Gordon Gollob
| Gordon Gollob | |
|---|---|
Gordon Gollob in October 1941
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| Born |
16 June 1912 Vienna, Austria |
| Died | 7 September 1987 (aged 75) Sulingen, Germany |
| Buried at | Sulingen, Village cemetery |
| Allegiance |
 First Austrian Republic (to 1934) Federal State of Austria Nazi Germany
|
| Service/branch |
 Luftwaffe
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| Years of service | 1933–45 |
| Rank | Oberst (Colonel) |
| Unit | ZG 76, JG 54, Luftflotte 5 |
| Commands held | II./JG 3, JG 77, Jafü 5 and General der Jagdflieger |
| Battles/wars | |
| Awards | Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves, Swords and Diamonds |
| Other work |
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Gordon Mac Gollob (16 June 1912 – 7 September 1987) was a German Luftwaffe military aviator during World War II, a fighter ace credited with 150 enemy aircraft shot down in over 340 combat missions. Originally from Austria, he claimed the majority of his victories over the Eastern Front, and six over the Western Front, five of which he claimed as a Messerschmitt Bf 110 fighter pilot.
Gollob volunteered for military service in the Austrian Austrian Armed Forces in 1933. In March 1938, following the Anschluss, the annexation of Austria into Nazi Germany, Gollob was transferred to the Luftwaffe. In 1939, Gollob was posted to Zerstörergeschwader 76 (ZG 76—76th Destroyer Wing), a twin-engined heavy fighter wing. Following the outbreak of World War II, he claimed his first aerial victory on 5 September 1939 during the invasion of Poland. Gollob claimed one victory during the Battle of the Heligoland Bight and two victories during the Norwegian Campaign. He then transferred to Jagdgeschwader 3 (JG 3—3rd Fighter Wing), flying the single-engined Messerschmitt Bf 109. In the aftermath of the Battle of Britain on the Channel Front, he claimed his sixth and final victory on the Western Front.
Gollob then fought in the aerial battles of Operation Barbarossa, the German invasion of the Soviet Union. On 27 June 1941, Gollob was appointed Gruppenkommandeur (group commander) of the II. Gruppe (2nd group) of JG 3. He claimed 18 aerial victories in August, and following his 42nd victory was awarded the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross on 18 September. He claimed 37 victories in October, including nine on 18 October and six on 22 October. On 26 October 1941, his total then at 85 aerial victories, he was awarded the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves. In December 1941, Gollob was temporarily transferred to a Luftwaffe test facility at Rechlin. Following a commander-in-training assignment to the Stabsschwarm (headquarters unit) of Jagdgeschwader 54 (JG 54—54th Fighter Wing) on 13 March 1942, Gollob was appointed Geschwaderkommodore of Jagdgeschwader 77 (JG 77—77th Fighter Wing) on 16 May 1942. He claimed his 100th victory on 20 May, and on 23 June he was awarded the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves and Swords following his 107th aerial victory. On 29 August, Gollob became the first fighter pilot to claim 150 enemy aircraft destroyed and was awarded the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves, Swords and Diamonds the next day. At the time of its presentation to Gollob it was Germany's highest military decoration.
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