Johnen, Wilhelm "Wim"
- Date of birth:
- October 9th, 1921 (Homberg/Rhine Province, Germany)
- Date of death:
- February 7th, 2002 (Überlingen/Baden-Württemberg, Germany)
- Nationality:
- German
Biography
Wilhelm Johnen served with Nachtjagdgeschwader (Nightfighter squadron)1, 5 and 6. In 267 operational flights by night and 39 by day he scored 34 victories.
In the night of April 28th, 1944 the aircraft, Messerschmidt Me 110 CE EN, flown by Johnen inadvertently passed into Swiss airspace and was forced by the Swiss to land on Militärflugplatz (Military Airbase) Dübendorf. The aircraft was equipped with the new Liechtenstein SN-2 radar. The Germans desperately wanted to have the aircraft returned so the new technique would not fall into enemy hands. It was proposed to deliver to the Swiss 12 Messerschmidt Bf 109 fighters as compensation. The Swiss did not accept the proposal and subsequently it was agreed upon, in addition to the delivery of the 12 Bf 109's to destroy the Me 110 at Dübendorf under German supervision. The crew was allowed to return to Germany.
Promotions:
April 1st, 1940: Gefreiter;
June 1st, 1940: Fahnenjunker-Unteroffizier;
September 1st, 1940: Fähnrich;
February 1st, 1941: Oberfähnrich;
April 1st, 1941: Leutnant;
July 1943: Oberleutnant;
October 1st, 1944: Hauptmann (retroactive).
Career:
June 1941: Flugzeugführer 3. / Nachtjagdgeschwader 1;
October 1942: Flugzeugführer 1. / Nachtjagdgeschwader 5;
December 1942: Flugzeugführer 5. / Nachtjagdgeschwader 5;
March 1944: Staffelkapitän 6. / Nachtjagdgeschwader 5;
May 1944: Staffelkapitän 8. / Nachtjagdgeschwader 6;
Autumn 1944: Gruppenkommandeur III. / Nachtjagdgeschwader 6.
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Frontflugspange für Jäger in Bronze
- Period:
- Second World War (1939-1945)
- Rank:
- Leutnant (Pilot Officer)
- Unit:
- Flugzeugführer 3. / Nachtjagdgeschwader 1
- Awarded on:
- October 1st, 1941
- Period:
- Second World War (1939-1945)
- Rank:
- Leutnant (Pilot Officer)
- Unit:
- Flugzeugführer 3. / Nachtjagdgeschwader 1
- Awarded on:
- March 26th, 1942
- Period:
- Second World War (1939-1945)
- Rank:
- Leutnant (Pilot Officer)
- Unit:
- Flugzeugführer 3. / Nachtjagdgeschwader 1
- Awarded on:
- July 26th, 1942
- Period:
- Second World War (1939-1945)
- Rank:
- Oberleutnant (Flying Officer)
- Unit:
- Flugzeugführer 5. / Nachtjagdgeschwader 5
- Awarded on:
- July 8th, 1943
- Period:
- Second World War (1939-1945)
- Rank:
- Oberleutnant (Flying Officer)
- Unit:
- Flugzeugführer 5. / Nachtjagdgeschwader 5
- Awarded on:
- August 29th, 1943
- Period:
- Second World War (1939-1945)
- Rank:
- Oberleutnant (Flying Officer)
- Unit:
- Flugzeugführer 5. / Nachtjagdgeschwader 5
- Awarded on:
- January 26th, 1944
- Period:
- Second World War (1939-1945)
- Rank:
- Oberleutnant (Flying Officer)
- Unit:
- Flugzeugführer 5. / Nachtjagdgeschwader 5
- Awarded on:
- March 20th, 1944
Published in the Ehrenliste der Deutschen Luftwaffe on April 24th, 1944.
- Period:
- Second World War (1939-1945)
- Rank:
- Oberleutnant (Flying Officer)
- Unit:
- Staffelkapitän, 8. Staffel, III. Gruppe, Nachtjagdgeschwader 6, Luftwaffe
- Awarded on:
- July 23rd, 1944
Honor Pilot Badge
- Period:
- Second World War (1939-1945)
- Rank:
- Hauptmann (Flight Lieutenant)
- Unit:
- Staffelkapitän 8. / Nachtjagdgeschwader 6
- Awarded on:
- October 18th, 1944
- Period:
- Second World War (1939-1945)
- Rank:
- Oberleutnant (Flying Officer)
- Unit:
- Staffelkapitän, 8. Staffel, III. Gruppe, Nachtjagdgeschwader 6, Luftwaffe
- Awarded on:
- October 29th, 1944
Sources
- Photo 1: Igor Poul
- - FELLGIEBEL, W.P., Elite of theThird Reich, Helion & Company Limited, Solihull, 2003.
- JOHNEN, W., Duell unter den Sternen, Flechsig, 2009.
- OBERMAIER, E., Die Ritterkreuzträger der Luftwaffe, Hoffmann, 1989.
- PATZWALL, K. & SCHERZER, V., Das Deutsche Kreuz 1941-1945, Verlag Klaus D. Patzwall, Norderstedt, 2001.
- PATZWALL, K. D., Der Ehrenpokal für besondere Leistung im Luftkrieg, Verlag Klaus D. Patzwall, Norderstedt, 2008.
- das-ritterkreuz.de
Photo
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