Herbert Ihlefeld

Herbert Ihlefeld
Herbert Ihlefeld
Born	(1914-06-01)1 June 1914 Pinnow, Province of Pomerania
Died	8 August 1995(1995-08-08) (aged 81) Wennigsen, Lower Saxony
Buried at	Old cemetery in Kirchheim unter Teck, Baden-Württemberg
Allegiance	Nazi Germany
Service/branch	Reichsheer (1933–35)  Luftwaffe (1935–45)
Years of service	1933–45
Rank	Oberst (Colonel)
Unit	J/88, LG 2, JG 77, JG 52, JG 103, JG 25, JG 11, JG 1
Commands held	JG 77, JG 52, JG 103, JG 25, JG 11, JG 1
Battles/wars	Spanish Civil War World War II Battle of France Battle of Britain Balkan Campaign Battle of Greece Battle of Crete Invasion of Yugoslavia Operation Barbarossa Eastern Front Defense of the Reich Operation Bodenplatte
Awards	Spanish Cross in Gold with Swords Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves and Swords

Herbert Ihlefeld (1 June 1914 – 8 August 1995) was a German Luftwaffe military aviator during the Spanish Civil War and World War II, a fighter ace credited with 132 enemy aircraft shot down in over 1,000 combat missions. He claimed nine victories in the Spanish Civil War, and during World War II, 67 on the Eastern Front and 56 on the Western Front, including 15 four-engined bombers and 26 Supermarine Spitfires. He survived being shot down eight times during his 1,000 combat missions.

Born in Pinnow, Ihlefeld volunteered for military service in the Reichswehr of the Third Reich in 1933. Initially serving in the Heer (Army), he transferred to the Luftwaffe (Air Force) in 1935. Following flight training, he was posted to Jagdgeschwader 132 "Richthofen" (JG 32—132nd Fighter Wing) in 1937. He volunteered for service with the Condor Legion during the Spanish Civil War where he was assigned to 2. Staffel (2nd squadron) of Jagdgruppe 88 (J/88—88th Fighter Group). From February–July 1938, he claimed nine aerial victories, two remained unconfirmed. For his service in Spain he was awarded the Spanish Cross in Gold with Swords.

Following service in Spain, Ihlefeld was posted to I. (Jäger) Gruppe (1st fighter group) of Lehrgeschwader 2 (LG 2—2nd Demonstration Wing), the unit was later redesignated to I. Gruppe of Jagdgeschwader 77 (JG 77—77th Fighter Wing). With this unit he participated in the Invasion of Poland and Battle of France. During the height of the Battle of Britain on 13 September 1940, he was awarded the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross after 21 aerial victories in World War II. Ihlefeld, who had been appointed Gruppenkommandeur (group commander) of I. Gruppe of JG 77 in September 1940, fought in the aerial battles of the Balkan Campaign. He was shot down by anti-aircraft artillery and spent eight days in Yugoslav captivity before he was rescued by German ground forces. During Operation Barbarossa, the German invasion of the Soviet Union. There, after 40 aerial victories of World War II, he was awarded the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves on 27 June 1941. Ten months later, following his 101st aerial victory of the war, Ihlefeld was awarded the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves and Swords on 24 April 1942.