Jagdgeschwader 2, commonly known as JG 2 Richthofen, was one of the most elite and successful fighter wings of the German Luftwaffe during World War II. Established in 1939 and named in honor of the legendary World War I ace Manfred von Richthofen, the unit first saw combat in the invasion of Poland before playing a prominent role in the Battle of France and the Battle of Britain, where it clashed fiercely with the Royal Air Force. Throughout the war, JG 2 operated primarily on the Western Front, defending occupied Europe against Allied bomber streams and fighter sweeps, and later participated in the Normandy campaign and the Defense of the Reich. The Geschwader produced numerous high-scoring Experten, including aces such as Helmut Wick, Walter Oesau, and Erich Rudorffer, many of whom were awarded the Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes with various grades for their aerial victories. Despite suffering heavy losses in the later years of the conflict due to overwhelming Allied numerical superiority, JG 2 maintained a reputation for aggressive tactics and skilled piloting until the final days of the war in 1945.
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EICHENLAUBTRÄGER
Major Helmut Wick (1915-1940) was a highly decorated Luftwaffe fighter pilot and one of the leading aces of the Battle of Britain, serving with Jagdgeschwader 2 "Richthofen." Born on 5 August 1915, Wick quickly rose through the ranks due to his exceptional skill in aerial combat, claiming numerous victories flying the Messerschmitt Bf 109. He received the Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes on 27 August 1940 after achieving his 25th aerial victory, recognizing his outstanding bravery and leadership as a Staffelkapitän. Just weeks later, on 21 October 1940, following his 42nd victory, he was awarded the Eichenlaub zum Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes, becoming the fourth Luftwaffe pilot to receive this prestigious higher grade of the Knight's Cross. Wick's meteoric career ended tragically on 28 November 1940 when he was shot down over the English Channel after claiming his 56th victory, cementing his legacy as a fearless Jagdflieger whose rapid accumulation of kills exemplified the intense air war over Britain in 1940.
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EICHENLAUBTRÄGER
Major Helmut Wick (1915-1940) was a highly decorated Luftwaffe fighter pilot and one of the leading aces of the Battle of Britain, serving with Jagdgeschwader 2 "Richthofen." Born on 5 August 1915, Wick quickly rose through the ranks due to his exceptional skill in aerial combat, claiming numerous victories flying the Messerschmitt Bf 109. He received the Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes on 27 August 1940 after achieving his 25th aerial victory, recognizing his outstanding bravery and leadership as a Staffelkapitän. Just weeks later, on 21 October 1940, following his 42nd victory, he was awarded the Eichenlaub zum Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes, becoming the fourth Luftwaffe pilot to receive this prestigious higher grade of the Knight's Cross. Wick's meteoric career ended tragically on 28 November 1940 when he was shot down over the English Channel after claiming his 56th victory, cementing his legacy as a fearless Jagdflieger whose rapid accumulation of kills exemplified the intense air war over Britain in 1940.
Major
Wilhelm Balthasar (1914-1941) was one of the most successful early
fighter aces of the Luftwaffe and a highly respected leader whose combat
career spanned the Spanish Civil War and the opening years of the
Second World War. After serving with the Condor Legion in Spain, where
he gained valuable combat experience and achieved several aerial
victories, he rose rapidly through the ranks of the Jagdwaffe. During
the campaigns in Poland, France, and the Battle of Britain, Balthasar
distinguished himself as a fearless and aggressive fighter pilot while
commanding units such as I./Jagdgeschwader 1 and later
III./Jagdgeschwader 3. His outstanding leadership and personal combat
achievements, which included more than twenty confirmed aerial victories
by the summer of 1940, earned him the Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes
on 14 June 1940 for his exceptional success against Allied aircraft
during the Western Campaign and the Battle of Britain, where he
consistently led from the front and played a major role in securing air
superiority for German forces. Promoted to higher command, he became
Geschwaderkommodore of Jagdgeschwader 2 “Richthofen” in February 1941
and continued to add to his victory total. During intense operations
over the English Channel and northern France in June 1941, he increased
his score to 40 confirmed aerial victories, demonstrating both tactical
skill and remarkable determination against the Royal Air Force. In
recognition of these continued achievements and his exemplary leadership
of Jagdgeschwader 2, he was awarded the Eichenlaub zum Ritterkreuz des
Eisernen Kreuzes on 2 July 1941 as the 17th member of the German
armed forces to receive this distinction. Tragically, only one day
later, on 3 July 1941, Balthasar was killed in action near Saint-Omer
while flying a Messerschmitt Bf 109F, ending the career of one of the
Luftwaffe’s most celebrated fighter leaders at the age of just
twenty-seven.
Major
Siegfried Schnell (1916-1944), nicknamed “Wumm,” was one of the most
successful Luftwaffe fighter aces on the Western Front, credited with 93
confirmed aerial victories during the Second World War. Serving
initially with Jagdgeschwader 2 “Richthofen”, Schnell achieved his first
victory during the Battle of France on 14 May 1940 and rapidly built a
formidable reputation throughout the Battle of Britain. By 7 November
1940, flying with 4./Jagdgeschwader 2 “Richthofen”, he had reached 20
confirmed victories, including numerous RAF fighters shot down over the
English Channel and southern England. This achievement led to the award
of the Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes on 9 November 1940 as a
Leutnant. Remaining on the Channel Front after the start of Operation
Barbarossa, Schnell was appointed Staffelkapitän of 9./Jagdgeschwader 2
“Richthofen” and entered his most successful period of combat. During
intense air battles against the Royal Air Force in July 1941, he
destroyed nine Supermarine Spitfires within just two days, 8–9 July,
bringing his score to approximately 44–45 victories. His exceptional
leadership and combat success during these engagements earned him the
Eichenlaub zum Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes on 9 July 1941 as
the 18th recipient of the decoration. Schnell continued to score
heavily against Allied aircraft, later serving with Jagdgeschwader 54
and eventually commanding III./Jagdgeschwader 54 and IV./Jagdgeschwader
54. He was killed in action on 25 February 1944 near Narva, Estonia,
after being shot down during the Soviet offensive, ending the career of
one of the most accomplished Jagdflieger produced by Jagdgeschwader 2
“Richthofen”.
Major Hans Hahn (1914-1982), nicknamed "Assi", was a German Luftwaffe fighter ace credited with 108 aerial victories in 560 combat missions during World War II, including 66 on the Western Front where he downed 53 Supermarine Spitfires and 42 on the Eastern Front with at least seven Ilyushin Il-2 Sturmovik ground-attack aircraft among them. Born in Gotha, he initially served in the Heer before transferring to the Luftwaffe in 1935, training as a pilot and joining Jagdgeschwader 2 "Richthofen" in late 1939 as Staffelkapitän of 4. Staffel in II. Gruppe. He claimed his first victory on 14 May 1940 over a Royal Air Force Hawker Hurricane during the Battle of France and achieved five victories in that campaign, followed by further successes in the Battle of Britain that brought his total to 20 by September 1940, earning him the Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes on 24 September 1940 as Oberleutnant while serving as Staffelkapitän; the award was presented by Reichsmarschall Hermann Göring alongside another recipient. Promoted to Hauptmann and appointed Gruppenkommandeur of III. Gruppe of JG 2 "Richthofen" in late October 1940, Hahn continued excelling on the Channel Front with the Messerschmitt Bf 109 F and later Focke-Wulf Fw 190, notably claiming three Spitfires on 12 August 1941 which helped push his score to 41 (or 42 per some records), resulting in the award of the Eichenlaub to his Ritterkreuz on 14 August 1941 as the 32nd recipient overall and second in JG 2; Adolf Hitler personally presented it at the Wolfsschanze on 27 August alongside other aces. Hahn reached 66 Western victories by 16 September 1942 before transferring to command II. Gruppe of Jagdgeschwader 54 on the Eastern Front, where he added 42 more claims including his 100th on 27 January 1943, until he was shot down and captured on 21 February 1943 near Staraya Russa after downing a Lavochkin La-5 for his 108th and final victory; he endured Soviet captivity until late 1950, later wrote his memoirs 'Ich spreche die Wahrheit', pursued a business career, and died of cancer in Munich.
Major Hans Hahn (1914-1982), nicknamed "Assi", was a German Luftwaffe fighter ace credited with 108 aerial victories in 560 combat missions during World War II, including 66 on the Western Front where he downed 53 Supermarine Spitfires and 42 on the Eastern Front with at least seven Ilyushin Il-2 Sturmovik ground-attack aircraft among them. Born in Gotha, he initially served in the Heer before transferring to the Luftwaffe in 1935, training as a pilot and joining Jagdgeschwader 2 "Richthofen" in late 1939 as Staffelkapitän of 4. Staffel in II. Gruppe. He claimed his first victory on 14 May 1940 over a Royal Air Force Hawker Hurricane during the Battle of France and achieved five victories in that campaign, followed by further successes in the Battle of Britain that brought his total to 20 by September 1940, earning him the Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes on 24 September 1940 as Oberleutnant while serving as Staffelkapitän; the award was presented by Reichsmarschall Hermann Göring alongside another recipient. Promoted to Hauptmann and appointed Gruppenkommandeur of III. Gruppe of JG 2 "Richthofen" in late October 1940, Hahn continued excelling on the Channel Front with the Messerschmitt Bf 109 F and later Focke-Wulf Fw 190, notably claiming three Spitfires on 12 August 1941 which helped push his score to 41 (or 42 per some records), resulting in the award of the Eichenlaub to his Ritterkreuz on 14 August 1941 as the 32nd recipient overall and second in JG 2; Adolf Hitler personally presented it at the Wolfsschanze on 27 August alongside other aces. Hahn reached 66 Western victories by 16 September 1942 before transferring to command II. Gruppe of Jagdgeschwader 54 on the Eastern Front, where he added 42 more claims including his 100th on 27 January 1943, until he was shot down and captured on 21 February 1943 near Staraya Russa after downing a Lavochkin La-5 for his 108th and final victory; he endured Soviet captivity until late 1950, later wrote his memoirs 'Ich spreche die Wahrheit', pursued a business career, and died of cancer in Munich.
Source :
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Template:Knight%27s_Cross_recipients_of_JG_2
https://www.tracesofwar.com/awards/83/ritterkreuz-des-eisernen-kreuzes.htm
