Jagdgeschwader 77, commonly known by its famous emblem and nickname “Herz As,” was one of the most widely deployed fighter wings of the Luftwaffe during the Second World War, serving on nearly every major front from 1939 until Germany’s surrender in May 1945. Formed on 1 May 1939, the Geschwader initially operated the Messerschmitt Bf 109 and quickly became involved in the campaigns over Poland, France, and the Battle of Britain before being transferred to the Balkans, the Mediterranean, North Africa, and the Eastern Front. Its pilots achieved thousands of aerial victories during the war, producing numerous highly decorated fighter aces including Gordon Gollob, Joachim Müncheberg, Heinrich Bär, Ernst-Wilhelm Reinert, and Johannes Steinhoff. During Operation Barbarossa, JG 77 gained a formidable reputation through intense combat against Soviet aviation, while in North Africa it provided crucial air cover for Axis ground forces and fought continuous battles against the RAF Desert Air Force and later the USAAF. The Geschwader’s red heart insignia became especially associated with the legacy of Joachim Müncheberg, whose leadership and combat achievements helped shape the unit’s identity. JG 77 was unusual among Luftwaffe fighter wings in that it fought in virtually every theater of the war, from Norway and the Arctic regions to Tunisia, Sicily, Italy, the Balkans, and the Reichsverteidigung campaign over Germany. The unit remained equipped primarily with variants of the Bf 109 throughout its existence, although II./JG 77 briefly operated the Italian-built Macchi C.205 in late 1943. Numerous members of the Geschwader received high decorations including the Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes, Eichenlaub, Schwerter, and Brillanten for exceptional aerial combat achievements. Despite suffering severe losses during the final years of the conflict, Jagdgeschwader 77 remained operational until the collapse of the Third Reich, earning a place among the most famous and battle-experienced Jagdgeschwader of the Luftwaffe.
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SCHWERTERTRÄGER
Oberst Herbert Ihlefeld (1914-1995) was one of the most successful Jagdflieger of the Luftwaffe, credited with approximately 130 aerial victories in more than 1,000 combat missions spanning the Spanish Civil War and the Second World War. After gaining early combat experience with Jagdgruppe 88 of the Legion Condor in Spain, where he achieved nine victories and earned the Spanienkreuz in Gold mit Schwertern, he served with I.(J)/LG 2 and later I./JG 77 during the campaigns in Poland, France, and the Battle of Britain. Ihlefeld received the Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes on 13 September 1940 as an Oberleutnant and Flugzeugführer in the I.Gruppe / Jagdgeschwader 77 (JG 77) after achieving 21 confirmed aerial victories during the western campaigns and the intense fighting over Britain, where his aggressive leadership and combat success established him as one of the Luftwaffe’s leading fighter aces. Following his appointment as Gruppenkommandeur of I./JG 77, he participated in the Balkan Campaign and the opening stages of Unternehmen Barbarossa, rapidly increasing his score against Soviet aircraft; after reaching 47 victories and demonstrating outstanding command ability, he was awarded the Eichenlaub zum Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes on 27 June 1941 as the 16th recipient of the decoration. Continuing his remarkable success on the Eastern Front, Ihlefeld surpassed the century mark in aerial victories, and after claiming his 101st victory he received the Schwerter zum Eichenlaub des Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes on 24 April 1942 as the ninth serviceman to be so honored, recognizing both his extraordinary combat record and his effectiveness as a leader within JG 77. He later commanded JG 52, JG 25, and JG 1, surviving the war despite being shot down eight times and remaining one of the most decorated fighter pilots of the Luftwaffe.
Source :
https://www.ww2.dk/air/jagd/jg77.htm
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jagdgeschwader_77
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