Franz Schieß

Franz Schieß (21 February 1921 – 2 September 1943) was a Luftwaffe fighter ace. He claimed 67 victories in 657 missions, (14 on the Eastern Front, and 53 against the Western Allies) whilst flying the Messerschmitt Bf 109.

Franz Schieß
Franz Schieß
Nickname(s)	"Nawratil"
Born	(1921-02-21)21 February 1921 St. Pölten, Austria
Died	2 September 1943(1943-09-02) (aged 22)[1] Gulf of Naples, off Ischia, Fascist Italy
Allegiance	Nazi Germany
Service / branch	Army Luftwaffe
Years of service	Army (1938–40) Luftwaffe (1940–43)
Rank	Hauptmann
Unit	JG 53
Commands	8./JG 53
Battles / wars	World War II Polish Campaign (Heer) Channel Front North African Campaign and Mediterranean Theatre
Awards	Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross

Career

Schieß, also known as Franz Schiehs, was born on 25 February 1921 in Wörth, part of Sankt Pölten, in Lower Austria.^[2] 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 (Headquarters) of Jagdgeschwader 53,^[3] based on the Channel front in March 1941, then served, from December 1941, as Geschwader Adjutant.^[4] Staying there for nearly two years, he established a close friendship with the Geschwaderkommodore (wing commander) Günther Freiherr von Maltzahn.^[5]

On 22 June 1941, the opening day of Operation Barbarossa, Schieß scored his first victories destroying an Polikarpov I-153 biplane fighter and an Ilyushin DB-3 bomber.^[6] 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 After achieving 14 kills on the Eastern Front he was withdrawn in August, along with the rest of JG 53.

Malta and North Africa

The ground personnel of JG 53 began their relocation to Sicily in late November 1941. The Geschwaderstab followed on 13 December via Mannheim-Sandhofen, Munich-Riem, Naples, finally arriving at Comiso Airfield on 15 December.^[7] 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.^[8] 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 (36th v.)

Leutnant Schieß was awarded the German Cross in Gold (Deutsches Kreuz in Gold) on 23 January 1943 as a member of Stab/JG 53.^[9]

Squadron leader

On 16 February 1943, the now Oberleutnant Schieß was appointed Staffelkapitän (squadron leader) of 8. Staffel of JG 53. He succeeded Oberleutnant Jürgen Harder who had been transferred.^[10] 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 shot down a Spitfire (for his 43rd victory), but nevertheless 24 heavy-laden transports were shot down and a further 35 damaged, in what became known as the "Palm Sunday Massacre".^[11]

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".^[12] He went on to score 29 victories as leader of 8./JG 53^[1] 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 Harder of III./JG 53, Schieß was promoted to the rank of Hauptmann (captain) on 1 September 1943.^[13]

Death

The next day, on 2 September 1943, Schieß led a scramble against a USAAF North American B-25 Mitchell 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.^[14] His final battle took place over the island of Ischia; at around 13:45, the pilots heard Franz Schieß radio: "At them again, everyone get ready!" At the time, the formation was 30 to 40 kilometers (19 to 25 miles) southwest of Ischia when Hauptmann Schieß's wingman was forced away by two Lightnings and lost sight of his Staffelkapitän.^[12][13] Ten of the P-38s were shot down, but Schieß's Bf 109 G-6 "Black 1 + I" (Werknummer 160 022—factory number) crashed into the Mediterranean 30 to 50 kilometers (19 to 31 miles) south-southwest of Ischia in the Gulf of Salerno.^[15] Though not witnessed, he was probably shot down by a P-38.^[16]

On September 27 Günther von Maltzahn wrote to Schieß's parents expressing the close friendship they shared:^[17]

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.

Summary of career

Aerial victory claims

According to US historian David T. Zabecki, Schieß was credited with 67 aerial victories.^[18] Spick also lists Schieß with 67 aerial victories claimed in 540 combat missions. This figure includes 13 aerial victories in North Africa, a further 40 aerial victories in the Mediterranean theater and 14 more on the Eastern Front.^[19] Mathews and Foreman, authors of Luftwaffe Aces — Biographies and Victory Claims, researched the German Federal Archives and found documentation for 68 aerial victory claims, plus one further unconfirmed claim. This number includes 14 claims on the Eastern Front and 54 over the Western Allies, including three four-engined bombers.^[20]

Chronicle of aerial victories
This and the – (dash) indicates unconfirmed aerial victory claims for which Schieß did not receive credit.   This and the ? (question mark) indicates information discrepancies listed by Prien, Stemmer, Rodeike, Bock, Mathews and Foreman.
Claim	Date	Time	Type	Location	Claim	Date	Time	Type	Location
– Stab of Jagdgeschwader 53 –[21] Operation Barbarossa — 22 June – 6 August 1941
1	22 June 1941	07:25	I-153	northwest of Kobryn[22]	8	14 July 1941	11:00	SB-3[23]
2	22 June 1941	16:35	DB-3	Biała Podlaska[22]	9	20 July 1941	17:52	I-15[23]	vicinity of Uman
3	24 June 1941	10:00	SB-2	northwest of Kobryn[22]	10	23 July 1941	06:33	I-16[23]	vicinity of Uman
4	24 June 1941	10:10	SB-2	vicinity of Kobryn[22]	11	24 July 1941	11:45	I-16[23]	vicinity of Uman
5	29 June 1941	19:55	SB-3[22]	vicinity of Bobruysk	12	25 July 1941	18:14	I-15	northeast of Bila Tserkva[24]
6	6 July 1941	14:05	DB-3	east of Polonne[22]	13	26 July 1941	11:00	V-11 (Il-2)[24]
7	7 July 1941	06:15	SB-3	east of Polonne[22]	14	29 July 1941	17:02	SB-3[24]
– Stab of Jagdgeschwader 53 –[20] Mediterranean Theater — 15 December 1941 – 31 December 1942
15	25 January 1942	10:49	Hurricane	south of Malta[25] south of La Valletta	24	17 October 1942	13:41?[Note 1]	Spitfire	5 km (3.1 mi) north of La Valletta[27]
16	24 February 1942	16:00	Hurricane[25]	vicinity of Malta	25	17 November 1942	13:37	Spitfire	Bône harbour[27]
17	15 June 1942	15:15	Beaufighter	west of Linosa[27]	26	25 November 1942	12:00	Spitfire	10 km (6.2 mi) north-northwest of Majaz al Bab[27]
18	7 July 1942	10:47	Spitfire[27]	vicinity of Malta	27	3 December 1942	11:41	P-38	La Garaet Achkil[27]
19	9 July 1942	12:20	Spitfire[27]	vicinity of Malta	28	4 December 1942	16:04	Boston	6 km (3.7 mi) south of Jefna[27]
20	14 July 1942	10:32	Spitfire	5 km (3.1 mi) east-southeast of La Valetta[27] 5 km (3.1 mi) east-northeast of Zonqor Point Malta	29	5 December 1942	15:40	P-38	5 km (3.1 mi) west of Djebel Abiod[27]
21	18 July 1942	14:33	Spitfire	5 km (3.1 mi) north of La Valetta[27]	—	5 December 1942	15:42	P-38	west of Djebel Abiod[27]
22	26 August 1942	13:17	Spitfire	12 km (7.5 mi) south of La Valetta[27]	30	6 December 1942	15:58	Dragonfly	18 km (11 mi) south of Djebel Abiod[27]
23	11 October 1942	14:35	Spitfire[27]	vicinity of Malta	31	18 December 1942	11:08	Spitfire	20 km (12 mi) west of Jefna[27]
– Stab of Jagdgeschwader 53 –[26] Mediterranean Theater — 1 January – 15 February 1943
32	2 January 1943	09:07	Spitfire	20 km (12 mi) east of Bône[28]	35	17 January 1943	14:00	P-38	28 km (17 mi) northeast of Béja[28]
33	4 January 1943	12:23	P-40	20 km (12 mi) southwest of Sbeitla[28] southwest of Pichon	36	29 January 1943	11:10	B-17	15 km (9.3 mi) northeast of Béja[28]
34	16 January 1943	13:48	Hurricane	15 km (9.3 mi) west-southwest of Tebourba[28] 18 km (11 mi) southeast of Mateur	37	29 January 1943	11:30	P-38	12 km (7.5 mi) northeast of Bou Arada[28] 12 km (7.5 mi) southwest of Mateur
– 8. Staffel of Jagdgeschwader 53 –[26] Mediterranean Theater — 16 February – 2 September 1943
38	26 February 1943	17:02	Spitfire	40 km (25 mi) north of La Valetta[29]	54	11 June 1943	15:37	Spitfire	20 km (12 mi) northwest of Pantelleria[30]
39	25 March 1943	09:44	Spitfire	5 km (3.1 mi) northwest of La Valetta[29]	55	25 June 1943	12:13	B-17	30 km (19 mi) south of Stromboli[30]
40	5 April 1943	19:00	Spitfire	southwest of Béja[29]	56	19 August 1943	12:20	B-17	40 km (25 mi) southeast of Benevento[30]
41	11 April 1943	09:59	Spitfire	3 km (1.9 mi) north of Mateur[29] 7 km (4.3 mi) south of Tunis	57	20 August 1943	12:43	P-38	12 km (7.5 mi) north of Grazzanise[31]
42	17 April 1943	19:14	Spitfire	18 km (11 mi) north of Medjez el Bab[29] vicinity of Cap Vito	58	21 August 1943	13:04	B-26	12 km (7.5 mi) west of Capua[31]
43	18 April 1943	18:07	Spitfire	24 km (15 mi) southwest of Mateur[29]	59	22 August 1943	12:17	B-26	50 km (31 mi) southwest of Capri[31]
44	29 April 1943	16:02	P-38	3 km (1.9 mi) north of Cape Farina[29]	60	23 August 1943	11:30	Catalina	south of Capri[31]
45	8 May 1943	18:45	P-40	8 km (5.0 mi) southeast of Cape Bon[29]	?[Note 2]	26 August 1943	12:52	B-26
46	8 May 1943	19:00	P-40	10 km (6.2 mi) northeast of Zembra[29] 18 km (11 mi) east of Kelebia	61	26 August 1943	12:52?[Note 3]	P-38	8 km (5.0 mi) south of Gaeta[31] 2 km (1.2 mi) west of Grazzanise
?[Note 2]	11 May 1943	12:25	P-40	10 km (6.2 mi) southwest of Marsala	62	27 August 1943	12:39?[Note 4]	B-25	15 km (9.3 mi) northeast of Capua[31] 10 km (6.2 mi) north of Benevento
47	18 May 1943	14:15	P-38	northwest of Trapani[33]	63	27 August 1943	12:51?[Note 5]	P-38	10 km (6.2 mi) west of Benevento[31] 40 km (25 mi) south of Capri
49	19 May 1943	13:47	P-38	36 km (22 mi) west of Marettimo[33]	64	28 August 1943	15:43	P-38	2 km (1.2 mi) east of Altamura[31] east of Castel Volturno
50	21 May 1943	11:24	P-38	40 km (25 mi) north of Pantelleria[33]	65	28 August 1943	15:51?[Note 6]	P-38	east of Castel Volturno[31] 2 km (1.2 mi) east of Albaccora
51	25 May 1943	11:03?[Note 7]	P-38	30 km (19 mi) northwest of Trapani[30]	66	30 August 1943	12:06	P-38	southwest of Castel Volturno[31]
52	6 June 1943	06:42	Boston	20 km (12 mi) northwest of Pantelleria[30]	67	30 August 1943	12:15	P-38	southwest of Castel Volturno[31]
53	10 June 1943	15:50	P-40	1 km (0.62 mi) west of Pantelleria[30]

Awards

• Iron Cross (1939) 2nd and 1st Class^[34]
• Honor Goblet of the Luftwaffe on 7 September 1942 as Leutnant and pilot^[35]
• German Cross in Gold on 23 January 1943 as Leutnant in Stab/Jagdgeschwader 53^[9]
• Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross on 21 June 1943 as Oberleutnant and Staffelkapitän of the 8./Jagdgeschwader 53^[36][37]

Notes

1. According to Mathews and Foreman claimed at 13:41.^[26]
2. This claim is not listed by Prien, Stemmer, Rodeike and Bock.^[32]
3. According to Mathews and Foreman, claimed at 13:37.^[26]
4. According to Mathews and Foreman, claimed at 12:51.^[26]
5. According to Mathews and Foreman, claimed at 13:11.^[26]
6. According to Mathews and Foreman, claimed at 15:21.^[26]
7. According to Mathews and Foreman, claimed at 11:05.^[26]

References

Citations

1. Scutts 1994, p. 94.
2. Obermaier 1989, p. 195.
3. Luftwaffe Officer Career Summaries website.
4. Aces of the Luftwaffe website.
5. Prien 1998, p. 678.
6. Weal 2001, p. 18.
7. Prien et al. 2004, p. 18.
8. Weal 2007, pp. 81–83.
9. Patzwall & Scherzer 2001, p. 405.
10. Prien et al. 2011, p. 260.
11. Weal 2007, p. 91.
12. Sundin & Bergström 1997, p. 44.
13. Prien 1998, p. 677.
14. Weal 2007, p. 99.
15. Prien 1998, p. 729.
16. Scutts 1994, p. 61.
17. Prien 1998, pp. 678, 679.
18. Zabecki 2014, p. 1617.
19. Spick 1996, p. 239.
20. Mathews & Foreman 2015, pp. 1120–1121.
21. Mathews & Foreman 2015, p. 1120.
22. Prien et al. 2003, p. 93.
23. Prien et al. 2003, p. 94.
24. Prien et al. 2003, p. 95.
25. Prien et al. 2004, p. 41.
26. Mathews & Foreman 2015, p. 1121.
27. Prien et al. 2004, p. 42.
28. Prien et al. 2010, p. 393.
29. Prien et al. 2011, p. 267.
30. Prien et al. 2011, p. 269.
31. Prien et al. 2011, p. 270.
32. Prien et al. 2011, pp. 268, 270.
33. Prien et al. 2011, p. 268.
34. Dixon 2023, p. 27.
35. Patzwall 2008, p. 179.
36. Fellgiebel 2000, p. 377.
37. Scherzer 2007, p. 661.

Bibliography

• Dixon, Jeremy (2023). Day Fighter Aces of the Luftwaffe: Knight's Cross Holders 1943–1945. Barnsley: Pen and Sword Books. ISBN 978-1-39903-073-1.
• Fellgiebel, Walther-Peer [in German] (2000) [1986]. Die Träger des Ritterkreuzes des Eisernen Kreuzes 1939–1945 — Die Inhaber der höchsten Auszeichnung des Zweiten Weltkrieges aller Wehrmachtteile [The Bearers of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross 1939–1945 — The Owners of the Highest Award of the Second World War of all Wehrmacht Branches] (in German). Friedberg, Germany: Podzun-Pallas. ISBN 978-3-7909-0284-6.
• Mathews, Andrew Johannes; Foreman, John (2015). Luftwaffe Aces — Biographies and Victory Claims — Volume 4 S–Z. Walton on Thames: Red Kite. ISBN 978-1-906592-21-9.
• Obermaier, Ernst (1989). Die Ritterkreuzträger der Luftwaffe Jagdflieger 1939 – 1945 [The Knight's Cross Bearers of the Luftwaffe Fighter Force 1939 – 1945] (in German). Mainz, Germany: Verlag Dieter Hoffmann. ISBN 978-3-87341-065-7.
• Patzwall, Klaus D.; Scherzer, Veit (2001). Das Deutsche Kreuz 1941 – 1945 Geschichte und Inhaber Band II [The German Cross 1941 – 1945 History and Recipients Volume 2] (in German). Norderstedt, Germany: Verlag Klaus D. Patzwall. ISBN 978-3-931533-45-8.
• Patzwall, Klaus D. (2008). Der Ehrenpokal für besondere Leistung im Luftkrieg [The Honor Goblet for Outstanding Achievement in the Air War] (in German). Norderstedt, Germany: Verlag Klaus D. Patzwall. ISBN 978-3-931533-08-3.
• Prien, Jochen (1998). Jagdgeschwader 53 A History of the "Pik As" Geschwader May 1942 – January 1944. Atglen, Pennsylvania: Schiffer Publishing. ISBN 978-0-7643-0292-3.
• Prien, Jochen; Stemmer, Gerhard; Rodeike, Peter; Bock, Winfried (2003). Die Jagdfliegerverbände der Deutschen Luftwaffe 1934 bis 1945—Teil 6/II—Unternehmen "BARBAROSSA"—Einsatz im Osten—22.6. bis 5.12.1941 [The Fighter Units of the German Air Force 1934 to 1945—Part 6/II—Operation "BARBAROSSA"—Action in the East—22 June to 5 December 1941] (in German). Eutin, Germany: Struve-Druck. ISBN 978-3-923457-70-0.
• Prien, Jochen; Stemmer, Gerhard; Rodeike, Peter; Bock, Winfried (2004). Die Jagdfliegerverbände der Deutschen Luftwaffe 1934 bis 1945—Teil 8/II—Einsatz im Mittelmeerraum—November 1941 bis Dezember 1942 [The Fighter Units of the German Air Force 1934 to 1945—Part 8/II—Action in the Mediterranean Theater—November 1941 to December 1942] (in German). Eutin, Germany: Struve-Druck. ISBN 978-3-923457-74-8.
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• Scherzer, Veit (2007). Die Ritterkreuzträger 1939–1945 Die Inhaber des Ritterkreuzes des Eisernen Kreuzes 1939 von Heer, Luftwaffe, Kriegsmarine, Waffen-SS, Volkssturm sowie mit Deutschland verbündeter Streitkräfte nach den Unterlagen des Bundesarchives [The Knight's Cross Bearers 1939–1945 The Holders of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross 1939 by Army, Air Force, Navy, Waffen-SS, Volkssturm and Allied Forces with Germany According to the Documents of the Federal Archives] (in German). Jena, Germany: Scherzers Militaer-Verlag. ISBN 978-3-938845-17-2.
• Smith, J.Richard & Pegg, Martin (2003). Jagdwaffe Vol 3, Sec3: War over the Desert June 1940 – June 1942 Hersham, Surrey: Ian Allan Publishing ISBN 1-903223-22-9
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Military offices
Preceded by Oberleutnant Karl Leonhard	Squadron Leader of 8./JG 53 15 February 1943 – 2 September 1943	Succeeded by Hauptmann Karl Leonhard