Walther Dahl

Walther Dahl

Infobox Military Person
name=Walther Dahl
lived=birth date|1916|3|27|df=ydeath date and age|1985|11|25|1916|3|27|df=y
placeofbirth= Lug near Bad Bergzabern
placeofdeath=Heidelberg


caption=Walther Dahl
nickname="Rammdahl"
allegiance=flagicon|Nazi Germany Nazi Germany
serviceyears=1935-1945
rank=Oberst
branch=
commands=III./JG 3, JG 300
unit=JG 3, JG 300, EJG 2
battles=World War II
*Eastern Front
*Defense of the Reich
awards="Knight's Cross with Oak Leaves"
laterwork=

Walther Dahl (27 March 1916 - 25 November 1985) was a German Oberst Luftwaffe fighter ace and recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves during World War II.

World War II

Walther Dahl was born in Lug near Bad Bergzabern and joined the army in 1935, initially serving in Infantry Regiment 119 in Stuttgart, before transferring to the Luftwaffe and becoming a fighter pilot.

By May 1941 Dahl was part of the "Geschwaderstab" of JG 3 and claimed his first victory on 22 June during the first day of the invasion of Russia. In July Dahl transferred to II gruppe of JG 3. By the end of October Dahl had 17 claims. He was then transferred to 4 staffel, JG 3 in December 1941 before the unit was posted to the Mediterranean theatre. He claimed a Spitfire over Malta on 1 April 1942 and on 10 April 1942 Dahl was made Staffelkapitän, "Ergänzungsgruppe, JG 3".

In April 1943, Dahl was transferred to the staff of the "General der Jagdflieger". In August, Dahl was next appointed "Geschwaderadjutant," JG 3 on the Eastern front where he had raised his total to 51, being awarded the German Cross in Gold in December 1942

On 20 July 1943, Dahl was posted as Gruppenkommandeur III./JG 3 and relocated to Münster from Kursk on the Russian Front. He claimed 2 four-engined bombers on 6 September and 2 more four-engined bombers (and a P-38) on 23 February 1944.

Dahl led a III./JG 3 formation against the Schweinfurt and Regensburg raid of 17 August 1943 but was intercepted by Spitfires of No. 222 Squadron. III./JG 3 lost 5 Bf 109s shot down including Dahl who had to make a belly landing in his Bf 109 G-6.

Major Dahl was awarded the "Ritterkreuz" in March 1944 for 67 victories. In May 1944, Dahl was appointed Kommodore of JG z.b.V. He led the unit until 6 June, then taking command of JG 300 on 27 June.JG 300 was to become famous for flying the heavily armed and armored Focke Wulf FW 190A-8 "Sturmbock" in close formation, driving in their attacks to point-blank range. As a last resort, after depletion of all ammunition, the pilots had to ram enemy bombers. On 13 September, Dahl brought down a B-17 four-engined bomber by ramming. For his personal exploits and that of his unit, Dahl was dubbed "Rammdahl".

On the morning of 30 November 1944, Dahl was informed that Reichsmarschall Hermann Göring was coming to visit the troops and to present Dahl with the Oak Leaves to the Knight's Cross. At 12:20 PM Göring and Generaloberst Bruno Loerzer arrive and Dahl made a formal report. Soon the discussion came to the point if Dahl was of the opinion that given these bad weather conditions the "Geschwader" could not engage in combat. Dahl explained that only good conditions would they stand a chance against the overwhelming odds of being outnumbered 1:20. He also refers to the inexperience and inadequate training of his young pilots. And only in good conditions do they stand a chance if they engage the enemy in close combat formation. Into this situation came the news of an approaching bomber formation. Göring ordered Dahl to take off and engage the enemy. Dahl stood his ground and continuously refused to obey. Göring became furious and threatened Dahl with court martial and execution. Only the arriving "General der Jagdflieger" Adolf Galland, who confirmed Dahls' opinion, saved Dahl from severe punishment. Nevertheless Dahl was immediately relieved from his command and sent on sick leave. Subsequently Dahl was not presented with the Oak Leaves that day. [Dahl 2000, p. 154-165]

On 26 January 1945, Hermann Göring appointed him "Inspekteur der Tagjäger". Despite his promotion, Dahl continued to fly operationally.

Oberst Dahl ended the war flying the Messerschmitt Me 262 jet fighter with III./EJG 2. On 27 March 1945, Dahl claimed two P-47 fighter kills. His 128th and last victory was a USAAF P-51 Mustang near Dillingen on 26 April 1945. Dahl claimed some 128 enemy aircraft shot down in 678 missions, including about 300 ground-attack missions. [Spick 1996, p. 230.] He claimed 30, possibly 36, four-engined bombers and 34 Il-2 Stormovik ground attack aircraft. Dahl also achieved two, and possibly as many as nine victories while flying the Me-262. 84 of his aerial victories were claimed over the Eastern Front.

Walther Dahl survived the war, and died on 25 November 1985 in Heidelberg at the age of 69.

Awards

* Iron Cross 2. and 1. class
* German Cross in Gold (2 December 1942)
* Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves
** Knight's Cross (11 March 1944)
** 724. Oak Leaves (1 February 1945)
* Mentioned in the Wehrmachtbericht on 9 July 1944

References


* Dahl, Walther. "Rammjäger: Bericht über seine Kriegserlebnisse 1943 bis 1945". Pour le Mérite, 2000. ISBN 3-932381-01-7.
* Fellgiebel, Walther-Peer. "Die Träger des Ritterkreuzes des Eisernen Kreuzes 1939-1945". Friedburg, Germany: Podzun-Pallas, 2000. ISBN 3-7909-0284-5.
* Murawski, Erich. "Der deutsche Wehrmachtbericht 1939 - 1945, vom 1.7.1944 bis zum 9.5.1945". Schriften des Bundesarchivs 9, Boppoard am Rhein: Harald Boldt Verlag, 1962
* Patzwall, Klaus D. and Scherzer, Veit. "Das Deutsche Kreuz 1941 - 1945 Geschichte und Inhaber Band II". Norderstedt, Germany: Verlag Klaus D. Patzwall, 2001. ISBN 3-931533-45-X.
* Spick, Mike. "Luftwaffe Fighter Aces". Ivy Books, 1996. ISBN 0-8041-1696-2.

External links

* [http://www.luftwaffe.cz/dahl.html Walther Dahl @ Aces of the Luftwaffe]


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