Günther Seeger

Günter Seeger
Nickname(s) Hupatz
Born (1918-09-09)9 September 1918
Offenbach am Main, Germany
Died 6 September 2013(2013-09-06) (aged 94)
Allegiance  Nazi Germany
 West Germany
Service/branch Luftwaffe
Years of service 1937–45
1956–74
Rank Oberleutnant (Wehrmacht)
Oberstleutnant (Bundeswehr)
Unit JG 2, JG 53
Battles/wars

World War II

Awards Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross

Günter "Hupatz" Seeger (9 September 1918 – 6 September 2013)[1] was a German Luftwaffe fighter ace and recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross during World War II. Seeger scored 56 victories in 504 missions. All his victories were recorded over the Western Front and included eight four-engine bombers.

Military career

He joined the Luftwaffe in 1937 and underwent his fighter pilot training at Werneuchen. Upon graduation, Ofw Seeger was posted to 3./JG 2 in late February, 1940.[2] He participated in the Battle of France and recorded his first victory on 8 June by shooting down a French Morane fighter near Soissons. During the Battle of Britain Seeger claimed a further three victories, including two RAF Spitfire fighters on 7 September. From 27 March to 19 June 1941, Seeger was transferred to Ergänzungsstaffel/JG 2 (JG 2's training squadron) as an instructor. He returned to front line duty in late June, with the Stab, or HQ flight, of JG 2, where he flew as wingman for several famous aces including Wilhelm Balthasar, Walter Oesau, Rudolf Pflanz and Erich Leie.[3] By November 1941, Seeger had 19 victories to his credit, when he was sent for a second stint as a trainer with Ergänzungsstaffel/JG 2.

He returned to 3./JG 2 again in January 1942. During the abortive Allied landings at Dieppe in August, Oberfeldwebel Seeger shot down three Spitfires. However, he was also shot down himself and had to bail out of his Fw 190 A-3 ('Yellow 14' W.Nr 0536)[4] and fortunately escaped injury. In September, he was recalled to Stab/JG 2 for a short time, before transferring at the beginning of November to the recently established high-altitude intercept squadron, 11./JG 2. Following the Torch landings in North Africa at the same time, the unit was immediately transferred to the Mediterranean theatre to operate from bases in Tunisia. Seeger had 24 victories to his credit at this time and had been promoted to the rank of Leutnant.

Seeger recorded nine victories over Tunisia before the unit retreated to Sicily. In February, 11./JG 2 was disbanded and absorbed into II./JG 53.[5] Seeger was assigned to 7./JG 53, and operating over Sicily and southern Italy, Seeger added 14 further victories. With the fall of Sicily in July 1943, and surrender of Italy in early September, he was sent back to Germany to recuperate from a bout of malaria. Sadly, in October, during an Allied air raid on Offenbach his mother was killed and his father injured when their house was destroyed by the bombing.[6] Returning to duty in November he was initially back with 7./JG 53, now re-equipped with Bf109G6s armed with 20 and 30mm cannons and even rockets to intercept American bombers flying over northern Italy and the Alps. At the end of January, III./JG 53 swapped roles with its fellow I./JG 53 taking up ground support missions against the recent Anzio landings, from Orvieto just north of Rome. Leutnant Seeger was awarded the Ritterkreuz on 26 March 1944 (for forty-six victories) and promoted to the rank of Oberleutnant. Seeger finally left Italy once and for all when he transferred for a short stint to gain leadership experience with the Stab flight of II./JG 53, now based in southern Germany, and led by his former squadron commander at 11./ JG2, Julius Meimberg. Because, in April, Seeger was appointed Staffelkapitän of 4./JG 53. In combat against US fighters on 13 May, he was shot down near Pritzerbe in his Bf109G6 'White 1' and received minor head injuries in the crash-landing.

Following the Allied landings in Normandy on 6 June 1944, II./JG 53 was rushed to western France. Seeger claimed four victories (including his 50th on 2 July near Caen) before the decimated Gruppe was withdrawn back to Germany in mid-July. In August his squadron was renamed 7./JG 53, and continued its futile defence against overwhelming odds and better quality pilots and equipment to the end of the year. On 2 November he was injured in a vehicle accident, and he handed over command of the squadron. Seeger did not participate in Operation Bodenplatte, the attack on Allied airfields in the Netherlands, Belgium and France on New Year's Day 1945 as he had been granted leave to marry.[7] He stayed with 7./JG 53 for the rest of the war, but chronic fuel shortages limited flight-time and he claimed only two further victories. He managed to avoid capture, making his way home to Offenbach on foot.[8][9]

After the war

His 56 victories were scored in 504 missions, all over the Western Allies, and included eight four-engined bombers. In 1956, Seeger joined the new Bundesluftwaffe. He reached the rank of Oberstleutnant before retirement in 1974.

Victories

No Date Time Unit & Airfield Kommandeur/Kommodore[10] Location / Planquad Claimed Aircraft Source / Comments[11]
1 8 June 1940 21:09 3/JG 2 - Couvron, Picardy Hptm Jürgen Roth SW of Soissons Morane 406 OKL; Prien/Bock
2 7 Sep '40 18:40 3/JG 2 - Mardyck, Dunkirk Hptm Henning Strümpell SW of Heyfield Spitfire OKL; Prien/Bock
3 7 Sep '40 18:57 3/JG 2 - Mardyck, Dunkirk Hptm Henning Strümpell E of Weybridge Spitfire OKL; Prien/Bock
4 28 Nov '40 15:07 3/JG 2 - Beaumont-le-Roger Hptm Ignaz Prestele Isle of Wight Spitfire OKL; Prien/Bock
5 25 June 1941 12:57 Stab/JG 2 - Beaumont-le-Roger Hptm Wilhelm Balthasar SE of Calais Spitfire C.2036/II AnerkNr 43
6 2 Jul '41 12:45 Stab/JG 2 - St Pol-Brias Hptm Wilhelm Balthasar SE of Merville: 2500m Blenheim C.2033/I
7 6 Jul '41 14:45 Stab/JG 2 - St Pol-Brias - 10 km E of Dover Spitfire C.2036/II AnerkNr 50
8 10 Jul '41 12:15 Stab/JG 2 - St Pol-Brias - SE of Cassel Spitfire C.2036/II AnerkNr 66
9 21 Jul '41 20:45 Stab/JG 2 - St Pol-Brias Hptm Walter Oesau 5 km SE of Boulogne Spitfire C.2036/II AnerkNr 68
10 23 Jul '41 13:25 Stab/JG 2 - St Pol-Brias Hptm Walter Oesau 15 km N of Calais Spitfire C.2036/II AnerkNr 53
11 23 Jul '41 20:40 Stab/JG 2 - St Pol-Brias Hptm Walter Oesau W of Hesdin Spitfire C.2036/II AnerkNr 60
12 23 Jul '41 20:48 Stab/JG 2 - St Pol-Brias Hptm Walter Oesau 20 km W of Berck Hurricane C.2036/II AnerkNr 65
13 12 Aug '41 11:45 Stab/JG 2 - St Pol-Brias Hptm Walter Oesau 10 km NNW of Calais: 4200m Spitfire C.2033/I
14 16 Aug '41 19:42 Stab/JG 2 - St Pol-Brias Hptm Walter Oesau 10 km NW of Calais Hurricane C.2033/I
15 21 Aug '41 10:24 Stab/JG 2 - St Pol-Brias Hptm Walter Oesau W of Calais: 5500m Spitfire C.2033/I AnerkNr11
16 21 Aug '41 20:08 Stab/JG 2 - St Pol-Brias Hptm Walter Oesau Le Trait: 4500m Spitfire C.2033/I
17 20 Sep '41 16:41 Stab/JG 2 - St Pol-Brias Hptm Walter Oesau Somme estuary Spitfire C.2036/II AnerkNr83
18 21 Sep '41 16:42 Stab/JG 2 - St Pol-Brias Hptm Walter Oesau 10 km ESE of Dover Spitfire C.2036/II AnerkNr84
19 13 Oct '41 15:40 Stab/JG 2 - St Pol-Brias Hptm Walter Oesau 10 km W of Etaples Spitfire C.2033/I AnerkNr13
20 19 August 1942 7:15 3/JG 2 - Triqueville, Normandy Hptm Erich Leie 8 km N of Dieppe: 50m Spitfire C.2036/II AnerkNr11
21 19 Aug '42 11:33 3/JG 2 - Triqueville Hptm Erich Leie 4 km N of Dieppe: 50m Spitfire C.2036/II
22 19 Aug '42 11:39 3/JG 2 - Triqueville Hptm Erich Leie 7 km N of Dieppe: 800m Spitfire C.2031/II AnerkNr13
23 24 Aug '42 12:20 3/JG 2 - Triqueville Hptm Erich Leie 18 km N of Boulogne Spitfire Prien/Bock
24 31 Oct '42 18:08 3/JG 2 - Triqueville Hptm Erich Leie 1276/05 Ost: 600m Spitfire C.2035/II AnerkNr 12
25 28 Nov '42 ? 11/JG 2 - Bizerte, Tunisia Oblt Julius Meimberg N of Bizerte P-38 Prien/Bock
26 2 Dec '42 8:31 11/JG 2 - Bizerte, Tunisia Oblt Julius Meimberg 10 km W of Tebourda Spitfire Prien/Bock
27 3 January 1943 12:21 6/JG 53 - Bizerte, Tunisia Hptm Gerhard Michalski 30 km SW of Kairouan: 100m P-40 C.2031/II AnerkNr 55 or 85
28 3 Jan '43 12:26 6/JG 53 - Bizerte, Tunisia Hptm Gerhard Michalski 30 km SW of Kairouan: 100m A-20 C.2031/II AnerkNr 84
29 3 Jan '43 12:26 6/JG 53 - Bizerte, Tunisia Hptm Gerhard Michalski 30 km SW of Kairouan: 400m A-20 C.2031/II AnerkNr 86
30 5 Jan '43 12:02 6/JG 53 - Bizerte, Tunisia Hptm Gerhard Michalski 8 km W of Jaffna Spitfire C.2031/II
31 23 Mar '43 16:03 7/JG 53 - San Pietro, Sicily Hptm Franz Götz Cap Vito: 8000m B-17 C.2031/II AnerkNr 234
32 31 Mar '43 13:27 7/JG 53 - San Pietro, Sicily Hptm Franz Götz 35 km NW of Gabes: 30m B-25 C.2031/II AnerkNr 237
33 10 May '43 13:57 7/JG 53 - Sciacca, Sicily Hptm Franz Götz 2 km S of Haranzeh: 7500m P-38 C.2031/II
34 21 May '43 12:15 7/JG 53 - Sciacca, Sicily Hptm Franz Götz 55 km SW of Marsala: 8000m P-38 C.2031/II
35 5 Jul '43 11:37 7/JG 53 - Torrazzo, Sicily Hptm Franz Götz 17 km SW of Gerbini: 7000m B-17 C.2027/I
36 6 Jul '43 15:05 7/JG 53 - Torrazzo, Sicily Hptm Franz Götz 8 km NE of Ragusa: 800m Spitfire C.2027/I
- 10 Jul '43 19:32 7/JG 53 - Torrazzo, Sicily Hptm Franz Götz - Spitfire Prien JG53 Lists f.1680, duplicated ?
- 10 Jul '43 19:36 7/JG 53 - Torrazzo, Sicily Hptm Franz Götz - Spitfire Prien JG53 Lists f.1680, duplicated?
37 12 Jul '43 19:32 7/JG 53 - Torrazzo, Sicily Hptm Franz Götz 4 km W of Avola: 2500m Spitfire C.2027/I
38 12 Jul '43 19:35 7/JG 53 - Torrazzo, Sicily Hptm Franz Götz 4 km W of Avola: 4000m Spitfire C.2027/I
39 12 Jul '43 19:42 7/JG 53 - Torrazzo, Sicily Hptm Franz Götz 1 km S of Syracuse: 2400m Spitfire C.2027/I
40 16 Aug '43 12:50 7/JG 53 - Grazzanise, Naples Hptm Franz Götz Forenza: 6000m B-24 C.2031/II
41 19 Aug '43 12:15 7/JG 53 - Grazzanise, Naples Hptm Franz Götz 25 km SW of Foggia: 7000m B-17 C.2031/II
42 20 Aug '43 12:35 7/JG 53 - Grazzanise, Naples Hptm Franz Götz 5 km NE of Marsa: 2500m P-38 C.2031/II
43 22 Aug '43 12:22 7/JG 53 - Grazzanise, Naples Hptm Franz Götz 60 km SW of Capri Is: 800m B-26 C.2031/II AnerkNr 305
44 10 Nov '43 11:55 7/JG 53 - Reggio-Emilia Hptm Franz Götz 15 km N of Florence: 7500m B-17 C.2031/II AnerkNr 8
45 16 Dec '43 12:30 7/JG 53 - Reggio-Emilia Hptm Franz Götz 30 km SE of Padua: 7500m P-38 C.2031/II AnerkNr 191
46 29 January 1944 14:21 7/JG 53 - Orvieto Hptm Franz Götz - B-26 Prien JG53 Lists f.1681
47 29 Apr '44 11:10 4/JG 53 - Frankfurt-Eschborn Hptm Julius Meimberg SW of Königslutter: 7000m B-17 C. 2027/I AnerkNr 139
48 11 May '44 18:46 4/JG 53 - Frankfurt-Eschborn Hptm Julius Meimberg area of Trier: 6000m B-17 C. 2027/I AnerkNr 138
49 12 Jun '44 10:21 4/JG 53 - Vannes, Brittany Maj Julius Meimberg 30 km NW of Rennes: 6000m B-24 C. 2027/II AnerkNr 18
50 2 Jul '44 15:16 4/JG 53 - Champfleury Maj Julius Meimberg 10 km SSE of Caen: 1200m Spitfire C. 2027/II AnerkNr 170
51 9 Jul '44 13:30 4/JG 53 - Champfleury Maj Julius Meimberg 10 km SW of Caen P-47 Prien JG53 Lists f.1684
52 9 Jul '44 13:31 4/JG 53 - Champfleury Maj Julius Meimberg 10 km SW of Caen P-47 Prien JG53 Lists f.1684
53 22 Aug '44 19:27 7/JG 53 - La Fère, Picardy Maj Julius Meimberg 15 km NW of Fere-en-Tardenois: 4800m P-38 C. 2025/I
54 13 Oct '44 15:44 7/JG 53 - Lorsch, Frankfurt Maj Julius Meimberg N of Ramstein: 2000m P-47 C.2027/II
55 7 April 1945 16:09 7/JG 53 - Ulm Maj Julius Meimberg area of Bad Mergentehim Auster Prien JG53 Lists
56 13 Apr '45 18:35 7/JG 53 - Ulm Maj Julius Meimberg area of Baden-Baden P-47 Prien JG53 Lists

Awards

References

Citations
  1. ↑ Fliegerblatt Magazine 6/2013, page 98
  2. ↑ Luftwaffe Officer Career Summaries website.
  3. ↑ Aces of the Luftwaffe website.
  4. ↑ Aces of the Luftwaffe website.
  5. ↑ Weal 2001, pp.97.
  6. ↑ Aces of the Luftwaffe website.
  7. ↑ Aces of the Luftwaffe website.
  8. ↑ Aces of the Luftwaffe website.
  9. ↑ Luftwaffe Officer Career Summaries website.
  10. ↑ Luftwaffe Air Units: Single–Engined Fighters website.
  11. ↑ Aces of the Luftwaffe website.
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. 
  • Weal, John (1996). Bf109D/E Aces 1939-41 Oxford: Osprey Publishing Ltd. ISBN 1-85532-487-3.
  • Weal, John (2001). Aviation Elite Units #1: Jagdgeschwader 2 'Richthofen’ Oxford: Osprey Publishing Ltd. ISBN 1-84176-046-3
  • Weal, John (2007). Aviation Elite Units #25: Jagdgeschwader 53 Pik-As’ Oxford: Osprey Publishing Ltd. ISBN 978-1-84603-204-2

External links

Military Offices held

Military offices
Preceded by
unknown		 Squadron Leader of 4./JG 53
April, 1944 – 16 August 1944 		Succeeded by
none: unit renamed 7./JG 53
Preceded by
new unit		 Squadron Leader of 7./JG 53
17 August 1944 – 2 November 1944 		Succeeded by
Ltn Rudolf Hocke
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