Siegfried Freytag

Infobox Military Person
name=Siegfried Freytag
lived=birth date|1917|9|10|df=y — death date and age|2003|6|1|1917|9|10|df=y
placeofbirth=Danzig-Langfuhr
placeofdeath=Marseille, France


caption=Siegfried Freytag
nickname=
allegiance=flagicon|Nazi Germany Nazi Germany (to 1945)
flagicon|France France
branch=Luftwaffe
French Army
serviceyears=
rank=Major
commands= II./JG 77, JG 77
unit= JG 77, JG 51, JG 7
battles=World War II
First Indochina War
awards="Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross"
laterwork=French Foreign Legion

Siegfried Freytag (born 4 May 1917 in Danzig-Langfuhr, died 1 June 2003 in Marseille, France) was a German World War II fighter ace and member of the French Foreign Legion.

World War II

Freytag first served with 6./JG 77 in the summer of 1940. His first victory was on 31 October 1940 when he claimed a Lockheed Hudson of Coastal Command. He, along with JG 77 then took part in the invasion of Greece and Crete in March - May 1941. JG 77 then operated over the Eastern front. By June 1942 Oberleutnant Freytag had 57 victories to his credit, with some 12 aircraft destroyed on the ground, and he was awarded the "Ritterkreuz" on 3 July 1942.

Freytag was by now "Staffelkapitän" of 1./JG 77, and relocated to the Mediterranean theatre, operating against Malta from July until October 1942. Freytag was one of the most successful aces during these operations, claiming 21 victories, and raising his victory total to 78. He was shot down by Spitfires on 27 July, being rescued from the sea off Valetta by a Dornier Do 24 flying boat.

Operating over North Africa and Tunisia, Freytag scored 16 more victories. On 13 March 1943, Freytag was made "Gruppenkommandeur," II./JG 77. He flew over Sicily but was shot down over Gela by P-38 fighters on 12 July, baling out wounded of his stricken Bf 109 G-6. Following his recovery Freytag then commanded II./JG 77, on "Reichsverteidigung" duties based in Germany.

On 25 December, Freytag was appointed acting "Kommodore" of JG 77 when Major Johannes Wiese was shot down and wounded.

Freytag may have shot down RCAF fighter ace Flt/Lt. Henry Wallace McLeod. Freytag claimed the only Spitfire for his 101st claim on 27 September 1944 in the Duisberg area. [ [http://www.luftwaffe.cz/freytag.html Siegfried Freytag] ] He recorded his last (102nd) victory on 1 January 1945. Freytag was again appointed acting Kommodore of JG 77 on 7 March, following the death of Major Erich Leie.

On 4 April 1945, Freytag was transferred to the Geschwaderstab, JG 51 but was soon transferred to JG 7, operating the Me 262 jet fighter, where it was intended he become a Gruppenkommandeur. The war ended before he could take up the position.

Siegfried Freytag was officially credited with 102 victories. He claimed about 50 victories over the Eastern front. Among his victories claimed over the Western front are at least 3 four-engine bombers. Freytag had been nominated for the Oak Leaves to Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross but the war ended before the paperwork had been processed.

After the war

Siegfried Freytag survived World War II only to discover that all his family and friends had perished. [ [http://www.luftwaffe.cz/freytag.html Siegfried Freytag ] ] He then joined the French Foreign Legion as a regular infantry soldier. He fought in Indochina as an infantryman. He survived and ended up in the French Foreign Legion retirement home, where he died on 1 June 2003.

Awards

* Ehrenpokal der Luftwaffe (18 May 1942)
* German Cross in Gold (25 January 1943)
* Iron Cross 2. and 1. class
* Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross (3 July 1942)

References

*cite web | title=Aces of the Luftwaffe| work=Siegried Freytag| url=http://www.luftwaffe.cz/freytag.html|accessdate=10 May| accessyear=2007
* Fellgiebel, Walther-Peer (2000). "Die Träger des Ritterkreuzes des Eisernen Kreuzes 1939-1945". Podzun-Pallas. ISBN 3-7909-0284-5
* Johnson, J.E. "Wing Leader". London: Goodall Publications Ltd. 2000 (original edition 1956). ISBN 0-907579-87-6.
* 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.