# Johann Pichler

Johann Pichler (15 December 1912 – 16 February 1995) was a Luftwaffe ace and recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross during World War II. The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross was awarded to recognise extreme battlefield bravery or successful military leadership. During his career Johann Pichler was credited with between 52 and 75 aerial victories.

## Career

Pichler was born on 15 December 1912 in Oberschweinbach in the Kingdom of Bavaria within the German Empire. In November 1934, Pichler joined the military service of the Wehrmacht, initially serving in the Army.
In preparation for Operation Marita, the German invasion of Greece, III. Gruppe of JG 77 was moved to Deta in western Romania on 4 April 1941.

### Mediterranean Theater and Romania

On 23 October 1942, the British Eighth Army launched the Second Battle of El Alamein. Preceding this attack, the Luftwaffe had already planned to replace Jagdgeschwader 27 (JG 27—27th Fighter Wing), which had been fighting in North African theater, with JG 77. In preparation for this rotation, III. Gruppe of JG 77 was moved to Munich on 19 October where it was equipped with the Messerschmitt Bf 109 G-2/trop. On 23 and 24 October, the Gruppe moved to Bari in southern Italy. The Gruppe then relocated to Tobruk Airfield on 26 October. The following day, the Gruppe moved to an airfield at Tanyet-Harun.
On 14 July 1943, Pichler was shot down and wounded during aerial combat with Supermarine Spitfire fighters northwest of Lentini, he bailed out of his Bf 109 G-6 (Werknummer 18151—factory number). On 28 July 1944, Pichler was again shot down and severely wounded. Following aerial combat in the area of Pitești, he bailed out of his Bf 109 G-6 (Werknummer 165685) near Titu. Taken to a hospital, Pichler was captured and taken prisoner of war by advancing Soviet forces on 30 August. He was released from Soviet captivity in January 1950. Upon his return to Germany, he was informed that he had been awarded the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross (Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes) on 19 August 1944.

## Later life

Pichler died on 16 February 1995 at the age of 82 in Oberschweinbach, Germany.

## Summary of career
### Aerial victory claims

According to Spick, Pichler was credited with 75 aerial victories claimed in approximately 700 combat missions. This number includes 29 claims on the Eastern Front and 45 claims over the Western Allies, including sixteen heavy bombers. Mathews and Foreman, authors of Luftwaffe Aces — Biographies and Victory Claims, researched the German Federal Archives and found records for 39 aerial victory claims, and one further unconfirmed claim. This figure includes 16 aerial victory over the Western Allies, including ten heavy bombers, and 23 on the Eastern Front.
Victory claims were logged to a map-reference (PQ = Planquadrat), for example "PQ 3787". The Luftwaffe grid map (Jägermeldenetz) covered all of Europe, western Russia and North Africa and was composed of rectangles measuring 15 minutes of latitude by 30 minutes of longitude, an area of about 360 square miles (930 km$^2$). These sectors were then subdivided into 36 smaller units to give a location area 3 km × 4 km (1.9 mi × 2.5 mi) in size.
Chronicle of aerial victories :
| This along with the * (asterisk) indicates an Herausschuss (separation shot)—a severely damaged heavy bomber forced to separate from his combat box which was counted as an aerial victory.  This and the ? (question mark) indicates information discrepancies listed by Prien, Stemmer, Rodeike, Balke, Bock, Mathews and Foreman. ||||||||||
| Claim | Date | Time | Type | Location | Claim | Date | Time | Type | Location |
| – 7. Staffel of Jagdgeschwader 77 – Balkans and Crete — 1 April – 1 June 1941 ||||||||||
| 1 | 16 May 1941 | 16:48 | Hurricane | 7 km (4.3 mi) west of Lakki | | | | | |
| – 7. Staffel of Jagdgeschwader 77 – Operation Barbarossa — 22 June – 5 December 1941 ||||||||||
| 2 | 10 July 1941 | 17:40 | I-16 | | 10 | 5 September 1941 | 13:55 | I-61 (MiG-3) | |
| 3 | 10 July 1941 | 17:48 | I-16 | | 11 | 7 September 1941 | 09:36 | I-61 (MiG-3) | |
| 4 | 31 July 1941 | 11:34 | I-61 (MiG-3) | | 12 | 24 September 1941 | 17:14 | MiG-3 | PQ 3787 |
| 5? | 31 July 1941 | — | I-61 (MiG-3) | | 13 | 26 September 1941 | 12:52 | Pe-2 | |
| 6 | 14 August 1941 | 17:42 | DB-3 | | 14 | 19 October 1941 | 16:11 | I-15 | |
| 7 | 15 August 1941 | 17:45 | PS-84 | | 15 | 23 October 1941 | 16:21 | I-15 | |
| 8 | 5 September 1941 | 07:38 | I-61 (MiG-3) | | 16 | 6 November 1941 | 10:50 | I-16 | |
| 9 | 5 September 1941 | 07:45 | I-61 (MiG-3) | | | | | | |
| – 7. Staffel of Jagdgeschwader 77 – Eastern Front — 6 December 1941 – 20 March 1942 ||||||||||
| 17 | 15 January 1942 | 08:45 | DB-3 | | 19 | 15 January 1942 | 13:28 | SB-2 | |
| 18 | 15 January 1942 | 13:20 | I-301 (LaGG-3) | | 20? | 15 January 1942 | — | unknown | |
| According to Prien, Stemmer, Rodeike and Bock, the exact number of aerial victories Pichler had claimed by 20 March 1942 on the Eastern Front cannot be verified. The figure could be 23 aerial victories, potentially up to 25 claims. ||||||||||
| | 16 March 1942 | 11:02 | DB-3 | | | 19 March 1942 | 13:12 | I-153 | |
| | 16 March 1942 | 17:22 | I-153 | PQ 5684 | | | | | |
| – 7. Staffel of Jagdgeschwader 77 – Eastern Front — 1 May – 16 October 1942 ||||||||||
| According to Prien, Stemmer, Rodeike and Bock, Pichler claimed three additional victories, two which in February/March 1942. ||||||||||
| | 17 May 1942 | 08:35 | I-153 | | | 12 June 1942 | 06:57 | I-153 | |
| – 7. Staffel of Jagdgeschwader 77 – Mediterranean Theater, North Africa — 1 January – May 1943 ||||||||||
| 29 | 14 January 1943 | 11:10 | P-40 | PQ 13 Ost 52512, northwest of Bir el Gheddahia | 32 | 4 April 1943 | 17:07 | B-25 | PQ 03 Ost 96831, northwest of Sidi Bouzid |
| 30 | 14 January 1943 | 11:26 | P-40 | PQ 13 Ost 42153, west of Bir Dufan | 33 | 5 April 1943 | 14:30 | B-25 | PQ 03 Ost 96683, south of Fondouk |
| 31 | 18 January 1943 | 14:24 | B-17 | PQ 13 Ost 53724, south of Misrata | | | | | |
| – 7. Staffel of Jagdgeschwader 77 – Mediterranean Theater, Italy — June – 14 July 1943 ||||||||||
| 34 | 18 June 1943 | 10:12 | P-38 | PQ 04 Ost 9196, northeast of the Sardinian coast | ? | 13 July 1943 | — | P-38 | |
| 35 | 24 June 1943 | 09:56 | P-38 | PQ 04 Ost 81651, east of Montresta | ? | 14 July 1943 | — | B-26 | |
| – 7. Staffel of Jagdgeschwader 77 – Romania and Hungary — 1 January – 28 July 1944 ||||||||||
| 36 | 4 April 1944 | 13:52 | B-24* | PQ 24 6573 25 km (16 mi) northeast of Giurgiu | 41 | 28 June 1944 | 09:54 | B-24* | PQ 24 Ost 5548 Romania |
| 37 | 15 April 1944 | 12:55 | B-17 | PQ 24 Ost 55522 10 km (6.2 mi) south of Târgșoru Nou | 42 | 3 July 1944 | 11:50 | B-24 | PQ 24 Ost 5555 40 km (25 mi) southeast of Caracal |
| 38 | 5 May 1944 | 13:55 | B-24* | PQ 24 Ost 55263 25 km (16 mi) south of Câmpulung | 43 | 3 July 1944 | 12:15 | B-24 | PQ 24 Ost 44254 20 km (12 mi) northwest of Svistov |
| 39 | 5 May 1944 | 14:17 | B-24 | PQ 24 Ost 56773 55 km (34 mi) east-northeast of Caracal | 44 | 3 July 1944 | 12:15 | B-24 | PQ 24 Ost 44353 60 km (37 mi) west-southwest of Otopeni |
| 40 | 18 May 1944 | 11:32 | B-17 | PQ 24 55719 20 km (12 mi) west of Băneasa | ? | 22 July 1944 | — | B-24 | |
| ? | 31 May 1944 | — | B-24 | | ? | 28 July 1944 | — | B-24 | |
| ? | 10 June 1944 | — | P-38 | | | | | | |

### Awards and decorations

* Iron Cross (1939) 2nd and 1st Class
* Honor Goblet of the Luftwaffe on 25 June 1943 as Oberfeldwebel and pilot
* German Cross in Gold on 18 March 1943 as Oberfeldwebel in the 7./Jagdgeschwader 77
* Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross on 19 August 1944 as Fahnenjunker-Oberfeldwebel and pilot in the 7./Jagdgeschwader 77