Detlev Rohwer

Detlev Rohwer
Born	14 November 1917 Kiel, German Empire
Died	30 March 1944(1944-03-30) (aged 26) Ibbenbüren, Germany
Allegiance	Nazi Germany
Service / branch	Luftwaffe
Years of service	1939–1944
Rank	Hauptmann (captain)
Unit	JG 1, JG 3
Commands	II./JG 1, II./JG 3
Battles / wars	World War II Battle of France Battle of Britain Operation Barbarossa Defense of the Reich
Awards	Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross

Detlev Rohwer (14 November 1917 – 30 March 1944) was a German 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 he was credited with 38 aerial victories, 12 on the Western Front and 26 on the Eastern Front.

Career

On 20 June 1942, Rohwer was appointed Gruppenkommandeur (group commander) of II. Gruppe of Jagdgeschwader 1 (JG 1—1st Fighter Wing). He temporarily succeeded Hauptmann Hans von Hahn who had been relieved of his command on 15 June following the shooting of a sentry.

Rohwer was wounded on 29 March 1944 following a forced landing west of Osnabrück when he was strafed by marauding Lockheed P-38 Lightning fighters. Sustaining wounds to his leg, he was taken to a hospital where he succumbed to his wounds the following day.

Awards

• Flugzeugführerabzeichen
• Front Flying Clasp of the Luftwaffe
• Ehrenpokal der Luftwaffe (18 July 1941)
• Wound Badge (1939)
  • in Black or Silver
• Iron Cross (1939) 2nd and 1st Class
• Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross on 5 October 1941 as Leutnant and pilot in the I./Jagdgeschwader 3

References

Bibliography

• Dixon, Jeremy (2023). Day Fighter Aces of the Luftwaffe: Knight's Cross Holders 1939–1942. Pen and Sword Books. ISBN 978-1-52677-864-2.
• Fellgiebel, Walther-Peer [in German] (2000) [1986]. Die Träger des Ritterkreuzes des Eisernen Kreuzes 1939–1945 — Die Inhaber der höchsten Auszeichnung des Zweiten Weltkrieges aller Wehrmachtteile [The Bearers of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross 1939–1945 — The Owners of the Highest Award of the Second World War of all Wehrmacht Branches] (in German). Friedberg, Germany: Podzun-Pallas. ISBN 978-3-7909-0284-6.
• Obermaier, Ernst (1989). Die Ritterkreuzträger der Luftwaffe Jagdflieger 1939 – 1945 [The Knight's Cross Bearers of the Luftwaffe Fighter Force 1939 – 1945] (in German). Mainz, Germany: Verlag Dieter Hoffmann. ISBN 978-3-87341-065-7.
• Patzwall, Klaus D.; Scherzer, Veit (2001). Das Deutsche Kreuz 1941 – 1945 Geschichte und Inhaber Band II [The German Cross 1941 – 1945 History and Recipients Volume 2] (in German). Norderstedt, Germany: Verlag Klaus D. Patzwall. ISBN 978-3-931533-45-8.
• Prien, Jochen; Rodeike, Peter (1994). Jagdgeschwader 1 und 11—Einsatz in der Reichsverteidigung von 1939 bis 1945—Teil 1—1939–1943 [Jagdgeschwader 1 and 11—Operations in the Defense of the Reich from 1939 to 1945—Volume 1—1939–1943] (in German). Eutin, Germany: Struve-Druck. ISBN 978-3-923457-21-2.
• Scherzer, Veit (2007). Die Ritterkreuzträger 1939–1945 Die Inhaber des Ritterkreuzes des Eisernen Kreuzes 1939 von Heer, Luftwaffe, Kriegsmarine, Waffen-SS, Volkssturm sowie mit Deutschland verbündeter Streitkräfte nach den Unterlagen des Bundesarchives [The Knight's Cross Bearers 1939–1945 The Holders of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross 1939 by Army, Air Force, Navy, Waffen-SS, Volkssturm and Allied Forces with Germany According to the Documents of the Federal Archives] (in German). Jena, Germany: Scherzers Militaer-Verlag. ISBN 978-3-938845-17-2.
• Spick, Mike (1996). Luftwaffe Fighter Aces. New York: Ivy Books. ISBN 978-0-8041-1696-1.
• Weal, John (1996). Focke-Wulf Fw 190 Aces of the Western Front. Aircraft of the Aces. Vol. 9. Oxford, UK: Osprey Publishing. ISBN 978-1-85532-595-1.
• Weal, John (2013). Aces of Jagdgeschwader 3 "Udet". Aircraft of the Aces. Vol. 116. Oxford, UK: Osprey Publishing. ISBN 978-1-78096-300-6.

External links

• Aces of the Luftwaffe Archived 2010-11-24 at the Wayback Machine
• Luftwaffe 1939–1945 History Archived 2011-02-23 at the Wayback Machine
• TracesOfWar.com