Josef Wurmheller
| Josef Wurmheller | |
|---|---|
Josef Wurmheller
|
|
| Nickname(s) | "Sepp" |
| Born |
4 May 1917 Hausham, Bavaria |
| Died | 22 June 1944 (aged 27) near Alençon, France |
| Buried at | Cimetière militaire allemand de Champigny-St. André plot 9—grave 1704 |
| Allegiance |
 Nazi Germany
|
| Service/branch |
 Luftwaffe
|
| Years of service | 1937–44 |
| Rank | Major (major) |
| Unit | JG 53, JG 2 |
| Commands held | 9./JG 2, III./JG 2 |
| Battles/wars | |
| Awards | Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves and Swords (posthumous) |
Josef "Sepp" Wurmheller (4 May 1917 – 22 June 1944) was a German Luftwaffe pilot during World War II, a fighter ace credited with 102 enemy aircraft shot down in over 300 combat missions. He claimed the majority of his aerial victories over the Western Front, and nine over the Eastern Front. Of his 93 victories over the Western Allies, at least 18–20 were four-engined bombers and 56 were against Supermarine Spitfire fighters.
Born in Hausham, Wurmheller was a glider pilot in his youth, and volunteered for military service in the Luftwaffe of the Third Reich in 1937. Following flight training he was posted to Jagdgeschwader 53 (JG 53—53rd Fighter Wing) in 1939. He claimed his first aerial victory on the Western Front on 30 September 1939, a phase of World War II dubbed the Phoney War. He then served as a flight instructor before returning to JG 53 for the Battle of Britain. In June 1941 he participated in Operation Barbarossa, the German invasion of the Soviet Union. He was awarded the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross on 4 September 1941 after 32 victories. Following another tour as fighter pilot instructor, he was posted to Jagdgeschwader 2 "Richthofen" (JG 2—2nd Fighter Wing) operating on the Channel Front. Wurmheller claimed seven aerial victories during the Dieppe Raid on 19 August 1942 and after his 67th victory was awarded the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves on 1 October 1942.
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