Franz Schieß

Franz Schieß (21 February 1921 – 2 September 1943) was a Luftwaffe fighter ace. He claimed 67 victories in 657 missions, (14 on the Eastern Front, and 53 against the Western Allies) whilst flying the Messerschmitt Bf 109.

Franz Schieß
Nickname(s)	"Nawratil"
Born	21 February 1921 St. Pölten, Austria
Died	2 September 1943 (aged 22)[1] Gulf of Naples, off Ischia, Fascist Italy
Allegiance	Nazi Germany
Service/branch	Army  Luftwaffe
Years of service	Army (1938–40) Luftwaffe (1940–43)
Rank	Hauptmann
Unit	JG 53
Commands held	8./JG 53
Battles/wars	World War II Polish Campaign (Heer) Channel Front North African Campaign and Mediterranean Theatre
Awards	Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross

War time service

During the Polish campaign, he saw service in the Army before transferring to the Luftwaffe and undergoing fighter pilot training in 1940. Schieß was posted to the Geschwaderstab (Headquarters) of Jagdgeschwader 53,[2] based on the Channel front in March 1941, then served, from December 1941, as Geschwader Adjutant.[3] Staying there for nearly two years, he established a close friendship with the Geschwaderkommodore (wing commander) Günther Freiherr von Maltzahn.[4]

On 22 June 1941, the opening day of Operation Barbarossa, Schieß scored his first victories destroying an I-153 biplane fighter and an Ilyushin DB-3 bomber. The members of his Staffel called him "Nawratil", after his radio call sign name.

After achieving 14 kills on the Eastern Front he was withdrawn in August, along with the rest of JG 53 and, following rest and refitting in Germany, then deployed in December to the Mediterranean.[5] Operating from Sicily, Schieß flew sorties over Malta scoring 11 victories. Throughout 1942, and re-equipped with the new Bf 109G-2, he outscored his Geschwaderkommodore.[6] In November, the Stab flight itself transferred to Tunisia, where Schieß continued his success, gaining a further 13 victories, including a B-17 four-engined bomber on 29 January 1943 (36th v.)

Leutnant Schieß was awarded the German Cross in Gold on 23 January 1943 as a member of Stab/JG 53.[7] On 16 February 1943, the now Oberleutnant Schieß was appointed Staffelkapitän (squadron leader) of 8./JG 53. He was regarded as one of the most enthusiastic and aggressive pilots in the Mediterranean theatre, and often flew the escort missions for the Ju 52 transports as they tried to evacuate personnel out of Africa. On 18 April he shot down a Spitfire (for his 43rd victory), but nevertheless 24 heavy-laden transports were shot down and a further 35 damaged, in what became known as the "Palm Sunday Massacre".[8]

Even when his unit was evacuated back to Sicily after the fall of Tunis in April 1943, he still flew over to Tunisia each day doing combat missions before returning to Sicily each night, writing home of "wonderful aerial combats".[9] He went on to score 29 victories as leader of 8./JG 53[10] and reached 50 kills shooting down a P-38 over the sea south of Sicily on 21 May. Schieß was awarded the Knight's Cross on 21 June for 55 victories and then was sent on leave for 2 months, thereby missing the air battles over the invasion of Sicily. Returning to 8./JG 53 in mid-August, his unit was now flying out of southern Italy against the Allies, who were mounting a concerted campaign to destroy the transport net prior to an invasion of the Italian mainland. Schieß shot down 12 enemy aircraft in 11 days, of which seven were P-38 twin-engine fighters. Together with Jürgen Harder of III./JG 53, Schieß was promoted to the rank of Hauptmann on September 1, 1943.[11]

Death

The next day, on 2 September 1943, Schieß led a scramble against a USAAF B-25 bomber formation attacking rail marshalling yards at Cancello, Naples. His unit engaged the fighter escort of P-38 Lightnings. Unable to break through the fighter screen to attack the bombers, he followed the force back over the Gulf of Salerno.[12] His final battle took place over the island of Ischia; at around 1:45PM, the pilots heard Franz Schieß radio: "At them again, everyone get ready!" At the time, the formation was 30 to 40 km southwest of Ischia when Hauptmann Schieß's wingman was forced away by two Lightnings and lost sight of his Staffelkapitän.[9][11] Ten of the P-38s were shot down, but Schieß's Bf 109 G-6 (Werknummer 160 022—factory number) "Black 1 + I", crashed into the Mediterranean 30–50 km SSW of Ischia in the Gulf of Salerno.[13] Though not witnessed, he was probably shot down by a P-38.[14]

On September 27 Günther von Maltzahn wrote to Schieß's parents expressing the close friendship they shared:[15]

"I ask that you and your husband accept my and my Geschwader's most sincere and heartfelt sympathy on the unspeakably hard stroke of fate which befell your son Franz.

I can sympathize with how hard it must be to come to terms with thoughts that you will never see your son Franz again in this life. One could not have wished for a better officer. Not only did there exist a comradeship and a mutual trust between Kommodore and adjutant that was tested in far more than 100 air battles, but in him I lost my best friend, on whom I could depend no matter what the situation."

He is credited with 67 aerial victories in 657 missions. Among those were 17 P-38 Lightnings, making him the highest scoring "Lightning-Killer" of the war.

Victories

No	Date	Time	Unit & Airfield	Gruppe Kommandeur[5]	Location / Planquad	Claimed Aircraft	Source / Comments[3]
1	22 June 1941	7:25	Stab/JG 53 - Krzewicza, SE Poland	Maj Günther, Fr. von Maltzahn	NW of Kobryn	I-153	Prien/Bock
2	22 Jun'41	16:35	Stab/JG 53 - Krzewicza	Maj Günther, Fr. von Maltzahn	Biala Podlaska	DB-3	Prien/Bock
3	24 Jun'41	10:00	Stab/JG 53 - Krzewicza	Maj Günther, Fr. von Maltzahn	NW of Kobryn	SB-2	Prien/Bock
4	24 Jun'41	10:10	Stab/JG 53 - Krzewicza	Maj Günther, Fr. von Maltzahn	nr Kobryn	SB-2	Prien/Bock
5	29 Jun'41	19:55	Stab/JG 53 - Baranovichi	Maj Günther, Fr. von Maltzahn	Bobruisk	SB-3	Prien/Bock
6	6 Jul'41	14:05	Stab/JG 53 - Dubno, Ukraine	Maj Günther, Fr. von Maltzahn	E of Polonnoye	DB-3	Prien/Bock
7	7 Jul'41	6:15	Stab/JG 53 - Dubno, Ukraine	Maj Günther, Fr. von Maltzahn	E of Polonnoye	SB-3	Prien/Bock
8	14 Jul'41	11:00	Stab/JG 53 - Tyranowka	Maj Günther, Fr. von Maltzahn	-	SB-3	Prien/Bock
9	20 Jul'41	17:52	Stab/JG 53 - Zhitomir, Ukraine	Maj Günther, Fr. von Maltzahn	Uman area	I-15	Prien/Bock
10	23 Jul'41	6:33	Stab/JG 53 - Belaya-Zerkow	Maj Günther, Fr. von Maltzahn	Uman area	I-16	Prien/Bock
11	24 Jul'41	11:45	Stab/JG 53 - Belaya-Zerkow	Maj Günther, Fr. von Maltzahn	Uman area	I-16	Prien/Bock
12	25 Jul'41	18:14	Stab/JG 53 - Belaya-Zerkow	Maj Günther, Fr. von Maltzahn	NE of Belaya-Zerkow	I-15	Prien/Bock
13	26 Jul'41	11:00	Stab/JG 53 - Belaya-Zerkow	Maj Günther, Fr. von Maltzahn	-	Il-2	Prien/Bock
14	29 Jul'41	17:02	Stab/JG 53 - Belaya-Zerkow	Maj Günther, Fr. von Maltzahn	-	SB-3	Prien/Bock
-	25 January 1942	10:49	Stab/JG 53 - Comiso, Sicily	Maj Günther, Fr. von Maltzahn	S of La Valletta, Malta: 600m	Hurricane	C.2035/II Anerk ASM, unconfirmed ?
15	24 Feb'42	16:00	Stab/JG 53 - Comiso	Maj Günther, Fr. von Maltzahn	Malta	Hurricane	C.2036/II #100522/4, of P/O D.Tedford of 126 Sqn
16	15 Jun'42	15:15	Stab/JG 53 - Comiso	Maj Günther, Fr. von Maltzahn	500m W of Linosa Is: low-level	Beaufighter	C.2033/I AnerkNr 10, of Sgt F.W. Baun of 69 Sqn
17	7 Jul'42	10:47	Stab/JG 53 - Comiso	Maj Günther, Fr. von Maltzahn	Malta	Spitfire	C.2036/II #104203/4
18	9 Jul'42	12:20	Stab/JG 53 - Comiso	Maj Günther, Fr. von Maltzahn	Malta	Spitfire	C.2036/II #104203/4
19	14 Jul'42	10:32	Stab/JG 53 - Comiso	Maj Günther, Fr. von Maltzahn	5 km ENE of Zonqor Point, Malta	Spitfire	C.2031/II AnerkNr 10
20	18 Jul'42	14:33	Stab/JG 53 - Comiso	Maj Günther, Fr. von Maltzahn	5 km N of La Valetta, Malta: 4000m	Spitfire	C.2031/II AnerkNr 10
21	26 Aug'42	13:17	Stab/JG 53 - Comiso	Maj Günther, Fr. von Maltzahn	12 km N of La Valetta, Malta: 8000m	Spitfire V	of 229 Sqn
22	11 Oct'42	11:24	Stab/JG 53 - Comiso	Maj Günther, Fr. von Maltzahn	-	Spitfire	?
23	11 Oct'42	14:35	Stab/JG 53 - Comiso	Maj Günther, Fr. von Maltzahn	Malta	Spitfire	C.2036/II #105038/4
24	17 Oct'42	13:40	Stab/JG 53 - Comiso	Maj Günther, Fr. von Maltzahn	5 km N of La Valetta: 500m	Spitfire	C.2035/II AnerkNr 10
-	17 Nov'42	13:37	Stab/JG 53 - El Aouina, Tunis	Maj Helmut Bennemann	Bone, Tunisia: 300m	Spitfire	C.2035/II Anerk ASM, unconfirmed
25	25 Nov'42	12:00	Stab/JG 53 - El Aouina	Maj Helmut Bennemann	5–10 km NNW of Medjez el Bab: 1500m	Spitfire	C.2027/I AnerkNr 10
26	3 Dec'42	11:41	Stab/JG 53 - El Aouina	Maj Helmut Bennemann	S of Garaet Achkil: 6000m	P-38	C.2027/I AnerkNr 10
27	4 Dec'42	16:04	Stab/JG 53 - El Aouina	Maj Helmut Bennemann	6 km S of Jeffna: 10m	Bisley	C.2027/I AnerkNr 10, of 18 or 614 Sqn, RAF
28	5 Dec'42	15:40	Stab/JG 53 - El Aouina	Maj Helmut Bennemann	5 km NW of Djebel Obeid	P-38	C.2027/I AnerkNr 11
29	5 Dec'42	15:42	Stab/JG 53 - El Aouina	Maj Helmut Bennemann	-	P-38	Prien/Bock, unconfirmed?
30	6 Dec'42	15:58	Stab/JG 53 - El Aouina	Maj Helmut Bennemann	18 km S of Djebel Obeid	Dragonfly	C.2027/I AnerkNr 11
31	18 Dec'42	11:08	Stab/JG 53 - El Aouina	Maj Helmut Bennemann	20 km W of Jaffna	Spitfire	C.2027/I AnerkNr 11
32	2 January 1943	9:07	Stab/JG 53 - El Aouina	Maj Helmut Bennemann	20 km E of Bone: 2000m	Spitfire	C.2031/II AnerkNr 89
33	4 Jan'43	12:23	Stab/JG 53 - El Aouina	Maj Helmut Bennemann	2 km NW of Protville: 1000m	P-40	C.2031/II AnerkNr 91
34	16 Jan'43	13:48	Stab/JG 53 - El Aouina	Maj Helmut Bennemann	35 km SW of Mateu: 500mr	Hurricane	C.2031/II AnerkNr 93
35	17 Jan'43	14:00	Stab/JG 53 - El Aouina	Maj Helmut Bennemann	28 km NE of Beja: 7000m	P-38	C.2031/II AnerkNr 94
36	29 Jan'43	11:10	Stab/JG 53 - El Aouina	Maj Helmut Bennemann	15 km NE of Beja: 6000m	B-17	C.2031/II AnerkNr 95
37	29 Jan'43	11:30	Stab/JG 53 - El Aouina	Maj Helmut Bennemann	12 km SW of Mateur: 300m	P-38	C.2031/II AnerkNr 96
38	26 Feb'43	17:02	8/JG 53 - San Pietro, Sicily	Hptm Franz Götz	40 km N of La Valetta: 7000m	Spitfire	C.2027/I AnerkNr 204
39	25 Mar'43	9:44	8/JG 53 - San Pietro	Hptm Franz Götz	NE of La Jabatte: 4000m	Spitfire	C.2031/II AnerkNr 206
-	28 Mar'43	-	8/JG 53 - San Pietro	Hptm Franz Götz	-	P-38	Prien JG53 List #1678, unconfirmed
40	5 Apr'43	19:00	8/JG 53 - San Pietro	Hptm Franz Götz	SW of Beja: 100m	Spitfire	C.2027/I AnerkNr 206, 800th victory for III/53
41	11 Apr'43	9:59	8/JG 53 - San Pietro	Hptm Franz Götz	3 km N of Mateur: 100m	Spitfire	C.2027/I AnerkNr 267
42	17 Apr'43	19:14	8/JG 53 - San Pietro	Hptm Franz Götz	18 km N of Medjez el Bab: 2000m	Spitfire	C.2027/I AnerkNr 210
43	18 Apr'43	18:07	8/JG 53 - San Pietro	Hptm Franz Götz	24 km SW of Mateur: low-level	Spitfire	C.2027/I AnerkNr 212
44	29 Apr'43	16:02	8/JG 53 - San Pietro	Hptm Franz Götz	3 km N of Cap Farina: low-level	P-38	C.2027/I AnerkNr 214
45	8 May'43	18:45	8/JG 53 - Ariana	Hptm Franz Götz	5 km E of Cap Bon: 4000m	P-40	C.2031/II AnerkNr ?
46	8 May'43	19:00	8/JG 53 - Ariana	Hptm Franz Götz	18 km E of Kalebia: 8000m	P-40	C.2031/II AnerkNr ?
47	11 May'43	12:25	8/JG 53 - Sciacca, Sicily	Hptm Franz Götz	10 km SW of Marsala: 3000m	B-25	C.2031/II AnerkNr ?
-	12 May'43	-	8/JG 53 - Sciacca	Hptm Franz Götz	-	B-17	Prien JG53 List #1679, unconfirmed
-	13 May'43	-	8/JG 53 - Sciacca	Hptm Franz Götz	-	Spitfire	Prien JG53 List #1679, unconfirmed
48	18 May'43	13:15	8/JG 53 - Sciacca	Hptm Franz Götz	NW of Trapani: 5000m	P-38	C.2031/II AnerkNr ?
49	19 May'43	13:47	8/JG 53 - Sciacca	Hptm Franz Götz	36 km SW of Maréttimo: 4000m	P-38	C.2031/II AnerkNr ?
50	21 May'43	11:24	8/JG 53 - Sciacca	Hptm Franz Götz	40 km N of Pantelleria: 1500m	P-38	C.2031/II AnerkNr ?
51	25 May'43	11:05	8/JG 53 - Sciacca	Hptm Franz Götz	30 km NW of Trapani: 100m	P-38	C.2031/II AnerkNr ?
52	6 Jun'43	6:42	8/JG 53 - Sciacca	Hptm Franz Götz	20 km NW of Pantelleria: 500m	Boston	C.2027/I AnerkNr ?
53	10 Jun'43	15:50	8/JG 53 - Sciacca	Hptm Franz Götz	1 km W of Pantelleria: 3000m	P-40	C.2027/I AnerkNr ?
54	11 Jun'43	15:37	8/JG 53 - Sciacca	Hptm Franz Götz	20 km NW of Pantelleria: 3000m	Spitfire	C.2027/I AnerkNr ?
55	25 Jun'43	12:13	8/JG 53 - Torazzo	Hptm Franz Götz	30 km S of Stromboli	B-17F	C.2027/I AnerkNr ?
56	19 Aug'43	12:20	8/JG 53 - Grazzanise, Naples	Hptm Franz Götz	40 km SW of Benevento: 6500m	B-17	C.2031/II AnerkNr ?
57	20 Aug'43	12:43	8/JG 53 - Grazzanise	Hptm Franz Götz	12 km S of Grazzanise: 3000m	P-38	C.2031/II AnerkNr ?
58	21 Aug'43	13:04	8/JG 53 - Grazzanise	Hptm Franz Götz	12 km W of Capri: 4000m	B-26	C.2031/II AnerkNr ?
59	22 Aug'43	12:17	8/JG 53 - Grazzanise	Hptm Franz Götz	50 km SW of Capri: 2000m	B-26	C.2031/II AnerkNr ?
-	22 Aug'43	-	8/JG 53 - Grazzanise	Hptm Franz Götz	-	B-26	Prien JG53 List #1680, unconfirmed
60	23 Aug'43	11:30	8/JG 53 - Grazzanise	Hptm Franz Götz	40 km S of Capri: 100m	Catalina	C.2031/II AnerkNr ?
61	26 Aug'43	12:52	8/JG 53 - Grazzanise	Hptm Franz Götz	20 km NW of Palmi: 4000m	B-26	C.2031/II AnerkNr ?
62	26 Aug'43	13:37	8/JG 53 - Grazzanise	Hptm Franz Götz	2 km W of Grazzanise: 4000m	P-38	C.2031/II AnerkNr ?
-	27 Aug'43	12:57	8/JG 53 - Grazzanise	Hptm Franz Götz	10 km N of Benevento: 3000m	B-25	C.2031/II Anerk ASM, unconfirmed
63	27 Aug'43	13:11	8/JG 53 - Grazzanise	Hptm Franz Götz	40 km S of Capua	P-38	C.2031/II AnerkNr ?
-	28 Aug'43	15:43	8/JG 53 - Grazzanise	Hptm Franz Götz	2 km E of Cabrettara: 200m	P-38F	C.2031/II AnerkNr ?
64	28 Aug'43	15:43	8/JG 53 - Grazzanise	Hptm Franz Götz	2 km E of Albaccora: 300m	P-38F	C.2031/II AnerkNr ?
65	28 Aug'43	15:51	8/JG 53 - Grazzanise	Hptm Franz Götz	E of Castel Ruggero: 1000m	P-38F	C.2031/II AnerkNr ?
-	29 Aug'43	-	8/JG 53 - Grazzanise	Hptm Franz Götz	-	P-38	Prien JG53 List #1680, unconfirmed
66	30 Aug'43	12:06	8/JG 53 - Grazzanise	Hptm Franz Götz	SW of Castel Volturno: 3000m	P-38	C.2031/II AnerkNr ?
67	30 Aug'43	12:15	8/JG 53 - Grazzanise	Hptm Franz Götz	SW of Castel Volturno: 2000m	P-38	C.2031/II AnerkNr ?
†	2 September 1943	~13.45	8/JG 53 - Grazzanise	Hptm Franz Götz	70–90 km SW of Naples[2]

Awards

• Ehrenpokal der Luftwaffe on 7 September 1942 as Leutnant and pilot[16]
• German Cross in Gold on 23 January 1943 as Leutnant in Stab/JG 53[7]
• Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross on 21 June 1943 as Oberleutnant and Staffelkapitän of the 8./JG 53[17][18]

References

Citations

1. Scutts 1994, p. 94.
2. Luftwaffe Officer Career Summaries website.
3. Aces of the Luftwaffe website.
4. Prien 1998, p. 678.
5. Luftwaffe Air Units: Single–Engined Fighters website.
6. Weal 2007, pg. 81-83.
7. Patzwall & Scherzer 2001, p. 405
8. Weal 2007, pg. 91.
9. Sundin & Bergström 1997, p. 44
10. Scutts 1994, p. 94
11. Prien 1998, p. 677.
12. Weal 2003, pg. 99.
13. Prien 1998, p. 729.
14. Scutts 1994, p. 61.
15. Prien 1998, p. 678, 679
16. Patzwall 2008, p. 179.
17. Fellgiebel 2000, p. 377.
18. Scherzer 2007, p. 661.

Bibliography

• Fellgiebel, Walther-Peer (2000) [1986]. Die Träger des Ritterkreuzes des Eisernen Kreuzes 1939–1945 — Die Inhaber der höchsten Auszeichnung des Zweiten Weltkrieges aller Wehrmachtteile [The Bearers of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross 1939–1945 — The Owners of the Highest Award of the Second World War of all Wehrmacht Branches] (in German). Friedberg, Germany: Podzun-Pallas. ISBN 978-3-7909-0284-6.
• Patzwall, Klaus D.; Scherzer, Veit (2001). Das Deutsche Kreuz 1941 – 1945 Geschichte und Inhaber Band II [The German Cross 1941 – 1945 History and Recipients Volume 2] (in German). Norderstedt, Germany: Verlag Klaus D. Patzwall. ISBN 978-3-931533-45-8.
• Patzwall, Klaus D. (2008). Der Ehrenpokal für besondere Leistung im Luftkrieg [The Honor Goblet for Outstanding Achievement in the Air War] (in German). Norderstedt, Germany: Verlag Klaus D. Patzwall. ISBN 978-3-931533-08-3.
• Prien, Jochen (1998). Jagdgeschwader 53 A History of the "Pik As" Geschwader May 1942 – January 1944. Atglen, Pennsylvania: Schiffer Publishing. ISBN 978-0-7643-0292-3.
• Smith, J.Richard & Pegg, Martin (2003). Jagdwaffe Vol 3, Sec3: War over the Desert June 1940 – June 1942 Hersham, Surrey: Ian Allan Publishing ISBN 1-903223-22-9
• Roba, Jean-Louis & Pegg, Martin (2003). Jagdwaffe Vol 4, Sec2: The Mediterranean 1942 – 1943 Hersham, Surrey: Ian Allan Publishing ISBN 1-903223-35-0 including colour profile of aircraft (p. 167)
• Spick, Mike (2003). Luftwaffe Fighter Aces. Greenhill Books. ISBN 1-85367-560-1
• Scutts, Jerry (1994). Bf 109 Aces of North Africa and the Mediterranean. London, UK: Osprey Publishing. ISBN 978-1-85532-448-0.
• Sundin, Claes; Bergström, Christer (1997), Luftwaffe Fighter Aircraft in Profile, Atglen, PA: Schiffer Military History, ISBN 0-7643-0291-4 including colour profile of aircraft (#36)
• Weal, John (2001). Bf109 Aces of the Russian Front. Oxford: Osprey Publishing Limited. ISBN 1-84176-084-6.
• Weal, John (2007). Aviation Elite Units #25: Jagdgeschwader 53 Pik-As’. Oxford: Osprey Publishing Limited. ISBN 978-1-84603-204-2 including colour profile of aircraft (#24)