Commands held Kampfgeschwader 76 Unit Jagdstaffel 2 | Name Ernst Bormann Rank Generalmajor | |
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Born 5 November 1897
Kirchbrak ( 1897-11-05 ) Allegiance German Empire
Weimar Republic (to 1920)
Nazi Germany Service/branch Luftstreitkrafte
Luftwaffe Battles/wars World War I
World War II Died August 1, 1960, Dusseldorf, Germany Awards Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross | ||
Years of service 1915–20, 1934–45 Battles and wars World War I, World War II | ||
Ernst Bormann (5 November 1897 – 1 August 1960) was a German World War I Luftstreitkräfte flying ace and a Generalmajor of the Luftwaffe during World War II. He was also a recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves. The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross and its higher grade Oak Leaves was awarded to recognise extreme battlefield bravery or successful military leadership.
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He surrendered to the Soviet forces on 10 May 1945 and was released on 9 October 1955.
Career
Ernst Bormann was born on 5 November 1897 in Kirchbrak. He joined Reserve Infantry Regiment No. 82 on 17 August 1915 as a cadet. Bormann transferred to aviation, being sent to Fliegerersatz-Abteilung (Replacement Detachment) 7 on 7 March 1917. He moved on to FEA 12 on 24 October 1917. He was at Armee-Flug-Park (Army Flight Park) 9 when he received his first operational assignment; on 8 January 1918, he was posted to Feldflieger Abteilung (Field Flier Detachment) 42. On 4 May 1918, Leutnant Bormann was posted to a prestigious fighter squadron, Karl Bolle's Jagdstaffel 2, which was equipped with Germany's best fighter of the war, the Fokker D.VII. Beginning 3 July 1918, Bormann was credited with downing 17 enemy aircraft, most of them fighters, by 4 November 1918.
Ernst Bormann was a flying instructor from 1 August 1925 to 30 September 1930, at the nascent Luftwaffe's covert aviation training center at Lipetsk, the Soviet Union. He returned to Germany to instruct there. In 1934, after Hitler's rise to power, Bormann was commissioned as a captain in the Luftwaffe. From 1 April 1935 to 31 May 1938, he was a staffelkapitän for Kampfgeschwader Boelcke. From June to October 1938, he commanded 3 Gruppe of Jagdgeschwader 2. His next assignment was the command of Lehrgeschwader (Advanced Training Wing) 1; this posting lasted until July 1940.
During World War II, Bormann succeeded to command of Kampfgeschwader 76. As a major general, he was the Fliegerführer Crimea from February to June 1943. He was taken prisoner by the Soviet forces on 10 May 1945. Bormann returned from imprisonment in the Soviet Union in October 1955. He earned a Doctorate before dying in Düsseldorf on 1 August 1960.