Heinrich Sterr

Heinrich Sterr (24 September 1919 – 26 November 1944) was a World War II Luftwaffe military aviator. As a flying ace, he is credited with 130 aerial victories predominantly claimed on the Eastern Front. He was a recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross, the highest award in the military and paramilitary forces of Nazi Germany during World War II. On 26 November 1944, he was shot down and killed in action by USAAF fighters.

Heinrich Sterr
Born(1919-09-24)24 September 1919
Ortenburg, Vilshofen
Died26 November 1944(1944-11-26) (aged 25)
airport of Vörde/Bramsche
Allegiance Nazi Germany
Service/branchBalkenkreuz (Iron Cross) Luftwaffe
Years of service1939–1944
RankOberleutnant (first lieutenant)
UnitJG 54
Commands held16./JG 54
Battles/warsWorld War II
AwardsKnight's Cross of the Iron Cross

Career

Sterr was born on 24 September 1919 in Ortenburg, Lower Bavaria as part of the Free State of Bavaria. Unlike many other flying aces in the Luftwaffe, he was not a member of the pre-war Luftwaffe (he had only just turned 20 when war broke out) and he missed the early warfare over Poland, France and the first year in the East. After completing his pilot-training in 1942,[Note 1] Sterr was sent as an Unteroffizier, to 6. Staffel (6th squadron) of Jagdgeschwader 54 (JG 54—54th Fighter Wing).[2] At the time it was based at Ryelbitzi, west of Lake Ilmen covering the battles around Demyansk Pocket as the Soviets continued to try and break through the German forces in front of Leningrad where he scored his first victory on 6 April when he shot down a Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-3 fighter aircraft.[3]

In late 1942, II. Gruppe was scheduled to be reequipped with the Focke Wulf Fw 190 A-4 at Heiligenbeil, present-day Mamonovo.[4] On 7 January 1943, Sterr was shot down and wounded in his Messerschmitt Bf 109 G-2 (Werknummer 13609—factory number) by Lavochkin-Gorbunov-Gudkov LaGG-3 fighters in the vicinity of Ramushevo on the Lovat River.[5] By the end of March 1943, Sterr had over 30 victories, and on 30 April he was awarded the Honour Goblet of the Luftwaffe (Ehrenpokal der Luftwaffe). In June, Luftflotte 1 staged a last big effort to blow the railway bridges of the vital supply link to Leningrad. In July, most other fighter Gruppen were assembled around the Kursk salient for the next German offensive - Operation Zitadelle. Although II./JG 54 was kept back guarding Leningrad, it appears several of its pilots, including Oberfeldwebel Sterr, went with I./JG 54 to Orel. In the fortnight or so that it was where he scored a further ten victories to add to his tally of shootdowns. On 23 July, he was awarded the German Cross in Gold (Deutsches Kreuz in Gold).[6]

Eventually the German forces were stretched too thin across the Eastern Front to provide constant air cover and were increasingly being used as "fire brigades", as new Soviet offensives broke out up and down the line. Sterr's victory list is a case in point, on the nomadic existence of II./JG 54 from here on: early August gave 15 victories over Leningrad, then later in the month a clutch of victories south-east of Smolensk. On 8 October 1943, Sterr became an "ace-in-a-day" for the second time, claiming six Lavochkin La-5 fighters shot down north of Kiev.[7][Note 2] That day, Sterr was also shot down in his Fw 190 A-6 (Werknummer 530353) 3 kilometres (1.9 miles) northeast of Dymer. He managed to bail out but was wounded nevertheless.[9]

Oberfeldwebel Sterr was awarded the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross (Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes) on 5 December 1943 (nominally for 86 victories) and sent home for officer-training. Returning as a Leutnant in January he was back to Ukraine where he shot down more Soviet aircraft. On 29 March 1944, Sterr was credited with his 100th aerial victory, making him the 68th Luftwaffe pilot to achieve the century mark.[10] In March, he was then briefly posted to 3./JG 54 in Estonia for a couple of months. When he returned to 6./JG 54 at the start of May, II./JG 54 was back on the central sector.

When the next Soviet offensive, Operation Bagration, started at the end of June, its devastating force shattered most of Army Group Centre and forced rapid retreats. Despite inflicting nearly 500 losses on the Soviets, JG 54 was powerless to halt the advance. In August, the Jagdwaffe (Luftwaffe fighter force) had a major unit re-organization. From this 6./JG 54 was renamed 16./JG 54, and transferred to operate as part of IV./JG 54 which was re-equipping near Warsaw at the time. Having recently lost their Staffelkapitän (Squadron leader), Oberleutnant Sterr was appointed the unit's Staffelführer (Flight leader) also in August. His last shootdown on the Eastern front was a Yak-9 fighter, which he shot down on 12 August.

Defense of the Reich

On 17 September 1944, the Allied Forces launched Operation Market Garden to seize the bridges to Arnhem. This forced the urgent transfer of the ill-prepared IV. Gruppe of JG 54 to the west because Luftwaffe aviation regiments were still rebuilding after many were hammered during the Normandy invasion. This was now a different air war - not the low-level dogfighting and pursuits of the Eastern Front, but the high-altitude engagement against the massive American bomber formations, and their hundreds of escort fighters. With such odds stacked against them, it was often just luck if a pilot would survive. In just 3 weeks, IV. Gruppe of JG 54 lost 30 pilots for only 10 victories - and was soon pulled out the line to reform for the second time in a month.[11]

In early November, Sterr was formally appointed as the Staffelkapitän of 16. Staffel of JG 54, the unit he had served with for nearly his entire combat career. Flying Fw 190 A-8 (Werknummer 171684), Sterr was killed in action on 26 November 1944 while during his landing approach at an airfield at Vörden.[12][13] He was shot down by a Republic P-47 Thunderbolt piloted by Captain P.L. Larsen from the 78th Fighter Group. He was nominated for the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves (Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes mit Eichenlaub).[6] He was succeeded by Leutnant Paul Brandt as commander of 16. Staffel of JG 54.[14]

Summary of career

Aerial victory claims

According to US historian David T. Zabecki, Sterr was credited with 129 aerial victories.[15] Spick lists Sterr with 130 aerial victories in an unknown number of combat missions, all but three on the Eastern Front.[16] Mathews and Foreman, authors of Luftwaffe Aces — Biographies and Victory Claims, researched the German Federal Archives and found records for 108 aerial victories, all but two claimed on the Eastern Front.[17]

Victory claims were logged to a map-reference (PQ = Planquadrat), for example "PQ 28142". The Luftwaffe grid map (Jägermeldenetz) covered all of Europe, western Russia and North Africa and was composed of rectangles measuring 15 minutes of latitude by 30 minutes of longitude, an area of about 360 square miles (930 km2). These sectors were then subdivided into 36 smaller units to give a location area 3 km × 4 km (1.9 mi × 2.5 mi) in size.[18]

Chronicle of aerial victories
  This and the ♠ (Ace of spades) indicates those aerial victories which made Sterr an "ace-in-a-day", a term which designates a fighter pilot who has shot down five or more airplanes in a single day.
  This and the ! (exclamation mark) indicates information discrepancies listed by Prien, Stemmer, Rodeike, Bock, Mathews and Foreman.
Claim Date Time Type Location Claim Date Time Type Location
– 6. Staffel of Jagdgeschwader 54 –[6]
Eastern Front — 20 January – 30 April 1942
1 6 April 1942 14:05 MiG-3[3]
– 6. Staffel of Jagdgeschwader 54 –[6]
Eastern Front — 1 May 1942 – 3 February 1943
2 9 June 1942 10:04 Pe-2[19] 9 25 December 1942 12:13 Il-2 2 km (1.2 mi) southeast of Strelitzky[20]
3 19 July 1942 14:44 Il-2 Pola railway station[21] 10 29 December 1942 11:05 LaGG-3 PQ 28142[20]
30 km (19 mi) northwest of Demyansk
4 28 September 1942 13:06?[Note 3] LaGG-3 PQ 18242[22]
20 km (12 mi) southeast of Staraya Russa		 11 29 December 1942 12:45?[Note 4] Il-2 PQ 28171[20]
25 km (16 mi) west-northwest of Demyansk
5 29 September 1942 09:05 Yak-1 PQ 18254[23]
20 km (12 mi) southeast of Staraya Russa		 12 30 December 1942 09:45 Il-2 PQ 28114[20]
40 km (25 mi) northwest of Demyansk
6 6 December 1942 12:30 Pe-2 PQ 28354[24]
10 km (6.2 mi) west of Demyansk		 13 30 December 1942 12:17 LaGG-3 PQ 18262[25]
30 km (19 mi) east-southeast of Staraya Russa
7 12 December 1942 14:00 LaGG-3 10 km (6.2 mi) east of Lake Werchne[24] 14 7 January 1943 10:50 LaGG-3 PQ 18294[25]
40 km (25 mi) southeast of Staraya Russa
8 17 December 1942 13:50 LaGG-3 PQ 28653[24]
30 km (19 mi) south-southeast of Demyansk		 15 25 January 1943 09:53 LaGG-3 PQ 00291[26]
10 km (6.2 mi) west of Mga
– 6. Staffel of Jagdgeschwader 54 –[27]
Eastern Front — 4 February – 31 December 1943
16 11 February 1943 10:19 La-5 PQ 36 Ost 10621[28]
25 km (16 mi) northeast of Lyuban		 46 13 July 1943 14:14 Il-2 PQ 35 Ost 63273[29]
30 km (19 mi) northwest of Bolkhov
17 23 February 1943 13:47 P-40 PQ 35 Ost 19842[30]
20 km (12 mi) northeast of Staraya Russa		 47 13 July 1943 14:16 Il-2 PQ 35 Ost 63254[29]
40 km (25 mi) east-southeast of Oryol
18 27 February 1943 15:26 P-40 PQ 35 Ost 28311[30]
20 km (12 mi) west-northwest of Demyansk		 48 14 July 1943 14:15 LaGG-3 PQ 35 Ost 54362[31]
45 km (28 mi) east-southeast of Zhizdra
19 27 February 1943 15:38 La-5 PQ 35 Ost 18492[30]
30 km (19 mi) west-southwest of Demyansk		 49 14 July 1943 14:20 LaGG-3 PQ 35 Ost 54333[31]
45 km (28 mi) east-southeast of Zhizdra
20 28 February 1943 13:55 Pe-2 PQ 35 Ost 18382[30]
45 km (28 mi) north of Chełm		 50 17 July 1943 06:47 La-5 PQ 35 Ost 54613[31]
25 km (16 mi) west of Bolkhov
21 28 February 1943 13:57 LaGG-3 PQ 35 Ost 18382[30]
45 km (28 mi) north of Chełm		 51 18 July 1943 19:18 La-5 PQ 35 Ost 54455[31]
25 km (16 mi) northwest of Bolkhov
22 5 March 1943 16:16 La-5 PQ 35 Ost 18364[30]
40 km (25 mi) south of Staraya Russa		 52 19 July 1943 11:41 Yak-7 PQ 35 Ost 54623[31]
20 km (12 mi) west of Bolkhov
23 5 March 1943 16:17 La-5 PQ 35 Ost 18362[30]
40 km (25 mi) south of Staraya Russa		 53 19 July 1943 11:43 Yak-7 PQ 35 Ost 54622[31]
20 km (12 mi) west of Bolkhov
24 7 March 1943 09:22 Pe-2 PQ 35 Ost 18274[32]
25 km (16 mi) southeast of Staraya Russa		 54 21 July 1943 07:13 La-5 PQ 35 Ost 63211[31]
35 km (22 mi) east of Oryol
25 7 March 1943 15:55 P-39 PQ 35 Ost 18472[32]
55 km (34 mi) west-southwest of Demyansk		 55 28 July 1943 09:15 Pe-2 PQ 36 Ost 10243[33]
25 km (16 mi) east-southeast of Shlisselburg
26 7 March 1943 15:57 LaGG-3 PQ 35 Ost 18473[32]
55 km (34 mi) west-southwest of Demyansk		 56 28 July 1943 09:18 La-5 PQ 36 Ost 10172[33]
vicinity of Mga
27 14 March 1943 13:58?[Note 5] P-40 PQ 35 Ost 18452[32]
40 km (25 mi) west of Demyansk		 57 28 July 1943 14:56 Yak-7 PQ 36 Ost 10441[33]
30 km (19 mi) southeast of Mga
28 15 March 1943 15:53 LaGG-3 PQ 35 Ost 18272[32]
25 km (16 mi) southeast of Staraya Russa		 58 29 July 1943 08:05 La-5 PQ 36 Ost 10194[33]
east of Mga
29 18 March 1943 09:18 La-5 PQ 35 Ost 18221[32]
25 km (16 mi) east-southeast of Staraya Russa		 59 29 July 1943 08:08 Yak-7 PQ 36 Ost 10413[33]
25 km (16 mi) east-southeast of Mga
30 19 March 1943 15:24 Pe-2 PQ 36 Ost 00412[32]
10 km (6.2 mi) east of Pushkin		 60 29 July 1943 08:11 Yak-7 PQ 36 Ost 10191[33]
south of Shlisselburg
31 23 March 1943 08:06 P-40 PQ 36 Ost 00411[32]
10 km (6.2 mi) east of Pushkin		 61 31 July 1943 13:54 P-39 PQ 36 Ost 10142[33]
south of Shlisselburg
32 17 May 1943 05:09 La-5 PQ 36 Ost 10742[34]
30 km (19 mi) south-southwest of Lyuban		 62 1 August 1943 06:31 La-5 PQ 36 Ost 10142[33]
south of Shlisselburg
33 22 May 1943 10:56 La-5 PQ 36 Ost 21893[34] 63♠ 2 August 1943 10:25 Il-2 PQ 36 Ost 10182[33]
east of Mga
34 22 May 1943 10:58 La-5 PQ 36 Ost 20222[34] 64♠ 2 August 1943 12:55 Il-2 PQ 36 Ost 10322[33]
10 km (6.2 mi) southeast of Mga
35 30 May 1943 13:44 Yak-1 PQ 36 Ost 10113[34]
vicinity of Shlisselburg		 65♠ 2 August 1943 12:57 Il-2 PQ 36 Ost 10323[33]
10 km (6.2 mi) southeast of Mga
36 30 May 1943 20:16 P-40 PQ 36 Ost 11773[34]
30 km (19 mi) northwest of Spaskaja-Polist		 66♠ 2 August 1943 13:24 La-5 PQ 36 Ost 10331[33]
20 km (12 mi) east-southeast of Mga
37 3 June 1943 12:57?[Note 6] Pe-2 PQ 26 Ost 90141[34]
30 km (19 mi) west-southwest of Lomomosov		 67♠ 2 August 1943 13:25 LaGG-3 PQ 36 Ost 10183[33]
east of Mga
38 10 June 1943 15:52 LaGG-3 PQ 26 Ost 90121[34]
20 km (12 mi) west of Lomomosov		 68♠ 2 August 1943 17:34 La-5 PQ 36 Ost 10113[33]
vicinity of Shlisselburg
39 17 June 1943 05:07 La-5 PQ 36 Ost 20224[34]
20 km (12 mi) east of Volkhov		 69♠ 2 August 1943 19:21 La-5 PQ 36 Ost 10354[33]
20 km (12 mi) southeast of Mga
40 17 June 1943 05:17 Hurricane PQ 36 Ost 20174[34]
vicinity of Volkhov		 70 11 August 1943 05:10 LaGG-3 PQ 35 Ost 45724[35]
15 km (9.3 mi) north-northeast of Kirov
41 18 June 1943 12:12 LaGG-3 PQ 36 Ost 10262[34]
25 km (16 mi) west-southwest of Shlisselburg		 71 12 August 1943 07:50 La-5 PQ 35 Ost 45751[35]
5 km (3.1 mi) northwest of Kirov
42 23 June 1943 20:07 P-39 PQ 36 Ost 11741[29]
20 km (12 mi) north of Shlisselburg		 72 12 August 1943 07:59 La-5 PQ 35 Ost 45761[35]
5 km (3.1 mi) north-northeast of Kirov
43 24 June 1943 11:11 Yak-1?[Note 7] PQ 36 Ost 20191[29]
west of Volkhov		 73 12 August 1943 16:02 Yak-7 PQ 35 Ost 45742[35]
15 km (9.3 mi) west of Kirov
44 9 July 1943 08:42 Yak-9 PQ 36 Ost 10264[29]
25 km (16 mi) west-southwest of Shlisselburg		 74 14 August 1943 04:59 La-5 PQ 35 Ost 45751[35]
5 km (3.1 mi) northwest of Kirov
45 12 July 1943 18:19 La-5 PQ 35 Ost 64882[29]
25 km (16 mi) southeast of Mtsensk		 75 14 August 1943 05:02 La-5 PQ 35 Ost 45753[35]
5 km (3.1 mi) north of Kirov
The authors Prien, Stemmer, Rodeike and Bock have an unaccounted gap of six aerial victories, ranging from aerial victory 76 to 81.[36] According to Mathews and Foreman, these six aerial victories are also not documented.[8]
82 7 October 1943 13:39 La-5 PQ 35 Ost 11794[7]
over Lake Ladoga		 86♠ 8 October 1943 05:57 La-5 PQ 35 Ost 01131[7]
over Lake Ladoga
83 7 October 1943 14:03 La-5 PQ 35 Ost 10124[7]
east of Shlisselburg		 87♠ 8 October 1943 08:24 La-5 PQ 35 Ost 01411[7]
over Lake Ladoga
84♠ 8 October 1943 05:51 La-5 PQ 35 Ost 02793[7] 88♠ 8 October 1943 08:25 La-5 PQ 35 Ost 01413[7]
over Lake Ladoga
85♠ 8 October 1943 05:53 La-5 PQ 35 Ost 02794[7] 89♠ 8 October 1943 08:27 La-5 PQ 35 Ost 01413[7]
over Lake Ladoga
– 6. Staffel of Jagdgeschwader 54 –[37]
Eastern Front — January 1944
90 11 January 1944 13:42 Yak-4 35 km (22 mi) southeast of Narva 92 25 January 1944 10:48 Il-2 40 km (25 mi) east of Narva
91 25 January 1944 10:46 La-5 35 km (22 mi) southwest of Lissino 93 28 January 1944 15:01 La-5 40 km (25 mi) east of Narva
– 4. Staffel of Jagdgeschwader 54 –[38]
Eastern Front — March – 2 April 1944
94 19 March 1944 09:36 Yak-9 15 km (9.3 mi) north-northeast of Pskov 99 31 March 1944 12:43 Il-2 15 km (9.3 mi) south of Pskov
95 27 March 1944 06:20 Il-2 100 31 March 1944 17:12 Pe-2
96 27 March 1944 06:22 Il-2 101 1 April 1944 12:45 Yak-9 10 km (6.2 mi) southeast of Selo
97 27 March 1944 06:24 Il-2 102 2 April 1944 14:40 Il-2 10 km (6.2 mi) southwest of Pskov
98 27 March 1944 06:26 Yak-9
– 6. Staffel of Jagdgeschwader 54 –[39]
Eastern Front — 8 April – July 1944
103 8 April 1944 05:33 Il-2 30 km (19 mi) west of Pskov 108 1 May 1944 11:14 Il-2 15 km (9.3 mi) southeast of Dretun
104 28 April 1944 17:52 Yak-9 vicinity of Idriza 109 9 July 1944 09:39 P-40
105 28 April 1944 17:54 Il-2 10 km (6.2 mi) east of Idritsa 110 15 July 1944 13:48 Yak-9 over sea in the middle of the Gulf of Finland
106 1 May 1944 11:10 Yak-9 15 km (9.3 mi) east of Polotsk 111 21 July 1944 04:15 Yak-9
107 1 May 1944 11:13 Il-2 15 km (9.3 mi) southeast of Dretun
– 16. Staffel of Jagdgeschwader 54 –[39]
Eastern Front — August 1944
112 12 August 1944 10:15 Yak-9 Warka
– 16. Staffel of Jagdgeschwader 54 –[39]
Western Front — September 1944
113 23 September 1944 18:45 P-47 PQ 05 Ost 62256[40]
vicinity of Nijmegen		 114 25 September 1944 18:05 B-25 PQ 05 Ost 52238[40]

Awards

Notes
  1. Flight training in the Luftwaffe progressed through the levels A1, A2 and B1, B2, referred to as A/B flight training. A training included theoretical and practical training in aerobatics, navigation, long-distance flights and dead-stick landings. The B courses included high-altitude flights, instrument flights, night landings and training to handle the aircraft in difficult situations.[1]
  2. The authors place this combat over Lake Ladoga.[8]
  3. According to Mathews and Foreman claimed at 13:15.[6]
  4. According to Mathews and Foreman claimed at 12:40.[6]
  5. According to Mathews and Foreman claimed at 13:52.[6]
  6. According to Mathews and Foreman claimed at 14:57.[8]
  7. According to Mathews and Foreman claimed as a Yakovlev Yak-9.[8]

References

Citations
  1. Bergström, Antipov & Sundin 2003, p. 17.
  2. Obermaier 1989, p. 210.
  3. Prien et al. 2005, p. 224.
  4. Prien et al. 2006, p. 137.
  5. Prien et al. 2006, p. 162.
  6. Mathews & Foreman 2015, p. 1267.
  7. Prien et al. 2012, p. 278.
  8. Mathews & Foreman 2015, p. 1268.
  9. Prien et al. 2012, pp. 247–248, 286.
  10. Obermaier 1989, p. 244.
  11. Weal 1996, p. 79.
  12. Prien et al. 2019, p. 474.
  13. Weal 2001, p. 95.
  14. Prien et al. 2019, p. 469.
  15. Zabecki 2019, p. 330.
  16. Spick 1996, p. 228.
  17. Mathews & Foreman 2015, pp. 1267–1269.
  18. Planquadrat.
  19. Prien et al. 2006, p. 145.
  20. Prien et al. 2006, p. 156.
  21. Prien et al. 2006, p. 146.
  22. Prien et al. 2006, p. 152.
  23. Prien et al. 2006, p. 154.
  24. Prien et al. 2006, p. 155.
  25. Prien et al. 2006, p. 157.
  26. Prien et al. 2006, p. 158.
  27. Mathews & Foreman 2015, pp. 1267–1268.
  28. Prien et al. 2012, p. 268.
  29. Prien et al. 2012, p. 272.
  30. Prien et al. 2012, p. 269.
  31. Prien et al. 2012, p. 273.
  32. Prien et al. 2012, p. 270.
  33. Prien et al. 2012, p. 274.
  34. Prien et al. 2012, p. 271.
  35. Prien et al. 2012, p. 275.
  36. Prien et al. 2012, pp. 275–278.
  37. Mathews & Foreman 2015, p. 1268–637.
  38. Mathews & Foreman 2015, pp. 1268–1269.
  39. Mathews & Foreman 2015, p. 1269.
  40. Prien et al. 2019, p. 471.
  41. Patzwall 2008, p. 199.
  42. Patzwall & Scherzer 2001, p. 460.
  43. Fellgiebel 2000, p. 411.
  44. Scherzer 2007, p. 723.

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