Hartmann Grasser

Hartmann Grasser (23 August 1914 – 2 June 1986) was a World War II German fighter ace.

He was credited with shooting down 103 Allied aircraft while flying 700 missions on the Western Front, Eastern Front, and in North Africa.

He was also a recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves.

Grasser was born on 23 August 1914 in Graz, Steiermark, Austria.

After he received his Abitur, he started studying medicine and became a member of the Austrian Nazis.

Following the failed coup attempt in the July Putsch, Grasser fled to Germany.

On 1 April 1936, Grasser then joined the Luftwaffe with the rank of Fahnenjunker (cadet).

World War II in Europe began on Friday 1 September 1939 when German forces invaded Poland.

At the time ZG 52 was commanded by Hauptmann Wilhelm Lessmann and was based at Biblis where it was tasked with protecting Germany's western border in the Saar region during the "Phoney War".

On 16 September, Grasser shot down a tethered balloon.

The following day, he was awarded the Iron Cross second Class (Eisernes Kreuz zweiter Klasse).

A week later, on 24 September 1939, his Messerschmitt Bf 109 109 D-1 was damaged in combat with a French Morane-Saulnier M.S.406, resulting in a forced landing at Bingen.

On 6 January 1940, JGr.

152 was ordered to Graz where it was reequipped with the Messerschmitt Bf 110 heavy fighter and was renamed, again becoming the I. Gruppe of ZG 52.

This unit was then renamed and became the II.

Gruppe of Zerstörergeschwader 2 (ZG 2—2nd Destroyer Wing).

In consequence, Grasser became a pilot of 6.

Staffel.

Flying with this squadron, he participated in the Battle of France and Battle of England and claimed six aerial victories.

During these campaigns, Grasser was promoted to Oberleutnant (first lieutenant) on 1 June 1940 and received the Iron Cross first Class (Eisernes Kreuz erster Klasse) on 7 July.

In October 1940, Grasser was transferred to Jagdgeschwader 51 (JG 51—51st Fighter Wing).

There, he was assigned to the Geschwaderstab (headquarters unit) headed by Oberstleutnant Werner Mölders.

Prior to his posting to JG 51, Grasser had been destined to become a night fighter pilot which was not what he wanted to do.

Grasser claimed his first aerial victory flying with JG 51 on 1 December 1940 when he shot down a Royal Air Force (RAF) Hawker Hurricane fighter near Ashford.

In June 1941, JG 51 and the majority of the Luftwaffe were transferred to the Eastern Front in preparation for Operation Barbarossa, the invasion of the Soviet Union.

On 16 July 1941, Kolbow, the Staffelkapitän of 5.

Staffel was killed in action.

He was replaced by Leutnant Hans-Joachim Steffens who also killed in action shortly after.

On 1 August, command of 5.

Staffel was then handed to Grasser.

The Staffel was a squadron of II.

Gruppe, at the time commanded by Hauptmann Hubertus von Bonin.

On 11 October, the Gruppe was briefly detached from the Geschwaderstab of JG 51 and ordered east to Oryol.

Following flight training, he was posted to I. Gruppe (1st group) of Zerstörergeschwader 52 (ZG 52—52nd Destroyer Wing) where he served with 3.

Staffel (3rd squadron) of ZG 52.

That day, I. Gruppe of ZG 52 was also renamed and became the Jagdgruppe 152 (JGr. 152—152nd Fighter Group).

Additionally, he helped in the formation of the Z-Staffel (Z—Zerstörer or destroyer) of Jagdgeschwader 77 (JG 77—77th Fighter Wing) which later became part of Jagdgeschwader 5 (JG 5—5th Fighter Wing).

Grasser also served as a test pilot, flying the Bf 109 T, the aircraft carrier variant, which were to be produced at Fieseler in Kassel.

His acquaintance, Oberleutnant Hans Kolbow, introduced him to Mölders who arranged the transfer to JG 51 instead.

There, the Gruppe was subordinated to Gefechtsverband Schönborn (Detachment Schönborn), named after the commander of Sturzkampfgeschwader 77 (StG 77—77th Diver Bomber Wing), Major Clemens Graf von Schönborn-Wiesentheid.