Zwernemann joined the military service of the Kriegsmarine on 1 October 1935 with the 2nd department of the standing ship division of the Baltic Sea in Stralsund. On 2 January 1936, he transferred to the Luftwaffe where he was assigned to the Fliegerhorstkompanie in Holtenau.

On 1 April 1938, Zwernemann was promoted to Unteroffizier and was trained as a pilot. 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.

Zwernemann participated in the Battle of France on 10 May 1940. III. Gruppe supported the German attack of Army Group A offensive in northern France, Luxembourg and the area of the Ardennes in southern Belgium.

On 18 June, III. Gruppe was withdrawn from combat operations in France and relocated back to Germany. In preparation for the Battle of Britain, the Gruppe began moving to the English Chanell on 20 July, arriving at an airfield near Coquelles located southwest of Calais two days later.

On 24 July, III. Gruppe flew its first Frie Jagd missions where they encountered RAF fighters off of Margate. In this In this encounter, Zwernemann claimed his first aerial victory over a Spitfire.

In May 1941, he flew missions over the Balkans. Thereafter on the Eastern Front, he slowly worked his way up to become one of the top aces in the 7. Staffel. And on this day, 25 September 1941, he claimed his 13th, a Yak-1 at 14:45 hours.

His successes as a fighter pilot in the Jagdwaffe would continue and at the end of 1941 "Jupp" Zwernemann with his 22 victories was ranked third after Lt. Dickfeld (31), Fw. Rossmann (30) followed closely by Fw. Ratzlaff (20).

On 25 May 1942, he received the Ritterkreuz for 57 victories. During September 1942, he was able to down more than 30 Soviet aircraft. And on 19 October he claimed his Abschüsse 100-103 by shooting down four VVS fighters around Mosdok, one Yak-1 and three LaGG-3s. This earned Obfw. Zwernemann the Oak Leaves.

He left JG 52 with a total of 117 confirmed victories for Ergänzungs-Jagdgruppe Ost, an operational training unit for new fighter pilots destined for the Eastern Front. After a short spell with JG 77, he transferred to 1./JG 11 on 15 December 1943.

Oblt. Josef "Jupp" Zwernemann would fly his last mission on 8 April 1944. During this mission against the USAAF he claimed a P-51 Mustang, for his 126th and last Abschuss but was then himself shot down by the fighter escorts.

Fritz Engau from 2./JG 11 reported after the mission that Zwernemann had managed to bail-out of his Fw 109 A-7 "White 11", but was shot dead while hanging helplessly in his parachute by a vengeful P-51 pilot. He was posthumously promoted to Hauptmann.

Alfred Grislawski, a fellow flyer and dear friend from JG 52, commented on his death to me in the early 2000s with a typical laconic answer: "Es war Krieg"! (It was war!).

Note the for III./JG 52 the oversized numerals and third Gruppe markings.

Please note that during the last week I have been able to make two new Bf 109s.They would would be included in the upcoming Book No 19.