Missing In Action JG 5

This unit fought principally on the northern-most front of the war: in northern Norway and Finland, where its task was mainly to support bombers attacking the Allied convoys en route for Russian harbours. They also protected the German battleships and U-boats plying Norwegian waters. Numerous « free-chases » and ground attack missions were flown daily over Soviet territory.

Oblt. Horst Berger (left), leader of the 8. Staffel JG 5 was posted missing on 8th May 1944 during a combat over the Barents Sea in his "Black 11".

Oblt. Horst Berger (left), leader of the 8. Staffel JG 5 was posted missing on 8th May 1944 during a combat over the Barents Sea in his « Black 11 ».

Here follows the list of MIA pilots of JG 5. Any question concerning this list is welcomed. If you have the answer to just one of these entries, I would be glad to include your remark and name.
19/02/42 Obgfr. Gerhardt
Seibt
4./JG 5 Bf 109
(3285)
yellow 12
Combat with MiG-1,
Petrijärvi, near Loukhi
Became POW. (Thanks to Andreas Brekken and Rune Rautio)
This plane made a forced landing at Räetkävaara, northerneast Finland. Even today it is over twenty kilometres to the nearest road from this site. In order to become POW Seibt should have had walked at least 150km, cross a few roads and go under a few phonelines along his way.All this in deep snow and to begin with he was already completely out of his bearings when he made that forced landing. I rather believe that his remains are yet to be found at the Kaldoaivi wilderness.
The remains of his plane were salvaged in 1975 and nowadays are in Central Finland Aviation Museum. (Thanks to Harri Honkanen)
29/03/42 Obgfr. Hermann
Hesse
5./JG 5 Bf 109 E-7
(5947)
red 1
(2947?)
Crash,
near Urajoki (east of Parkkina)
KIA, body found 3 weeks later, buried at Petsamo-Parkkina. (Thanks to Andreas Brekken and Rune Rautio)
09/05/42 Lt. Hans
Lechte
8./JG 5 Bf 109 E-7
(5133)
white 3
Combat with Hurricane,
Pikshuew – Vichany
(3 km east of Titowka Fluss)
10/05/42 Uffz. Heinz
Bausch
5./JG 5 Bf 109 E-7
(5975)
yellow 4
Ura – Guba
Became POW, aircraft found in 1993. (Thanks to Rune Rautio and Milan Krajci).
25/05/42 Lt. Friedrich
Dahn
5./JG 5 Bf 109 E-7
(4093)
yellow 5
Combat,
n. of Murmansk
27/05/42 Ofw. Walter
Sommer
8./JG 5 Bf 109 E-7
(2023)
black 9
Combat, crash,
40 km w. of Murmaschi
Declared dead in 1961. (Thanks to Rune Rautio)
18/06/42 Lt. Harry
Kripphal
Ofw. Erich
Kulik (ch?)
10.(Z)/JG 5 Bf 110 E-2
(3759)
LN + LR
AA fire,
30 km w. of Murmansk
29/06/42 Uffz. Wilhelm
Kuchlingg
6./JG 5 Bf 109 F-4
(10133)
yellow 15
AA fire,
10 km w. of Murmashi
13/07/42 Lt. Hans-Joachim
Bahr
8./JG 5 Bf 109E-7
(1430)
black 8
AA fire,
Njaljärvi (Njal-Javer See)
Found dead in the wrecks by Russians. (Thanks to Rune Rautio)
04/09/42 Uffz. Bruno
Assmuss
Gefr. Erwin
Härtel
13.(Z)/JG 5 Bf 110 F-2
(5048)
TI + LA
Unknown reason,
Lipatinaapa.
Both KIA, but no grave is known to the officials.
09/09/42 Obgfr. Günther
Hoffmann
6./JG 5 Bf 109 F-4
(8245)
yellow 8
Combat,
Fl. Pl. Shonguj (s. of Murmansk)
15/09/42 Uffz. August
Braun
7./JG 5 Bf 109 F-4
(7574)
white 1
Probably AA fire,
presqu’île de Fischer (Rybatschij)
Still MIA but probably KIA: JG 5 searched the sea off the Fischerhalbinsel for 13 hours after the crash. They could not locate any trace of him, and later assumed the crash had been ashore.
(Thanks to Andreas Brekken)
19/09/42 Lt. Werner
Kunze
Stab II./JG 5 Bf 109 F-4
(10252)
< – +
Tir fighter,
forced landingn.w. of Murmaschi
09/11/42 Obgfr. Gustav
Luther
4./JG 5 Bf 109 E-7
(4054)
white 5
Combat,
Aninkavaara, NE d’ Alakurtti
Crashed at Maaninkavaara, Finland.The pilot apparently had gotten lost and when running out of fuel decided to bail out. He ended up landing in a tree and for some reason couldnt free himself but died there. The body was found only after the war.
Was later buried, probably German soldiers cemetary at Norvajärvi near Rovaniemi.
(Thanks to Harri Honkanen)
09/11/42 Uffz. Erwin
Zeuschel
4./JG 5 Bf 109 E-7
(4910)
white 18
Combat
Rutshi – Chupa n.e. of Alakurtti
09/11/42 Uffz. Klaus
Betz
9./JG 5 Bf 109 F-4
(7108)
TI + LA
Rovianemi-Petsamo (Tshiengalasjärvi)
05/01/43 Fw. Reinhold
Bigalk
4./JG 5 Bf 109 F-4
(8632)
AA fire,
6 km w. of Rowje
Was shot dead by a local hunter after first killing an other hunter. (Thanks to Rune Rautio)
21/02/43 Fw. Paul
Schwippert
9./JG 5 Bf 109 F-4
(13081)
yellow 14
AA fire,
Rubatschij
03/03/43 Fw. Josef
Gruber
1./JG 5 Fw 190 A-2
(2132)
white 6
Combat,
w. of Stavanger-Sola
Still MIA but probably KIA: the crash site has been explored with rescue forces but without success. (Thanks to Andreas Brekken)
11/03/43 Uffz. Theobald
Jasbeck
12./JG 5 Fw 190 A-2
(0459)
yellow 12
Örlandedt
(w. of Trondheim)
19/03/43 Uffz. Karl
Grundhöfer
12./JG 5 Bf 109 G-2
(14633)
S. w. of Airfield Lade
Still MIA but probably KIA: the ship Bussard searched for the aircraft and found only pieces of the aircraft but no sign of the pilot. The water depth at the crash site was 76 meters, and the aircraft is still there… probably with the pilot. (Thanks to Andreas Brekken)
27/03/43 Uffz. Andreas
Riess
7./JG 5 Bf 109 F-4
(7544)
white 14
Combat with fighter,
Murmaschi (s. of Murmansk)
Wreck with remains of pilot found Autumn 1996 by Russian naval team. (Thanks to Rune Rautio)
03/04/43 Obgfr. Eugen
Britz ?
9./JG 5 Bf 109 F-4
(8993)
yellow 3
GC+KQ
Combat
s. of Murmaschi
Declared dead in 1989. (Thanks to Rune Rautio)
(Thanks to Mark Sheppard for correct spelling)
05/04/43 Uffz. Kurt
Dobner
14.(J)/JG 5 Fw 190 A-3
(0323)
black 14
AA fire
w. of Murmaschi
Found dead in the wreck. (Thanks to Rune Rautio)
29/04/43 Fw. Erwin
Fahldieck
6./JG 5 Bf 109 G-2
(10394)
yellow 2
Combat
near Vaenga (Murmansk)
Became POW. (Thanks to Rune Rautio)
08/05/43 Lt. Rolf-Viktor
Sadewasser
Stab III./JG 5 Bf 109 F-4
(10153)
< 3 +
(10159?)
Combat
near Ura Guba (20 km w. of Murmansk)
03/06/43 Lt. Gerhard
Harder
6./JG 5 Bf 109 G-2
(13925)
yellow 2
Combat,
13 km N.W. of Kola bight (Pogankap) »
Following Milan Krajci, Harder was MIA in the Wladimir area. Thanks for this precision.
22/06/43 Lt. Walter
Geisen
7./JG 5 Bf 109 G-2
(13785)
white 10
Combat,
Airfield Artika (Murmansk)
KIA: parachuted from to low altitude. (Thanks to Rune Rautio)
23/06/43 Lt. Herbert
Simon
4./JG 5 Bf 109 G-2
(13462)white 5
(13426?)
Combat,
s.e. of Kowda-Knjashaja
07/07/43 Fw. Josef
Sommeregger
1./JG 5 Bf 109 G-2
(14055)
white 3
Combat with Hampden,
100 km s.w. of Egersund
Still MIA but probably KIA: after his crash into the sea only a slick of oil and an empty life west was observed by the Seenotdienst. (Thanks to Andreas Brekken)
09/07/43 Uffz. Hans
Grosser
6./JG 5 Bf 109 G-6
(15581)
yellow 14
Combat,
30 km w. of Rybatschij
09/07/43 Uffz. Fritz
Mühlberg
I./JG 5 Fw 58
(023)
KB+ HP
Combat,
Herdla – Lade
09/07/43 Uffz. Hans
Amschler
I./JG 5 Fw 58
(023)
KB+ HP
Combat,
Herdla – Lade
10/08/43 Uffz. Alfred
Leibersperger
7./JG 5 Bf 109 G-2
(10406)
white 13
Combat with Hampden,
Pl. Qu. 014/37E,
near Berveläg, 60 km n.e. of Makur
18/08/43 Fw. Christian
Stolz
6./JG 5 Bf 109 G-6
(15597)
yellow 2
AA fire,
3 km s. of Loh Guba
04/09/43 Uffz. Karl-Ernst
Homann
11./JG 5 Fw 190 A-4
(5673)
Crash,
s. of Ogna (Pl. Qu. 5963/05E) (Egersund)
14/09/43 Ofw. Erich
Beulich
7./JG 5 Bf 109 G-2 (14805)white 14 Combat,
east of Kiberg (Pl. Qu. 37 Ost 0175)
KIA: crashed in sea from 4000 meter. (Thanks to Rune Rautio)
10/10/43 Uffz. Wolfgang
Nieske
10./JG 5 Fw 190 A-2 (434)white 17 Ferry flight, collision with Fw 190,
Pl. Qu. 06 Ost 6329 (Gossen)
18/12/43 Uffz. Paul
Fleischhauer
12./JG 5 Fw 190 A-3 (5500)yellow 13 Combat,
Cap Stadlandet
04/01/44 Uffz. Josef
Brenner
12./JG 5 FW 190 A-3 (2207) Escort flight,
s. of Bremanger
24/01/44 Gefr. Helmut
Schnelling
4./JG 5 Bf 109 G-2 (10814)black 16 Probably AA fire,
near Pustoschka (s.e. of l’ Utschtaler See)
31/01/44 Uffz. Richard
Haberichter
6./JG 5 Bf 109 G-6 (410756)yellow 2 Combat with fighter russes,
s. of Pustoso (région s. of Putoschka)
03/02/44 Uffz. Wolfgang
Zimmermann
4./JG 5 Bf 109 G-2 (10363)black 10 Combat with fighter russes,
near Pustoschka
14/02/44 Lt. Karl-Heinz
Froschek
14.(J)/JG 5 Fw 190 A-2 (2179 Crash,
Kistinki-Louhi Kiesti (?)
24/02/44 Uffz. Karl
Schrag
5./JG 5 Bf 109 G-6 (411060)black 4 Combat with Yak-9,
near Pustoschka
28/02/44 Uffz. Felix
Wagner
8./JG 5 Bf 109 G-2 (10447)black 7 Crashed into the sea,
50-60 km NE du Cap Zyp Nawolok
05/03/44 Uffz. Heinz
Finzsch
8./JG 5 Bf 109 G-2 (13800)black 4 Combat,
8 km e. of Ekkeroy
30/03/44 Ofw. Albert
Mack
Uffz. Rolf
Möbius
13.(Z)/JG 5 Bf 110 G-2 (5603)1B + EX Combat with 18 Beaufighter,
80 km n.w. Utsira
09/04/44 Uffz. Heinz
Wagner
6./JG 5 Bf 109 G-6 (410031)yellow 12 Combat with fighter,
near Wermann Lake
23/04/44 Fw. Peter
Rohde
7./JG 5 Bf 109 G-6 (412110)white 5 Combat sur la mer, s’abîme,
s.e. of Vardö
23/04/44 Uffz. Günter
Gorgas
8./JG 5 Bf 109 G-2 (13473)black 5 10 km n. of Keinässaari (Heinässari ?)
08/05/44 Oblt. Horst
Berger
8./JG 5 Bf 109 G-2 (13810)black 11 20 km n.w. of Wajda-Guba
08/05/44 Uffz. Ernst
Brettin
10./JG 5 Bf 109 G-2 (10347) After scramble
08/05/44 Obfhr. Kurt
Otto
10./JG 5 Bf 109 G-2 (14697) After scramble
09/05/44 Uffz. Werner
Erlinger
4./JG 5 Bf 109 G-6 (410913)white 6 AA fire and combat with fighter,
10 km n.e. of Pustoso (Pustoschka)
20/06/44 Fw. Helmut
Eichelmann
4./JG 5 Bf 109 G-6 (412315)white 11 Ferry flight Mannheim-Evreux,
30 km s. w. of Paris
24/06/44 Lt. Ortwin
Meyer
5./JG 55./JG 3 Bf 109 G-6 (412677)black 4 + – Combat with P-47,
near Caen
25/06/44 Uffz. Emil
Scheidt
9./JG 54./JG 3 Bf 109 G-6 (411961)white 16 + – Combat,
near Dreux/Saint-André-de l’Eure
28/06/44 Obgfr. Karl
Höppner
3./JG 5 Bf 109 G-6/AS (440216)yellow 8 Arras area
01/07/44 Gefr. Heinrich
Jansen
3./JG 5 Bf 109 G-6/AS (412188)yellow 4 Combat with P-51,
30 km east of St. Quentin
16/07/44 Uffz. Kurt
Berger
2./JG 5 Bf 109 G-6/U2 (441866)black 10 Combat,
near Dieppe/Abbeville
19/07/44 Fw. Walter
Riemer
5./JG 5 Bf 109 G-6 (413528)black 4 Combat,
near München
30/07/44 Uffz. Dieter
Kreikemeier
11./JG 5 Bf 109 G-6 (15805) Combat with Airacobra,
crashed into the seas. of Norvwegian coast
30/07/44 Uffz. Johann
Kwiotkowski
11./JG 5 Bf 109 G-6 (411041) Combat with Airacobra,
crashed into the seas. of Norvwegian coast
30/07/44 Lt. Heinz
Salz
11./JG 5 Bf 109 G-6 (412306) Combat with Airacobra,
crashed into the seas. of Norvwegian coast
30/07/44 Lt. Horst
Mülling
12./JG 5 Bf 109 G-6 (411024) Combat with Beaufighter and P-51,
s. of Norvwegian coast
04/08/44 Lt. Frieder
Bölz
2./JG 5 Bf 109 G-6 (165885)black 5 Near Alençon – Nogent le Rotrou
130 km s.e. of Caen
04/08/44 Uffz. Fritz
Drägert
7./JG 5 Bf 109 G-6 (412560)white 2 Combat,
near Salzwedel – Wittenberge
04/08/44 Uffz. Heinz
Moses
7./JG 5 Bf 109 G-6 (441850)white 6 Combat,
near Salzwedel – Wittenberge
05/08/44 Uffz. Gerhard
Kraus
7./JG 5 Bf 109 G-6 (441520)white 3 Combat,
near Bremen / Hannover
05/08/44 Fhr. Helmut
Tengeler
8./JG 5 Bf 109 G-6 (441460)blue 2 Combat
s.w. of Hamburg
07/08/44 Uffz. Ernst
Binna
1./JG 5 Bf 109 G-6 (165839)white 7 Near Avranches.
KIA. Buried at Mont-de-Huisnes (France). Gruft 54 Grabkammer 70.
(Thanks to Andreas Brekken)
17/08/44 Gefr. Günther
Wien
9./JG 5 Bf 109 G-6 (412228)yellow 2 Combat,
near Petsamo
25/08/44 Gefr. Rudolf
Heubel
7./JG 5 Bf 109 G-6 (163712)yellow 4 Combat,
near Bad Doberan
15/09/44 Lt. Günther
Fuhrmann
10./JG 5 Bf 109 G-6 (166117)black 5 Combat with Airacobra,
15 km n. of Pummanki
26/09/44 Obfhr. Gerhard
Haschke
10./JG 5 Bf 109 G-6 (412217)white 4 Combat with fighter,
15 km n. of Petsamo bay
26/09/44 Uffz. Kurt
Thonemann
13./JG 5 Fw 190 F-8 (581665) Combat,
near Vadsö
12/10/44 Uffz. Rudolf
Heinelt
11./JG 5 Bf 109 G-2 (14645)yellow 2 After scramble,
s. w. of Petsamo
24/10/44 Fw. Gustav
Scharwächter
13./JG 5 Fw 190 F-8 (580964) Unknown reason,
Varanger
07/12/44 Uffz.Harry
Bernhardt
10./JG 5 Bf 109 G-6 (410817)black 11 Combat,
crashed into the sea near Gossen
07/12/44 Uffz. Raimund
Bruscagin
11./JG 5 Bf 109 G-6 (410816)sans code Combat,
crashed into the sea near Gossen
09/02/45 Fhj.Fw. Otto
Leibfried
9./JG 5 Fw 190 F-8 (581676)white 22 30 km n. of Bergen
KIA, buried at Solheim, Bergen, Norway (Block 1, Reihe 15, Grab 1). (Thanks to Andreas Brekken)
16/02/45 Fhj.Fw. Wolfgang
Kindt
10./JG 5 Bf 109 G-2
(13992)
black 1 +
Combat,
Aalesund area
KIA, burried on the churchyard of Sæbø (Thanks to Morten Moe and Andreas Brekken)
12/03/45 Oblt. Hans
Schneider
13./JG 5 Bf 109 G-6
(410780)
12/03/45 Ofw. Theodor
Stebner
13./JG 5 Bf 109 G-14
(464321)
(464231?)
KIA, buried at Havstein, Trondheim, Grave 7A. (Thanks to Andreas Brekken)
25/03/45 Oblt. Fritz
Kohrt
III./JG 5 Fw 190 A-8
(732075)
Combat with Mosquito and P-51,
n. of Bergen
26/03/45 Fw. Hermann
Jäger
10./JG 5 Bf 109 G-6
(412398)
After combat,
n.w. of Christiansand
Crashed in the sea just outside the village of Leira on Tustna just north of Kristiansund. According to locals the pilot remained in the airplane and was never recovered. (Thanks to Morten Moe)
05/04/45 Obgfr. Wilhelm
Ohage
10./JG 5 Combat,
Aalesund
05/04/45 Uffz. Peter
Wirz
10./JG 5 Combat,
Aalesund
There is a detailled book on JG 5 available with photos, losses and claims-tables, first hand accounts… please click here