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Helmut Grollmus
Born	(1918-01-08)8 January 1918 Lissa
Died	19 June 1944(1944-06-19) (aged 26) Viipuri, Finland
Cause of death	Killed in action
Buried	Helsinki-Hietaniemi Cemetery
Allegiance	Nazi Germany
Service / branch	Luftwaffe
Years of service	1942–1944
Rank	Leutnant
Unit	JG 54
Commands	2./JG 54
Battles / wars	World War II Eastern Front
Awards	German Cross Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross

Helmut Grollmus (8 January 1918 – 19 June 1944) was a Luftwaffe fighter ace and recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross during World War II. Helmuth Grollmus was credited with 75 aerial victories during World War II. In 1944 he was killed in action during a dogfight over Finland.

Career

Grollmus was born on 8 January 1918 in Lissa, at the time in the Province of Posen, a province of the Kingdom of Prussia. Today Lissa is Leszno in western Poland. Following flight training, Grollmus was posted to the Ergänzungsjagdgruppe of Jagdgeschwader 54 (JG 54—54th Fighter Wing), a supplementary training group, in November 1941. On 9 March 1942, the Ergänzungsgruppe of JG 54 was disbanded and the pilots were transferred to I. Gruppe (1st group) of JG 54. In consequence, Grollmus was transferred to 2. Staffel of JG 54. As part of a Luftwaffe plan to exchange fighter units operating on the Eastern Front with fighter units flying on the Western Front, Grollmus was assigned to 12. Staffel of JG 54 in July 1943 which had been newly formed from elements of 7. Staffel of Jagdgeschwader 26 "Schlageter" (JG 26—26th Fighter Wing) and 4. Staffel of JG 54 and was subordinated to II. Gruppe of JG 54.

Grollmus was killed in action over Viipuri, Finland 19 June 1944. He was shot down in his Focke-Wulf Fw 190 A-6 (Werknummer 470075—factory number) during aerial combat with Petlyakov Pe-2 bombers and Bell P-39 Airacobra fighters in a position 20 kilometers (12 miles) northeast of Viipuri. Grollmus parachuted out safely but was killed by ground fire. He is buried in the Helsinki-Hietaniemi Cemetery.

Summary of career

Aerial victory claims

According to Spick, Grollmus was credited with 75 aerial victories claimed in an unknown number missions on the Eastern Front. Heaton, Lewis, Olds and Schulze also list him with 75 aerial victories. Mathews and Foreman, authors of Luftwaffe Aces — Biographies and Victory Claims, researched the German Federal Archives and found records for 68 aerial victory claims, all of which claimed on the Eastern Front.

Victory claims were logged to a map-reference (PQ = Planquadrat), for example "PQ 10163". The Luftwaffe grid map (Jägermeldenetz) covered all of Europe, western Russia and North Africa and was composed of rectangles measuring 15 minutes of latitude by 30 minutes of longitude, an area of about 360 square miles (930 km). These sectors were then subdivided into 36 smaller units to give a location area 3 km × 4 km (1.9 mi × 2.5 mi) in size.

Awards

• Iron Cross (1939) 2nd and 1st Class
• Honor Goblet of the Luftwaffe on 1 November 1943 as Unteroffizier and pilot
• German Cross in Gold on 12 December 1943 as Feldwebel in the 12./Jagdgeschwader 54
• Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross on 6 October 1944 as Leutnant and pilot in the II./Jagdgeschwader 54

Notes

1. According to Mathews and Foreman, this claim is dated 28 January 1943.
2. This claim is not listed by Mathews and Foreman.
3. According to Mathews and Foreman, this claim is dated 21 July 1943.
4. According to Mathews and Foreman, this claim is dated 23 July 1943.
5. According to Mathews and Foreman claimed as a Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-3.
6. According to Mathews and Foreman claimed at 07:06.
7. According to Mathews and Foreman claimed at 18:31.
8. According to Mathews and Foreman claimed at 13:18.
9. According to Mathews and Foreman claimed as a Yakovlev Yak-9.
10. According to Mathews and Foreman claimed at 13:35.
11. According to Mathews and Foreman claimed at 09:18.
12. According to Mathews and Foreman claimed at 14:48.
13. According to Scherzer as pilot in the 4./Jagdgeschwader 54.

References

Citations

1. ^ Hannig 2004, p. 127.
2. Weal 2012, p. 180.
3. Obermaier 1989, p. 122.
4. Prien et al. 2005, p. 260.
5. ^ deZeng IV, Henry L.; Stankey, Douglas G. "Career Summaries - Luftwaffe Officers 1935 - 1945" (PDF). ww2.dk. Michael Holm. Retrieved 23 October 2021.
6. Prien et al. 2012, pp. 223–224, 264.
7. ^ Spick 1996, p. 237.
8. Prien et al. 2022, p. 491.
9. Heaton et al. 2011, p. 236.
10. ^ Mathews & Foreman 2015, pp. 429–431.
11. Planquadrat.
12. ^ Mathews & Foreman 2015, p. 429.
13. ^ Mathews & Foreman 2015, p. 430.
14. ^ Prien et al. 2005, p. 263.
15. ^ Mathews & Foreman 2015, pp. 429–430.
16. ^ Prien et al. 2006, p. 89.
17. Prien et al. 2006, p. 98.
18. ^ Prien et al. 2012, p. 170.
19. ^ Prien et al. 2012, p. 272.
20. ^ Prien et al. 2012, p. 276.
21. ^ Prien et al. 2012, p. 278.
22. ^ Prien et al. 2012, p. 279.
23. ^ Prien et al. 2012, p. 274.
24. ^ Prien et al. 2012, p. 275.
25. Prien et al. 2012, p. 280.
26. ^ Prien et al. 2012, p. 281.
27. ^ Prien et al. 2012, p. 282.
28. ^ Prien et al. 2022, p. 476.
29. Mathews & Foreman 2015, pp. 430–431.
30. ^ Prien et al. 2022, p. 478.
31. ^ Prien et al. 2022, p. 477.
32. ^ Prien et al. 2022, p. 479.
33. Mathews & Foreman 2015, p. 431.
34. Dixon 2023, p. 152.
35. Patzwall 2008, p. 89.
36. Patzwall & Scherzer 2001, p. 149.
37. Fellgiebel 2000, p. 204.
38. Scherzer 2007, p. 349.

Bibliography

• Bergström, Christer . "Bergström Black Cross/Red Star website". Identifying a Luftwaffe Planquadrat. Archived from the original on 22 December 2018. Retrieved 30 January 2023.
• Dixon, Jeremy (2023). Day Fighter Aces of the Luftwaffe: Knight's Cross Holders 1943–1945. Barnsley: Pen and Sword Books. ISBN 978-1-39903-073-1.
• Fellgiebel, Walther-Peer (2000) . 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.
• Hannig, Norbert (2004). Luftwaffe Fighter Ace. London: Grub Street. ISBN 978-1-904010-94-4. Retrieved 22 October 2021.
• Heaton, Colin D.; Lewis, Anne-Marie; Olds, Robin; Schulze, Kurt (2011). The German Aces Speak: World War II Through the Eyes of Four of the Luftwaffe's Most Important Commanders. Voyageur Press. ISBN 978-1-61059-748-7.
• 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 (2005). Die Jagdfliegerverbände der Deutschen Luftwaffe 1934 bis 1945—Teil 9/I—Winterkampf im Osten—6.12.1941 bis 30.4.1942 [The Fighter Units of the German Air Force 1934 to 1945—Part 9/I—Winter War in the East—6 December 1941 to 30 April 1942] (in German). Eutin, Germany: Struve-Druck. ISBN 978-3-923457-76-2.
• 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 May 1942 bis 3 February 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.
• Prien, Jochen; Stemmer, Gerhard; Rodeike, Peter; Bock, Winfried (2012). Die Jagdfliegerverbände der Deutschen Luftwaffe 1934 bis 1945—Teil 12/III—Einsatz im Osten—4.2. bis 31.12.1943 [The Fighter Units of the German Air Force 1934 to 1945—Part 12/III—Action in the East—4 February to 31 December 1943] (in German). Eutin, Germany: Buchverlag Rogge. ISBN 978-3-942943-07-9.
• Prien, Jochen; Stemmer, Gerhard; Balke, Ulf; Bock, Winfried (2022). Die Jagdfliegerverbände der Deutschen Luftwaffe 1934 bis 1945—Teil 15/II—Einsatz im Osten—1.1. bis 31.12.1944 [The Fighter Units of the German Air Force 1934 to 1945—Part 15/II—Action in the East—1 January to 31 December 1944] (in German). Eutin, Germany: Buchverlag Rogge. ISBN 978-3-942943-28-4.
• 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: The Jadgflieger and their Combat Tactics and Techniques. New York: Ivy Books. ISBN 978-0-8041-1696-1.
• Weal, John (20 October 2012). Jagdgeschwader 54 'Grünherz'. Bloomsbury Publishing. ISBN 978-1-78200-533-9.

External links

• Traces of War

• Aviation
• Biography

• 1918 births
• 1944 deaths
• Luftwaffe personnel killed in World War II
• German World War II flying aces
• Luftwaffe pilots
• People from Leszno
• Recipients of the Gold German Cross
• Recipients of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross
• Burials at Hietaniemi Cemetery