After becoming the Geschwaderkommodore of Jagdgeschwader 50 (JG 50) in June 1943, Hermann Graf was allowed to pick any pilots he wished for the new unit, and he chose a three aces Alfred Grislawski, Ernst Süß, and Heinrich Füllgrabe from his old unit - the 9. Staffel of JG 52. This picture shows the
first "Karayaexperten" (Karaya Experts) from JG 52 seated on the wing
of the Messesrschmitt Bf 109, but now with the new
high-altitude "Höhenjagdgeschwader" JG 50, in the defense of the Reich. From left to right: Hauptmann Alfred Grislawski (Gruppenkommandeur I. Gruppe), Major Hermann
Graf (Geschwaderkommodore), Oberfeldwebel Heinrich Füllgrabe (Jagdlehrer), and Leutnant Ernst Süss (Staffelführer 1.Staffel / I.Gruppe).
During the war in the Eastern Front in the summer of 1942, 9.Staffel / III.Gruppe / Jagdgeschwader 52 (JG 52) developed into the most successful Jagdstaffel of the entire war. At the same time, the "Karaya-men" were notorious for their lacking discipline. In his foreword to the book "Graf & Grislawski: A Pair of Aces" by Christer Bergström, Alfred Grislawski writes: "In 1941 - 1943, the Karayastaffel was probably the most non-militaristic unit in the entire Wehrmacht."
The Karayastaffel was characterized by the friends' quartet Hermann Graf, Alfred Grislawski, Heinrich Füllgrabe, and Ernst Süss. Within this quarter, Graf and Grislawski stuck together closest, while Füllgrabe and Süss were inseparable. "They even went together to the 'Thunderbeam' (latrine)," Alfred Grislawski recalls.
The Karaya mens' pranks alone could fill a volume. Once they drove a staff Oberst completely out of his mind when he arrived to inspect their first-line makeshift airfield. On one occasion, one of the men in the quarter hi-jacked Generaloberst von Richthofen's Storch to fly an injured comrade to a field hospital.
A Reichsverteidigung Geschwaderkommodore threatened to have Grislawski court-martialled. When a large formation of U.S. bombers shortly afterward approached, a fighter leader decided to nullify the court-martial: "Grislawski must lead our fighters! Who else can lead?"
In 1943, Reichsmarschall Hermann Göring personally instructed Graf to lead a new "Mosquito-hunting" fighter unit, JG 50. Graf received the Reichsmarschall's personal authorization to pick any man that he wanted. Graf picked not only his three friends Grislawski, Süss, and Füllgrabe - but also the entire German National Soccer Team. At the same time as Graf formed JG 50, he formed a new soccer team - "The Red Fighters" (which caused a senior Nazi functionaire to accuse Graf of spreading Communist propaganda) - of which the soccer legend Fritz Walter was a part.
Later, Graf was assigned to lead JG 1 in the Home Defense. Once again, he brought his three friends and the soccer players with him. "Wherever Graf goes, he brings his rat tail along," Fighter General Adolf Galland complained. Shortly afterward, Graf was shifted to command JG 11, also in the Home Defense.
Only two of the "Karaya Quartet" survived. Ernst Süss was shot dead by U.S. Mustangs (the unit in question is known) while he hung in his parachute straps. Heinrich Füllgrabe was killed in action on the Eastern Front during the last days of the war.
After the war, Grislawski became one of the first German POWs to become released, because his interrogation officer found out that Grislawski had never joined the Hitler Jugend, nor the NSDAP. (For this reason, Grislawski also had never been awarded with Göring's Goblet of Honor.)
Hermann Graf spent many years in Soviet captivity.
The first "Karayaexperten" (Karaya Experts) from 9./JG 52 but now with the new high-altitude "Höhenjagdgeschwader" JG 50, in the defense of the Reich. From left to right: Oberfeldwebel Heinrich Füllgrabe (Jagdlehrer), Major Hermann Graf (Geschwaderkommodore), Hauptmann Alfred Grislawski (Gruppenkommandeur I. Gruppe), and Leutnant Ernst Süss (Staffelführer 1.Staffel / I.Gruppe).
The same "experten" a few months earlier - May 1942 - as pilots of 9.Staffel / III.Gruppe / Jagdgeschwader 52 (JG 52): three of them still as Oberfeldwebel shortly before promotion to Reservekriegsoffizier (reserve war officer). Oberleutnant d.R. Hermann Graf (second from left, Staffelkapitän) just came back from the Schwerter award ceremony with Hitler in the Führerhauptquartier, while Heinrich Füllgrabe holds on to the "Karaya" standard. Alfred Grislawski (second from right) and Ernst Süss is standing at right.
Source :
http://www.bergstrombooks.elknet.pl/gg/intro.htm
http://www.jg52.net/ritterkreuztraeger/hermann-graf/
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