Werner Schröer[Note 1] (12 February 1918 – 10 February 1985) was a German World War II fighter ace credited with shooting down 114 enemy aircraft. He served in the Luftwaffe from 1937, initially as a member of the ground staff, until the end of World War II in Europe on 8 May 1945, by which time he had reached the highest ranks of combat leadership.[2] Schröer was the second most successful claimant of air victories after Hans-Joachim Marseille in the Mediterranean, and was decorated with the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves and Swords.
According to US historian David T. Zabecki, Schröer was credited with 114 aerial victories.[3] Obermaier also lists Schröer with 114 enemy aircraft shot down claimed in 197 combat missions, the majority of which on the Western Front, including 61 in North Africa and 22 in Italy. This figure includes 26 four-engined bombers, four of which claimed as Herausschüsse (separation shots).[4] Mathews and Foreman, authors of Luftwaffe Aces – Biographies and Victory Claims, researched the German Federal Archives and found records for 106 aerial victory claims, plus eight further unconfirmed claims. This figure includes 12 aerial victories on the Eastern Front and 94 over the Western Allies, including 23 four-engine bomber.[5]
Claim | Date | Time | Type | Location | Unit | Claim | Date | Time | Type | Location | Unit |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
– Claims with I. Gruppe of Jagdgeschwader 27 –[7] In North Africa — April 1941 – June 1942 | |||||||||||
1 | 19 April 1941 | —
|
Hurricane | west of Tobruk[8] | 1./JG 27 | 7 | 14 September 1941 | 15:55 | Hurricane | south of El Hambra[9] | 1./JG 27 |
2 | 25 June 1941 | 14:20 | Hurricane | south of Sidi Barrani[10] | 1./JG 27 | 8 | 30 May 1942 | 14:05 | P-40 | northeast of Bir Hacheim[11] | Stab I./JG 27 |
3 | 8 July 1941 | 07:00 | Hurricane | west of Bardia[10] | 1./JG 27 | 9 | 10 June 1942 | 07:49 | P-40 | 5 km (3.1 mi) west of Bir Hacheim[12] | Stab I./JG 27 |
4 | 19 July 1941 | 18:17 | P-40 | northeast of Ras Asaz[10] | 1./JG 27 | 10 | 15 June 1942 | 18:06 | P-40 | northwest of El Adem[12] | Stab I./JG 27 |
5 | 21 August 1941 | 18:20 | Hurricane | northeast of Bardia[10] | 1./JG 27 | 11 | 15 June 1942 | 18:11 | P-40 | northwest of El Adem[12] | Stab I./JG 27 |
6 | 29 August 1941 | 18:10 | P-40 | northwest of Sidi Barrani[10] | 1./JG 27 | ||||||
– Claims with III. Gruppe of Jagdgeschwader 27 –[13] In North Africa — June 1942 – November 1942 | |||||||||||
12 | 23 June 1942 | 14:40 | P-40 | 10 km (6.2 mi) south of Sidi Omar[14] | 8./JG 27 | 37♠ | 15 September 1942? | 11:55 | P-40 | south of El Alamein[15] | 8./JG 27 |
13 | 26 June 1942 | 11:40 | P-40 | southwest of Mersa Matruh[14] | 8./JG 27 | 38♠ | 15 September 1942? | 16:45 | P-40 | northeast of Deir El Tarfa[15] | 8./JG 27 |
14 | 26 June 1942 | 11:44 | Hurricane | southwest of Mersa Matruh[14] | 8./JG 27 | 39♠ | 15 September 1942? | 16:55 | P-40 | northeast of Deir El Tarfa[16] | 8./JG 27 |
15 | 26 June 1942 | 16:10 | P-40 | southwest of Mersa Matruh[14] | 8./JG 27 | 40♠ | 15 September 1942? | 17:03 | Spitfire | vicinity of El Alamein[16] | 8./JG 27 |
16 | 2 July 1942 | 07:00 | P-40 | southeast of El Alamein[17] | 8./JG 27 | 41 | 16 September 1942 | 09:25 | P-40 | south of El Alamein[16] | 8./JG 27 |
17 | 2 July 1942 | 07:05 | P-40 | east of El Alamein[17] | 8./JG 27 | 42 | 20 September 1942 | 16:33 | P-40 | 8 km (5.0 mi) southwest of El Alamein[16] | 8./JG 27 |
18 | 3 July 1942 | 14:40 | Hurricane | south of Imayid[17] | 8./JG 27 | 43 | 21 September 1942 | 16:30 | Spitfire | north of El Hammam[16] | 8./JG 27 |
19 | 3 July 1942 | 14:47 | Hurricane | southeast of El Hammam[17] | 8./JG 27 | 44 | 30 September 1942 | 10:30 | Spitfire | south-southwest of El Alamein[16] | 8./JG 27 |
20 | 3 July 1942 | 14:50 | P-40 | southeast of El Hammam[17] | 8./JG 27 | 45 | 2 October 1942 | 15:40 | P-40 | north-northeast of Deir El Tarfa[16] | 8./JG 27 |
21 | 4 July 1942 | 18:40 | P-40 | southeast of El Alamein[17] | 8./JG 27 | 46 | 9 October 1942 | 09:25 | Boston | northeast of El Dabaa[16] | 8./JG 27 |
22 | 6 July 1942 | 11:45 | P-40 | 20 km (12 mi) southwest of El Alamein[17] | 8./JG 27 | 47 | 9 October 1942 | 16:15 | Spitfire | northwest of El Dabaa[16] | 8./JG 27 |
23 | 6 July 1942 | 11:48 | P-40 | 21 km (13 mi) southwest of El Alamein[17] | 8./JG 27 | 48 | 9 October 1942 | 16:20 | Hurricane | southeast of Bir el Abd[16] | 8./JG 27 |
24 | 11 July 1942 | 16:05 | Spitfire | southeast of El Alamein[17] | 8./JG 27 | 49 | 20 October 1942 | 14:12 | P-40 | southwest of Deir El Tarfa[16] | 8./JG 27 |
25 | 11 July 1942 | 16:10 | P-40 | southwest of El Alamein[17] | 8./JG 27 | 50 | 23 October 1942 | 08:00 | P-46 | northeast of El Alamein[18] | 8./JG 27 |
26 | 13 July 1942 | 09:57 | Hurricane | south of El Hammam[17] | 8./JG 27 | 51 | 23 October 1942 | 08:30 | P-46 | southeast of El Alamein[18] | 8./JG 27 |
27 | 13 July 1942 | 10:02 | Hurricane | south of El Hammam[17] | 8./JG 27 | 52 | 24 October 1942 | 08:25 | P-40 | northeast of El Alamein[18] | 8./JG 27 |
28 | 13 July 1942 | 10:05 | Hurricane | south of El Hammam[17] | 8./JG 27 | 53 | 24 October 1942 | 16:45 | Hurricane | southwest of El Alamein[18] | 8./JG 27 |
29 | 14 July 1942 | 10:15 | P-40 | southwest of El Alamein[17] | 8./JG 27 | 54 | 26 October 1942 | 13:10 | P-40 | west of El Alamein[18] | 8./JG 27 |
30 | 16 July 1942 | 18:30 | P-40 | southwest of El Alamein[17] | 8./JG 27 | 55 | 27 October 1942 | —
|
P-40 | northwest of Quotaifiya[18] | 8./JG 27 |
31 | 17 July 1942 | 18:25 | P-40 | west of El Alamein[17] | 8./JG 27 | 56 | 27 October 1942 | —
|
P-40 | northeast of Quotaifiya[18] | 8./JG 27 |
32 | 8 September 1942 | 12:45 | Spitfire | vicinity of Deir El Tarfa[15] | 8./JG 27 | 57 | 27 October 1942 | —
|
P-40 | northeast of El Dabaa[18] | 8./JG 27 |
33 | 8 September 1942 | 12:50 | Spitfire | vicinity of Deir El Tarfa[15] | 8./JG 27 | 58 | 29 October 1942 | 12:25 | Spitfire | south of El Alamein[18] | 8./JG 27 |
34 | 13 September 1942 | 17:25 | P-40 | 7 km (4.3 mi) southwest of El Alamein[15] | 8./JG 27 | 59 | 30 October 1942 | 09:20 | P-39 | south-southeast of El Dabaa[18] | 8./JG 27 |
35♠ | 15 September 1942? | 11:40 | P-40 | west of El Alamein[15] | 8./JG 27 | 60 | 4 November 1942 | 12:15 | B-24 | between Sollum and Benghazi[18] | 8./JG 27 |
36♠ | 15 September 1942? | 11:43 | P-40 | west of El Alamein[15] | 8./JG 27 | 61 | 16 November 1942 | 15:20 | P-40 | south of Tecis[18] | 8./JG 27 |
– Claims with III. Gruppe of Jagdgeschwader 27 –[19] Eastern Mediterranean, Crete, Sicily, Greece, Tunisia and Italy — November 1942 – February 1943 | |||||||||||
62 | 11 February 1943[Note 2] | 13:30 | B-26 | north-northeast Karpathos | 8./JG 27 | 63 | 11 February 1943[Note 2] | 13:34 | B-26 | north-northeast Karpathos | 8./JG 27 |
– Claims with II. Gruppe of Jagdgeschwader 27 –[21] Sicily, Tunisia and Italy — February – July 1943 | |||||||||||
64 | 29 April 1943 | 18:08 | P-38 | 60 km (37 mi) southeast of Marettimo[22] | Stab II./JG 27 | 75 | 25 May 1943 | 11:17 | B-17 | 40 km (25 mi) northwest Marettimo[22] | Stab II./JG 27 |
65 | 29 April 1943 | 18:10 | P-38 | 60 km (37 mi) southeast Marettimo[22] | Stab II./JG 27 | 76 | 31 May 1943 | 14:40 | B-17 | west-northwest Trapani[23] | Stab II./JG 27 |
66 | 5 May 1943 | 15:00 | B-24 | northwest Marettimo[22] | Stab II./JG 27 | 77 | 7 June 1943 | 06:44 | P-40 | 5 km (3.1 mi) north Pantelleria[23] | Stab II./JG 27 |
67 | 9 May 1943 | 13:10 | B-24 | 15 km (9.3 mi) east Capo Gallo[22] | Stab II./JG 27 | 78 | 10 June 1943 | 09:26 | P-46 | 3 km (1.9 mi) south-southwest Granitola Torreta[23] | Stab II./JG 27 |
68 | 9 May 1943 | 13:40 | P-38 | 70 km (43 mi) northwest Capo San Vito[22] | Stab II./JG 27 | 79 | 10 June 1943 | 09:27 | P-46 | 4 km (2.5 mi) south-southwest Granitola Torreta | Stab II./JG 27 |
69 | 11 May 1943 | 11:46 | P-38 | 60 km (37 mi) northeast Cap Bon[22] | Stab II./JG 27 | —
|
10 June 1943 | —
|
Boston | Pantelleria | Stab II./JG 27 |
70 | 11 May 1943 | 12:14 | B-17 | 25 km (16 mi) south Marsala[22] | Stab II./JG 27 | 80 | 15 June 1943 | 08:23 | B-17 | 2 km (1.2 mi) west Favignana[23] | Stab II./JG 27 |
71 | 18 May 1943 | 13:45 | B-17 | 50 km (31 mi) northwest Trapani[22] | Stab II./JG 27 | 81 | 11 July 1943 | 13:20 | B-24 | 25 km (16 mi) south Crotone[23] | Stab II./JG 27 |
72 | 19 May 1943 | 13:42 | P-38 | west Marettimo[22] | Stab II./JG 27 | 82 | 16 July 1943 | 13:00 | B-24 | 5 km (3.1 mi) southwest Santeramo in Colle[24] | Stab II./JG 27 |
73 | 21 May 1943 | 11:21 | B-17 | 35 km (22 mi) south Marsala[22] | Stab II./JG 27 | 83 | 16 July 1943 | 13:15 | B-24 | 10 km (6.2 mi) west-southwest Bari[24] | Stab II./JG 27 |
74 | 21 May 1943 | 11:28 | Spitfire | 23 km (14 mi) northwest Pantelleria[22] | Stab II./JG 27 | 84 | 23 July 1943 | 14:10 | B-17 | 20 km (12 mi) north Stromboli[24] | Stab II./JG 27 |
– Claims with II. Gruppe of Jagdgeschwader 27 –[25] Defense of the Reich — September 1943 – March 1944 | |||||||||||
—
|
6 September 1943 | 10:50 | B-17 | Karlsruhe/Stuttgart[26] | Stab II./JG 27 | 89 | 7 January 1944 | 12:20 | P-38 | north of Saarbrücken[27] | Stab II./JG 27 |
—
|
6 September 1943 | 11:00 | B-17 | south of Echterdingen[26] | Stab II./JG 27 | 90 | 11 January 1944 | 12:25 | B-24 | southeast of Assen[27] | Stab II./JG 27 |
85 | 6 September 1943 | 11:08 | B-17 | east of Geislingen[26][Note 3] | Stab II./JG 27 | 91 | 11 January 1944 | 13:30 | B-17* | west of Almelo[27] | Stab II./JG 27 |
86 | 14 October 1943 | 14:20 | B-17* | Alzey[26] | Stab II./JG 27 | 92 | 29 January 1944 | 11:02 | B-17* | Sankt Wendel[27] | Stab II./JG 27 |
87 | 29 November 1943 | 14:48 | B-17 | south-southwest of Bremen[26] | Stab II./JG 27 | 93 | 25 February 1944 | 12:28 | B-17 | 20 km (12 mi) northeast of Chiemsee[27] | Stab II./JG 27 |
88 | 19 December 1943 | 12:38 | B-17 | Krimml[28] | Stab II./JG 27 | 94 | 25 February 1944 | 12:31 | B-17 | Altötting[27] | Stab II./JG 27 |
—
|
7 January 1944 | 12:07 | P-38 | north of Saarbrücken[27] | Stab II./JG 27 | 95 | 3 March 1944 | 12:23 | P-38 | Magdeburg[27] | Stab II./JG 27 |
– Claims with III. Gruppe of Jagdgeschwader 54 –[29] Defense of the Reich — May 1944 | |||||||||||
96 | 24 May 1944 | 11:15 | P-51 | Berlin center[30] | Stab III./JG 54 | 98 | 24 May 1944 | 11:45 | B-17 | Wittstock[30] | Stab III./JG 54 |
97 | 24 May 1944 | 11:40 | B-17 | Wittstock[30] | Stab III./JG 54 | ||||||
– Claims with the Stab of Jagdgeschwader 3 "Udet" –[31] Flying the Focke-Wulf Fw 190 — March 1945 – May 1945 | |||||||||||
103 | 11 March 1945 | —
|
P-39 | Stab JG 3 "Udet" | 109 | 19 April 1945 | —
|
Il-2 | Stab JG 3 "Udet" | ||
104 | 11 March 1945 | —
|
Pe-2 | Stab JG 3 "Udet" | 110 | 19 April 1945 | —
|
Yak-3 | Stab JG 3 "Udet" | ||
105 | 11 March 1945 | —
|
Pe-2 | Stab JG 3 "Udet" | 111 | 24 April 1945 | —
|
Yak-3 | Stab JG 3 "Udet" | ||
106 | 15 March 1945 | —
|
P-39 | Stab JG 3 "Udet" | 112 | 24 April 1945 | —
|
Yak-9 | Stab JG 3 "Udet" | ||
107 | 15 March 1945 | —
|
La-5 | Stab JG 3 "Udet" | 113 | 26 April 1945 | —
|
La-5 | Stab JG 3 "Udet" | ||
108 | 15 March 1945 | —
|
Yak-3 | Stab JG 3 "Udet" | 114 | 26 April 1945 | —
|
La-5 | Stab JG 3 "Udet" |