Hans-Joachim Heyer

Born20 April 1922

Died9 November 1942 (aged 20)

Allegiance

Hans-Joachim Heyer
Born	20 April 1922 Rehungen, Germany
Died	9 November 1942(1942-11-09) (aged 20) Leningrad, Soviet Union
Cause of death	Killed in action
Allegiance	Nazi Germany
Branch	Luftwaffe
Service years	1939–1942
Rank	Leutnant (second lieutenant)
Unit	JG 54
Conflicts	World War II Operation Barbarossa Siege of Leningrad
Awards	Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross

Hans-Joachim Heyer (20 April 1922 – 9 November 1942) 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, and its variants were the highest awards in the military and paramilitary forces of Nazi Germany during World War II. Heyer was killed in action in a mid-air collision near Leningrad, Russian SFSR, Soviet Union on 9 November 1942. Posthumously, he was awarded the Knight's Cross on 25 November 1942. During his career he was credited with 53 aerial victories, all of them on the Eastern Front.

On 14 September 1942, Heyer was credited with JG 54s 3,000th aerial victory.^[1]

On 8 November 1942, III. Gruppe moved to Siverskaya, located approximately 60 kilometers (37 miles) south of Leningrad. The next day, Heyer was killed in action in a mid-air collision during aerial combat with a Curtiss P-40 Warhawk fighter. His Messerschmitt Bf 109 G-2 (Werknummer 13809—factory number) crashed at 08:30 near Gorodok.^[2] Posthumously, Heyer was awarded the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross (Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes) on 25 November 1942 for his 53 aerial victories claimed.^[3]

Summary of career

References

Citations

↑ Weal 2001, p. 60.
↑ Prien et al. 2006, p. 199, 234.
↑ Weal 2001, pp. 61, 119.
↑ Zabecki 2014, p. 1619.
↑ Mathews & Foreman 2015, pp. 523–524.
↑ Patzwall 2008, p. 101.
↑ Patzwall & Scherzer 2001, p. 184.
↑ Fellgiebel 2000, p. 226.
↑ Scherzer 2007, p. 389.

Bibliography

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.
Mathews, Andrew Johannes; Foreman, John (2015). Luftwaffe Aces — Biographies and Victory Claims — Volume 2 G–L. Walton on Thames: Red Kite. ISBN 978-1-906592-19-6.
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.
Patzwall, Klaus D. (2008). Der Ehrenpokal für besondere Leistung im Luftkrieg [The Honor Goblet for Outstanding Achievement in the Air War] (in German). Norderstedt, Germany: Verlag Klaus D. Patzwall. ISBN 978-3-931533-08-3.
Prien, Jochen; Stemmer, Gerhard; Rodeike, Peter; Bock, Winfried (2006). Die Jagdfliegerverbände der Deutschen Luftwaffe 1934 bis 1945—Teil 9/III—Vom Sommerfeldzug 1942 bis zur Niederlage von Stalingrad—1.5.1942 bis 3.2.1943 [The Fighter Units of the German Air Force 1934 to 1945—Part 9/III—From the 1942 Summer Campaign to the Defeat at Stalingrad—1 May 1942 to 3 February 1943] (in German). Eutin, Germany: Struve-Druck. ISBN 978-3-923457-78-6.
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.
Weal, John (2001). Jagdgeschwader 54 "Grünherz". Aviation Elite Units. Vol. 6. Oxford, UK: Osprey Publishing. ISBN 978-1-84176-286-9.
Zabecki, David T., ed. (2014). Germany at War: 400 Years of Military History. Santa Barbara, California: ABC-Clio. ISBN 978-1-59884-981-3.

Hans-Joachim Heyer

Summary of career

Aerial victory claims

Awards

References

Citations

Bibliography

External links

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