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Ettel, Wolf-Udo (Jagdgeschwader 27)

Date of birth:
February 26th, 1921 (Hamburg, Germany)
Date of death:
July 17th, 1943 (Lentini-Catania/Sicily, Italy)
Buried on:
German War Cemetery Motta San Anastasia
Plot: Gruft 2. Row: 1. Grave: C / 85.
Nationality:
German

Biography

Wolf-Udo Ettel achieved 124 victories in over 250 operational sorties.

00.00.1934: Nationalpolitische Erziehungsanstalt—Napola
15.11.1939: joined the Luftwaffe, Flieger-Ausbildungs-Regiment 32
00.01.1941: Blindflugschule
00.00.1941: Jagdfliegerschule, Paris
00.09.1941: Ergänzungs-Jagdgruppe, Denmark
10.04.1942: Leutnant, 4. Staffel, II. Gruppe, Jagdgeschwader 3 "Udet", San Pietro Clarenza, Sicily
27.04.1942: Pilsen
19.05.1942: Leutnant, 4. Staffel, II. Gruppe, Jagdgeschwader 3 "Udet", VIII. Fliegerkorps, Heeresgruppe Süd, Chuguyev airfield
24.06.1942: Shchigry airfield, east of Kursk - scored his first and 2nd victories, two Ilyushin Il-2 "Shturmovik" ground-attack aircraft
10.07.1942: shot down with Messerschmitt Bf 109 F-4 Werknummer 8.383 coded "White 1" north Voronezh while destroying a Soviet-flown Douglas Boston bomber, his seventh claim - bailed out behind Soviet lines, swam across the Don River and returned to his unit four days later
09.08.1942: 20th aerial victory
07.10.1942: 30th aerial victory
31.10.1942: 33rd victory
00.01.1943: 4. Staffel was relocated to the Kuban bridgehead
00.03.1943: shot down 28 Soviet aircrafts
00.04.1943: shot down 36 Soviet aircrafts
11.04.1943: 5 aicrafts downed
28.04.1943: 100th aerial victory, 38th Luftwaffe pilot to reach this score
00.05.1943: II. Gruppe moved to Kharkiv to operate east of Belgorod
06.05.1943: 104th victory
11.05.1943: 120th victory, shot down with Bf 109 G-4 Werknummer 19.453 coded „Weiße 10" by anti-aircraft fire and force landed between the front lines, west of Anastassiewskaja
05.06.1943: promoted to Oberleutnant, Staffelkapitän, 8. Staffel, III. Gruppe, Jagdgeschwader 27 based in Tanagra, Greece
29.06.1943: Argos airfield, Peloponnese to operate over the Aegean Sea
14.07.1943: relocated in Brindisi in southern Italy
15.07.1943: downed a Royal Air Force (RAF) Supermarine Spitfire fighter aircraft north of Mount Etna
16.07.1943: claimed a Spitfire and two United States Army Air Forces (USAAF) B-24 Liberator bombers
17.07.1943: Olt., Staka, 8. Staffel, III. Gruppe, Jagdgeschwader 27, KIA with Bf 109 G-6 Werknummer 18.402 crashed northeast of Lago di Lentini, Catania
Pkot credited with 124 victories in over 250 missions - 120 claims on the Eastern Front, 21 Il-2 Sturmovik ground-attack aircraft and four victories over Sicily, which included two USAAF four-engine bombers

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Period:
Second World War (1939-1945)
Awarded on:
July 24th, 1942
Eisernes Kreuz 2. Klasse
Period:
Second World War (1939-1945)
Awarded on:
August 2nd, 1942
Eisernes Kreuz 1. Klasse
Period:
Second World War (1939-1945)
Awarded on:
October 23rd, 1942
Frontflugspange für Jäger in Gold
Period:
Second World War (1939-1945)
Rank:
Leutnant (Pilot Officer)
Unit:
4. Staffel, II. Gruppe, Jagdgeschwader 3 "Udet", Luftwaffe
Awarded on:
December 23rd, 1942

Award 4/144.
Deutsches Kreuz in Gold
Period:
Second World War (1939-1945)
Rank:
Leutnant (Pilot Officer)
Unit:
Staffelführer, 4. Staffel, II. Gruppe, Jagdgeschwader 3 "Udet", Luftwaffe
Awarded on:
June 1st, 1943
Ettel’s Knight’s Cross recommendation reads as follows…

“Leutnant Ettel, who is presently serving as an acting Staffelführer, began his aviation career with frontline units in the Mediterranean theatre. Here he flew his first sorties as an escort for bomber formations that were launching their own missions against Malta as well as enemy shipping.

After the Gruppe was redeployed to the Eastern front, he was finally able to demonstrate his significant skill as a pilot (coupled with outstanding decisiveness and courage) and achieve his first aerial victories. Within the first 4 weeks of service in this new area of operations he was able to shoot down 8 enemy aircraft (including 1 Hurricane). During fighter-bomber operations against the Lipezk airfield he destroyed 1 DB-3 and heavily damaged 2 more. He also scored hits against important railway facilities during similar such attacks in the Voronezh area.

Over the course of 32 fighter-bomber attacks (including some against airfields) he destroyed several one-engined aircraft on the ground, and also shot up 1 armoured car plus several AA trucks and other vehicles during attacks against enemy vehicle assemblies. Among other things, he scattered an enemy cavalry assembly following repeated attacks. He also prevented the arrival of reinforcements for an enemy bridgehead.

During a fierce aerial battle with a formation of 10 Douglas bombers, Leutnant Ettel was shot down by Russian fighters and forced to parachute over Russian territory. However in this situation his personal courage and determination did not waver, and after about 8 days in enemy territory he managed to return to friendly territory. He then resumed his series of aerial victories just a few days later.

Over the course of the aerial combat in the most recent weeks (which took place during the hard defensive battles between Izyum and the Mius position) he succeeded in destroying another 20 aircraft. With this he raised his total of enemy aircraft destroyed to 52, all of which were achieved in over 190 sorties.

Leutnant Ettel has shown very good leadership qualities whilst serving as a Schwarm leader. In this capacity he has proven that he is able to remain calm even in the midst of swiftly-changing combat situations. His superb flying abilities and exemplary devotion to duty make him an excellent leader and trainer for the young pilots of his Staffel.

On the grounds of his personal bravery and its associated results, Leutnant Ettel is being submitted for the award of the Knight’s Cross to the Iron Cross.”

By the time this document was written (the 24.03.1943) Ettel had achieved 52 aerial victories in 191 sorties. However in the subsequent 2 months he achieved a remarkable string of successes, which are summarized in an endorsement written by the commanding general of the VIII. Fliegerkorps. This document (dated 19.05.1943) reads as follows…

“Whilst flying in operations against both Malta and the Soviet Union, Leutnant Ettel has succeeded in achieving 117 aerial victories in just 238 sorties as of the 18.05.1943.

He has achieved proud successes in numerous bold fighter-bomber attacks, and above all has demonstrated exceedingly admirable competence in the bomber-escort role.

His swift ascension to the ranks of the Geschwader’s most successful fighter pilots is a testament to his attacking spirit, swift thinking and bitter determination to conclude combat with the enemy in his favour.

I approve the award of the Knight’s Cross to the Iron Cross for Leutnant Ettel.”

841st Award.
Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes
Period:
Second World War (1939-1945)
Unit:
Flugzeugführer
Awarded on:
June 25th, 1943
Luftwaffe Ehrenpokale für besondere Leistungen im Luftkrieg
Period:
Second World War (1939-1945)
Rank:
Oberleutnant (Flying Officer)
Unit:
Staffelkapitän, 8. Staffel, III. Gruppe, Jagdgeschwader 27, Luftwaffe
Awarded on:
August 31st, 1943
Awarded in recognition of his 124 aerial victories, which were achieved over the course of 250 sorties.

289th Award. Awarded posthumously.
Ritterkreuz mit Eichenlaub

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