december september german pronunciation luftwaffe fighter pilot flying ace world war noted aerial battles bohemian lifestyle successful fighter pilots nicknamed star africa claimed seven official victories north_africa flying fighter entire combat career pilot claimed western allied aircraft french ancestry joined luftwaffe age graduated luftwaffe fighter pilot schools time participate notable success charming person busy night life tired allowed fly morning result transferred unit relocated north_africa april guidance new commander recognised potential young officer quickly developed abilities fighter pilot reached fighter pilot career september course combat sorties claimed enemy fighters shot earning mit und cross oak leaves swords diamonds days later killed flying accident forced abandon fighter engine failure exited smoke filled cockpit chest struck vertical aircraft blow killed instantly unable open parachute early life born charlotte maiden family paternal ancestry berlin december child physically weak nearly died case father army officer world war later left armed forces join force later rejoined army promoted general promoted attained rank july served eastern beginning operation killed partisans near january buried cemetery younger sister sick leave athens end december summoned berlin telegram mother arriving home learned sister slain jealous lover recovered emotionally blow young child parents divorced mother subsequently married police official named initially assumed stepfather school matter difficult time accepting reverted father adulthood acquired reputation rebel lack discipline characteristic plague early luftwaffe career difficult relationship natural father refused visit hamburg time divorce eventually attempted reconciliation father subsequently introduced initially military career early years luftwaffe father attended 12th age gymnasium berlin considered lazy student constantly playing getting trouble end school years started education seriously qualified youngest years months achieve graduating early expressed desire flying officer entry luftwaffe athletic physique received good report term state labour service near bremen april september joined luftwaffe november officer candidate received military basic training region march transferred air war school near classmates reports breach military discipline consequently ordered stay base class mates weekend leave frequently ignored left note went occasion performing slow circuit broke away performed imaginary weaving commanding officer taken flying duties promotion postponed soon cross country flight landed quiet stretch ran tree relieve farmers came needed assistance time arrived way blown infuriated farmers reported matter suspended flying graduated officers early left rank end completed training 5th fighter pilot school posted november time command world war flying ace recipient teachers austro hungarian world war ace graduated outstanding evaluation july assigned unit assigned air defence duty plant outbreak war fall france august assigned based begin operations britain received outstanding evaluation time world war england august involved minute battle skilled opponent defeated opponent pulling tight gain altitude advantage diving firing british fighter struck engine pitching diving english channel victory engaged enemy fighters pushing aircraft steep dive pulling metres water escaped machine gun fire opponents away waves clean break followed returned sic based near pleasure victory found difficult accept realities aerial combat second sortie scored victory september claimed fourth victory ace september claiming fifth enemy aircraft returning bomber escort mission september flying engine failed miles combat damage sustained dover pilot officer squadron shot according source destroyed engagement pursued location pilot rescued naval aircraft german known rescued day location official claim destroyed pilot submit claim location tried radio position forced bail sea water hours rescued float plane based severely worn suffering exposure sent field hospital claimed aerial victories loss day trouble arriving airfield abandoned leader shot killed received stern final warning tore flight visibly upset looking pilots voicing dissent concerning pilots arrogance nature eventually dismiss account recalled ignored order turn fight outnumbered seeing enemy aircraft closing wing leader broke formation shot attacking aircraft expecting landed thoroughly criticised actions receiving days confinement failing carry order days later passed promotion sole humiliation abilities suppressed squadron leaders glory air shortly early october having claimed seven aerial victories flying transferred flying alongside likes wrote aircraft result operations period later recalled extremely handsome gifted pilot unreliable girl friends kept busy worn grounded irresponsible way conducting duties main reason fired irresistible charm punishment rumoured penchant american jazz music overt playboy lifestyle inability fly transferred december joined new unit difficult outstanding career new later recalled hair long brought list disciplinary long arm thirty years later called playboy quickly recognised potential pilot stated interview disciplinary problem great fighter pilot soon relocated north_africa arrival north_africa unit briefly saw action invasion yugoslavia deployed april transferring africa april flight tripoli developed engine trouble forced landing desert short destination squadron departed scene ensured got safely continued journey italian truck finding slow tried luck vain finally way general charge supply depot main route convinced available operations day character appealed general disposal complete pay getting victories parting words caught squadron arrived april scored victories april april shot sortie day lieutenant free french pilot squadron raf victories flying received hits cockpit area shattered canopy leaning forward rounds missed inches managed crash land fighter month later records shot engaged target turning ensued june encouraged self train improve abilities time crashed damaged aircraft including aircraft april kill rate low went june august victory frustrated damage forced land occasions june hit ground fire forced land blind tactic diving enemy formations found fire directions resulting aircraft damaged repair consequently losing patience persisted created unique self training programme physical tactical resulted outstanding awareness confident control aircraft unique attack tactic preferred high angle shooting attack shooting target instead common method chasing aircraft shooting directly practiced tactics way missions comrades known master shooting began claim enemy aircraft regularly occasion organise welfare downed pilot personally driving remote crash sites rescue downed allied airmen september shot royal_australian_air_force raaf squadron flew airfield dropped note informing australians condition treatment returned days later second note news death repeated sorties warned forbade flights kind war stated attempted gestures group loved shooting aircraft killing man tried separate allowed escape suppose finally september practice came fruition multiple victory sortie claiming hurricanes squadron south african air force mid december reached victories duly awarded gold rotated germany november december convert variant described experts mount victories represented 23rd victory star africa improve abilities worked strengthen legs abdominal muscles help tolerate extreme forces air combat drank abnormal milk sunglasses improve counter german fighter attacks allied pilots flew circles aircraft tail covered friendly aircraft tactic effective dangerous pilot attacking formation find constantly sights enemy pilots high speed middle enemy defensive formations executing tight turn firing second shot destroy enemy aircraft successes begun readily apparent early claimed 40th victories february 44th victories days later earned knight des month victories attacked conditions considered unfavourable allowed approach fast escape return fire aircraft flying flank target excellent possible spot enemy spotted allowing appropriate action manoeuvre position attack combat unorthodox methods led operate small leader unit believed effective way fighting high visibility conditions north african skies worked combat keeping safe distance fire error particularly attacking allied aircraft circle favour dramatically reducing throttle lowering flaps reduce speed turn radius standard procedure throttle clade said pilots effectively preferring instead dive single opponents speed escape went wrong clade said tactics developed special tactics differed significantly methods pilots attacking circle fly slowly took point operate landing flaps fall course fly curve turns tightly upper defensive circle fighter unit command aircraft like victories recognised unique shooting curve shooting difficult thing pilot enemy flies defensive circle means lying curve attacking fighter fly defensive circle pulling aircraft right curve radius smaller target disappears cases wings anymore proceed simply instinct success fighter pilot led promotions responsibility officer saw receive unusually early promotion followed appointment june succeeding took command conversation friend commented style idea air air combat experience combat middle british sic firing position getting caught aircraft basic elements got mastered got able shoot position left right turns roll way develop particular tactics attack tactics enemy simply course battle series unpredictable movements actions stemming situation hand middle enemy blow inside narrow escape damaged squadron raaf southeast bay bounced downed australian pilots flying officer took hits oil tank propeller likely flying officer reported damaging managed shoot sergeant nursing aircraft base repairs took days aerial victories recorded numbers weeks later performed mercy mission witnessing victory pilot officer squadron raf strike tail plane fighter fall death parachute open landing drove crash site landed allied lines found dead pilot german territory marked grave collected papers verified identity flew airfield deliver letter regret died days 21st birthday attack method break formations perfected resulted high proportion kills rapid multiple victories attack june attacked formation fighters shot aircraft squadron minutes including aces victories victories victories success inflated score recording 75th victories awarded mit june nicknamed flying counting machine said fight enemy shot turning soon shot needed enemy plane pattern gunfire began engine nose consistently ended cockpit able explain throttle far possible enabled fly turns expenditure ammunition air battle rounds aircraft shot place methods context amazing ingenious combat pilot saw lucky occasions thought jumping fight outnumbered trying catch violated cardinal rule fighter combat abandoned rules june claimed 100th aerial victory 11th luftwaffe pilot achieve century mark returned germany months leave following day awarded mit und august began journey north_africa accompanied fiancée august met rome presented highest italian military award bravery italy disappeared time prompting german authorities missing persons report submitted head rome finally located according rumours run italian girl eventually persuaded return unit unusually said incident repercussions visited leaving fiancée rome returned combat duties august september successful day destroying enemy aircraft nos september claim victories productive month enemy aircraft shot included minutes result feat presented regia squadron italian comrades painted italian language aircraft air forces shot single pilot day pilot bully november better score eastern september claimed victories nos hit fire british canadian ace nazi propaganda magazine published luftwaffe reported actions volume days later edwards likely killed friend day september close friend posted missing action personal losses weighed heavily mind family tragedy noted barely spoke weeks life strain combat induced consistent night symptoms stress disorder remembered events continued scoring multiple victories september including seven september nos september failed increase score fractured arm sustained force landing soon september mission result forbidden fly day borrowed italian ace based test flight flight ended wheels landing german ace accidentally switched engine throttle control italian aircraft opposite german aircraft nearly surpassed friend score victories weeks massive material superiority allies meant strain placed outnumbered german pilots severe time strength german fighter units aircraft british muster machines physically exhausted pace combat combat september reportedly verge collapse minute battle formation scored seventh victory day particular note claim landing afternoon september physically exhausted accounts squadron members visibly shocked physical state according post battle accounts engaged pilot intense began high altitude descended low level recounted opponent tail succeeded fired time pursued managed turn table attacker finally minutes fuel remaining climbed sun raf fighter followed caught executed tight turn roll fired metres range caught fire shed wing crashed ground pilot inside wrote toughest adversary turns fabulous thought fight unfortunately pilot unit remain unidentified aircraft following aircraft flew sustained damage september aerial combat crash landed near sustained damage september aerial combat emergency landing near sustained damage september aerial combat near dover sustained damage september emergency landing engine failure near sustained damage april emergency landing engine failure near sustained damage april emergency landing combat belly landing near sustained damage aerial combat emergency landing near flew different aircraft score rose february victory bars rudder september aircraft lost wing collision pilot collided piloted killed resulting crash injuries weeks later number open topped victory bars rudder final early variant rear fuselage horizontal support bars lower rear fuselage joining fin rudder elevators forward fuselage section black outlined yellow rudder enclosed atop victory bars death missions september flown shot seven enemy aircraft machines replace allocated previously ignored orders use new aircraft high engine failure rate orders reluctantly machines engine final aircraft flew days rested taken flying duties september received telephone asking return berlin hitler speech berlin september attend rejected offer citing needed taken months vacation year revealed wanted leave christmas marry fiancée september leading escort mission covering withdrawal group relieving outward escort iii deployed support africa flight enemy aircraft vicinity enemy withdrew combat heading height formation directed iii engage heard leader claim radio returning base new cockpit began fill smoke blinded half guided german lines reaching friendly lines yellow lost power drifting lower lower called minutes reached friendly lines point deemed aircraft longer decided bail words comrades got stand longer personally directing mission command post command post listening radio communication pilots realised immediately happened knew flight trying bring lines territory aircraft lot smoke flying tight formation away necessary room manoeuvre rolled aircraft standard procedure bail smoke slight failed notice aircraft entered steep dive angle degrees travelling considerably faster speed mph worked way cockpit rushing air carried backwards left chest striking vertical fighter killing instantly rendering unconscious point deploy parachute fell vertically hitting desert floor kilometres south hole parachute canopy recovering body parachute release handle safe revealing attempted open whilst checking body regimental doctor regiment noted stopped exactly reach crash site having stationed rear forward defences witnessed fatal fall autopsy report stated pilot lay stomach asleep arms hidden beneath body came closer saw pool blood issued crushed skull brain matter exposed turned dead pilot opened flight jacket saw knight cross oak leaves swords actually received diamonds personally knew immediately told collected body desert lay state sick bay comrades coming pay respects day tribute record enjoyed listening played close day funeral took place october heroes cemetery albert delivering eulogy entry flight book read flight duration minutes time landing black cross took parachute kilometres south remarks engine damage flights combat flights total kills certified field september crash hastily set commission report concluded crash caused damage differential gear caused oil leak number teeth broke spur wheel ignited oil sabotage human error ruled aircraft ferried unit italy mission ended destruction mission impact death moved africa month impact death morale deaths german aces friend weeks earlier reduced spirits time low biographer suggests consequences instigated failure command style entirely control success relied carry greater share aerial victories claimed unit death came seemingly prepared historians point fact promotions based personal success rates reason pilots score air victories let flew support showed held attacking enemy aircraft build score higher result step shoes killed explained handicap pilots scored partially overcome morale effect success pilots like fact pilots acted secondary role escort master luftwaffe able operational leaders assessment subordinate commander quality necessarily easily fighter pilot absolutely supreme possessed lightning quicker judgment bigger orbit unique impact enemy fighter pilots morale unclear quoted pilot officer squadron raf extremely skilled pilot deadly shot helpless feeling continually bounced little hand enemy pilots familiar known personnel desert apparently little indication allied pilots heard information readily way stories pilots knew hoped duel skies likely case memorials appeared times time wednesday february general der visited airport desert second time wednesday july travelled receive knight oak leaves swords adolf_hitler time wednesday september announcing aerial victories september awarded diamonds appearance dates wednesday september showing visiting wartime pyramid constructed italian engineers site fall time decayed october survivors operation egyptian government erected new pyramid stands day weeks following death morale low attempt improve morale persuaded seen photographs grave bears word undefeated understood war remains brought memorial gardens mother visited grave remains small clay coffin bearing number german film star africa directed starring october barracks renamed barracks memorial family found graveyard berlin left bears insignia tail rudder second bearing victory marks display der initially given family gift donated museum 1970s years death fighter pilot veterans world war gathered honour international fighter pilots meeting october attending meeting fighter pilots different countries including shot june guests honour meeting mother fiancée 16th reunion took place september invited guest honour corporal south_africa matthew alias black south african soldier taken prisoner war german troops morning june fortress initially worked volunteer driver befriended domestic africa victory claims notable actions transferred combat assignment time stationed sunday august days later arrived unit august assigned assigned flew combat mission day wednesday august claimed aerial victory august little years aerial victories aerial victories claimed combat missions ace indicates days ace day term fighter pilot shot single day indicates aerial combat report missing indicates australian historian expressed doubt claims claims north_africa included fighters fighters fighters bombers bomber bomber hold records aerial victories biographer attempt link records allied units squadrons possible individual pilots order verify claims possible dispute claims allied squadron records german claims caused historians allied veterans question accuracy official victories addition attention focused claims september claimed biographer claims victories verified allied records war historian major states years british historians refused admit lost aircraft day north_africa careful review records british south lose aircraft day area operated reveals raf single engined fighters twin engined fighter destroyed severely damaged shot overall reveals kill total comes close percent indicating claims actually kills compares rate pilots canadian records shows percent aces like order magnitude claims support conclusions british historian gives figure allied losses day claims september doubt following detailed scrutiny records individual allied squadrons australian historian brown lists occasions downed aircraft claimed pointed low military value shooting fighters bombers having highly damaging effect axis ground units convoy routes referring september points shot claimed day rest german fighter pilots got british sic lost bombers period lost bombers fell anti aircraft defences evidence shows forced defensive losses inflicted bombers summary career decorations early 1990s biographers visited base museum photograph medals arrived informed swords diamonds belonging stolen references dates rank joined military service november station region received military basic training luftwaffe recruit stations operation completed training assigned stationed airport absence environment biographers written authority movement general came fore movie movie life described incident occurred shortly presented swords young visit germany presented evidence shocked information return north_africa went hiding italy instead established whereabouts pressured return research biographers unearthed truth story attitude ruling nazi movement demonstrated lack respect nazi elite visit germany june august gifted pianist invited play piece home industrialist designer fighter achieved success guests party included adolf_hitler party chairman hitler deputy commander chief luftwaffe head display piano play hour including proceeded play american jazz considered nazi ideology hitler stood raised hand said think heard left room found prank amusing recalled blood heard music played later month invited function despite stunt stab confirmed visit conversation mentioned jews stated talking operation effect following murder construction know asked standing summoned logistics new camp mentioned cleared jews dealt noticed young pilot later learned debated decided returned unit asked friends clade heard happening jews underway know recalled heard jews relocated territory gained east recounted attempted ask questions jews vanished neighbourhood including family doctor delivered birth regardless hero status attempted bring subject conversation people approached met awkward people changed subject turned away noticed change attitude nation cause spoke comrades
Hans-Joachim Marseille