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Herman Graf enjoyed unparalleled successes as a fighter pilot in the skies over the Eastern Front, scoring multiple victories daily including ten Abschüsse over Stalingrad on 23 September 1942, thus increasing his total score from 58 to 100 in just seventeen days. And the 62 victories he claimed in that single month of September remain a record unbeaten in aviation history. He was the first fighter pilot to reach the milestone of 200 victories on 29 September 1942. Hermann Graf was then elevated to hero status by the Luftwaffe, promoted to Major and forbidden from flying further combat missions. Back in Germany the rather shy and reserved Graf was raised to the skies by the propaganda machine, receiving the very highest award for his achievements, the Diamonds to his Ritterkreuz. After home leave, Graf was sent on propaganda tours across Germany for the following several months. Being a keen football player and accomplished goal-keeper Hermann Graf also took the opportunity to meet the German national football team and went to several of their international matches. After commanding command of Ergänzungs-Jagdgruppe Ost, JG 50 and later JG 11 Graf was posted back to JG 52 on the last day of 1944. Commanding Germanys most successful Jagdgeshwader in over four months Oberst Graf would after the capitulation on 8 May 1945 do his outmost for his men. On this day, Hermann Graf received an order from Luftwaffenkommando VIIIs commander General Seidemann, to fly out with Erich Hartman and surrender to the English forces to avoid falling into Russian hands. The Geschwaderkommodore of JG 52 however didn't plan to leave his men and let them down. He instead summoned all of the pilots from JG 52, JG 210, and SG 9 and told them about the order, and that they were free to mount their aircraft and leave. They all agreed however that the units should stick together and travel towards the American lines and surrender. First, they blew-up all their aircraft, ammunition stores and fuel dumps. Soon the flames consumed the 110 Bf 109s, Hs 129s and other aircraft at Deutsch-Brod airfield. Late in the afternoon, they came upon two American Sherman tanks parked on each side of a road. Graf ordered a halt and jumped out of his Kübelwagen. He then walked with an English-speaking soldier towards a U.S. Army officer and said: "I am Oberstleutnant Graf, commander of JG 52 of the German Air Force. This people are my men, plus German civilian refugees. We hereby surrender to the American Army." Seven days later however, the Americans were ordered to turn the military personnel as well as the civilians over to the Russians, but not before they picked them clean of "souvenirs". Graf would spend five years in Soviet confinement, and Hartmann ten years. Hermann Graf is Credited with a total of 212 confirmed victories in 830 combat missions. Please note that
during the last week I have not been able to make any new profiles
as I´m occupied with the layout of my upcoming Profile
Book No 15, due to be publish very soon. |
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