemmer, Rodeike and Bock.[23]

References

Citations

  1. ^ Obermaier 1989, p. 112.
  2. ^ Bergström, Antipov & Sundin 2003, p. 17.
  3. ^ a b Dixon 2023, p. 110.
  4. ^ Prien 1992, pp. 78–79.
  5. ^ Prien et al. 2004, p. 36.
  6. ^ Prien et al. 2008, p. 412.
  7. ^ Prien et al. 2009, p. 30.
  8. ^ Prien et al. 2008, p. 459.
  9. ^ Prien & Rodeike 1996, pp. 770, 780.
  10. ^ Prien et al. 2019, p. 121.
  11. ^ Prien et al. 2019, p. 114.
  12. ^ Prien & Rodeike 1996, p. 780.
  13. ^ Dixon 2023, p. 111.
  14. ^ Weal 1999, p. 63.
  15. ^ Forsyth 2011, p. 90.
  16. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l Mathews & Foreman 2014, p. 339.
  17. ^ Planquadrat.
  18. ^ Mathews & Foreman 2014, p. 3399.
  19. ^ Prien et al. 2000a, p. 433.
  20. ^ Prien et al. 2000b, p. 407.
  21. ^ Prien et al. 2004, p. 130.
  22. ^ a b c d Prien et al. 2008, p. 463.
  23. ^ a b c d e Prien et al. 2009, p. 33.
  24. ^ Prien et al. 2009, pp. 33–34.
  25. ^ a b c d e f g Prien et al. 2019, p. 118.
  26. ^ Patzwall & Scherzer 2001, p. 122.
  27. ^ Scherzer 2007, p. 319.
  28. ^ Fellgiebel 2000, p. 186.

Bibliography

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  • Bergström, Christer [in Swedish]. "Bergström Black Cross/Red Star website". Identifying a Luftwaffe Planquadrat. Archived from the original on 22 December 2018. Retrieved 4 March 2024.
  • Dixon, Jeremy (2023). Day Fighter Aces of the Luftwaffe: Knight's Cross Holders 1943–1945. Barnsley: Pen and Sword Books. ISBN 978-1-39903-073-1.
  • Fellgiebel, Walther-Peer [in German] (2000) [1986]. Die Träger des Ritterkreuzes des Eisernen Kreuzes 1939–1945 — Die Inhaber der höchsten Auszeichnung des Zweiten Weltkrieges aller Wehrmachtteile [The Bearers of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross 1939–1945 — The Owners of the Highest Award of the Second World War of all Wehrmacht Branches] (in German). Friedberg, Germany: Podzun-Pallas. ISBN 978-3-7909-0284-6.
  • Forsyth, Robert (2011). Luftwaffe Viermot Aces 1942–45. Aircraft of the Aces. Vol. 101. Oxford, UK: Osprey Publishing. ISBN 978-1-84908-438-3.
  • Mathews, Andrew Johannes; Foreman, John (2014). Luftwaffe Aces — Biographies and Victory Claims — Volume 1 A–F. Walton on Thames: Red Kite. ISBN 978-1-906592-18-9.
  • Obermaier, Ernst (1989). Die Ritterkreuzträger der Luftwaffe Jagdflieger 1939 – 1945 [The Knight's Cross Bearers of the Luftwaffe Fighter Force 1939 – 1945] (in German). Mainz, Germany: Verlag Dieter Hoffmann. ISBN 978-3-87341-065-7.
  • Patzwall, Klaus D.; Scherzer, Veit (2001). Das Deutsche Kreuz 1941 – 1945 Geschichte und Inhaber Band II [The German Cross 1941 – 1945 History and Recipients Volume 2] (in German). Norderstedt, Germany: Verlag Klaus D. Patzwall. ISBN 978-3-931533-45-8.
  • Prien, Jochen (1992). Geschichte des Jagdgeschwaders 77—Teil 1—1934–1941 [History of Jagdgeschwader 77—Volume 1—1934–1941] (in German). Eutin, Germany: Struve-Druck. ISBN 978-3-923457-19-9.
  • Prien, Jochen; Rodeike, Peter (1996). Jagdgeschwader 1 und 11—Einsatz in der Reichsverteidigung von 1939 bis 1945—Teil 2–1944 [Jagdgeschwader 1 and 11—Operations in the Defense of the Reich from 1939 to 1945—Volume 2–1944] (in German). Eutin, Germany: Struve-Druck. ISBN 978-3-923457-24-3.
  • Prien, Jochen; Stemmer, Gerhard; Rodeike, Peter; Bock, Winfried (2000a). Die Jagdfliegerverbände der Deutschen Luftwaffe 1934 bis 1945—Teil 1—Vorkriegszeit und Einsatz über Polen—1934 bis 1939 [The Fighter Units of the German Air Force 1934 to 1945—Part 1—Pre-War Period and Action over Poland—1934 to 1939] (in German). Eutin, Germany: Struve-Druck. ISBN 978-3-923457-54-0.
  • Prien, Jochen; Stemmer, Gerhard; Rodeike, Peter; Bock, Winfried (2000b). Die Jagdfliegerverbände der deutschen Luftwaffe 1934 bis 1945 Teil 3—Einsatz in Dänemark und Norwegen 9.4. bis 30.11.1940—Der Feldzug im Westen 10.5. bis 25.6.1940 [Fighter Pilot Association of the German Luftwaffe 1934 to 1945 Part 3—Assignments in Denmark and Norway 9 April to 30 November 1940—The campaign in the West 10 May to 25 June 1940] (in German). Struve-Druck. ISBN 978-3-923457-61-8.
  • Prien, Jochen; Stemmer, Gerhard; Rodeike, Peter; Bock, Winfried (2004). Die Jagdfliegerverbände der Deutschen Luftwaffe 1934 bis 1945—Teil 7—Heimatverteidigung—1. January bis 31 Dezember 1942—Einsatz im Westen—1. Januar bis 31. Dezember 1942 [The Fighter Units of the German Air Force 1934 to 1945—Part 7—Defense of the Reich—1 January to 31 December 1942—Action in the West—1 January to 31 December 1942] (in German). Eutin, Germany: Struve-Druck. ISBN 978-3-923457-73-1.
  • Prien, Jochen; Stemmer, Gerhard; Rodeike, Peter; Bock, Winfried (2008). Die Jagdfliegerverbände der Deutschen Luftwaffe 1934 bis 1945—Teil 10/II—Reichsverteidigung—1.1. bis 31.12.1943 [The Fighter Units of the German Air Force 1934 to 1945—Part 10/II—Defense of the Reich—1 January to 31 December 1943] (in German). Eutin, Germany: Struve-Druck. ISBN 978-3-923457-85-4.
  • Prien, Jochen; Stemmer, Gerhard; Rodeike, Peter; Bock, Winfried (2009). Die Jagdfliegerverbände der Deutschen Luftwaffe 1934 bis 1945—Teil 10/III—Reichsverteidigung—1.1. bis 31.12.1943 [The Fighter Units of the German Air Force 1934 to 1945—Part 10/III—Defense of the Reich—1 January to 31 December 1943] (in German). Eutin, Germany: Struve-Druck. ISBN 978-3-923457-89-2.
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  • Scherzer, Veit (2007). Die Ritterkreuzträger 1939–1945 Die Inhaber des Ritterkreuzes des Eisernen Kreuzes 1939 von Heer, Luftwaffe, Kriegsmarine, Waffen-SS, Volkssturm sowie mit Deutschland verbündeter Streitkräfte nach den Unterlagen des Bundesarchives [The Knight's Cross Bearers 1939–1945 The Holders of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross 1939 by Army, Air Force, Navy, Waffen-SS, Volkssturm and Allied Forces with Germany According to the Documents of the Federal Archives] (in German). Jena, Germany: Scherzers Militaer-Verlag. ISBN 978-3-938845-17-2.
  • Weal, John (1999). Bf 109 F/G/K Aces of the Western Front. Aircraft of the Aces. Vol. 29. Oxford, UK: Osprey Publishing. ISBN 978-1-85532-905-8.
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