page_title: Klaus Mietusch
section_title: Group commander and death
hierarchical_section_title: Klaus Mietusch / World War II / Group commander and death
caption_attribution_description: English: Grave of Klaus Mietusch Field 112-Section 0-Grave 117 on the Nordfriedhof in Düsseldorf
context_page_description: Klaus Mietusch was a German Luftwaffe military aviator and fighter ace during World War II. He is credited with 72 aerial victories achieved in 452 combat missions. This figure includes 15 aerial victories on the Eastern Front, and further 57 victories over the Western Allies, including 13 four-engined bombers.
  Born in Bochum, Mietusch grew up in the Weimar Republic and Nazi Germany. He joined the military service in the Luftwaffe in 1937. Following flight training, he was posted to Jagdgeschwader 26 "Schlageter" in 1939. Flying with this wing, Mietusch claimed his first aerial victory on 31 May 1940 on the Western Front during the Battle of France. In early 1941, he fought in the Mediterranean theater. He was made Staffelkapitän of 7. Staffel of JG 26 in September 1941 and in January 1943, was posted to the Eastern Front. In July 1943 he was appointed Gruppenkommandeur of III. Gruppe of JG 26. Following his 60th aerial victory, he was awarded the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross on 26 March 1944. Mietusch claimed his last aerial victory on 17 September 1944 during the Operation Market Garden.
context_section_description: On 5 July, Mietusch arrived at Cuxhaven-Nordholz Airfield where III. Gruppe was based and took over command from Hermichen. In July, the Gruppe received the Bf 109 G-4 and G-6 variants and the pilots began familiarizing themselves with this aircraft type while flying in Defense of the Reich. On the night of 24/25 July, the RAF and USAAF launched Operation Gomorrah, the attack on Hamburg during the last week of July 1943. The RAF initiated the attack at night which created a firestorm in the city. The following day, the USAAF attacked Hamburg with 100 B-17 bombers, spreading the destruction. Further 118 B-17 bombers bombed Kiel that day. Defending against these attacks, Mietusch claimed his first aerial victory as Gruppenkommandeur when he shot down a B-17 10 km (6.2 mi) north of Hamburg. The USAAF targeted the German aircraft industry on 17 August in the Schweinfurt–Regensburg mission. Mietusch led his Gruppe against the bombers and shot down two B-17 bombers, the first southeast of Schleiden in the Eifel hills, and the second south of Laacher See. On 29 November, VIII Bomber Command attacked Bremen. III. Gruppe intercepted the bombers prior to their bomb run and Mietusch shot a B-17 from its combat box west of Oldenburg. This was referred to as a Herausschuss (separation shot) and denoted a severely damaged heavy bomber which was forced to separate from its combat box and was counted as an aerial victory.
  On 8 March 1944, Mietusch claimed his 60th aerial victory. That day, the Eighth Air Force, formerly known as VIII Bomber Command, targeted the ball bearings works at Erkner near Berlin. Mietusch led his III. Gruppe in the attack which intercepted the bombers on their target approach between Steinhuder Meer and Braunschweig. Due to the defending escort fighters, Mietusch attacked the bombers from the rear with only a few of his Bf 109 fighters. He was credited with a Herausschuss of a B-17 bomber from the 381st Bombardment Group south of Braunschweig before coming under attack by P-47 fighter from the 352nd Fighter Group. His Bf 109 G-6 (Werknummer  162032) was hit at close range, forcing him to bail out. Although injured, he landed safely near Steinhuder Meer. His victor may have been Captain Virgil Meroney who claimed his eighth aerial victory that day. Mietusch, who was hospitalized for next weeks, was awarded the Knights Cross of the Iron Cross (Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes) on 26 March for 60 aerial victories claimed.
  On 12 April, Mietusch was injured in a landing accident and was again hospitalized, this time for three weeks. His Bf 109 G-6 (Werknummer 162345) ran into a bomb crater during landing at the Étain-Rouvres Airfield. On 1 May, he was promoted to Major (major). On 12 May, the USAAF flew a mission against the German fuel industry, 886 bombers, escorted by 735 fighters, attacked six oil refineries. Mietusch intercepted the bombers on their return to England and claimed a Herausschuss of a B-17 bomber from the 452d Bombardment Group near Bastogne.
  After the Allies launched Operation Overlord, the invasion of Normandy on 6 June, Luftflotte Reich sent additional units to the invasion front. By 8 June, Jagdgeschwader 1, Jagdgeschwader 3, Jagdgeschwader 11 and III. Gruppe of JG 54 had arrived in France and were subordinated to Fliegerkorps II. III. Gruppe of JG 26 was based at Villacoublay Airfield and flew missions to Le Havre that day. In the early morning hours, Mietusch claimed the destruction of two Republic P-47 Thunderbolt fighters from the USAAF 371st Fighter Group. The P-47s had been attacking ground targets east of Le Havre. On 17 July, Mietusch shot down a No. 602 Squadron Spitfire southwest of Caen. Shortly after, he ignored the warning of his wingman Unteroffizier Heinz Gehrke and was shot down in his Bf 109 G-6/U4 (Werknummer 440640) near Argentan-Alençon by another Spitfire from the Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF) No. 411 Squadron. Mietusch bailed out and was wounded, returning to his unit the next day.
  Mietusch was killed in action on 17 September 1944 during the first day of Operation Marke
caption: Grave in Düsseldorf
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