Hermann Graf with His Wife in 1972

Hermann Graf with his wife Helga in their home, 1972. Beside them is the rudder of Messerschmitt Bf 109 with victory bars, belong to Graf in World War II. After the war, his marriage with actress Jola Jobst soon collapsed and they divorced (1949). Graf married twice thereafter and his third wife, Helga Schröck (whom he married in May 1959), gave birth to a son, Hermann-Ulrich, in 1959, and a daughter, Birgit, in 1961. In 1965, Graf was diagnosed with Parkinson's disease, a condition that seemed to affect many former high-altitude flyers and which caused his health to slowly deteriorate. Graf died in his hometown of Engen on 4 November 1988.

Source :
https://de.metapedia.org/wiki/Graf,_Hermann
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hermann_Graf

Bio of Hauptmann Hans Thurner (1918-1944)

Johann "Hans" Thurner

Date of Birth: 24.10.1918 - Innsbruck, Tirol (Austria-Hungary)
Date of Death: 11.06.1944 - St. Pierre-Sur-Dives, Calvados, Normandy (France)
Buried: Deutscher Soldatenfriedhof La Cambe (France), Plot: 9. Row: 4. Grave: 124.

Promotions:
00.04.1938 Fahnenjunker
01.04.1940 Leutnant
01.11.1941 Oberleutnant
01.05.1944 Hauptmann

Career:
00.04.1938 A medical student, he entered the Luftwaffe as Kampfflieger (bomber pilot)
00.00.1938 - 04.07.1940 Ergänzungskampfgruppe 3
04.07.1940 Flugzeugführer in 9.Staffel / III.Gruppe / Kampfgeschwader 55 (KG 55)
00.06.1940 Participated in the Battle of England
00.00.1940 Adjutant III./KG 55, and then back to 9.Staffel in the fall 1940
22.06.1941 Participated in Operation Barbarossa
23.06.1941 Unhurt with He 111P-2 Werknummer 1382 coded "G1 + BT"
02.07.1941 - 00.09.1941 WIA in the right thigh with He 111P-2 Werknummer 1382 coded "G1 + BT"
00.09.1942 Technischer Offizier in Kampfgeschwader 6 (KG 6)
00.12.1942 Came down with dysentry and pneumonia, and hospitalized
04.12.1942 Technischer Offizier in III.Gruppe / Kampfgeschwader 55 (KG 55)
06.04.1943 Transferred to 9.Staffel / III.Gruppe / Kampfgeschwader 6 (KG 6)
16.06.1943 Attended Verbandsführerschule/KG 101
00.06.1943 - 26.09.1943 Staffelführer 6.Staffel / II.Gruppe / Kampfgeschwader 6 (KG 6)
00.07.1943 Operations over the Mediterranean Sea and over England
26.09.1943 - 28.02.1944 Staffelkapitän 6.Staffel / II.Gruppe / Kampfgeschwader 6 (KG 6)
01.03.1944 Gruppenkommandeur I.Gruppe / Kampfgeschwader 6 (KG 6)
11.06.1944 MIA after his 500th mission 10km south east of Saint Pierre sur Dives, France, in Ju 188 A-2 (3E+EB) during a mission over the Normandy invasion beachhead

Awards and Decorations:
00.00.19__ Flugzeugführerabzeichen
18.09.1940 Eisernes Kreuz II.Klasse
30.09.1940 Eisernes Kreuz I.Klasse
00.00.194_ Frontflugspange für Kampfflieger in Bronze
22.04.1941 Luftwaffe Ehrenpokale für besondere Leistungen im Luftkrieg
02.07.1941 Verwundetenabzeichen in Schwarz
06.08.1941 Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes, as Leutnant and Flugzeugführer in 9.Staffel / III.Gruppe / Kampfgeschwader 55 (KG 55). Awarded in recognition of his 132 sorties over England in the timespan 05.07.1940-31.05.1941 against a variety of targets.
01.11.1943 Deutsches Kreuz in Gold
00.00.194_ Frontflugspange für Kampfflieger in Gold mit Anhänger und einzatszahl '400'
17.09.1944 Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes mit Eichenlaub #587 (posthumously), as Hauptmann and Gruppenkommandeur I.Gruppe / Kampfgeschwader 6 (KG 6). Awarded for his many successful sorties in the East, on the Italian front, over England in the first five months of 1944 and lastly on the Invasion front.

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In 1938 Hans Thurner joined the Luftwaffe as a cadet, where he was trained as a bomber pilot. As a lieutenant, he joined the 9th squadron of Kampfgeschwader 55 and flew missions against England in the fall of 1940. From June 1941 he flew over Russia and was awarded the Ritterkreuz for his successful missions on August 6, 1941. In September 1942 he joined Kampfgeschwader 6 as an Oberleutnant and technical officer, with which he again flew missions against England. From the summer of 1943 he flew in the Mediterranean and in 1944 again against England. On November 1, 1943 he was awarded the Deutsches Kreuz in Gold. At the beginning of 1944 he was promoted to commander of I. Gruppe of Kampfgeschwader 6 and on May 1, 1944 he was promoted to Hauptmann. On June 11, 1944, after around 500 enemy flights, he did not return from a mission. He is buried at Le Cambe. He was posthumously awarded the Eichenlaub on September 17, 1944.

Hans Thurner flew a total of 550 combat missions during his wartime career.

Unusual mission symbols can be seen on the rudder of a He 111 from 9/KG 55. The pilot, Leutnant Hans Thurner, is the man wearing a peaked cap. He would later be awarded the Ritterkreuz mit Eichenlaub but would be killed in action over Normandy in June 1944 whilst commanding I/KG 6. The aircraft is believed to be a He 111 P-2, werke nummer 2823.

This picture was taken in the late spring of 1944, and shows from left to right: Hauptmann Hans Mader (Gruppenkommandeur II.Gruppe / Kampfgeschwader 6) and Hauptmann Hans Thurner (Gruppenkommandeur I.Gruppe / Kampfgeschwader 6). Hans Mader (17 April 1915 - 3 July 1944) received the Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes on 3 September 1942 as Oberleutnant and Staffelkapitän 4.Staffel / II.Gruppe / Kampfgeschwader 54 "Totenkopf" (awarded in recognition of his 180+ bomber sorties flown); Johann "Hans" Thurner (24 October 1918 - 11 June 1944) received the Ritterkreuz on 6 August 1941 as Leutnant in III.Gruppe / Kampfgeschwader 55 (awarded in recognition of his 132 sorties over England in the timespan of 5 July 1940 - 31 May 1941 against a variety of targets). Thurner also received the Eichenlaub #587 for his Ritterkreuz posthumously on 17 September 1944 as Hauptmann and Gruppenkommandeur I.Gruppe / Kampfgeschwader 6 (awarded for his many successful sorties in the East, on the Italian front, over England in the first five months of 1944 and lastly on the Invasion front.).

Source :
ECPAD Archive
"Heinkel He 111: The Latter Years" by Chris Goss
"Luftwaffe Officer Career Summaries: Section S-Z" by Henry L. deZeng IV and Douglas G. Stankey
https://de.metapedia.org/wiki/Thurner,_Hans
https://www.lexikon-der-wehrmacht.de/Personenregister/T/ThurnerH.htm
https://www.tracesofwar.com/persons/27321/Thurner-Hans.htm

Bio of Oberleutnant zur See Erich Wulff (1914-1979)

Hermann Erich Wulff

Date of Birth: 17.05.1914 - Stade, Niedersachsen (German Empire)
Date of Death: 12.01.1979 - Stade, Niedersachsen (West Germany)

Crew of 1933

Promotions:
01.10.1934 Obermatrose
01.10.1935 Stabsmatrose
01.10.1936 Bootsmannsmaat
01.05.1940 Obersteuermann
31.12.1941 Kriegsoffiziersanwärter
01.04.1942 Leutnant zur See (Kr.O.)
01.04.1943 Oberleutnant zur See

Career:
01.07.1933: II. Marine-Artillerie-Abteilung
30.09.1939: Panzerschiff "Deutschland"
27.09.1935: Unteroffizierslehrgang, I. Marine-Lehr-Abteilung
30.11.1935: Unteroffiziers-Anwärter-Ausbildung, Segelschulschiff "Gorch Fock"
02.02.1936-27.05.1936: Artillerie-Lehrgang, Schiffs-Artillerieschule Kiel-Wik
28.05.1936-20.09.1936: Unteroffizierslehrgang, II. Marine-Unteroffiziers-Lehr-Abteilung
21.09.1936: Korporalschaftsführer, Ausbildungsabteilung, 3. Zerstörer-Division
06.01.1937-13.02.1937: Lehrgang, Marinefachschule
29.06.1937: Korporalschaftsführer, Bordkommando, Zerstörer "Z 5", "Paul Jacobi"
00.08.1939: 2. Marineunteroffizierslehrabteilung
00.08.1939-03.12.1939: Bootsmannsmaat, "Z 5", "Paul Jacobi"
04.12.1939: Obersteuermannslehrgang, Steuermannsschule Gotenhafen
16.05.1940-15.03.1941: Obersteuermann, Wachoffizier - W.O., Vorpostenboot "V 206", 2. Vp Flot., Nordsee
15.03.1941-19.08.1941: Obersteuermann, Wachoffizier - W.O., 18. Vorpostenflottille
31.12.1941: Kriegsoffiziersanwärter
19.08.1941-00.02.1945: Kriegsoffiziersanwärter, Kommandant, "V 266" North of France, Channel, Skagerrak
24.02.1945-08.05.1945: Oberleutnant zur See, Kommandant, "M 266", 30. Minensuchflottille - 30. M.S.Flot.

Awards and Decorations:
01.07.1937 Dienstauszeichnung der Wehrmacht 4.Klasse, 4 Jahre
01.12.1939 Medaille zur Erinnerung an den 1. Oktober 1938
28.11.1940 Kriegsabzeichen für Minensuch-, U-Boots-, Jagd- und Sicherungsverbände
28.02.1941 Eisernes Kreuz II.Klasse
26.11.1941 Eisernes Kreuz I.Klasse
26.10.1942 Deutsches Kreuz in Gold
24.04.1944 Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes, as Oberleutnant zur See and Kommandant 18. Vorpostenflotille. Awarded for his performance as a German Vorpostenboot captain. By the time Wulff had received the Ritterkreuz he had served for 5 years at sea. He and his crew had defeated multiple British torpedo boat attacks and shot down two aircraft.

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Hermann Erich Wulff was born on May 17, 1914 in Stadte. On July 1, 1933 he came to the II.Marine-Artillerie-Abteilung and completed his basic infantry training there. On September 30th, 1933 he came to the battleship "Deutschland" for practical onboard training. Later he was a cutter guest. From September 27th, 1935 Wulff went through the non-commissioned officer course at the 1st Marine Teaching Department. This was followed on 30 November the non-commissioned officer candidate training on the sail training ship "Gorch Fock". Two further courses were on the training regulations: artillery course at the ship artillery school in Kiel-Wik (February 2 - May 27, 1936) and non-commissioned officer course at the II.Marine NCO Training Department (May 28 - September 20, 1936).

From September 21, 1936, Erich Wulff was Corporal Commander in the training department of the 3rd Destroyer Division. During this time he completed another course at the Naval College (6.1.-13.2.37). On June 29, 1937, a commando on board the destroyer "Paul Jacobi" followed as a corporal commander. In August 1939 another course followed at the 2nd Naval NCO Training Department. Boatswain's mate Wulff experienced the first months of the war on "Paul Jacobi" before he was ordered to attend the first mate course at the Gotenhafen helmsman school on 4 December 1939. The promotion to first mate on May 1st, 1940 followed on May 16th. an onboard command as W.O. on the outpost boat "V 206". The operational area of the 2nd outpost flotilla was the North Sea.

On March 15, 1941, Wulff first joined the 18th picket flotilla as a watch officer. From August 19, 1941 he was commander. Until 1945 he drove countless missions in northern France, the Channel to the Skagerrak. Under his command, numerous attacks were repelled and 2 aircraft shot down. These achievements were rewarded with the German Cross in Gold (10/26/42) and the award of the Knight's Cross on 4/24/44. This award to a commander of an outpost boat was also representative of all the outpost boats that did their hard service inconspicuously. Erich Wulff became a lieutenant at sea on April 1, 1942 and finally a lieutenant at sea on April 1, 1943.

From 24.2. Erich Wulff was still deployed with the 30th minesweeper flotilla as commander of "M 266" until May 8th, 1945.

Source :
http://www.deutsches-marinearchiv.de/Archiv/1935-1945/Personen/Ritterkreuz/t-z/wulff.htm
https://www.tracesofwar.com/persons/15519/Wulff-Erich-18-Vorpostenflotille.htm

Bio of Leutnant Johann Straub (1912-1996)

Johann Straub

Date of birth: June 6th, 1912 (Oberglashütte/Baden, Germany)
Date of death: July 12th, 1996 (Frickenhausen/Baden-Württemberg, Germany)

Promotions:
01.01.1943 Leutnant

Career:
00.00.19__ 3.Kompanie / Panzerjäger-Abteilung 7
00.00.19__ Panzerjäger-Ersatz-Abteilung 7
00.01.1944 Panzerjäger-Abteilung 7
00.10.1944 Panzerjäger-Ersatz-Abteilung 7

Awards and Decorations:
00.00.194_ Eisernes Kreuz II.Klasse
00.00.194_ Eisernes Kreuz I.Klasse
00.00.194_ Allgemeines-Sturmabzeichen
00.00.194_ Verwundetenabzeichen in Silber
23.05.1944 Deutsches Kreuz in Gold
12.08.1944 Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes, as Leutnant and Zugführer / Panzerjäger-Abteilung 7 / 7.Infanterie-Division

Note:
This Warrior was a "Panzer Ace" who never commanded a Tiger or Panther tank. He was the platoon leader of an anti-tank battalion who commanded the Stug IV mobile assault gun that had no turret and lacked the fire power and thick armor of the heavy Panzer tanks. It took considerable skill and daring to knock out Russian tanks with the Stug IV assault gun. Johann Straub chose not to transfer to a Panzer Division (as successful Stug commanders often did), staying with his 7th Infantry Division. He survived the war and captivity and later joined the West German Bundeswehr with the last rank as a Major der Reserve. During World War II, he is credited with 18 tank kills.

Leutnant Johann Straub (6 June 1912 - 12 July 1996) is proud of his achievement and shows it off via the kill rings on his Geschütz (assault gun). He distinguished himself during the battle against the heavy Soviet offensive in the summer of 1944 and was awarded the Ritterkreuz (Knight's Cross) in 12 August 1944. He is the Zugführer (platoon leader) of 2.Kompanie (called Stu.Gesch.Abt.1007) / Panzerjäger-Abteilung 7 (7th Anti-Tank Battalion) / 7.Infanterie-Division. This photo was taken in that summer, between Pinsk and the River Bug

Source :
Jim Haley photo collection
Magazine "Achtung Panzer" No.5, Sturmgeschütz III, StuG.IV & SIG.33
https://www.facebook.com/groups/152986901863424
http://panzermaenner.blogspot.com/2016/01/leutnant-johann-straub-is-proud-of-his.html
http://www.ritterkreuztraeger.info/rk/s.html
https://www.tracesofwar.com/persons/19267/Straub-Johann-Panzerj%C3%A4ger-Abteilung-7.htm
https://www.valka.cz/Straub-Johann-t215886
https://www.wolfganghistorica.com/product/johann-straub-panzerjager-abteilung-7-sturmgeschutz-abteilung-1007/

Anti-Tank Ace: Reinhard Melzer and Theodor Schwalbach

The 8.8 cm Flak gun achieved the greatest success in North Africa. The crew of this gun have over a dozen or so victory markings painted on the gun barrel. From left to right: Unteroffizier Reinhard Melzer (Geschützführer in 1.Batterie / I.Abteilung / Flak-Regiment 33 [motorisiert]) and Oberleutnant Theodor Schwabach (Chef 1.Batterie / I.Abteilung / Flak-Regiment 33 [motorisiert]). Unteroffizier Melzer has, on his own initiative, striven to fight in the foremost battle line at its most active points, and as a gun commander he has been responsible for the destruction of at least 13 enemy tanks. His Abteilung commander, Hauptmann Walter Fromm, received the Ritterkreuz on 5 July 1941. Oberleutnant Schwabach, the Batterie commander of Reinhard Melzer, was likewise decorated with the Ritterkreuz on 30 June 1941, same as Melzer. Melzer destroyed his 13 tanks during the time period 15-17 June 1941, during the battle of Sollum.

Source :
https://tanks-encyclopedia.com/88-flak-18-flak-36-and-flak-37/
https://www.tracesofwar.com/persons/48113/Schwabach-Theodor-Theo-Flak.htm
https://www.tracesofwar.com/persons/68885/Melzer-Reinhard.htm