Josef Priller

Josef "Pips" Priller (27 July 1915 – 20 May 1961) was a German World War II fighter ace. He has become famous because of the publicity regarding his Focke-Wulf's Fw 190A-8's single strafing pass attack on Sword Beach on June 6, 1944 (D-Day), accompanied by his wingman Heinz Wodarczyk. This act was first brought to the world's attention by the book, and then the film, The Longest Day. Contrary to popular belief, Priller and his wingman were not the only Luftwaffe forces to attack the beachhead on 6 June 1944. Both Luftwaffe Hauptmann (Captain) Helmut Eberspächer, leading a ground-attack four-plane element of Fw 190As of SKG 10 which was responsible for downing a quartet of RAF Avro Lancasters at 0500 over the invasion area, and the Luftwaffe bomber wing Kampfgeschwader 54 made several attacks on the British beachheads on D-Day. Priller was also a recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves and Swords. The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross and its higher grade Oak Leaves and Swords was awarded to recognise extreme battlefield bravery or successful military leadership.

Early life
Priller was born in Ingolstadt. He joined the Luftwaffe in the mid-1930s.

World War II
The outbreak of war saw Priller serving with the pre-war fighter unit designated I./Jagdgeschwader 71 (JG 71—71st Fighter Wing), later redesignated II./Jagdgeschwader 51 (JG 51—51st Fighter Wing), becoming Staffelkapitän (squadron leader) of 6./JG 51 soon after. He made his first victory claims in May 1940 over Dunkirk versus Royal Air Force (RAF) fighters. He claimed six victories during the French campaign, and by the end of August his victory total was 15. In October Priller claimed his 20th kill, resulting in the award of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross (Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes). In November 1940 Priller was transferred as Staffelkapitän to 1./Jagdgeschwader 26 "Schlageter" (JG 26—26th Fighter Wing).

Between 16 June and the 11 July 1941 he claimed 19 RAF aircraft. He was awarded the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak leaves (Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes mit Eichenlaub) in October 1941 for 41 victories. Now a Hauptmann, Priller became Gruppenkommandeur (group commander) of III./JG 26 in December 1941, with his score at 58. Five feet four inches tall, of stocky build and jovial character, Priller was a popular commander with his men, and, in spite of a reputation for talking back to his superiors, he skillfully utilised the limited resources of JG 26 in North West Europe in order to inflict the maximum damage on the RAF Fighter Command fighter sweeps through the summer campaigns of 1941-43. He recorded his 70th victory in May 1942. By the end of 1942 Priller had added 11 more confirmed victories to his tally.

January 1943 Priller became Geschwaderkommodore (wing commander) of JG 26. By now the increasing US bomber offensive was putting pressure on the Jagdwaffe (Fighter Force) in the west, and JG 26's losses rose alarmingly through 1943. The night prior to the Normandy invasion, Priller and his wing-man Heinz Wodarczyk got drunk and subsequently attacked the beachhead while hung-over. Oberstleutnant Priller brought down his 100th claim in July 1944, a United States Army Air Forces (USAAF) Consolidated B-24 Liberator. On New Year's Day 1945, he led JG 26 in the ill-fated mass attack on Allied airfields, Operation Bodenplatte (an operation that saw his long-serving wingman Wodarczyk killed). Later that month Priller was appointed to the staff job of Inspector of Day Fighters (East).

Josef Priller flew 1307 combat missions to claim 101 victories. All his victories were recorded over the Western Front, and consisted of 11 USAAF heavy bombers, 68 Spitfires (the highest Luftwaffe ace's tally for these aircraft), 11 Hurricanes, 5 medium bombers, and 5 USAAF fighters.

Post war
Post-war Diplom-Braumeister "Pips" Priller became general manager of the S. Riegele brewery after his marriage with the owner of the brewery Johanna Riegele-Priller. He was one of several D-day combatants to advise on the making of the film The Longest Day, in which he was portrayed by Heinz Reincke.

He died suddenly on 20 May 1961 from a heart attack in Böbing, Upper Bavaria. He was buried at the Westfriedhof (western cemetery) in Augsburg.

Decorations

 * Wound Badge in Black
 * Front Flying Clasp of the Luftwaffe for Fighter Pilots in Gold with Pennant "300"
 * Combined Pilots-Observation Badge
 * Iron Cross (1939)
 * 2nd Class (30 May 1940)
 * 1st Class (10 July 1940)
 * German Cross in Gold on 9 December 1941 as Oberleutnant in the 6./JG 51
 * Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves and Swords
 * Knight's Cross on 19 October 1940 as Oberleutnant and Staffelkapitän of the 6./JG 51
 * 28th Oak leaves on 20 July 1941 as Oberleutnant and Staffelkapitän of the 1./JG 26 "Schlageter"
 * 73rd Swords on 2 July 1944 as Oberstleutnant and Geschwaderkommodore of JG 26 "Schlageter"
 * Mentioned twice in the Wehrmachtbericht on 2 May 1942 and 8 October 1944