Johann Boos
Date of Birth: 01.08.1915 - Ney, Kreis St.Goar/Hunsrück, Rheinprovinz (German Empire)
Date of Death: 20.12.2003 - Kratzenburg, Rheinland-Pfalz (Germany)
Battles and Operations: Battle of France (1940), Battle of Britain (1940), Operation Barbarossa (1941), Crimea Campaign (1942)
Promotions:
01.10.1937 Gefreiter
01.04.1939 Unteroffizier
01.04.1941 Feldwebel
01.08.1942 Oberfeldwebel
00.00.194_ Oberfeldwebel (Bw) (Z)
Career:
00.00.1935 Served in 6.Kompanie / Infanterie-Regiment 55 / 17.Infanterie-Division
00.00.1936 Joined the Luftwaffe
00.00.1938 Flugzeugführer-Lehrgang
00.12.1939 Flugzeugführer in 8.Staffel / III.Gruppe / Kampfgeschwader 55 (KG 55)
00.02.1941 Flugzeugführer in 9.Staffel / III.Gruppe / Kampfgeschwader 55 (KG 55)
16.05.1943 MIA on his 416th mission when his He 111 was shot down over Kropotkin
19.05.1943 captured with his crew by the Soviet - POW
02.06.1948 released
Awards and Decorations:
03.06.1939 Flugzeugführerabzeichen
12.06.1940 Eisernes Kreuz II.Klasse
25.09.1940 Verwundetenabzeichen in Schwarz
13.04.1941 Frontflugspange für Kampfflieger in Bronze
20.04.1941 Eisernes Kreuz I.Klasse
25.06.1941 Frontflugspange für Kampfflieger in Silber
23.09.1941 Luftwaffe Ehrenpokale für besondere Leistungen im Luftkrieg
19.10.1941 Frontflugspange für Kampfflieger in Gold
10.07.1942 Deutsches Kreuz in Gold
16.10.1942 Frontflugspange für Kampfflieger in Gold mit Anhänger
15.03.1943 Krimschild
09.10.1943 Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes, as Oberfeldwebel and Flugzeugführer in 9.Staffel / III.Gruppe / Kampfgeschwader 55 (KG 55). Awarded after flying 416 bomber sorties
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Johann Boos was born on 1 August 1915 in Ney, in the St.Goar/Hunsrück district. His military career commenced in the army, as part of the 6th company of the 55th Infantry Regiment, which belonged to the 17th Infantry Division. After completing basic training, he volunteered for the new Luftwaffe in Würzburg in the fall of 1936. His training as an aircraft pilot took place from spring 1938 in Detmold, Magdeburg, Münster, Celle and Tutow.
At the start of the war he was serving with 9.Staffel / Kampfgeschwader 55 (KG 55), in Neudorf near Oppeln, which was commanded at the time by Oberst Alois Stoeckl. Boos achieved significant success in attacking shipping targets, as well as industrial and railway facilities during the Battle of France and the Battle of Britain. Here he was wounded. He also demonstrated his skills in the campaign against the Soviet Union. Boos was the last pilot to escape from the
besieged Stalingrad Pocket after flying a supply mission, and evacuating
casualties on the way out.
His 416th combat flight, which he carried out on May 16, 1943, was his last flight for the German Air Force in World War II. During this flight, his Heinkel He 111H-16
(Werknummer 8529) "G1 + AT" bomber was shot down by Russian flak in an attack on the Krapotkin train station that was based near Armavir. He and his crew - Oberfeldwebel Helmuth Wagner (Observer),
Oberfeldwebel Gustav Samorski (Radio Operator), Unteroffizier Eberhard
Rode (Flight Engineer) and Unteroffizier Kurt Rothert (Gunner) - were declared MIA (missing in action), while in reality all the surviving aircrew tried to make their way to the German side, but were caught after 3 days and taken prisoner by Soviets. After 5 years abroad in Russia, he was released from the Tcheljabinsk camp in Siberia on June 2, 1948, seriously ill.
Johann Boos returned to Germany. Only now did he learn that he had been subsequently awarded the Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes on October 9, 1943. Due to the award of the most coveted German medal, his parents received a monthly allowance of 100 Reichsmarks from February 1, 1944.
After his imprisonment, Boos worked as a worker in a high-voltage electricity plant from October 1950, and at times also as an unskilled laborer in wood procurement. From October 1st, 1969 to July 31st, 1980 he was a technical employee at the Federal Office for Defense Technology and Procurement in Koblenz until he was released into his well-deserved retirement.
Johann Boos died on December 20, 2003 in Kratzenburg near Koblenz.
Johann Boos as a member of Heer, in parade uniform.
Johann Boos (foreground) as a member of Heer before the war.
Unteroffizier der Luftwaffe Johann Boos.
Unteroffizier Johann Boos (right) in the cockpit.
Johann Boos (left) with comrades.
Johann Boos (below) with fellow air crew.
Johann Boos (left) with fellow air crew.
Bomber pilot Johann Boos.
Johann Boos (left) with comrade.
Johann Boos (left) with comrade.
Johann Boos (right) with comrades.
Johann Boos (third from right) with comrades.
Johann Boos (right) with comrades.
Johann Boos (second from right) with comrades.
Johann Boos (center) with comrades.
Johann Boos (center) with comrades.
Johann Boos in the cockpit of Heinkel He 111.
Johann Boos in the cockpit of Heinkel He 111.
Johann Boos (right) in the cockpit of Heinkel He 111.
Johann Boos (right) in the cockpit of Heinkel He 111.
Studio portrait of Oberfeldwebel Johann Boos (Flugzeugführer in 9.Staffel / III.Gruppe / Kampfgeschwader 55) with added Ritterkreuz in his neck. By the time he received the Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes (9 October 1943), Boos already became the POW of the Soviets. On 16 May 1943 previously he was reported missing after his Heinkel He 111H-16 (Werknummer 8529) "G1 + AT" bomber was shot down by enemy flak over Kropotkin. It was his 416th flight mission. Remaining crew (POW): Oberfeldwebel Helmuth Wagner (Observer), Oberfeldwebel Gustav Samorski (Radio Operator), Unteroffizier Eberhard Rode (Flight Engineer) and Unteroffizier Kurt Rothert (Gunner). They headed for German lines after force landing, but after three days, they were captured by Soviet troops. Boos was the last pilot to escape from the besieged Stalingrad Pocket after flying a supply mission, and evacuating casualties on the way out. He was released by the Soviets only after the war is over (2 June 1948).
Awards and documents of Johann Boos, auctioned by Andreas Thies. Other items from this grouping can be seen HERE.
Source :
https://aircrewremembered.com/KrackerDatabase/?s=2100&q=A%2A
https://www.alexautographs.com/auction-lot/luftwaffe-pilots-6_C3E44F1B85
https://www.andreas-thies.de/auktionen/67-750774
https://www.ebay.com/itm/204238238625
https://military-history.fandom.com/wiki/Johann_Boos
https://www.tracesofwar.com/persons/28582/Boos-Johann-Kampfgeschwader-55.htm
https://web.archive.org/web/20110105103052fw_/http://ritterkreuztraeger-1939-45.de/Luftwaffe/B/Bo/Boos-Johann.htm
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