# Ulrich Wernitz

Ulrich Wernitz (21 January 1921 – 23 December 1980) was a Luftwaffe flying ace of World War II. He was credited with 101 aerial victories—that is, 101 aerial combat encounters resulting in the destruction of the enemy aircraft—claimed in roughly 240 combat missions. He served in the post World War II German Air Force of the Federal Republic of Germany, retiring with the rank of Oberstleutnant (Lieutenant Colonel).

## Early life and career

Wernitz, nicknamed Pipifax (nonsense), was born on 21 January 1921 in Schweinitz/Herzberg in the district of Wittenberg, a Province of Saxony. He joined the Luftwaffe in late 1941 and following flight training, he was posted to 3. Staffel (3rd squadron) of Jagdgeschwader 54 (JG 54—54th Fighter Wing) in April 1943. The Staffel was commanded by Oberleutnant Franz Eisenach and subordinated to I. Gruppe (1st group) of JG 54 under command of Major Reinhard Seiler, flying the Focke-Wulf Fw 190. Seiler had just replaced Hauptmann Gerhard Koall who temporarily led the Gruppe after Major Hans Philipp was transferred to take command of Jagdgeschwader 1 (JG 1—1st Fighter Wing) fighting in Defence of the Reich.

## World War II

World War II in Europe had begun on Friday, 1 September 1939 when German forces invaded Poland. In June 1941, German forces had launched Operation Barbarossa, the invasion of the Soviet Union. In April 1943, I. Gruppe of JG 54 was based at Krasnogvardeysk, present-day Gatchina, located approximately 45 kilometers (28 mi) south-south-west of Leningrad on the northern sector of the Eastern Front. Here on 2 May, Wernitz claimed his first aerial victory. In support of 18th Army during the Siege of Leningrad, a Rotte, a flight of two aircraft, from 3. Staffel was scrambled shortly before 17:00 and intercepted a formation of Lavochkin La-5 fighter aircraft near Pushkin. In this encounter, Wernitz claimed a La-5 shot down.
On combat missions, he frequently flew as wingman to Otto Kittel, Hermann Schleinhege and Günther Scheel. Wernitz claimed his 82nd aerial victory, a Petlyakov Pe-2 shot down on 28 August 1944. He then fell ill in September. During his convalescence, Feldwebel (Sergeant) Wernitz, was awarded the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross (Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes) on 29 October 1944, and the German Cross in Gold (Deutsches Kreuz in Gold) on 1 January 1945. He returned to his unit in early February 1945, which at the time was fighting in the Courland Pocket. He was then appointed Staffelführer (squadron leader) of 3. Staffel of JG 54 and claimed 19 further aerial victories, including eight on 8 March 1945. On 26 March 1945, Wernitz was credited with his 100th aerial victory. He was the 100th Luftwaffe pilot to achieve the century mark.

## Later life

Following World War II, Wernitz served in the German Air Force of the Federal Republic of Germany, retiring with the rank of Oberstleutnant (Lieutenant Colonel). He died on 23 December 1980.

## Summary of career
### Aerial victory claims

According to US historian David T. Zabecki, Wernitz was credited with 101 aerial victories. Mathews and Foreman, authors of Luftwaffe Aces — Biographies and Victory Claims, researched the German Federal Archives and state that Wernitz was credited with 101 aerial victories, all of which claimed on the Eastern Front.
Victory claims were logged to a map-reference (PQ = Planquadrat), for example "PQ 36 Ost 00333". 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 Wernitz 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 – (dash) indicates unconfirmed aerial victory claims for which Wernitz did not receive credit.  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 |
| – 3. Staffel of Jagdgeschwader 54 – ||||||||||
| 1 | 2 May 1943 | 16:56 | La-5 | PQ 36 Ost 00333 vicinity of Pushkin | 3 | 24 May 1943 | 18:53 | P-40 | PQ 36 Ost 10184 east of Mga |
| 2 | 21 May 1943 | 19:07 | La-5 | PQ 36 Ost 10464 45 km (28 mi) northeast of Luban | | | | | |
| – Stab of Jagdgeschwader 54 – ||||||||||
| 4 | 1 June 1943 | 04:58 | Yak-1 | PQ 36 Ost 10293 30 km (19 mi) southwest of Volkhov | 8 | 17 July 1943 | 03:55 | Yak-9 | PQ 35 Ost 54121 20 km (12 mi) south-southwest of Sukhinichi |
| 5 | 18 June 1943 | 06:28 | LaGG-3 | PQ 36 Ost 21753 20 km (12 mi) north-northwest of Volkhov | 9 | 23 July 1943 | 08:55 | Il-2 | PQ 35 Ost 54333 45 km (28 mi) east-southeast of Zhizdra |
| 6 | 16 July 1943 | 07:54 | Yak-9 | PQ 35 Ost 54487 20 km (12 mi) northwest of Bolkhov | 10 | 1 August 1943 | 11:22 | La-5 | PQ 36 Ost 10183 east of Mga |
| 7 | 16 July 1943 | 08:03 | Yak-9 | PQ 35 Ost 54498 25 km (16 mi) west-northwest of Bolkhov | | | | | |
| – 3. Staffel of Jagdgeschwader 54 – ||||||||||
| 11? | 15 September 1943 | 16:15 | LaGG-3 | PQ 35 Ost 35341, Satki | 52 | 17 July 1944 | 17:11 | Pe-2 | PQ OP-7/4 |
| 12 | 9 October 1943 | 06:55 | LaGG-3 | PQ 35 Ost 07743 10 km (6.2 mi) northeast of Nevel | 53 | 17 July 1944 | 17:14 | Pe-2 | PQ OP-5/7 |
| 13 | 9 October 1943 | 06:59 | LaGG-3 | PQ 35 Ost 07751 10 km (6.2 mi) northeast of Nevel | 54 | 21 July 1944 | 14:40 | Yak-9 | PQ ON-5/5 |
| 14 | 9 October 1943 | 07:00 | Yak-9 | PQ 35 Ost 07753 10 km (6.2 mi) northeast of Nevel | 55 | 21 July 1944 | 19:15 | Yak-9 | PQ NM-4/6 |
| 15 | 12 October 1943 | 10:55 | La-5 | PQ 35 Ost 15943 | 56 | 21 July 1944 | 19:17 | Yak-9 | PQ OM-2/4 |
| 16 | 13 October 1943 | 08:43 | Yak-9 | PQ 35 Ost 15561 20 km (12 mi) south of Krassnji | 57 | 21 July 1944 | 19:21 | Yak-9 | PQ OM-5/2 |
| 17 | 20 October 1943 | 09:14 | Yak-9 | PQ 35 Ost 06163, Lake Ssennitza | 58 | 27 July 1944 | 14:50 | La-5 | PQ NL-8/2 |
| 18 | 22 October 1943 | 08:15 | La-5 | PQ 35 Ost 15342, north of Gorki | 59 | 27 July 1944 | 14:52 | La-5 | PQ NL-8/3 |
| 19 | 15 December 1943 | 09:08 | Il-2 | PQ 35 Ost 06167 | 60 | 27 July 1944 | 14:53 | La-5 | PQ NL-8/9 |
| 20 | 1 January 1944 | 12:55 | Il-2 | PQ 35 Ost 06794 | 61 | 1 August 1944 | 11:01 | La-5 | PQ KH-2/8 |
| 21 | 6 January 1944 | 10:43 | Yak-9 | PQ 35 Ost 05151 | 62 | 1 August 1944 | 11:06 | La-5 | PQ KH-7/9 |
| 22 | 8 January 1944 | 09:30 | Yak-9 | PQ 25 Ost 96684 25 km (16 mi) southwest of Gorodok | 63 | 1 August 1944 | 11:10 | La-5 | PQ LH-4/5 |
| 23 | 15 January 1944 | 12:26 | La-5 | PQ 35 Ost 05161 | 64 | 1 August 1944 | 19:45 | La-5 | PQ KG-9/5 |
| 24 | 7 February 1944 | 07:50 | La-5 | PQ 35 Ost 06784 | 65 | 5 August 1944 | 14:42 | Il-2 | PQ LN-2/3 |
| 25 | 30 March 1944 | 12:32 | Yak-9 | PQ 26 Ost 70694 15 km (9.3 mi) southwest of Narva | 66 | 5 August 1944 | 14:47 | Il-2 | PQ LN-3/7 |
| 26 | 30 March 1944 | 15:26? | La-5 | PQ 26 Ost 70352 Baltic Sea, 35 km (22 mi) northeast of Kunda | 67 | 7 August 1944 | 16:11 | P-39 | PQ KN-4/1 |
| 27 | 2 April 1944 | 11:45 | Il-2 | PQ 26 Ost 60462 northeast of Kunda | 68 | 15 August 1944 | 09:11 | Yak-9 | PQ LJ-9/3 |
| 28 | 4 April 1944 | 09:52 | Yak-9 | PQ 26 Ost 6044 northeast of Kunda | 69 | 15 August 1944 | 09:13 | Yak-9 | PQ LJ-7/4 |
| 29 | 19 April 1944 | 09:25 | Il-2 | PQ 26 Ost 70693 15 km (9.3 mi) southwest of Narva | 70 | 15 August 1944 | 09:22 | Yak-9 | PQ LJ-3/4 |
| 30 | 8 May 1944 | 14:01 | P-40 | PQ 26 Ost 70313 Baltic Sea, 35 km (22 mi) east-northeast of Kunda | 71 | 15 August 1944 | 13:32 | P-39 | PQ LK-4/5 |
| 31 | 8 May 1944 | 14:03 | Yak-9 | PQ 26 Ost 70331 Gulf of Finland, north of Hungerburg | 72 | 16 August 1944 | 10:11 | Il-2 | PQ LK-5/8 |
| 32 | 16 May 1944 | 10:20 | Yak-9 | PQ 26 Ost 70523 Baltic Sea, 45 km (28 mi) west of Hungerburg | 73 | 16 August 1944 | 10:13 | Il-2 | PQ LK-8/2 |
| 33 | 28 May 1944 | 08:42 | LaGG-3 | PQ 26 Ost 70693 15 km (9.3 mi) southwest of Narva | 74 | 23 August 1944 | 11:09 | Il-2 | PQ JN-5/3 |
| 34 | 29 May 1944 | 10:06 | La-5 | PQ 26 Ost 60412 In Gulf of Finland | 75 | 24 August 1944 | 17:41 | La-5 | PQ JG-6/5 |
| 35 | 29 May 1944 | 10:11 | Yak-9 | PQ 26 Ost 60432 northeast of Kunda | 76 | 25 August 1944 | 12:46 | Yak-9 | PQ LG-7/1 |
| 36 | 29 May 1944 | 10:18 | Yak-9 | PQ 26 Ost 70452 Baltic Sea, 25 km (16 mi) northwest of Hungerburg | 77 | 25 August 1944 | 12:47 | La-5 | PQ LG-4/9 |
| 37 | 30 May 1944 | 21:11 | Yak-9 | PQ 26 Ost 70433 Baltic Sea, 25 km (16 mi) north-northwest of Hungerburg | 78 | 25 August 1944 | 12:49 | Yak-9 | PQ KG-4/5 |
| 38 | 15 June 1944 | 07:10 | Yak-9 | PQ SP-3/3 | 79 | 28 August 1944 | 11:26? | Yak-9 | PQ JM-5/4 40 km (25 mi) north-northwest of Kreuzburg |
| 39 | 15 June 1944 | 07:15 | Yak-9 | PQ RP-9/4 | 80 | 28 August 1944 | 11:28? | Pe-2 | PQ JM-9/1 30 km (19 mi) north of Kreuzburg |
| 40 | 15 June 1944 | 07:18 | La-5 | PQ RP-7/2 | 81 | 28 August 1944 | 15:50? | P-39 | PQ LG-6/1 |
| 41 | 15 June 1944 | 07:25 | Il-2 | PQ SP-6/2 | 82 | 28 August 1944 | 16:12? | P-39 | PQ LG-2/2 |
| 42 | 28 June 1944 | 12:10 | LaGG-3 | PQ QT-8/4 | — | 28 August 1944 | — | Yak-9 | |
| 43 | 28 June 1944 | 19:22 | P-39 | PQ QT-3/2 | ♠ | 5 March 1945 | — | unknown | |
| 44♠ | 30 June 1944 | 15:02 | Yak-9 | PQ PS-7/3 | ♠ | 5 March 1945 | — | unknown | |
| 45♠ | 30 June 1944 | 16:01? | Yak-9 | PQ OS-5/3 | ♠ | 5 March 1945 | — | unknown | |
| 46♠ | 30 June 1944 | 16:10 | Il-2 | PQ OT-1/4 | ♠ | 5 March 1945 | — | unknown | |
| 47♠ | 30 June 1944 | 16:14 | P-39 | PQ OT-2/1 | ♠ | 5 March 1945 | — | unknown | |
| 48♠ | 30 June 1944 | 19:48 | Il-2 | PQ PS-5/8 | ♠ | 5 March 1945 | — | unknown | |
| 49 | 3 July 1944 | 11:38 | P-39 | PQ OS-7/7 | ♠ | 5 March 1945 | — | unknown | |
| 50 | 3 July 1944 | 11:46 | P-39 | PQ OS-5/7 | ♠ | 5 March 1945 | — | unknown | |
| 51 | 16 July 1944 | 05:13 | P-39 | PQ OO-3/4 | 100 | 26 March 1945 | — | unknown | |

### Awards

* Iron Cross (1939) 2nd and 1st Class
* Honor Goblet of the Luftwaffe on 17 April 1944 as Feldwebel and pilot
* Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross on 29 October 1944 as Feldwebel in the 4./Jagdgeschwader 54
* German Cross in Gold on 1 January 1945 as Feldwebel in the 3./Jagdgeschwader 54