Ernst Börngen
Ernst Börngen (7 February 1916 – 30 June 1989) 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. Börngen claimed 41 victories in 450 missions. Career. On 20 May 1942, Börngen officially replaced "Hauptmann" (captain) Ernst Düllberg as "Staffelkapitän" (squadron leader) of 5. "Staffel". Düllberg had been wounded in action on 22 November 1941 and Börngen had already acted as intermittent "Staffelführer" for some weeks. Börngen led 5. "Staffel" until  16 July 1943. That day, he had claimed his 28th aerial victory over a Consolidated B-24 Liberator. During the attack, his Messerschmitt Bf 109 G-6  ("Werknummer" 18 371—factory number) took a cabin hit from the defensive fire of the bomber, wounding him severely. Despite being wounded, he crash landed the aircraft at San Vito dei Normanni. In May 1944, the Allies initiated the Oil Campaign of World War II, targeting various facilities supplying Germany with petroleum, oil, and lubrication products. On 12 May, the Eighth Air Force sent an attack force of 886 heavy bombers, protected by 980 escort  fighters, against the German refineries in central Germany at Leuna, Merseburg, Böhlen and Zeitz. In defense of this attack, I. "Gruppe" engaged a formation of Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress bombers shortly past 12:30 just east of Eschborn. In this encounter, the "Gruppenkommandeur" (group commander) of I. "Gruppe", "Major" Ludwig Franzisket was severely wounded. The next day, Börngen succeeded Franzisket as commander of I. "Gruppe" and surrendered his command of 2. "Staffel" to "Leutnant" Karl Wünsch. On 19 May 1944, the Eighth Air Force targeted Berlin and Braunschweig with 888 heavy bombers, protected by 964 escort fighters. The German aerial defenses  under the command "Jagdfliegerführer Ostmark" ordered I. "Gruppe", led by Börngen and at the time based at Fels am Wagram, to take off at 11:43. Börngen's group was ordered to meet up with III. and VI. "Gruppe" to form a larger combat formation. This formation was then vectored to Magdeburg where at 13:00 they encountered the escort fighters of a formation of Consolidated B-24 Liberator bombers northwest of the city. While III. and VI. "Gruppe" engaged the Republic P-47 Thunderbolt and North American P-51 Mustang fighters, the "Stabsschwarm" and I. "Gruppe" managed to attack the B-24 bombers. Following the  encounter, JG 27 claimed 17 aerial victories, including "Herausschüsse" (separation shots)—a severely damaged heavy bomber forced to separate from his combat box which was counted as an aerial victory. In return, JG 27 suffered five aircraft lost, two pilots killed in action and one pilot severely wounded. At 13:15, Börngen had shot down a B-24 near Helmstedt and then at 13:20 engaged another bomber by ramming it with his Bf 109 G-6 ("Werknummer" 441 101—factory number), sustaining severe injuries. He managed to bail out and was immediately taken to the "Luftwaffen" hospital at Helmstedt where his right arm had  to be amputated. Börngen was then replaced by "Major" Wolfgang Redlich as commander of I. "Gruppe". Summary of career. Aerial victory claims. Börngen was credited with 41 enemy aircraft shot down in over 450 combat missions, the majority of which on the Western Front and two on the Eastern Front. This figure includes 16 four-engined bombers.