Allegiance Nazi Germany Name Hans Dammers Service/branch Luftwaffe | Battles/wars World War II Battles and wars World War II | |
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Born 8 December 1913
Scherpenberg near Moers ( 1913-12-08 ) Died March 17, 1944, Ivano-Frankivsk, Ukraine Awards Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross Unit Jagdgeschwader 52, Erganzungs-Jagdgruppe Ost | ||
Hans Dammers (8 August 1913 – 17 March 1944) was a German World War II fighter ace and was credited with 113 aerial victories, with 23 unconfirmed claims. During his numerous ground attack missions he destroyed 11 aircraft, 8 locomotives, 39 horse-drawn wagons, 34 trucks, 3 anti-aircraft emplacements and 1 armoured reconnaissance vehicle. He was also a recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross (German: Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes). The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross was awarded to recognise extreme battlefield bravery or successful military leadership.
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Career
Following the launch of Operation Barbarossa in June 1941 Dammers was credited with 48 kills as part of Jagdgeschwader 52 (JG 52—52nd Fighter Wing). His first victory of 1942—a MiG-1—occurred on 13 May followed by a Pe-2 bomber on 28 May. On 17 July 1942 Dammers (flying Bf 109 G-2 Werknummer 13435—factory number) and his wingman Unteroffizier Kurt Keser jumped Soviet Yak-1 pilot (then Starshiy Leytenant) Aleksandr Pokryshkin, but the future second highest scoring Soviet ace managed to shoot both down. Keser was killed and Dammers bailed out.
He resumed his successes, shooting down two LaGG-3s on 28 July, and on 6 August 1942 he claimed an I-153 biplane fighter and two LaGG-3s. Dammers had 57 victories when he was awarded the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross on 23 August 1942. On 5 May 1943, Dammers was credited with his 100th aerial victory. He was the 39th Luftwaffe pilot to achieve the century mark.
Dammers' Bf 109 G-6 (Werknummer 20162) "yellow 9" was struck on 13 March 1944 by debris from a shot down Lavochkin La-5. Dammers bailed out but his parachute got caught on his wing. Dammers succumbed to his injuries and died in hospital on 17 March 1944 in Stanislau. He was posthumously promoted to Leutnant.