Bio of Hauptmann Hans Röhrig (1919-1943)

Hans Röhrig

Date of Birth: 04.11.1919 - Hindenburg, Oberschlesien (Germany)
Date of Death: 13.07.1943 - Siracusa, Sicily (Italy)

Promotions:
04.07.1941 Leutnant
07.07.1943 Oberleutnant (RDA from 01.02.1943)
01.09.1943 Hauptmann (posthumously, RDA from 01.03.1944)

Career:
23.09.1940 3.Staffel / Erprobungsgruppe 210
01.05.1941 3.Staffel / I.Gruppe / Jagdgeschwader 53 (JG 53)
04.07.1941 Wounded in action after his Bf 109 F-2 crashed, cartwheeled on take-off from Hostynne
25.07.1941 Recorded his first victory when he shot down a Russian DB-3 twin-engine bomber
00.12.1941 Relocated with 3./JG 53 to the Mediterranean theatre
00.05.1942 Relocated back with I./JG 53 to the Eastern Front
30.06.1942 5./ JG 53, wounded in action after his Bf 109 F-4/Trop. coded 'Yellow 4' shot down by fighters in the area of Kolpna
06.08.1942 His Bf 109 G-2 was shot down by a Yak-1 fighter and bailed out in Pl.Qu. 39891. MIA/Returned
01.09.1942 Relocated with I./JG 53 to the Mediterranean theatre
00.11.1942 Staffelkapitän 9.Staffel / III.Gruppe / Jagdgeschwader 53 (JG 53)
24.01.1943 9./ JG 53, 1 victory
29.04.1943 9./ JG 53, 1 victory
13.06.1943 9./JG 53, 1 victory
11.07.1943 Recorded his last victories, four USAAF P-38 twin-engine fighters
13.07.1943 Missing in action with Bf 109 G-4/R6/Trop. coded 'Yellow 4+ I' over the Straits of Messina near Catania/Sicily following air combat with Spitfires while he was escorting Ju 52s loaded with paratroops
01.08.1944: officially listed as MIA

Awards and Decorations:
00.00.19__ Flugzeugführerabzeichen
00.00.194_ Eisernes Kreuz II.Klasse
00.00.194_ Eisernes Kreuz I.Klasse
00.00.194_ Frontflugspange für Jäger
00.00.194_ Verwundetenabzeichen in Schwarz
02.10.1942 Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes, as Leutnant and Flugzeugführer in 9.Staffel / III.Gruppe / Jagdgeschwader 53 (JG 53)
26.10.1942 Luftwaffe Ehrenpokale für besondere Leistungen im Luftkrieg

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Hans Röhrig (4 November 1919 – 13 July 1943) was first assigned to Erprobungsgruppe 210. He flew many fighter-bomber missions over England during the Battle of Britain and according to one source, recorded five aerial victories during this time but those victories remain unconfirmed. On 1 May 1941, Röhrig was transferred to JG 53 stationed on the Eastern Front. He recorded his first victory on 25 July, when he shot down a Russian DB-3 twin-engine bomber. Röhrig relocated with 3./JG 53 to the Mediterranean theatre at the end of 1941. From bases in Sicily, he flew missions over Malta but was unable to add any further victory during this time.

In May 1942, I./JG 53 relocated back to the Eastern Front. On 6 August 1942 Leutnant Hans Röhrig (flying Bf.109G-2 W.Nr 13480) was shot down by a Yak-1 fighter, apparently flown by Soviet ace Starshiy Leytenant Mikhail Baranov (183 IAP, 269 IAD). At that time Röhrig had eight victories to his credit. Röhrig claimed his 10th victory on 20 August. In September, Röhrig was particularly successful recording 39 victories during the month. On September 1942, Röhrig had reached 56 victories.

His unit, I./JG 53 were again relocated to the Mediterranean theatre in late September 1942. Leutnant Röhrig was awarded the Ritterkreuz on 2 October 1942. During October, the unit operated over Malta to participate into bomber escort missions. In November 1942, Röhrig was appointed Staffelkapitän of 9./JG 53. He successfully led the unit during the campaigns in Tunisia and Sicily. He recorded his last victories, two USAAF P-38 twin-engine fighters, over Sicily on 11 July 1943. He shot down another two USAAF P-38 on the same day. On 13 July 1943, Röhrig led 9./JG 53 escorting Junkers Ju 52 transport aircraft to drop paratroops on the Catania plains. He failed to return from the mission, being shot down and killed by RAF Spitfire fighters which intercepted the escort mission. Röhrig was posthumously promoted to Hauptmann.

Hans Röhrig was credited with 75 victories. He recorded 56 victories over the Eastern Front and 19 victories recorded over the Western Front.

Leutnant Hans Röhrig (Staffelkapitän 9.Staffel / III.Gruppe / Jagdgeschwader 53) in Sicily, January 1943. The picture was taken by Kriegsberichter Wahner from KBK Lw 6 (Kriegsberichter-Kompanie Luftwaffe 6)

Source :
"Luftwaffe Officer Career Summaries: Section L-R" by Henry L. deZeng IV and Douglas G. Stankey
https://alchetron.com/Hans-R%C3%B6hrig
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hans_R%C3%B6hrig
https://forum.axishistory.com/search.php?keywords=roehrig&t=29879&sf=msgonly
https://www.tracesofwar.com/persons/66446/R%C3%B6hrig-Hans-JG53.htm