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.

 

[Ireland]

We just received back itoday nformation from the German Archives regarding my spouse's grandfather. While it all seems like great info, it is very hard to understand for us that are not well versed in Luftwaffe WW2 details. Can anyone explain what we should be researching... 4./NJG1? Or from my initial research, some went and formed another group? 7./NJG1? SOooo many questions on all that... like how does one know if their relative moved to another squad/group? I can only see that many times throughout the war, other groups were constantly being formed from older groups.

Below is the info we learned today and the questions I have follow;

German Archives states:

Schuler-Kompanie Flieger-Ausbildungs-Regiment 63 in 1939 (translation says: Student Company of the 63rd Aviation Training Regiment)
4. Staffel Nachjagd-Geschwader 1 in 1942. (translation says: 4th Squadron Night Fighter: Squadron 1)
His dog tags says: Major Schuaifer 2 frechtagd boruber (only thing that translated was 4th season)
Listed MIA on March 27 or 28, 1945 over Teutoburg Forest, Germany.

What we want to figure out:

1. What squad was he with between September 1944 and the time he was reported missing in March 1945? What planes did he fly? (should we be looking for 4/NJG1? Or by 1945 was it something else?
2. Where was he located (air force base) between September 1944 and March 1945? Is there a website that has flight logs?
3. Are there any books, records, articles, photos of missing planes for March 27 or 28, 1945 in Teutoburg Forest? I've been looking through crashes but haven't found anything as of yet
4. We are searching for any photos of the pilots, crew, planes from his squad. We only have 1 photo of my spouse's grandfather, would love to see if we can find others now that we know more info, even if it's a group photo.
5. So were MIA pilots that were never found given a honory funeral or anything? Is there a place where missing pilots have a headstone or place of honor for families to visit? Should I look in the Teutoburg area or were planes that went down like that, just never recovered?
6. We are sooo new to all this.... what else should we look for? Do his dog tag numbers help at all? Is there a way to find more details about his military career and where he was based?

Any and all help is greatly, greatly appreciated! It is all helping to answer questions this family has had for generations.

With Deep Gratitude,
-Ireland

 

[fubar57]

He's not listed in the "Luftwaffe Officers Career Summaries"....

​

....or here.... 1945

 

[mjfur]

Are you sure the name is spelled correctly? It is an odd spelling. What is his first name?

Also the dog tag information doesn't make any sense. They typically look like this with just Numbers & Unit information. luftwaffe njg dog tag - Yahoo Image Search Results

Here's some history of Nachtjagdgeschwader 1

Nachtjagdgeschwader 1

Asisbiz history section Luftwaffe Unit Nachtjagdgeschwader 1

www.asisbiz.com

Here's some info on Luftwaffe Gruppe/Staffel structure. 4. Staffel would be II./NJG1 (2nd Gruppe)

The “Geschwader” – Organization & Structure | Chronicles of the Luftwaffe 1935 – 1945

 

[Snautzer01]

Could you make a pic of form from achive and post it here.

 

[Ireland]

Could you make a pic of form from achive and post it here.

His name was Hans Karl Heinrich Henjes. Born on Dec 7, 1917 in Hannover.

But again, I can't find anything regarding him going missing or a plane crash. I actually am confused now what squad as I've been told look for 3./NJG4 and that he was based in Vechta Air Force base during the time he went missing. But then I've also been told to check 1./NJG4 as well from another researcher.

Also, it looks like there are various spellings for his name. Birth certificate says Hans Karl Heinrich Henjes. But seems of his military docs say Hans Henies or Franz Henies or Franz Henjes. But then even his dog tag info looks different. Any ideas why?

 

[Ireland]

Are you sure the name is spelled correctly? It is an odd spelling. What is his first name?

Also the dog tag information doesn't make any sense. They typically look like this with just Numbers & Unit information. luftwaffe njg dog tag - Yahoo Image Search Results

Here's some history of Nachtjagdgeschwader 1

Nachtjagdgeschwader 1

Asisbiz history section Luftwaffe Unit Nachtjagdgeschwader 1

www.asisbiz.com

Here's some info on Luftwaffe Gruppe/Staffel structure. 4. Staffel would be II./NJG1 (2nd Gruppe)

The “Geschwader” – Organization & Structure | Chronicles of the Luftwaffe 1935 – 1945

Regarding the dog tags info, I know right? I thought the same thing. It looks to me like it says Major S….. something something. But his last name was Henjes or Henies as I've seen it spelled as well. But same birthdate and wife, etc. so it must be the same person. Thoughts?

 

[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.

So we finally recieved some archives back from Germany. It states Hans was a part of 4. Staffel Nachtjagd-Geschwader 1. I think the translation then reads 4th Squadron Night Fighter Squadron 1. It also states Student Company of the 63rd Aviation Training Regiment. It looks like on the card that his dog tag was listed as Major Schuaifer 2 frechjagd boruber, 4th season. And it seems to note that he was listed as MIA on March 27 or 28 1945

Could you make a pic of form from achive and post it here.

The email also stated:

(Wearer of the dog tag - 166 - Sch.Fl.Ausb.Rgt.63)

Is [to Henjes also Henies, Hans also Franz (registered here in this spelling)]

The following can be found:

Student Company Pilot Training Regiment 63
Reported: 1939

4.Season Night Hunting Squadron 1
Reported: 1942

 

[mjfur]

The only thing that I can make out on the card is upper right, Major Schu???? 2. Nachtjagdbomber, 4. Staffel.
Obviously that wasn't his dog tag.

 

[Snautzer01]

Major Schnaufer 2.Nachtjagdbomber 4.Staffel"
"B60519/3"

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