Erich Mix

Erich Mix (27 June 1898 in Labuhnken(Trzcińsk) in Starogard Gdański (West Prussia) – 9 April 1971 in Wiesbaden) was a German politician, member of the Nazi Party, later a member of the FDP and Flying ace during World War II.

Mix fought as an infantryman in World War I before he trained as a fighter pilot and posted to Jagdstaffel 54, where, as an Unteroffizer from June 1918 until the end of the war, he scored 3 aerial victories (plus one unconfirmed balloon) of Jasta 54's total of 22 victories, for which he was awarded both Classes of the Iron Cross.

After the war, he studied law at the University of Greifswald and made a career as a leading administrative official. In 1934, he became Mayor of Tilsit (1934 to 1937), later of Wiesbaden (1 April 1937 to 1945 and again from 25 February 1954 to 25 February 1960). In the following year, he started flying again, training as an observer and as a fighter pilot in 1937.

Serving as technical officer with I./JG 53 at the outbreak of World War II, Mix claimed 3 French Morane fighters over Saargemund on 21 September 1939, and four more on 22 November 1939 over Saarbrücken.

Appointed to command III./JG 2 in March 1940, three more Moranes were claimed on 21 May 1940, although Mix was shot down and forced to land in a field near Roye on 21 May in Bf 109E-3 W.Nr.1526.

After being hospitalized, Mix returned to III./JG 2 on 19 June. He left France with his unit and relocated to Frankfurt/Rhein-Main on 1 July. On 27 July, the unit returned to Évreux-West until 4 August. Mix claimed a Hawker Hurricane on 4 September. Mix remained Gruppenkommandeur of III./JG 2 until 24 September 1940, when he became one of the older commanders dismissed by a frustrated Goering in favour of the younger, up-and-coming aces of 1940; in Mix's case, Hpt. Otto Bertram. Mix's final claim was a Bristol Blenheim over den Haag in July 1941, while commanding JG 1.

He later served as Jafu Bretagne ( Fighter Leader, Brittany) from April 1943 onwards. During World War II, he claimed 8 (potentially 13) aerial victories.