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Karl Rammelt
Karl Rammelt (10 June 1914 – 13 May 2009) was a German Luftwaffe ace and recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross during World War II. The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross, and its variants were the highest awards in the military and paramilitary forces of Nazi Germany during World War II. Rammelt was credited with 46 aerial victories in 450 combat missions.
Rammelt was born on 10 June 1914 in Nebra, then in the Province of Saxony within the German Empire. He joined the military service of the Luftwaffe in 1934, serving on the technical ground staff until 1940. Following flight fighter pilot training, Rammelt was posted to II. Gruppe of Jagdgeschwader 51 (JG 51—51st Fighter Wing) in May 1942.
World War II in Europe had begun on Friday 1 September 1939 when German forces invaded Poland. In May 1942, II. Gruppe was commanded by Hauptmann Hartmann Grasser and based at Bryansk but periodically also operated from airfields at Oryol and Dugino on the Eastern Front. On 2 July, the 9th Army launched Operation Seydlitz as part of the Battles of Rzhev. Defending against this operation, the Soviet Air Forces (VVS—Voyenno-Vozdushnye Sily) attacked the Luftwaffe airfield at Bryansk on 5 July. II. Gruppe of JG 51 was scrambled and claimed 46 Soviet aircraft shot down for the loss of two Bf 109s damaged. That day, Rammelt claimed five aerial victories, two Petlyakov Pe-2 bombers and three Ilyushin Il-2 ground-attack aircraft, making him an "ace-in-a-day". On 3 September 1942, Rammelt's Messerschmitt Bf 109 F-2 (Werknummer 12808–factory number) ran out of fuel, resulting in an emergency landing at Dugino.
II. Gruppe had been withdrawn from the Eastern Front in early October 1942 and sent to Jesau in East Prussia, present day Yushny, Bagrationovsky District, for conversion to the Focke-Wulf Fw 190. Conversion training began on 7 October and on 4 November, the unit received the order to convert back to the Bf 109 and to transfer to the Mediterranean theatre. Via various stopovers, II. Gruppe moved to Sidi Ahmed airfield, arriving on 14 November. There, the unit was subordinated to Fliegerführer Tunis (Flying Leader Tunis). On 27 November, Rammelt claimed his first aerial victory in North Africa. The Gruppe had encountered squadrons of the Royal Air Force (RAF) No. 324 Wing from Souk-el-Arba Airfield. In the encounter, Rammelt claimed a Supermarine Spitfire fighter shot down 12 kilometers (7.5 miles) southwest of Béja.
On 4 February 1943, the United States Army Air Forces (USAAF) 97th Bombardment Group sent 18 Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress bombers against an airfield west of Gabès. Defending against this attack, Rammelt claimed one of the B-17 bombers shot down, which was not confirmed. On 17 March, Rammelt was appointed Staffelkapitän (squadron leader) of 4. Staffel of JG 51, succeeding Oberleutnant Georg Seelmann. On 18 April, II. Gruppe received orders to exchange their newer Bf 109 G-4 and G-6 aircraft with older Bf 109 G-2 trop aircraft of Jagdgeschwader 77 (JG 77—77th Fighter Wing) and retreat from Africa to Bari, Italy. On 20 March, II. Gruppe engaged in combat with fighters of the USAAF 31st Fighter Group. In this engagement, Rammelt claimed a Curtiss P-40 Warhawk fighter shot down 30 kilometers (19 miles) northwest of Maknassy. On 29 March, he claimed another P-40 fighter shot down in an area 10 kilometers (6.2 miles) northeast of Skhira.
On 7 June, Rammelt was appointed Gruppenkommandeur (group commander) of II. Gruppe of JG 51. Rammelt had unofficially led the Gruppe since his predecessor, Hauptmann Hartmann Grasser, had left in April. In consequence, command of 4. Staffel was given to Oberleutnant Horst Walther.
On 18 August, II. Gruppe relocated to Neubiberg Airfield near Munich for combat in defense of the Reich mission where they received factory new Bf 109 G-6 aircraft. On 28 December, Rammelt claimed a Consolidated B-24 Liberator bomber of the USAAF Fifteenth Air Force shot down south of Padua. Hit by the defensive fire, he was then wounded when he bailed out of his Bf 109 G-6 (Werknummer 160717) south of Rovigo. During his convalescence until March 1944, Rammelt was replaced by Hauptmann Günther Rübell. On 24 October 1944, Rammelt was awarded the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross (Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes) for 40 aerial victories claimed. On 23 December, Rammelt was again wounded when he bailed out of his Bf 109 G-14 (Werknummer 780887) in a location 20 miles (32 kilometers) north of Esztergom. Due to his injuries sustained, command of II. Gruppe was passed to Oberleutnant Otto Schultz.
Following World War II, Rammelt applied for service in the West German Air Force, at the time referred to as the Bundesluftwaffe of the Bundeswehr. On 1 June 1956, he was appointed the first commander of a training squadron of Flugzeugführerschule "S" (FFS "S"—Pilot Training School) based at Memmingen Air Base. On 1 June 1958, Rammelt was succeeded by Oberstleutnant Wilhelm Batz In July 1965, Rammelt served in the Hubschrauber -Lehr, Versuchs- und Transportstaffel (HLVsuTrspStff—Helicopter Demonstration, Trial and Transport Squadron) at Fürstenfeldbruck Air Base. There he formulated his ideas for the creation of heavy helicopter transportation squadrons. Although preparations for the creation of Helicopter Transport Wing 64 were already in progress, Rammelt believed in decentralizing helicopter units, resulting in a less effective leadership of such units. Rammelt retired on 30 September 1969 holding the rank of Oberstleutnant. He died on 13 May 2009 at the age of 94 in Fürstenfeldbruck, Germany.
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Karl Rammelt
Karl Rammelt (10 June 1914 – 13 May 2009) was a German Luftwaffe ace and recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross during World War II. The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross, and its variants were the highest awards in the military and paramilitary forces of Nazi Germany during World War II. Rammelt was credited with 46 aerial victories in 450 combat missions.
Rammelt was born on 10 June 1914 in Nebra, then in the Province of Saxony within the German Empire. He joined the military service of the Luftwaffe in 1934, serving on the technical ground staff until 1940. Following flight fighter pilot training, Rammelt was posted to II. Gruppe of Jagdgeschwader 51 (JG 51—51st Fighter Wing) in May 1942.
World War II in Europe had begun on Friday 1 September 1939 when German forces invaded Poland. In May 1942, II. Gruppe was commanded by Hauptmann Hartmann Grasser and based at Bryansk but periodically also operated from airfields at Oryol and Dugino on the Eastern Front. On 2 July, the 9th Army launched Operation Seydlitz as part of the Battles of Rzhev. Defending against this operation, the Soviet Air Forces (VVS—Voyenno-Vozdushnye Sily) attacked the Luftwaffe airfield at Bryansk on 5 July. II. Gruppe of JG 51 was scrambled and claimed 46 Soviet aircraft shot down for the loss of two Bf 109s damaged. That day, Rammelt claimed five aerial victories, two Petlyakov Pe-2 bombers and three Ilyushin Il-2 ground-attack aircraft, making him an "ace-in-a-day". On 3 September 1942, Rammelt's Messerschmitt Bf 109 F-2 (Werknummer 12808–factory number) ran out of fuel, resulting in an emergency landing at Dugino.
II. Gruppe had been withdrawn from the Eastern Front in early October 1942 and sent to Jesau in East Prussia, present day Yushny, Bagrationovsky District, for conversion to the Focke-Wulf Fw 190. Conversion training began on 7 October and on 4 November, the unit received the order to convert back to the Bf 109 and to transfer to the Mediterranean theatre. Via various stopovers, II. Gruppe moved to Sidi Ahmed airfield, arriving on 14 November. There, the unit was subordinated to Fliegerführer Tunis (Flying Leader Tunis). On 27 November, Rammelt claimed his first aerial victory in North Africa. The Gruppe had encountered squadrons of the Royal Air Force (RAF) No. 324 Wing from Souk-el-Arba Airfield. In the encounter, Rammelt claimed a Supermarine Spitfire fighter shot down 12 kilometers (7.5 miles) southwest of Béja.
On 4 February 1943, the United States Army Air Forces (USAAF) 97th Bombardment Group sent 18 Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress bombers against an airfield west of Gabès. Defending against this attack, Rammelt claimed one of the B-17 bombers shot down, which was not confirmed. On 17 March, Rammelt was appointed Staffelkapitän (squadron leader) of 4. Staffel of JG 51, succeeding Oberleutnant Georg Seelmann. On 18 April, II. Gruppe received orders to exchange their newer Bf 109 G-4 and G-6 aircraft with older Bf 109 G-2 trop aircraft of Jagdgeschwader 77 (JG 77—77th Fighter Wing) and retreat from Africa to Bari, Italy. On 20 March, II. Gruppe engaged in combat with fighters of the USAAF 31st Fighter Group. In this engagement, Rammelt claimed a Curtiss P-40 Warhawk fighter shot down 30 kilometers (19 miles) northwest of Maknassy. On 29 March, he claimed another P-40 fighter shot down in an area 10 kilometers (6.2 miles) northeast of Skhira.
On 7 June, Rammelt was appointed Gruppenkommandeur (group commander) of II. Gruppe of JG 51. Rammelt had unofficially led the Gruppe since his predecessor, Hauptmann Hartmann Grasser, had left in April. In consequence, command of 4. Staffel was given to Oberleutnant Horst Walther.
On 18 August, II. Gruppe relocated to Neubiberg Airfield near Munich for combat in defense of the Reich mission where they received factory new Bf 109 G-6 aircraft. On 28 December, Rammelt claimed a Consolidated B-24 Liberator bomber of the USAAF Fifteenth Air Force shot down south of Padua. Hit by the defensive fire, he was then wounded when he bailed out of his Bf 109 G-6 (Werknummer 160717) south of Rovigo. During his convalescence until March 1944, Rammelt was replaced by Hauptmann Günther Rübell. On 24 October 1944, Rammelt was awarded the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross (Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes) for 40 aerial victories claimed. On 23 December, Rammelt was again wounded when he bailed out of his Bf 109 G-14 (Werknummer 780887) in a location 20 miles (32 kilometers) north of Esztergom. Due to his injuries sustained, command of II. Gruppe was passed to Oberleutnant Otto Schultz.
Following World War II, Rammelt applied for service in the West German Air Force, at the time referred to as the Bundesluftwaffe of the Bundeswehr. On 1 June 1956, he was appointed the first commander of a training squadron of Flugzeugführerschule "S" (FFS "S"—Pilot Training School) based at Memmingen Air Base. On 1 June 1958, Rammelt was succeeded by Oberstleutnant Wilhelm Batz In July 1965, Rammelt served in the Hubschrauber -Lehr, Versuchs- und Transportstaffel (HLVsuTrspStff—Helicopter Demonstration, Trial and Transport Squadron) at Fürstenfeldbruck Air Base. There he formulated his ideas for the creation of heavy helicopter transportation squadrons. Although preparations for the creation of Helicopter Transport Wing 64 were already in progress, Rammelt believed in decentralizing helicopter units, resulting in a less effective leadership of such units. Rammelt retired on 30 September 1969 holding the rank of Oberstleutnant. He died on 13 May 2009 at the age of 94 in Fürstenfeldbruck, Germany.