Franz Schieß
Franz Schieß was a Luftwaffe fighter ace. He claimed 67 victories in 657 missions, whilst flying the Messerschmitt Bf 109.
War time service
During the Polish campaign, he saw service in the Army before transferring to the Luftwaffe and undergoing fighter pilot training in 1940. Schieß was posted to the Geschwaderstab of Jagdgeschwader 53, based on the Channel front in March 1941, then served, from December 1941, as Geschwader Adjutant. Staying there for nearly two years, he established a close friendship with the Geschwaderkommodore Günther Freiherr von Maltzahn.On 22 June 1941, the opening day of Operation Barbarossa, Schieß scored his first victories destroying an I-153 biplane fighter and an Ilyushin DB-3 bomber. The members of his Staffel called him "Nawratil", after his radio call sign name.
After achieving 14 kills on the Eastern Front he was withdrawn in August, along with the rest of JG 53 and, following rest and refitting in Germany, then deployed in December to the Mediterranean. Operating from Sicily, Schieß flew sorties over Malta scoring 11 victories. Throughout 1942, and re-equipped with the new Bf 109G-2, he outscored his Geschwaderkommodore. In November, the Stab flight itself transferred to Tunisia, where Schieß continued his success, gaining a further 13 victories, including a B-17 four-engined bomber on 29 January 1943
Leutnant Schieß was awarded the German Cross in Gold on 23 January 1943 as a member of Stab/JG 53. On 16 February 1943, the now Oberleutnant Schieß was appointed Staffelkapitän of 8./JG 53. He was regarded as one of the most enthusiastic and aggressive pilots in the Mediterranean theatre, and often flew the escort missions for the Ju 52 transports as they tried to evacuate personnel out of Africa. On 18 April he scored one such victory but it counted for nought as 24 heavy-laden transports were shot down, and a further 35 damaged, in what became known as the "Palm Sunday Massacre".
Even when his unit was evacuated back to Sicily after the fall of Tunis in April 1943, he still flew over to Tunisia each day doing combat missions before returning to Sicily each night, writing home of "wonderful aerial combats". He went on to score 29 victories as leader of 8./JG 53 and reached 50 kills shooting down a P-38 over the sea south of Sicily on 21 May. Schieß was awarded the Knight's Cross on 21 June for 55 victories and then was sent on leave for 2 months, thereby missing the air battles over the invasion of Sicily. Returning to 8./JG 53 in mid-August, his unit was now flying out of southern Italy against the Allies, who were mounting a concerted campaign to destroy the transport net prior to an invasion of the Italian mainland. Schieß shot down 12 enemy aircraft in 11 days, of which seven were P-38 twin-engine fighters. Together with Jürgen Harder of III./JG 53, Schieß was promoted to the rank of Hauptmann on September 1, 1943.
Death
The next day, on 2 September 1943, Schieß led a scramble against a USAAF B-25 bomber formation attacking rail marshalling yards at Cancello, Naples. His unit engaged the fighter escort of P-38 Lightnings. Unable to break through the fighter screen to attack the bombers, he followed the force back over the Gulf of Salerno. His final battle took place over the island of Ischia; at around 1:45PM, the pilots heard Franz Schieß radio: "At them again, everyone get ready!" At the time, the formation was 30 to 40 km southwest of Ischia when Hauptmann Schieß's wingman was forced away by two Lightnings and lost sight of his Staffelkapitän. Ten of the P-38s were shot down, but Schieß's Bf 109 G-6 "Black 1 + I", crashed into the Mediterranean 30–50 km SSW of Ischia in the Gulf of Salerno. Though not witnessed, he was probably shot down by a P-38.On September 27 Günther von Maltzahn wrote to Schieß's parents expressing the close friendship they shared:
"I ask that you and your husband accept my and my Geschwader's most sincere and heartfelt sympathy on the unspeakably hard stroke of fate which befell your son Franz.
I can sympathize with how hard it must be to come to terms with thoughts that you will never see your son Franz again in this life. One could not have wished for a better officer. Not only did there exist a comradeship and a mutual trust between Kommodore and adjutant that was tested in far more than 100 air battles, but in him I lost my best friend, on whom I could depend no matter what the situation."
He is credited with 67 aerial victories in 657 missions. Among those were 17 P-38 Lightnings, making him the highest scoring "Lightning-Killer" of the war.
Victories
| No | Date | Time | Unit & Airfield | Gruppe Kommandeur | Location / Planquad | Claimed Aircraft | Source / Comments |
| 1 | 22 June 1941 | 7:25 | Stab/JG 53 - Krzewicza, SE Poland | Maj Günther, Fr. von Maltzahn | NW of Kobryn | I-153 | Prien/Bock |
| 2 | 22 Jun'41 | 16:35 | Stab/JG 53 - Krzewicza | Maj Günther, Fr. von Maltzahn | Biala Podlaska | DB-3 | Prien/Bock |
| 3 | 24 Jun'41 | 10:00 | Stab/JG 53 - Krzewicza | Maj Günther, Fr. von Maltzahn | NW of Kobryn | SB-2 | Prien/Bock |
| 4 | 24 Jun'41 | 10:10 | Stab/JG 53 - Krzewicza | Maj Günther, Fr. von Maltzahn | nr Kobryn | SB-2 | Prien/Bock |
| 5 | 29 Jun'41 | 19:55 | Stab/JG 53 - Baranovichi | Maj Günther, Fr. von Maltzahn | Bobruisk | SB-3 | Prien/Bock |
| 6 | 6 Jul'41 | 14:05 | Stab/JG 53 - Dubno, Ukraine | Maj Günther, Fr. von Maltzahn | E of Polonnoye | DB-3 | Prien/Bock |
| 7 | 7 Jul'41 | 6:15 | Stab/JG 53 - Dubno, Ukraine | Maj Günther, Fr. von Maltzahn | E of Polonnoye | SB-3 | Prien/Bock |
| 8 | 14 Jul'41 | 11:00 | Stab/JG 53 - Tyranowka | Maj Günther, Fr. von Maltzahn | - | SB-3 | Prien/Bock |
| 9 | 20 Jul'41 | 17:52 | Stab/JG 53 - Zhitomir, Ukraine | Maj Günther, Fr. von Maltzahn | Uman area | I-15 | Prien/Bock |
| 10 | 23 Jul'41 | 6:33 | Stab/JG 53 - Belaya-Zerkow | Maj Günther, Fr. von Maltzahn | Uman area | I-16 | Prien/Bock |
| 11 | 24 Jul'41 | 11:45 | Stab/JG 53 - Belaya-Zerkow | Maj Günther, Fr. von Maltzahn | Uman area | I-16 | Prien/Bock |
| 12 | 25 Jul'41 | 18:14 | Stab/JG 53 - Belaya-Zerkow | Maj Günther, Fr. von Maltzahn | NE of Belaya-Zerkow | I-15 | Prien/Bock |
| 13 | 26 Jul'41 | 11:00 | Stab/JG 53 - Belaya-Zerkow | Maj Günther, Fr. von Maltzahn | - | Il-2 | Prien/Bock |
| 14 | 29 Jul'41 | 17:02 | Stab/JG 53 - Belaya-Zerkow | Maj Günther, Fr. von Maltzahn | - | SB-3 | Prien/Bock |
| - | 25 January 1942 | 10:49 | Stab/JG 53 - Comiso, Sicily | Maj Günther, Fr. von Maltzahn | S of La Valletta, Malta: 600m | Hurricane | C.2035/II Anerk ASM, unconfirmed ? |
| 15 | 24 Feb'42 | 16:00 | Stab/JG 53 - Comiso | Maj Günther, Fr. von Maltzahn | Malta | Hurricane | C.2036/II #100522/4, of P/O D.Tedford of 126 Sqn |
| 16 | 15 Jun'42 | 15:15 | Stab/JG 53 - Comiso | Maj Günther, Fr. von Maltzahn | 500m W of Linosa Is: low-level | Beaufighter | C.2033/I AnerkNr 10, of Sgt F.W. Baun of 69 Sqn |
| 17 | 7 Jul'42 | 10:47 | Stab/JG 53 - Comiso | Maj Günther, Fr. von Maltzahn | Malta | Spitfire | C.2036/II #104203/4 |
| 18 | 9 Jul'42 | 12:20 | Stab/JG 53 - Comiso | Maj Günther, Fr. von Maltzahn | Malta | Spitfire | C.2036/II #104203/4 |
| 19 | 14 Jul'42 | 10:32 | Stab/JG 53 - Comiso | Maj Günther, Fr. von Maltzahn | 5 km ENE of Zonqor Point, Malta | Spitfire | C.2031/II AnerkNr 10 |
| 20 | 18 Jul'42 | 14:33 | Stab/JG 53 - Comiso | Maj Günther, Fr. von Maltzahn | 5 km N of La Valetta, Malta: 4000m | Spitfire | C.2031/II AnerkNr 10 |
| 21 | 26 Aug'42 | 13:17 | Stab/JG 53 - Comiso | Maj Günther, Fr. von Maltzahn | 12 km N of La Valetta, Malta: 8000m | Spitfire V | of 229 Sqn |
| 22 | 11 Oct'42 | 11:24 | Stab/JG 53 - Comiso | Maj Günther, Fr. von Maltzahn | - | Spitfire | ? |
| 23 | 11 Oct'42 | 14:35 | Stab/JG 53 - Comiso | Maj Günther, Fr. von Maltzahn | Malta | Spitfire | C.2036/II #105038/4 |
| 24 | 17 Oct'42 | 13:40 | Stab/JG 53 - Comiso | Maj Günther, Fr. von Maltzahn | 5 km N of La Valetta: 500m | Spitfire | C.2035/II AnerkNr 10 |
| - | 17 Nov'42 | 13:37 | Stab/JG 53 - El Aouina, Tunis | Maj Helmut Bennemann | Bone, Tunisia: 300m | Spitfire | C.2035/II Anerk ASM, unconfirmed |
| 25 | 25 Nov'42 | 12:00 | Stab/JG 53 - El Aouina | Maj Helmut Bennemann | 5–10 km NNW of Medjez el Bab: 1500m | Spitfire | C.2027/I AnerkNr 10 |
| 26 | 3 Dec'42 | 11:41 | Stab/JG 53 - El Aouina | Maj Helmut Bennemann | S of Garaet Achkil: 6000m | P-38 | C.2027/I AnerkNr 10 |
| 27 | 4 Dec'42 | 16:04 | Stab/JG 53 - El Aouina | Maj Helmut Bennemann | 6 km S of Jeffna: 10m | Bisley | C.2027/I AnerkNr 10, of 18 or 614 Sqn, RAF |
| 28 | 5 Dec'42 | 15:40 | Stab/JG 53 - El Aouina | Maj Helmut Bennemann | 5 km NW of Djebel Obeid | P-38 | C.2027/I AnerkNr 11 |
| 29 | 5 Dec'42 | 15:42 | Stab/JG 53 - El Aouina | Maj Helmut Bennemann | - | P-38 | Prien/Bock, unconfirmed? |
| 30 | 6 Dec'42 | 15:58 | Stab/JG 53 - El Aouina | Maj Helmut Bennemann | 18 km S of Djebel Obeid | Dragonfly | C.2027/I AnerkNr 11 |
| 31 | 18 Dec'42 | 11:08 | Stab/JG 53 - El Aouina | Maj Helmut Bennemann | 20 km W of Jaffna | Spitfire | C.2027/I AnerkNr 11 |
| 32 | 2 January 1943 | 9:07 | Stab/JG 53 - El Aouina | Maj Helmut Bennemann | 20 km E of Bone: 2000m | Spitfire | C.2031/II AnerkNr 89 |
| 33 | 4 Jan'43 | 12:23 | Stab/JG 53 - El Aouina | Maj Helmut Bennemann | 2 km NW of Protville: 1000m | P-40 | C.2031/II AnerkNr 91 |
| 34 | 16 Jan'43 | 13:48 | Stab/JG 53 - El Aouina | Maj Helmut Bennemann | 35 km SW of Mateu: 500mr | Hurricane | C.2031/II AnerkNr 93 |
| 35 | 17 Jan'43 | 14:00 | Stab/JG 53 - El Aouina | Maj Helmut Bennemann | 28 km NE of Beja: 7000m | P-38 | C.2031/II AnerkNr 94 |
| 36 | 29 Jan'43 | 11:10 | Stab/JG 53 - El Aouina | Maj Helmut Bennemann | 15 km NE of Beja: 6000m | B-17 | C.2031/II AnerkNr 95 |
| 37 | 29 Jan'43 | 11:30 | Stab/JG 53 - El Aouina | Maj Helmut Bennemann | 12 km SW of Mateur: 300m | P-38 | C.2031/II AnerkNr 96 |
| 38 | 26 Feb'43 | 17:02 | 8/JG 53 - San Pietro, Sicily | Hptm Franz Götz | 40 km N of La Valetta: 7000m | Spitfire | C.2027/I AnerkNr 204 |
| 39 | 25 Mar'43 | 9:44 | 8/JG 53 - San Pietro | Hptm Franz Götz | NE of La Jabatte: 4000m | Spitfire | C.2031/II AnerkNr 206 |
| - | 28 Mar'43 | - | 8/JG 53 - San Pietro | Hptm Franz Götz | - | P-38 | Prien JG53 List #1678, unconfirmed |
| 40 | 5 Apr'43 | 19:00 | 8/JG 53 - San Pietro | Hptm Franz Götz | SW of Beja: 100m | Spitfire | C.2027/I AnerkNr 206, 800th victory for III/53 |
| 41 | 11 Apr'43 | 9:59 | 8/JG 53 - San Pietro | Hptm Franz Götz | 3 km N of Mateur: 100m | Spitfire | C.2027/I AnerkNr 267 |
| 42 | 17 Apr'43 | 19:14 | 8/JG 53 - San Pietro | Hptm Franz Götz | 18 km N of Medjez el Bab: 2000m | Spitfire | C.2027/I AnerkNr 210 |
| 43 | 18 Apr'43 | 18:07 | 8/JG 53 - San Pietro | Hptm Franz Götz | 24 km SW of Mateur: low-level | Spitfire | C.2027/I AnerkNr 212 |
| 44 | 29 Apr'43 | 16:02 | 8/JG 53 - San Pietro | Hptm Franz Götz | 3 km N of Cap Farina: low-level | P-38 | C.2027/I AnerkNr 214 |
| 45 | 8 May'43 | 18:45 | 8/JG 53 - Ariana | Hptm Franz Götz | 5 km E of Cap Bon: 4000m | P-40 | C.2031/II AnerkNr ? |
| 46 | 8 May'43 | 19:00 | 8/JG 53 - Ariana | Hptm Franz Götz | 18 km E of Kalebia: 8000m | P-40 | C.2031/II AnerkNr ? |
| 47 | 11 May'43 | 12:25 | 8/JG 53 - Sciacca, Sicily | Hptm Franz Götz | 10 km SW of Marsala: 3000m | B-25 | C.2031/II AnerkNr ? |
| - | 12 May'43 | - | 8/JG 53 - Sciacca | Hptm Franz Götz | - | B-17 | Prien JG53 List #1679, unconfirmed |
| - | 13 May'43 | - | 8/JG 53 - Sciacca | Hptm Franz Götz | - | Spitfire | Prien JG53 List #1679, unconfirmed |
| 48 | 18 May'43 | 13:15 | 8/JG 53 - Sciacca | Hptm Franz Götz | NW of Trapani: 5000m | P-38 | C.2031/II AnerkNr ? |
| 49 | 19 May'43 | 13:47 | 8/JG 53 - Sciacca | Hptm Franz Götz | 36 km SW of Maréttimo: 4000m | P-38 | C.2031/II AnerkNr ? |
| 50 | 21 May'43 | 11:24 | 8/JG 53 - Sciacca | Hptm Franz Götz | 40 km N of Pantelleria: 1500m | P-38 | C.2031/II AnerkNr ? |
| 51 | 25 May'43 | 11:05 | 8/JG 53 - Sciacca | Hptm Franz Götz | 30 km NW of Trapani: 100m | P-38 | C.2031/II AnerkNr ? |
| 52 | 6 Jun'43 | 6:42 | 8/JG 53 - Sciacca | Hptm Franz Götz | 20 km NW of Pantelleria: 500m | Boston | C.2027/I AnerkNr ? |
| 53 | 10 Jun'43 | 15:50 | 8/JG 53 - Sciacca | Hptm Franz Götz | 1 km W of Pantelleria: 3000m | P-40 | C.2027/I AnerkNr ? |
| 54 | 11 Jun'43 | 15:37 | 8/JG 53 - Sciacca | Hptm Franz Götz | 20 km NW of Pantelleria: 3000m | Spitfire | C.2027/I AnerkNr ? |
| 55 | 25 Jun'43 | 12:13 | 8/JG 53 - Torazzo | Hptm Franz Götz | 30 km S of Stromboli | B-17F | C.2027/I AnerkNr ? |
| 56 | 19 Aug'43 | 12:20 | 8/JG 53 - Grazzanise, Naples | Hptm Franz Götz | 40 km SW of Benevento: 6500m | B-17 | C.2031/II AnerkNr ? |
| 57 | 20 Aug'43 | 12:43 | 8/JG 53 - Grazzanise | Hptm Franz Götz | 12 km S of Grazzanise: 3000m | P-38 | C.2031/II AnerkNr ? |
| 58 | 21 Aug'43 | 13:04 | 8/JG 53 - Grazzanise | Hptm Franz Götz | 12 km W of Capri: 4000m | B-26 | C.2031/II AnerkNr ? |
| 59 | 22 Aug'43 | 12:17 | 8/JG 53 - Grazzanise | Hptm Franz Götz | 50 km SW of Capri: 2000m | B-26 | C.2031/II AnerkNr ? |
| - | 22 Aug'43 | - | 8/JG 53 - Grazzanise | Hptm Franz Götz | - | B-26 | Prien JG53 List #1680, unconfirmed |
| 60 | 23 Aug'43 | 11:30 | 8/JG 53 - Grazzanise | Hptm Franz Götz | 40 km S of Capri: 100m | Catalina | C.2031/II AnerkNr ? |
| 61 | 26 Aug'43 | 12:52 | 8/JG 53 - Grazzanise | Hptm Franz Götz | 20 km NW of Palmi: 4000m | B-26 | C.2031/II AnerkNr ? |
| 62 | 26 Aug'43 | 13:37 | 8/JG 53 - Grazzanise | Hptm Franz Götz | 2 km W of Grazzanise: 4000m | P-38 | C.2031/II AnerkNr ? |
| - | 27 Aug'43 | 12:57 | 8/JG 53 - Grazzanise | Hptm Franz Götz | 10 km N of Benevento: 3000m | B-25 | C.2031/II Anerk ASM, unconfirmed |
| 63 | 27 Aug'43 | 13:11 | 8/JG 53 - Grazzanise | Hptm Franz Götz | 40 km S of Capua | P-38 | C.2031/II AnerkNr ? |
| - | 28 Aug'43 | 15:43 | 8/JG 53 - Grazzanise | Hptm Franz Götz | 2 km E of Cabrettara: 200m | P-38F | C.2031/II AnerkNr ? |
| 64 | 28 Aug'43 | 15:43 | 8/JG 53 - Grazzanise | Hptm Franz Götz | 2 km E of Albaccora: 300m | P-38F | C.2031/II AnerkNr ? |
| 65 | 28 Aug'43 | 15:51 | 8/JG 53 - Grazzanise | Hptm Franz Götz | E of Castel Ruggero: 1000m | P-38F | C.2031/II AnerkNr ? |
| - | 29 Aug'43 | - | 8/JG 53 - Grazzanise | Hptm Franz Götz | - | P-38 | Prien JG53 List #1680, unconfirmed |
| 66 | 30 Aug'43 | 12:06 | 8/JG 53 - Grazzanise | Hptm Franz Götz | SW of Castel Volturno: 3000m | P-38 | C.2031/II AnerkNr ? |
| 67 | 30 Aug'43 | 12:15 | 8/JG 53 - Grazzanise | Hptm Franz Götz | SW of Castel Volturno: 2000m | P-38 | C.2031/II AnerkNr ? |
| † | 2 September 1943 | ~13.45 | 8/JG 53 - Grazzanise | Hptm Franz Götz | 70–90 km SW of Naples |
Awards
- Ehrenpokal der Luftwaffe on 7 September 1942 as Leutnant and pilot
- German Cross in Gold on 23 January 1943 as Leutnant in Stab/JG 53
- Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross on 21 June 1943 as Oberleutnant and Staffelkapitän of the 8./JG 53
Citations