| Wilhelm Moritz | |
|---|---|
| File:Wilhelm Moritz.jpg | |
| Born | 29 June 1913 |
| Died | 2010 |
| Place of birth | Altona |
| Allegiance |
 Nazi Germany |
| Service/branch |
Heer (1933–1935) Luftwaffe (1935–1945) |
| Years of service | 1933–1945 |
| Rank | Major |
| Unit | ZG 1, JG 77, JG 1, JG 51, JG 3, JG 4 |
| Commands held |
IV./JG 3 II./JG 4 |
| Battles/wars | |
| Awards | Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross |
Wilhelm Moritz (29 June 1913 - 2010) was a German Luftwaffe ace and recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross (German language: Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes) during World War II. The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross was awarded to recognise extreme battlefield bravery or successful military leadership. During his career Wilhelm Moritz was credited with 44 victories in 500+ missions.
Career[]
Focke Wulf Fw 190 A-8/R8 of IV.(Sturm)/JG 3 "Udet", flown by Hauptmann Moritz
On 7 July 1944 a force of 1,129 B-17 Flying Fortresses and B-24 Liberators of the United States Army Air Forces (USAAF) Eighth Air Force set out from England to bomb aircraft factories in the Leipzig area and the synthetic oil plants at Boehlen, Leuna-Merseburg and Lützkendorf. This formation was intercepted by a German Gefechtsverband (combat formation) consisting of IV.(Sturm) Gruppe Jagdgeschwader 3 "Udet" (4th assault group of the 3rd fighter wing), led by Hauptmann Moritz, escorted by two Gruppen of Bf 109s from Jagdgeschwader 300 (300th fighter wing) led by Major Walther Dahl. Dahl and Moritz drove the attack to point-blank range behind the Liberators of the 492d Bombardment Group before opening fire. 492d Bombardment Group was temporarily without fighter cover. Within about a minute the entire squadron of twelve B-24s had been annihilated. The Germans claimed 28 USAAF 2nd Air Division B-24s that day and were credited with at least 21. The majority to the Sturmgruppe attack.[1] This event, also known as the Luftschlacht bei Oschersleben (aerial battle at Oschersleben), earned both Dahl and Moritz a reference in the Wehrmachtbericht, an information bulletin issued by the headquarters of the Wehrmacht, on 8 July 1944. To be singled out individually in the Wehrmachtbericht was an honour and was entered in the Orders and Decorations' section of a soldier's Service Record Book.
Awards[]
- Flugzeugführerabzeichen
- Front Flying Clasp of the Luftwaffe
- Ehrenpokal der Luftwaffe (11 October 1943)
- Iron Cross (1939)
- 2nd Class
- 1st Class
- German Cross in Gold in 1945 as Major in the IV./Jagdgeschwader 3[2]
- Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross on 18 July 1944 as Major and Gruppenkommandeur IV./Jagdgeschwader 3 "Udet"[3][Note 1]
- Mentioned in the Wehrmachtbericht on 8 July 1944
Wehrmachtbericht reference[]
| Date | Original German Wehrmachtbericht wording | Direct English translation |
|---|---|---|
| 8 July 1944 | Die unter persönlicher Führung ihres Geschwaderkommodore Major Dahl kämpfende IV. Sturmgruppe Jagdgeschwader 3, mit ihrem Kommandeur Hauptmann Moritz, zeichnete sich durch Abschuß von 30 viermotorigen Bombern besonders aus.[5] | The under the personal leadership of its wing commander Major Dahl fighting 4th assault group of the 3rd fighter wing, with its commander, Captain Moritz, distinguished itself exceptionally by shooting down of 30 four-engined bombers. |
Notes[]
References[]
- Citations
- Bibliography
- Fellgiebel, Walther-Peer (2000). Die Träger des Ritterkreuzes des Eisernen Kreuzes 1939–1945 (in German). Friedburg, Germany: Podzun-Pallas. ISBN 3-7909-0284-5.
- Obermaier, Ernst (1989). Die Ritterkreuzträger der Luftwaffe Jagdflieger 1939–1945 (in German). Mainz, Germany: Verlag Dieter Hoffmann. ISBN 3-87341-065-6.
- Patzwall, Klaus D. and Scherzer, Veit (2001). Das Deutsche Kreuz 1941–1945 Geschichte und Inhaber Band II. Norderstedt, Germany: Verlag Klaus D. Patzwall. ISBN 3-931533-45-X.
- Scherzer, Veit (2007). Die Ritterkreuzträger 1939–1945 Die Inhaber des Ritterkreuzes des Eisernen Kreuzes 1939 von Heer, Luftwaffe, Kriegsmarine, Waffen-SS, Volkssturm sowie mit Deutschland verbündeter Streitkräfte nach den Unterlagen des Bundesarchives (in German). Jena, Germany: Scherzers Miltaer-Verlag. ISBN 978-3-938845-17-2.
- Weal, John (1996). Focke-Wulf Fw 190 Aces of the Western Front. Osprey Publishing. ISBN 1-85532-595-0.
- Weal, John (2005). Luftwaffe Sturmgruppen. Osprey Publishing. ISBN 1-84176-908-8.
- Spick, Mike (1996). Luftwaffe Fighter Aces. New York: Ivy Books. ISBN 0-8041-1696-2.
- Die Wehrmachtberichte 1939–1945 Band 3, 1. Januar 1944 bis 9. Mai 1945 (in German). München: Deutscher Taschenbuch Verlag GmbH & Co. KG, 1985. ISBN 3-423-05944-3.
External links[]
The original article can be found at Wilhelm Moritz and the edit history here.