Hans Philipp

Infobox Military Person
name=Hans Philipp
lived=birth date|1917|3|13|df=y — death date and age|1943|10|8|1917|3|13|df=y
placeofbirth=Meißen, Saxony
placeofdeath= near Neuenhaus


caption=
nickname=
allegiance=flagicon|Nazi Germany Nazi Germany
branch=Luftwaffe
serviceyears=1936-1943
rank=Oberst
commands=4./JG 54, I./JG 54, JG 1
unit=JG 76, JG 54, JG 1
battles=World War II
*Invasion of Poland (1939)
*Battle of France
*Battle of Britain
*Operation Barbarossa
*Defense of the Reich
awards="Knight's Cross with Oak Leaves and Swords"
laterwork=

WW2 Career

Colonel Hans Philipp (born 13 March 1917 in Meißen, Saxony, killed in action 8 October 1943 near Neuenhaus in the Netherlands) was a German World War II fighter ace who served in the Luftwaffe from 1936 until he was killed in action 8 October 1943 by a P-47 Thunderbolt-pilot. It is believed that he was shot down by Robert S. Johnson. [ [http://www.acepilots.com/usaaf_rsj.html Major Robert S. Johnson] ] Philipp managed to bail out but his parachute never opened.

As part of I./JG 76 (later to renumber as II./JG 54) Philipp first flew operations over Poland and scored his first victory. Serving later during the Battles of France and Britain, Hans Philipp was Staffelkapitän of 4./JG 54 by the end of 1940.

On November 4 1940 he was awarded the "Ritterkreuz" for twenty victories.

During the Balkans campaign in April 1941, JG 54 engaged the Bf 109's of Jugoslovensko Kraljevsko Ratno Vazduhoplovstvo (JKRV) in a massive air battle. Hans Philipp claimed two of the JKRV 109s.

Operation Barbarossa saw Philipp's score begin to escalate. On August 24, 1941, Philipp became the 33rd member recipient of the Oak Leaves to the Knight's Cross. Philipp appointed as Kommandeur I./JG 54.

In March 1942, he became the first member of JG 54 to be awarded the Swords to the Knight's Cross and on March 31, 1942 Philipp became the fourth Luftwaffe fighter pilot to achieve 100 victories.

In April 1943 Philipp was transferred to Defense of the Reich duties as "Geschwaderkommodore" of Jagdgeschwader 1, flying high altitude interception operations over North Sea and Northern Germany. On 4 October 1943Reichsmarschall Hermann Goring is said to have issued the following instructions after another attack by Eighth Air Force.Eric Mombeek, "Defending the Reich: The History of Jagdgeschwader 1 - Oesau, 2003"]

# There are no meteorological conditions which would prevent fighters from taking off and engaging in combat.
# Every fighter pilot taking off in a machine not showing any sign of combat, or without having recorded a victory will be prosecuted by a court-martial.
# In the case of where a pilot uses up his ammunition, or if his weapons are unusable, he should ram the enemy bomber.

Geschwaderkommodore Philipp's response was "As far as I'm concerned, I categorically refuse to allow myself to be held to such advice; I know what I have to do!"

On 8 October 1943, the US Eighth Air Force attacked with 156 bombers on targets in Bremen and Vegesack. The bombers were escorted by 250+ Thunderbolts from six different fighter groups. Phillipp's flight were intercepted by P-47's of the 56th Fighter Group. The Stab Flight of the Geschwader heard Philipp announce a victory over a Thunderbolt. The last transmission from him was, "Reinhardt, attack!" Feldwebel Reinhardt was Philipp's wingman on this day. He last saw the Kommodore's aircraft disappear in a cloud. Reinhardt was wounded after colliding with an enemy aircraft, but made a successful forced landing. Later that evening, the Geschwader learned that their Kommodore had been shot down and killed.

Hans Philipp had claimed 206 enemy aircraft shot down, 178 on the Eastern front, 29 against the Western Allies. He flew over 500 sorties.

Awards

* Wound Badge in Black
* Front Flying Clasp of the Luftwaffe in Gold with Pennant "500"
* Combined Pilots-Observation Badge
* Ehrenpokal der Luftwaffe
* German Cross in Gold (18 June 1942)
* Iron Cross 2. and 1. class
* Knight's Cross with Oak Leaves
** Knight's Cross (22 October 1940)
** 33. Oak Leaves (24 August 1941)
** 8. Swords (12 March 1942)
* Mentioned five times in the Wehrmachtbericht

References

*cite web | title=Lexikon der Wehrmacht| work=Hans Philipp|url=http://www.lexikon-der-wehrmacht.de/Personenregister/PhilippH-R.htm| accessdate=5 April| accessyear=2007
*cite web | title=The Jagdgeschwader 54 HomePage| work=Hans Philipp|url=http://www.jg54greenhearts.com/Philip.htm| accessdate=5 April| accessyear=2007
* Berger, Florian, "Mit Eichenlaub und Schwertern. Die höchstdekorierten Soldaten des Zweiten Weltkrieges". Selbstverlag Florian Berger, 2006. ISBN 3-9501307-0-5.
* Fellgiebel, Walther-Peer. "Die Träger des Ritterkreuzes des Eisernen Kreuzes 1939-1945". Friedburg, Germany: Podzun-Pallas, 2000. ISBN 3-7909-0284-5.
* 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.
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