Franz Dörr

Franz Dörr
Franz Dörr
Born	10 February 1913 Mannheim
Died	13 October 1972 (aged 59) Konstanz
Allegiance	Nazi Germany
Service/branch	Luftwaffe
Rank	Hauptmann
Unit	JG 3, JG 5
Commands held	III./JG 5
Battles/wars	World War II Eastern Front Western Front
Awards	Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross

Franz Dörr (10 February 1913 – 13 October 1972) was a German World War II fighter ace and recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross (German: Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes). The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross was awarded to recognise extreme battlefield bravery or successful military leadership. A flying ace or fighter ace is a military aviator credited with shooting down five or more enemy aircraft during aerial combat.^[1]

Biography

Franz Dörr was born on 10 February 1913 in Mannheim. During Invasion of Poland and Battle of France Dörr served as a reconnaissance pilot. In spring 1941, Feldwebel Dörr was transferred to 1.(Erg.)/Jagdgeschwader 3 (JG 3—3rd Fighter Wing), based in the Netherlands. He claimed his first victory on 29 September 1941, when he shot down a Royal Air Force (RAF) Vickers Wellington twin-engine bomber.

On 1 January 1942, 1.(Erg.)/JG 3 was redesignated 7./Jagdgeschwader 5 (JG 5—5th Fighter Wing) and relocated to the Northern front. By the end of 1942, Dörr had increased his victory total to 12. He claimed his 20th victory on 18 August 1943. Dörr was appointed Staffelkapitän (squadron leader) of 7./JG 5 on 14 September 1943. By the end of 1943, Dörr had accumulated 37 aerial victories. May 1944 was to see Dörr begin an amazing series of victories: six victories on 16 May, four on 25 May, five on 26 May, four on 15 June, eight on 17 June, five on 27 June, seven on 28 June, five on 4 July and four on 17 July.

Oberleutnant Dörr was awarded the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross on 19 August 1944 for 99 victories. On 1 August 1944, Dörr was appointed Gruppenkommandeur (group commander) of III./JG 5. He claimed another six victories on 23 August to record his 100th through 106th aerial victories. He was the 88th Luftwaffe pilot to achieve the century mark.^[2] In October 1944, Dörr claimed 22 Russian aircraft shot down, including six on 9 October and five on 21 October.

Franz Dörr survived the war. He died on 13 October 1972 in Konstanz.

During World War II Franz Dörr was credited with 128 victories in over 437 combat missions.^[3] All but one of his victories were claimed over the Eastern Front, including 16 Il-2 Stormoviks.

Awards

• Iron Cross (1939) 2nd and 1st class
• Ehrenpokal der Luftwaffe on 28 February 1944 as Leutnant and pilot^[4]
• German Cross in Gold on 20 March 1944 as Leutnant in the 7./Jagdgeschwader 5^[5]
• Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross on 19 August 1944 as Hauptmann and Gruppenkommandeur of the III./Jagdgeschwader 5^{[6][Note 1]}
• Mentioned in the Wehrmachtbericht on 28 June 1944

Wehrmachtbericht reference

Date	Original German Wehrmachtbericht wording	Direct English translation
28 June 1944	In heftigen Luftkämpfen errangen Oberleutnant Dorr und Leutnand Norz allein 12 Luftsiege.[8]	Oberleutnant Dorr and Leutnant Norz alone achieved 12 victories in heavy aerial combat.

Notes

1. According to Scherzer as Oberleutnant and Staffelkapitän of the 7./Jagdgeschwader 5.^[7]

References

Citations

1. Spick 1996, pp. 3–4.
2. Obermaier 1989, p. 243.
3. Spick 1996, p. 230.
4. Patzwall 2008, p. 68.
5. Patzwall & Scherzer 2001, p. 90.
6. Fellgiebel 2000, p. 163.
7. Scherzer 2007, p. 277.
8. Die Wehrmachtberichte 1939-1945 Band 3, p. 141.

Bibliography

• Fellgiebel, Walther-Peer (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.
• 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.
• 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 Miltaer-Verlag. ISBN 978-3-938845-17-2.
• Spick, Mike (1996). Luftwaffe Fighter Aces. Ivy Books. ISBN 0-8041-1696-2.
• Die Wehrmachtberichte 1939–1945 Band 3, 1. Januar 1944 bis 9. Mai 1945 [The Wehrmacht Reports 1939–1945 Volume 3, 1 January 1944 to 9 May 1945] (in German). München, Germany: Deutscher Taschenbuch Verlag GmbH & Co. KG. 1985. ISBN 978-3-423-05944-2.

External links

• "Aces of the Luftwaffe". Franz Dörr. Retrieved 19 October 2007.