Any Luftwaffe Pilot Experts out there??

[Ireland]

This was my spouse's grandfather. This photo has been in a frame since the end of the war. Up until last month, we didn't even know his name. With the help of DNA testing we were able to determine he was Hans Karl Heinrich Henjes. He was born in Hannover on December 7, 1917. Based on my mother in laws birthday, we believe he had to have gone missing or was killed some time after October 1944. We were able to find an "Request for Death Declaration for March 28, 1945" but there are no documents to support nor does it show it was approved.

I am not an expert in any capacity of WWII, more specifically German forces. Basic level of understanding at best. So really throwing this out to your community and hoping for some help…

From this photo, what can be determined to possibly narrow down our information search?

1. Luftwaffe pilot. Day? Night? Any other group I should be checking? Recon? Transport? Were there any other squads of pilots? Can a squad be determined based on this photo? My mother in law was born in Darmstadt. Could he have been an based at the Darmstadt airfield?

2. Do any of the other medals or awards he's wearing narrow down anything I should be searching?

3. Is the black ring significant for Luftwaffe pilots?

4. My mother in law was always told her father went missing on the Eastern Front. Just assuming the date of March 28, 1945 is the date he went missing, is there a reliable list of German planes and their pilots that were shot down on specific days?

Again, I have a very basic level of understanding at best with all this. So any help, guidance or direction would be greatly appreciated.

 

[Snautzer01]

There is no mentioning of that name over on torch by boiten and salonen did not react on request by me.
Nor is the name mentioned in Officers Career Summaries by Stankey/Dezang

I directed o.p. to here for more information. BAMA Germany wich hold many personal files death cards Military documents

I think that is the way to go for o.p. BAMA will hold the death record and mire info about.

 

[Wurger]

Welcome to the site.

Ad.1 and Ad.2 .... IMHO his military rank was the Feldwebel ( Senior Sergeant ), the pilot or pilot/observer. It is quite difficult to state becuase the pic is not of the greatest quality and the badge on the right and most bottom isn't "readable" fully.

the pilot badge ( on left ) and the pilot-observer one ( on right) ...

The badge above his left top pocket is the The Front Flying Clasp of the Luftwaffe ( Frontflugspange). It was the German military decoration conferred upon aircrew and select Luftwaffe personnel to acknowledge the quantity of operational flights undertaken. The Bronze – 20 flown missions, the Silver – 60 flown missions, the Gold – 110 flown missions. The various designs of the central device was determined from the type of aircraft flown. It also isn't "readable fully but the bottom part may suggest there were two crossed swords. So, it would be the Front Flying Clasp for Air to Ground Support Fighters ( Schlachtflieger ). The wreath of the badge doesn't seem to be dark so no the night fighter pilot (Nah-Nachtjäger).

There is one more badge on his left pocket above the the pilot badge. But I can't recognize it. It seems that it could be either the The Air Gunner and Flight Engineer Badge of the Luftwaffe/The Radio Operator Badge of the Luftwaffe or the The Observer Badge of the Luftwaffe.

The badge above his right pocket looks like the Luftwaffe breast Egale.

Also there is on his right shoulder, the Luftwaffe Rifleman's Rope awarded for shooting results.

Ad.3 ... the signet doesn't seems to be the Luftwaffe Pilot one. However it might be a family signet ring.

 

[special ed]

Considering Ireland's other recent thread posting about the Hs 123 and the above revelations by Wurger, these could be clues to his flying on the eastern front. Weren't many/most Hs 123 pilots Feldwebels, and wasn't the last uses of the 123 on the eastern front?

 

[Ireland]

There is no mentioning of that name over on torch by boiten and salonen did not react on request by me.
Nor is the name mentioned in Officers Career Summaries by Stankey/Dezang

I directed o.p. to here for more information. BAMA Germany wich hold many personal files death cards Military documents

I think that is the way to go for o.p. BAMA will hold the death record and mire info about.

We have requested records from German archives. We're told though it can take up to 2 years so I am just trying to do more digging myself. Appreciate all the help though!

 

[Snautzer01]

Considering Ireland's other recent thread posting about the Hs 123 and the above revelations by Wurger, these could be clues to his flying on the eastern front. Weren't many/most Hs 123 pilots Feldwebels, and wasn't the last uses of the 123 on the eastern front?

Hs123 was use last east but is such a rare bird. Matti Salonen has the deathfiles so is subject was on hs123 certainly i would have popped up

 

[Wurger]

According to the site .... Kracker Luftwaffe Archive

Henjes, Hans Karl Heinrich, Feltwebel, 12/7/1917, Hannover , II/NJG-1 (?) (3/45 Düsseldorf), Bf 110 & Ju 88G

 

[Ireland]

According to the site .... Kracker Luftwaffe Archive

Henjes, Hans Karl Heinrich, Feltwebel, 12/7/1917, Hannover , II/NJG-1 (?) (3/45 Düsseldorf), Bf 110 & Ju 88G

Yes, that information was posted by Mr Kracker based on the information he derived from the photo but its not in any records.

 

[Snautzer01]

Yes, that information was posted by Mr Kracker based on the information he derived from the photo but its not in any records.

But it is a lead. Kracker archives are still a go look for.
Meaning the name was in some file.
Good show Wurger.

 

[Ireland]

But it is a lead. Kracker archives are still a go look for.
Meaning the name was in some file.
Good show Wurger.

 

[Ireland]

In August of 2021, a photo of a young Luftwaffe pilot was posted for sale on Crains Militaria website. It's a photo of my spouse's grandfather, Hans Karl Henrich Henjes. It's one of only 3 photos of him in existence that we know of. Someone purchased that photo as it's no longer listed for sale. I have reached out several times to Crains to see if they could pass on my info as we would really like to purchase the photo.

Know it's a long shot, but any chance someone on here has this photo in their collection or know someone that does?

Side note - in 2024 Crains had a second photo of Hans listed for sale. We purchased that one.