# Friedrich Obleser

Friedrich-Erich Obleser (21 February 1923 – 5 June 2004) was a German general in the Bundeswehr. During World War II, he served as a fighter pilot in the Luftwaffe. A fighter ace, Obleser was credited with 120 aerial victories and was a recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross, the highest award in the military and paramilitary forces of Nazi Germany during World War II. For his post-war service in the German Air Force, he received the Grand Cross with Star of the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany.

## Early life and career

Obleser was born on 21 February 1923 in Pottenstein in the district of Baden in Lower Austria in Austria. In 1940, he volunteered for military service in the Luftwaffe. Following flight training, Obleser was assigned to 8. Staffel (8th squadron) of Jagdgeschwader 52 (JG 52—52nd Fighter Wing), a squadron of III. Gruppe of JG 52.

## World War II

World War II in Europe had begun on Friday 1 September 1939 when German forces invaded Poland. In January 1943, Obleser arrived with 8. Staffel under command of Hauptmann Günther Rall at the Gigant airfield which was located in the vicinity of Salsk. At the time, the Red Army had launched Operation Koltso, the final phase of the Battle of Stalingrad. Rall made Obleser his wingman and also appointed him as technical officer of the Staffel, a position which was responsible for the overall readiness of the equipment and aircraft. Obleser flew his first combat mission on 12 January 1943 on the Eastern Front. There, he claimed his first aerial victory on 28 March over a Bell P-39 Airacobra. On 28 May 1943, Obleser was wounded when his Messerschmitt Bf 109 G-4 (Werknummer 19284—factory number) was hit by anti-aircraft artillery resulting in a forced landing at Varenikovskaya. Following his convalescence, he was appointed Staffelkapitän (squadron leader) of 8. Staffel of JG 52 on 6 July 1943, succeeding Rall who took command of III. Gruppe. Obleser received the Honor Goblet of the Luftwaffe (Ehrenpokal der Luftwaffe) on 8 November 1943 and the German Cross in Gold (Deutsches Kreuz in Gold) six days later.
Obleser was awarded the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross (Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes) on 23 March 1944 following his 80th aerial victory. At one point he questioned the aerial victory claims made by Erich Hartmann. Hartmann asked Rall to have Obleser transferred to be Hartmann's wingman for a while. Obleser became a witness on some of Hartmann's claims and no longer questioned Hartmann's claims. On 21 July 1944, Obleser was credited with his 100th aerial victory. He was the 87th Luftwaffe pilot to achieve the century mark.
On 12 December, III. Gruppe moved to an airfield at Zagórze, located 36 kilometers (22 miles) west of Kraków. The Gruppe flew relatively few missions at the time. Obleser toyed around with a Panzerfaust, a recoil-less anti-tank weapon, in an attempt to increase its firing range. On 30 December, Obleser was severely wounded when a Panzerfaust exploded in his hand. He did not see any further action before the end of the war in May 1945. He was temporarily replaced by Leutnant Karl Gratz until Leutnant Viktor Petermann officially succeeded Obleser on 7 January 1945 as commander of 10. Staffel.

## Later life

After Obleser was released from US captivity, he worked as a commissioner of a recycling company, which predominantly had to dismantle and dispose of bomber aircraft. He then became head of an industrial application department in the private industry. In 1956, Obleser continued his military career, joining the German Air Force of West Germany as a Hauptmann. Following multiple assignments to various fighter units, Obleser was appointed wing commander of Jagdgeschwader 72 in Leck, later known as Jagdbombergeschwader 43, and then commander of Jagdbombergeschwader 31 "Boelcke". Obleser then held the position of system officer for the multirole combat aircraft (MRCA) within the German Air Staff. He then was appointed general manager of the NATO MRCA Management Agency.
Obleser then served as chief of the Air Force Office (Luftwaffenamt) and commanding general of the Air Force Support Command (Luftwaffenunterstützungskommando). From 1 October 1978 until his retirement on 31 March 1983, he held the position of Inspector of the Air Force in the Bundeswehr, achieving the rank of Generalleutnant.
In June 1981, the Federal Minister of Defence Hans Apel threatened Obleser with early retirement following Obleser's report to the Defense Committee of the German Bundestag (Verteidigungsausschuss des Deutschen Bundestages). Obleser had stated that, due to the latest defense budget cut, the German Air Force could only partially fulfill its obligations. Apel had viewed Obleser's statement as lack of loyalty towards his superiors. Earlier in March 1981, although skeptical of the proposal, Obleser had approved two budget cuts suggested by Inspector General of the Bundeswehr Jürgen Brandt.
Obleser died of natural causes on 5 June 2004 in Neunkirchen-Seelscheid, at 81 years of age.

## Summary of career
### Aerial victory claims

According to US historian David T. Zabecki, Obleser was credited with 120 aerial victories. Mathews and Foreman, authors of Luftwaffe Aces — Biographies and Victory Claims, researched the German Federal Archives and state that Obleser was credited with 112 aerial victories, all of which claimed on the Eastern Front. In addition to these claims, Obleser claimed nine undocumented aerial victories over United States Army Air Forces aircraft, two heavy bombers and seven fighter aircraft.
Victory claims were logged to a map-reference (PQ = Planquadrat), for example "PQ 34 Ost 86724". 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 and the ♠ (Ace of spades) indicates those aerial victories which made Obleser an "ace-in-a-day", a term which designates a fighter pilot who has shot down five or more airplanes in a single day.  This and the ? (question mark) indicates information discrepancies listed by Barbas, Prien, Stemmer, Rodeike, Bock, Mathews and Foreman. ||||||||||
| Claim | Date | Time | Type | Location | Claim | Date | Time | Type | Location |
| – 8. Staffel of Jagdgeschwader 52 – Eastern Front — 4 February – 31 December 1943 ||||||||||
| 1 | 28 March 1943 | 05:37 | P-39 | PQ 34 Ost 86724 vicinity of Tichonowskij | 42 | 22 August 1943 | 08:23 | LaGG-3 | PQ 34 Ost 88283, southwest of Kuybyshev 1 km (0.62 mi) south of Jalisawehino |
| 2 | 11 April 1943 | 15:55 | P-39 | PQ 34 Ost 85153 vicinity of Nowo Nekrassowskij | 43 | 22 August 1943 | 18:00 | LaGG-3 | PQ 34 Ost 88284 10 km (6.2 mi) southwest of Jalisawehino |
| 3 | 20 April 1943 | 07:04 | LaGG-3 | PQ 34 Ost 85192 vicinity of Erdol | 44 | 24 August 1943 | 12:44 | Il-2 m.H. | PQ 34 Ost 88282, west of Kuibyschewo 5 km (3.1 mi) southeast of Jalisawehino |
| 4 | 21 April 1943 | 10:57 | LaGG-3 | PQ 34 Ost 75452 8 km (5.0 mi) south of Novorossiysk | 45 | 24 August 1943 | 15:13 | Il-2 | PQ 34 Ost 88252, Marinowka 25 km (16 mi) east-northeast of Kuteinykove |
| ? | 21 April 1943 | 11:05 | Il-2 | 8 km (5.0 mi) south of Novorossiysk | 46 | 26 August 1943 | 06:49 | P-39 | PQ 34 Ost 88273 15 km (9.3 mi) west-southwest of Jalisawehino |
| 5 | 21 April 1943 | 11:06 | Yak-1? | PQ 34 Ost 75 Black Sea, 10 km (6.2 mi) south of Novorossiysk | 47 | 29 August 1943 | 06:24 | P-39 | PQ 34 Ost 88343 25 km (16 mi) southwest of Kuteinykove |
| 6 | 24 April 1943 | 16:48 | P-39 | PQ 34 Ost 75 444 Black Sea, 10 km (6.2 mi) southwest of Novorossiysk | 48 | 5 September 1943 | 17:15 | Il-2 m.H. | PQ 34 Ost 79484 25 km (16 mi) north-northeast of Grischino |
| 7 | 24 April 1943 | 16:53 | Il-2 m.H. | PQ 34 Ost 75461 Black Sea, 5 km (3.1 mi) west of Kabardinka | 49 | 14 September 1943 | 09:25 | LaGG-3 | PQ 34 Ost 69413 20 km (12 mi) east of Polohy |
| 8? | 27 April 1943 | 14:18 | LaGG-3 | PQ 34 Ost 76713 | 50 | 18 September 1943 | 07:30 | Il-2 m.H. | PQ 34 Ost 69711 30 km (19 mi) north-northwest of Pokrowskoje |
| 9 | 27 April 1943 | 16:03 | LaGG-3 | PQ 34 Ost 75713 over sea, south of Gelendzhik | 51 | 18 September 1943 | 13:40 | LaGG-3 | PQ 34 Ost 68373 15 km (9.3 mi) west-northwest of Polohy |
| 10 | 27 April 1943 | 16:20 | LaGG-3 | PQ 34 Ost 85112 north of Mertschanskaja | 52♠ | 19 September 1943 | 05:25 | LaGG-3 | PQ 34 Ost 59444 20 km (12 mi) west-northwest of Pavlohrad |
| 11 | 30 April 1943 | 14:50 | LaGG-3 | PQ 34 Ost 85113, east of Krymskaja east of Krymsk | 53♠ | 19 September 1943 | 08:07 | LaGG-3 | PQ 34 Ost 59524 15 km (9.3 mi) east of Dnepropetrovsk |
| 12 | 3 May 1943 | 05:08 | I-153? | PQ 34 Ost 76854 east of Varenikovskaya | 54♠ | 19 September 1943 | 08:10 | Il-2 m.H. | PQ 34 Ost 59553 25 km (16 mi) south-southeast of Dnepropetrovsk |
| 13 | 3 May 1943 | 05:12 | I-153 | PQ 34 Ost 76862 vicinity of Imeni Dimitrowo | 55♠ | 19 September 1943 | 15:07 | Il-2 m.H. | PQ 34 Ost 59583 25 km (16 mi) east of Dnepropetrovsk |
| 14 | 4 May 1943 | 15:55 | LaGG-3 | PQ 34 Ost 85313 southeast of Schapssugskaja | 56♠ | 19 September 1943 | 15:26 | Il-2 m.H. | PQ 34 Ost 59641 20 km (12 mi) southwest of Pavlohrad |
| 15 | 5 May 1943 | 07:22? | LaGG-3 | PQ 34 Ost 85174, southwest of Abinskaja vicinity of Nowenjkij | 57 | 21 September 1943 | 13:40 | LaGG-3 | PQ 34 Ost 59383 south-southeast of Dnepropetrovsk |
| 16 | 5 May 1943 | 07:38? | LaGG-3 | PQ 34 Ost 85161 west of Eriwanskaja | 58 | 23 September 1943 | 14:07 | Il-2 m.H. | PQ 34 Ost 58993 15 km (9.3 mi) east-southeast of Zaporizhia |
| 17 | 6 May 1943 | 05:15 | Il-2 m.H. | PQ 34 Ost 75241 vicinity of Neberdshajewskaja | 59 | 25 September 1943 | 15:03 | LaGG-3 | PQ 34 Ost 58672 10 km (6.2 mi) northwest of Bolschoj-Tokmak |
| 18 | 8 May 1943 | 16:05 | Spitfire | PQ 34 Ost 85113, east of Krymskaja east of Krymsk | 60 | 25 September 1943 | 15:05 | LaGG-3 | PQ 34 Ost 58673 10 km (6.2 mi) northwest of Bolschoj-Tokmak |
| 19 | 9 May 1943 | 07:20 | LaGG-3 | PQ 34 Ost 75262 south of Krymsk | 61 | 26 September 1943 | 06:51 | P-39 | PQ 34 Ost 58673 10 km (6.2 mi) northwest of Bolschoj-Tokmak |
| 20 | 11 May 1943 | 06:29 | LaGG | PQ 34 Ost 85152, north of Abinskaja east of Sorin | 62 | 26 September 1943 | 07:10 | Il-2 | PQ 34 Ost 58331 15 km (9.3 mi) southwest of Zaporizhia |
| 21 | 11 May 1943 | 06:40 | LaGG-3 | PQ 34 Ost 86112 north of Mertschanskaja | 63 | 27 September 1943 | 14:15 | LaGG | PQ 34 Ost 58192 15 km (9.3 mi) east-southeast of Zaporizhia |
| 22 | 22 May 1943 | 09:25 | LaGG-3 | PQ 34 Ost 85563 over sea, south of Gelendzhik | 64 | 29 September 1943 | 14:10 | Il-2 m.H. | PQ 34 Ost 58672, Bolschoj Tokmak 10 km (6.2 mi) northwest of Bolschoj-Tokmak |
| 23 | 26 May 1943 | 13:19 | LaGG-3 | PQ 34 Ost 76861 north of Kessjetowa | 65 | 30 September 1943 | 11:23 | P-39 | PQ 34 Ost 58564, northeast of Michailowka vicinity of Kalinowka |
| 24 | 26 May 1943 | 16:05 | LaGG-3 | PQ 34 Ost 76894 vicinity of Kijewakoje | 66 | 1 October 1943 | 06:50 | LaGG-3 | PQ 34 Ost 58674 10 km (6.2 mi) northwest of Bolschoj-Tokmak |
| 25 | 27 May 1943 | 06:35 | LaGG-3 | PQ 34 Ost 85113, east of Krymskaja east of Krymsk | 67 | 1 October 1943 | 07:20 | Il-2 m.H. | PQ 34 Ost 58133 20 km (12 mi) northeast of Zaporizhia |
| 26 | 28 May 1943 | 12:12 | LaGG-3 | PQ 34 Ost 76894 vicinity of Kijewakoje | 68 | 1 October 1943 | 12:25 | LaGG-3 | PQ 34 Ost 58561 vicinity of Kalinowka |
| 27 | 3 August 1943 | 08:45 | Il-2 m.H. | PQ 35 Ost 61293 25 km (16 mi) southeast of Prochorowka | 69 | 3 October 1943 | 08:23 | LaGG-3 | PQ 34 Ost 58153 northeast of Zaporizhia |
| 28 | 3 August 1943 | 18:39 | LaGG-3 | PQ 35 Ost 61194 10 km (6.2 mi) east of Krasnyi Lyman | 70 | 3 October 1943 | 16:12 | LaGG-3 | PQ 34 Ost 58583 20 km (12 mi) northwest of Beloserka |
| 29 | 4 August 1943 | 04:48 | LaGG-3 | PQ 35 Ost 61332, northwest of Belgorod 10 km (6.2 mi) north of Tomarovka | 71 | 4 October 1943 | 11:45 | LaGG-3 | PQ 34 Ost 58672, Bolschoj Tokmak 10 km (6.2 mi) northwest of Bolschoj-Tokmak |
| 30 | 4 August 1943 | 10:55 | Il-2 | PQ 35 Ost 61154 10 km (6.2 mi) north of Krasnyi Lyman | 72 | 6 October 1943 | 07:10 | P-39 | PQ 34 Ost 58674 10 km (6.2 mi) northwest of Bolschoj-Tokmak |
| 31 | 4 August 1943 | 15:15 | Il-2 m.H. | PQ 34 Ost 61624 20 km (12 mi) southeast of Belgorod | 73 | 7 October 1943 | 07:44 | LaGG-3 | PQ 34 Ost 49173 55 km (34 mi) east-northeast of Myronivka |
| 32 | 5 August 1943 | 09:43 | LaGG-3 | PQ 35 Ost 61412 15 km (9.3 mi) north of Belgorod | 74 | 7 October 1943 | 11:10 | LaGG-3 | PQ 34 Ost 49322, west of Schulgowka 60 km (37 mi) west-northwest of Dnepropetrovsk |
| 33 | 7 August 1943 | 08:46 | LaGG-3 | PQ 35 Ost 51612 10 km (6.2 mi) west of Grayvoron | 75 | 7 October 1943 | 11:15 | LaGG-3 | PQ 34 Ost 49321 60 km (37 mi) west-northwest of Dnepropetrovsk |
| 34 | 8 August 1943 | 15:00 | LaGG-3 | PQ 35 Ost 61532 15 km (9.3 mi) southwest of Belgorod | 76 | 8 October 1943 | 06:40 | LaGG-3 | PQ 34 Ost 49321 60 km (37 mi) west-northwest of Dnepropetrovsk |
| 35 | 9 August 1943 | 05:35 | LaGG-3 | PQ 35 Ost 61652 15 km (9.3 mi) northwest of Vovchansk | 77 | 8 October 1943 | 13:06 | LaGG-3 | PQ 34 Ost 58683 5 km (3.1 mi) north of Bolschoj-Tokmak |
| 36 | 9 August 1943 | 05:39 | LaGG-3 | PQ 35 Ost 61633 15 km (9.3 mi) north of Vovchansk | 78 | 10 October 1943 | 06:00 | Il-2 m.H. | PQ 34 Ost 58164, east of Zaporizhia 20 km (12 mi) east of Zaporizhia |
| 37 | 14 August 1943 | 14:52 | Pe-2 | PQ 35 Ost 60163 15 km (9.3 mi) east-southeast of Kharkiv | 79 | 28 November 1943 | 14:35 | LaGG-3 | PQ 34 Ost 48644 20 km (12 mi) south-southeast of Nikopol |
| 38 | 19 August 1943 | 09:32 | LaGG-3 | PQ 34 Ost 88263 10 km (6.2 mi) east of Marinowka | 80 | 7 December 1943 | 13:53 | Il-2 m.H. | north of Nowa Praha north Nowaja Praga |
| 39 | 19 August 1943 | 11:38 | LaGG-3 | PQ 34 Ost 88254, Kalinowka vicinity of Dmitrijewka | 81 | 17 December 1943 | 13:45 | Boston | northeast of Losowatka northeast of Losowatka |
| 40 | 19 August 1943 | 11:44 | LaGG-3 | PQ 34 Ost 88281 5 km (3.1 mi) southwest of Jalisawehino | 82 | 19 December 1943 | 12:10 | Il-2 m.H. | south of Nowo-Dnjeprowka |
| 41 | 21 August 1943 | 13:20 | Il-2 | PQ 34 Ost 88283, southwest of Kuibyschewo 1 km (0.62 mi) south of Jalisawehino | | | | | |
| – 8. Staffel of Jagdgeschwader 52 – Eastern Front — 1 January – 31 December 1944 ||||||||||
| 83 | 7 January 1944 | 11:35 | P-39 | PQ 39763 20 km (12 mi) west-southwest of Perekop | 95 | 15 April 1944 | 16:18 | Il-2 | PQ 35311 Black Sea, 35 km (22 mi) west-northwest of Sevastopol |
| 84 | 15 January 1944 | 10:30 | Il-2 | PQ 19494 25 km (16 mi) west of Kirovograd | 96 | 17 April 1944 | 15:30 | LaGG | PQ 35451 Dzhankoi |
| 85 | 23 January 1944 | 10:30 | P-39 | PQ 38824 45 km (28 mi) south of Apostolove | 97 | 27 June 1944 | 19:40 | Pe-2 | PQ 95243 |
| 86 | 30 January 1944 | 12:02 | LaGG | PQ 19152 25 km (16 mi) south-southwest of Signajewka | 98 | 7 July 1944 | 15:15 | LaGG | PQ 55393 45 km (28 mi) east of Otopeni |
| 87 | 1 February 1944 | 07:28 | LaGG | PQ 19274 25 km (16 mi) south-southeast of Signajewka | 99 | 19 July 1944 | 14:45 | P-39 | PQ 42552 25 km (16 mi) northwest of Liuboml |
| 88 | 1 February 1944 | 10:06 | LaGG | PQ 19134 10 km (6.2 mi) south-southwest of Signajewka | 100 | 21 July 1944 | 18:58 | P-39 | PQ 31876 20 km (12 mi) south of Rawa Ruska |
| 89 | 26 February 1944 | 12:02 | Pe-2 | PQ 19452 30 km (19 mi) west-northwest of Kirovograd | 101 | 24 July 1944 | 18:28 | LaGG | PQ 30694 5 km (3.1 mi) northeast of Stryj |
| 90 | 14 March 1944 | 15:34 | LaGG | PQ 70543 15 km (9.3 mi) southeast of Balakleya | 102 | 12 August 1944 | 14:04 | LaGG | PQ 11383 25 km (16 mi) north-northwest of Mielec |
| 91 | 21 March 1944 | 16:21 | LaGG | PQ 70551 20 km (12 mi) north of Izium | 103 | 17 August 1944 | 12:44 | P-39 | PQ 11474 20 km (12 mi) southwest of Sandomierz |
| 92 | 31 March 1944 | 15:53? | LaGG | PQ 51783 10 km (6.2 mi) southeast of Brody | 104 | 22 August 1944 | 15:20 | P-39 | PQ 11417 15 km (9.3 mi) west of Sandomierz |
| 93 | 4 April 1944 | 14:03 | LaGG | PQ 50674 25 km (16 mi) south of Ternopol | 105 | 22 August 1944 | 15:33 | LaGG | PQ 11287 10 km (6.2 mi) north of Sandomierz |
| 94 | 15 April 1944 | 16:15 | LaGG | Laspinskaya Bukhta Black Sea, 3 km (1.9 mi) south of Laspi Bight | | | | | |
| – 10. Staffel of Jagdgeschwader 52 – Eastern Front — 1 January – 31 December 1944 ||||||||||
| 106 | 26 August 1944 | 10:45 | Il-2 m.H. | PQ 11189 10 km (6.2 mi) west of Opatów | 110 | 2 September 1944 | 14:09 | LaGG | PQ 11197 vicinity of Opatów |
| 107 | 27 August 1944 | 15:24 | Il-2 m.H. | PQ 11319 25 km (16 mi) southwest of Opatów | 111 | 15 October 1944 | 10:48 | LaGG | PQ 20759 45 km (28 mi) south of Sanok |
| 108 | 31 August 1944 | 18:33 | LaGG | PQ 11321 15 km (9.3 mi) south-southwest of Opatów | 112 | 25 October 1944 | 14:59 | Il-2 m.H. | PQ 25599 25 km (16 mi) west-northwest of Prahovo |
| 109 | 1 September 1944 | 11:15 | Il-2 | PQ 11385 15 km (9.3 mi) south-southwest of Opatów | | | | | |

### Awards

* Iron Cross (1939) 2nd and 1st Class
* Honor Goblet of the Luftwaffe on 8 November 1943 as Leutnant in the 8./Jagdgeschwader 52
* German Cross in Gold on 14 November 1943 as Leutnant in the III./Jagdgeschwader 52
* Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross on 23 March 1944 as Leutnant and Staffelführer of the 8./Jagdgeschwader 52
* Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany
** Officer's Cross (April 1973)
** Commanders Cross (26 September 1979)
** Grand Cross with Star (4 March 1983)