Heinrich Ehrler

Heinrich Ehrler (14 September 1917 – 4 April 1945) was a German World War II fighter ace whose distinguished Luftwaffe combat career ended in tragic controversy. Along with Theodor Weissenberger, Ehrler shared the honors of "top-ace" in Jagdgeschwader 5, amassing 208 kills - including eight in the Messerschmitt Me 262 jet fighter (while flying with Jagdgeschwader 7). Scapegoated for the loss of the German battleship Tirpitz, Ehrler - who had been nominated for the Knight's Cross with Oak Leaves and Swords prior to the disaster - was court-martialled, stripped of his command and sentenced to three years and two months Festungshaft (honourable imprisonment). Ehrler's sentence was later commuted and his loss of rank rescinded, and in February 1945 he was transferred to JG 7. According to his fellow pilots, Ehrler thereafter flew in the increasingly desperate air battles without the purpose and dedication that had made him one of the Luftwaffe's most successful aces. On 4 April 1945, he shot down two Allied bombers for his final two victories, before destroying a third by ramming with his damaged aircraft after having run out of ammunition.

World War II
Heinrich Ehrler started his career in the Luftwaffe in a flak-artillery unit, but transferred to pilot training early in 1940. Ehrler was posted to 4./Jagdgeschwader 77 (JG 77—77th Fighter Wing) based in Norway. He scored his first victory in May 1940. JG 77 supported X. Fliegerkorps (under Luftflotte 5) in operations against Britain from bases in Norway, often providing fighter cover for Stuka attacks against British shipping. JG 77 was restructured as JG 5 Eismeer in January 1942. JG 5 operated from bases in northern Norway and Finland, and they mostly engaged Russian aircraft, but were also given the task of intercepting British raids on Norway.

Ehrler achieved his second victory on 19 February 1942. He was promoted to Leutnant and made Staffelkapitän (squadron leader) in 6./Jagdgeschwader 5 (JG 5—5th Fighter Wing) after his 11th victory on 20 July. On 4 September, he was awarded the Ritterkreuz (Knights Cross) for 64 aerial victories. By 1 June 1943 he was promoted to Hauptmann and appointed Gruppenkommandeur (Group Commander) for II./JG 5. During this period he was also awarded the Eichenlaub (Oak Leaves) to his Ritterkreuz. On 25 May 1944 he achieved nine victories in one day, bringing his tally up to 155. On 1 August he was appointed to Geschwaderkommodore (Wing Commander) of JG 5 and at the same time was promoted to Major.

Sinking of the Tirpitz
On 12 November 1944 the RAF launched its final raid against the battleship Tirpitz. Avro Lancaster bombers from 617 and 9 squadrons were sent to Håkøya a little west of Tromsø where the Tirpitz was based.

Ehrler was in command of 9./JG 5 at Fliegerhorst Bardufoss with 12 operational Focke-Wulf Fw 190 A-3s. The Staffel was at 10 minutes' readiness status due to the continuing pressure of British bombers in the Tromsø area. Ehrler's unit was scrambled airborne, but he received conflicting messages as to the enemy aircraft location and course. Some reports claimed Alta was the target area, others indicated Bodø. When it finally became clear that the target was the Tirpitz, it was too late for the fighters to intercept, and the Tirpitz was destroyed with much loss of life.

After this unsuccessful action, Ehrler faced a court martial hearing in Oslo on the grounds of his not having understood the seriousness of the attack. Evidence was presented that supported the contention that his unit had failed to respond to requests from the Kriegsmarine for help. Ehrler was found guilty. He was relieved of command, demoted and sentenced to three years in prison. Ehrler had been recommended for the Knight's Cross with Oak Leaves and Swords prior to the disaster, but the award was not approved.

Walter Schuck, one of his junior officers, appealed to Reichskommissar Josef Terboven. On 12 January 1945 Terboven hand-delivered Schuck's affidavit in support of Ehrler to Reichsmarschall Hermann Göring, Commander-in-Chief of the Luftwaffe. Further investigations and testimonies indicated that the aircrews did not know that the Tirpitz had been moved to the new location at Håkøya a couple of weeks earlier, and Heinrich Ehrler was a convenient scapegoat for the failure to protect Tirpitz. The investigation concluded the reason for the failure was poor communication between the Kriegsmarine and the Luftwaffe. Ehrler was exonerated. Shortly afterward, the Führer HQ announced Ehrler's release and return to front-line service, where he would have the chance to "rehabilitate himself." Ehrler's sentence was commuted and his loss of rank rescinded. He was reassigned to an Me 262 fighter squadron in Germany.

Transfer to Germany
Ehrler was transferred to Jagdgeschwader 7 (JG 7—7th Fighter Wing) on 27 February 1945. JG 7 was equipped with the Messerschmitt Me 262 jet fighter, and was given the task of Reichsverteidigung (Defense of the Reich). During the next five weeks Ehrler scored a further 8 kills, bringing his tally to 206.

On the morning of 4 April 1945, Ehrler flew his last sortie and achieved the last two of his 208 recorded victories. Major Ehrler, flying out of the JG 7 Airfield at Brandenburg-Briest accompanied by his wingman, was in the skies 50 kilometers east of Hamburg when B-24 Liberators from the 448th Bombardment Group began forming their bombing run of Parchim. Ehrler attacked the lead 714th Bombardment Squadron, downing two B-24 Liberator bombers—Lt. Shafter's "Miss-B-Havin," and Lt. Mains' "Red Bow." At the time of the attack, two P-51 Mustangs were pursuing Ehrler, and he was being fired upon by squadron bombers, taking hits from the tail and waist gunners of B-24, "My Buddie" (piloted by Lt. Gordon Brock), who reported pieces of fuselage flying off the jet. The attack took place over Büchen.

Minutes later, as the 448th Bombardment Group circled back towards their Group RP at Stendal, Ehrler engaged a third B-24 Liberator, "Trouble in Mind," piloted by Captain John Ray, over Kyritz, at 52.95°N, 12.38333°W. A reference is made by surviving crew members to a cannon hit in the fuselage that destroyed the Liberator, but Ehrler had, only moments before, radioed Major Theodor Weissenberger that he was running out of ammunition and intended to ram the bomber. In any case, both planes were destroyed in the ensuing explosion. The B-24 crashed at Krüllenkempe, near Havelberg, as Ehrler's jet fell to earth in the woods of Scharlibbe, where he was killed. His body was recovered the following day at Scharlibbe, near Stendal, where he was buried. Ehrler's grave at Stendal confirms the date of death as 4 April 1945.

Quotations
"Theo. I have run out of ammunition.  I'm going to ram this one.  Good bye.  We'll see each other in Valhalla." - Heinrich Ehrler's last transmission over the Squadron Radio Network before he rammed the B-24 bomber "Trouble in Mind," piloted by Captain John Ray, destroying both aircraft and killing himself. "Theo" refers to Theodor Weissenberger.

Walter Schuck who followed the R/T exchange over the loudspeaker in the ops room recalls Ehrler's last words slightly differently. He believes they were: "Theo, Heinrich here. Have just shot down two bombers. No more ammunition. I'm going to ram. Auf Wiedersehen, see you in Valhalla!"

Awards

 * Ehrenpokal der Luftwaffe (20 July 1942)
 * German Cross in Gold on 18 March 1943 as Leutnant in the 6./JG 5
 * Front Flying Clasp of the Luftwaffe in Gold
 * Iron Cross (1939)
 * 2nd Class (19 September 1941)
 * 1st Class (21 January 1942)
 * Knight's Cross with Oak Leaves
 * Knight's Cross on 4 September 1942 as Leutnant and pilot in the 6./JG 5
 * 265th Oak Leaves on 2 August 1943 as Hauptmann and Gruppenkommandeur of the III./JG 5

Recovered BF 109 G2
A BF 109, number 13605 of the 6./JG 5 was found in Russia, and was later purchased and recovered by warplane restorer Jim Pearce on November 2003. The aircraft was the one flown by Ehrler on his 200th kill. Afterward he transferred to JG 7 to fly the Me 262. The airframe was later shot down by Russian Flak over northwestern Russia and was forced to land in the tundra, and had sat there until it was recovered. It is currently being restored.