Werner Schröer

Infobox Military Person
name=Werner Schröer
born=birth date|1918|2|12|df=y
died=death date and age|1985|2|10|1918|2|12|df=y
placeofbirth=Mülheim an der Ruhr
placeofdeath=Ottobrunn


caption=Werner Schröer
nickname=
allegiance=flagicon|Nazi Germany Nazi Germany
branch=Luftwaffe
serviceyears=1937-1945
rank=Major
commands= 8./JG 27, II./JG 27 , JG 3
unit= JG 27, JG 3
battles=World War II
*Battle of Britain
*Mediterranean Theatre
*Defense of the Reich
awards="Knight's Cross with Oak Leaves and Swords"
laterwork=

Werner Schröer (born 12 February 1918 in Mülheim an der Ruhr, died 10 February 1985 in Ottobrunn) was a German World War II fighter ace who served in the Luftwaffe from 1937, initially as a member of the ground staff, until the end of World War II 8 May 1945.

Military career

In August 1940 Schröer joined 2./JG 27 operating over the Channel and Southern England. In March 1941, I./JG 27 was sent to North Africa to support the Afrika Korps. Schröer's first victory was a Hurricane on 19 April 1941, although he force-landed his Bf 109-E near his airfield. On 21 April while combatting Hurricanes, he collided with another aircraft, slightly injuring him and requiring a forced-landing. On August 29, 1941 Schröer engaged in aerial combat with Clive Caldwell of 250 Squadron RAF north-west of Sidi Barrani. In the course of the battle Schröer damaged Caldwell's P-40 Tomahawk. Caldwell suffered bullet wounds to the back, left shoulder, and leg. By December 1941 his score was seven.

In March 1942, he became Adjutant in I./JG 27 before posting as "Staffelkapitän" of 8./JG 27 in June. In September he was awarded the "Deutsches Kreuz" in Gold. He then claimed 13 enemy aircraft in September (including six on 15 September) to bring his total to 40. However, it should be noted that German pilots in North Africa may have significantly over-reported kills on 15 September 1942; DAF squadron records suggest that German units over-claimed by a margin exceeding 200% on some occasions. [JG 27 claimed 19 P-40s destroyed from No. 239 Wing. Yet Russell Brown claims that DAF squadron records show only five aircraft lost to enemy action. He also lists several other dates on which there was significant overclaiming by JG 27 pilots. (Brown 1983, pp. 281–282.)]

Leutnant Schröer was awarded the Ritterkreuz on 21 October for 49 victories. On 4 November, Schröer shot down two B-24 bombers.

Hauptmann Schröer became "Gruppenkommandeur" of II./JG 27 in April 1943. Operating over Sicily and southern Italy, Schröer claimed 22 Allied aircraft shot down, including 12 four-engined heavy bombers. On 2 August, he received the "Eichenlaub", for 84 victories.

In August 1943, II./JG 27 was transferred to Wiesbaden-Erbenheim in Germany for "Reichsverteidigung" (Defense of the Reich) duties. On 6 September, four bombers were claimed shot down by II./JG 27, three of which were claimed by Schröer.

On January 7, 1944 Schröer is credited with the destruction of a P-38 Lightning piloted by Joseph P. Marsiglia (55 Fighter Group, 338 Fighter Squadron). Marsiglia had to bail out and was apprehended near Holz in the district of Saarbrücken. [Crashes in Saarbrücken County]

In March 1944, Major Schröer was appointed "Gruppenkommandeur", III./JG 54, based at Lüneberg. On 24 May, Schröer claimed a P-51 and two P-47s for 100-102 claims total. On 21 July 1944, Schröer was transferred to a fighter pilot school as an instructor. In February 1945, Schröer was appointed "Geschwaderkommodore" of JG 3. He then claimed 12 Russian aircraft destroyed. On 19 April 1945 he received the Schwertern. He died on 10 February 1985 in Ottobrunn, aged 67.

Werner Schröer was a recipient of the Knight's Cross with Oak Leaves and Swords. He was credited with 114 victories, claimed in 197 combat missions. 102 of his victories were scored against the Western Allies, including 61 claimed over North Africa, and 26 four-engined bombers.

Awards

* Wound Badge in Black
* Front Flying Clasp of the Luftwaffe in Gold
* Combined Pilots-Observation Badge
* Ehrenpokal der Luftwaffe
* German Cross in Gold (9 September 1942)
* Iron Cross 2. and 1. class
* Knight's Cross with Oak Leaves and Swords
** Knight's Cross (20 October 1942)
** 268. Oak Leaves (2 August 1943)
** 144. Swords (19 April 1945)

References

*cite web|title=Aces of the Luftwaffe|work=Werner Schroer|url=http://www.luftwaffe.cz/schroer.html|accessdate=12 April| accessyear=2007
*cite web|title=Crashes in Saarbrücken County|work=Werner Schroer|url=http://www.flugzeugabstuerze-saarland.de/html/body_saarbrucken.html|accessdate=3 January|accessyear=2008
* Berger, Florian. "Mit Eichenlaub und Schwertern. Die höchstdekorierten Soldaten des Zweiten Weltkrieges". Wien, Austria: Selbstverlag Florian Berger, 2006. ISBN 3-9501307-0-5.
* Brown, Russell. "Desert Warriors: Australian P-40 Pilots at War in the Middle East and North Africa, 1941-1943". Maryborough, Australia: Banner Books, 1983. ISBN 1-875-59322-5.
* Fellgiebel, Walther-Peer. "Die Träger des Ritterkreuzes des Eisernen Kreuzes 1939-1945". Friedburg, Germany: Podzun-Pallas, 2000. ISBN 3-7909-0284-5.
* Patzwall, Klaus D. & Scherzer, Veit. "Das Deutsche Kreuz 1941 - 1945 Geschichte und Inhaber Band II". Norderstedt, Germany: Verlag Klaus D. Patzwall, 2001. ISBN 3-931533-45-X.