Gerhard Michalski

Infobox Military Person
name=Gerhard Michalski
lived=25 June 1917 – 22 February 1946
placeofbirth=Augsdorf
placeofdeath=Kaltenkirchen


caption=
nickname=
allegiance=flagicon|Nazi Germany Nazi Germany
serviceyears=
rank=Oberstleutnant
branch=Luftwaffe
commands=4./JG 53, II./JG 53, JG 4
unit=JG 53, JG z.b.V., JG 4, JG 11
battles=World War II
*Battle of France
*Battle of Britain
*Eastern front
*Battle of Malta
awards="Knight's Cross with Oak Leaves"
laterwork=

Gerhard Michalski (25 June 1917 in Augsdorf – 22 February 1946 in Kaltenkirchen) was a German former Luftwaffe fighter ace and recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves.

Military career

Michalski joined 6 Staffel, Jagdgeschwader 53 in 1940. His first victory was on 31 March 1940, when he downed a French Morane Saulnier MS 406 fighter over the French border. Flying through the Battle of Britain, he gained eight more victories. In October 1940, Michalski was appointed Adjutant in II./JG 53. With JG 53 participating in the invasion of Russia from June 1941 onward, Michalski claimed 13 further victories by the end of August 1941 for a total of 22. By October 1941 "Oberleutnant" Michalski was "Staffelkapitän" of 4./JG 53 based at Leeuwarden in the Netherlands.

Top Malta ace

In November II./JG 53 were relocated to Sicily for operations against Malta. Michalski was to become the most successful German fighter pilot in the Seige, claiming 26 victories against the island's defenders. Michalski became "Gruppenkommandeur" II./JG 53 in June 1942 and was awarded the "Ritterkreuz" for 41 victories in September. On 15 October Michalski was shot down by No 126 Squadron Spitfires, flown by F/L. Jones and F/Sgt Varey. [ 'Malta- the Spitfire year'; Shores & Cull, 1991, page 607] . off Marsaxlokk Bay. He bailed out of his Bf 109 G-2, landing in the sea, and was rescued by the German air-sea rescue service.

North Africa

In October 1942 II./JG 53 were sent to Tunisia. Following the fall of Tunisia, II./JG 53 relocated to bases in Sicily in May 1943. On 18 June Michalski was again shot down, near Donnafucata in Sicily by F/O G. Keith RCAF , flying a Spitfire of 72 Squadron. [ 'Spitfires over Sicily' Cull, 2000 ] . He bailed out wounded in the leg and with a broken ankle, landing in the sea, from where he was rescued by the German air-sea rescue service. Hospitalised, he returned to JG 53 in August 1943.

Reich defence 1944-45

In November 1943, II./JG 53 was relocated to airfields in Austria, operating on "Reichsverteidigung" (Defense of the Reich) duties. Michalski claimed his 60th victory on 2 November.

In April 1944, Michalski was made "Geschwaderkommodore" of JG z.b.V. at Kassel in Germany. The unit was formed to control III./JG 3, I./JG 5, II./JG 27, III./JG 54 and II./JG 53.

On 1 May, he was once more shot down and wounded in in aerial combat. Following a swift recovery, Michalski was transferred to the Verbandsführerschule of the "General der Jagdflieger" on 20 May 1944.

On 21 July, he joined the Stabsstaffel, I./JG 11 before being appointed "Geschwaderkommodore" of JG 4 on 18 August 1944. "Major" Michalski was awarded the Oakleaves to the Ritterkruez on 25 November for 72 victories.

In early 1945 he participated in the conspiracy against the Reichsmarschall and chief of the Luftwaffe Hermann Göring in what is referred to as the "Fighter Pilots Revolt".

He gained his 73rd and final victory on 8 March 1945, over the Eastern front.

Gerhard Michalski was credited with 73 aerial victories in 652 missions, of which 59 victories were achieved over the Western front including 13 four-engine bombers and 29 Supermarine Spitfire fighters [Spick 1996, p. 237] .

Michalski was involved in a motor vehicle accident on February 22, 1946 and died in a hospital in Kaltenkirchen.

Awards

* Iron Cross 2. and 1. class
* Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves
** Knight's Cross (4 September 1942)
** 667. Oak Leaves (25 November 1944)

References

*cite web | title=Aces of the Luftwaffe|work=Gerhard Michalski| url=http://www.luftwaffe.cz/michalski.html|accessdate=29 December|accessyear=2007
*cite web | title=Lexikon der Wehrmacht|work=Gerhard Michalski |url= http://www.lexikon-der-wehrmacht.de/Personenregister/M/MichalskiG.htm|accessdate=29 December|accessyear=2007
* Fellgiebel, Walther-Peer. "Die Träger des Ritterkreuzes des Eisernen Kreuzes 1939-1945". Podzun-Pallas, 2000. ISBN 3-7909-0284-5.
* Spick, Mike. "Luftwaffe Fighter Aces". Ivy Books, 1996. ISBN 0-8041-1696-2.