A
picture which showing the heavy losses of fighter units in the
"Reichverteidigung" (Defence of the Reich). Taken early October 1944, it
shows pilots of I.Gruppe / Jagdgeschwader 26 (JG 26) with their new
leather outfits in front of the Kommandantur of Krefeld airfield. Of
these twelve men only four would survive the war, the other eight would
be killed in the eight months until the end of the war. In the first row
from left to right: Feldwebel Freiberger (1. Staffel, wounded as
Oberfeldwebel on 10 December 1944 in combat with P-47 near Holzhausen /
Neuß, died of his wounds on 2 April 1945); Unteroffizier Emil Brühan (1.
Staffel, wounded on 25 February 1945 during a belly landing 2 km
north-east Ladbergen because of engine failure; died of his wounds on 2 March 1945);
Unteroffizier Heinrich Herbster (3. Staffel, wounded on 31 March 1945
by Flak near Lüdinghausen, bailed out and survived); Oberfähnrich
Wolfgang Franz (3. Staffel, killed on 26 March 1945 in combat with
Tempest near Lengerich); Unteroffizier Wilhelm Düsing (2. Staffel,
wounded on 19 March 1945 in combat with P-5I near Osthevern, bailed out
and survived), Unteroffizier Hermann Bischoff (without leatherjacket: 2.
Staffel, missing in action on 23 December 1944 after combat with
Marauder and P-47 south-west of Bonn); and Gefreiter Edwin Zuhaiko (3.
Staffel, missing in action on 23 December 1944 after combai with
Marauder and P-47 south-west of Bonn). Back row from left to right:
Unknown (with pipe), Leutnant Hans-Hermann Krieger (1. Staffel,
survived), Unteroffizier Ludwig Sattler (1. Staffel, missing in action
on 26 December 1944 with 4./IG 26 after combat with P-51 in area
Liege-Aachen), Oberfähnrich Heinrich Vandeweerd (3. Staffel, wearing
Eisernes Kreuz I.Klasse, killed in action on 25 February 1945 near
Sendenhorst in an accident); and Unteroffizier Heinz Meiss (killed in
action on 13 March 1945 as member of 7./JG 26 in combat with Spitfire
near Unna.Source :
"Luftwaffe im Focus" Edition No.1 - 2002
