List of aerial victories claimed by Werner Schröer

Main article: Werner Schröer

Schröer's Messerschmitt Bf 109 rudder with 90 victory markings. This rudder is on display at the Militärhistorisches Museum Flugplatz Berlin-Gatow.

Werner Schröer[Note 1] (12 February 1918 – 10 February 1985) was a German World War II fighter ace credited with shooting down 114 enemy aircraft. He served in the Luftwaffe from 1937, initially as a member of the ground staff, until the end of World War II in Europe on 8 May 1945, by which time he had reached the highest ranks of combat leadership.[2] Schröer was the second most successful claimant of air victories after Hans-Joachim Marseille in the Mediterranean, and was decorated with the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves and Swords.

List of aerial victories claimed

According to US historian David T. Zabecki, Schröer was credited with 114 aerial victories.[3] Obermaier also lists Schröer with 114 enemy aircraft shot down claimed in 197 combat missions, the majority of which on the Western Front, including 61 in North Africa and 22 in Italy. This figure includes 26 four-engined bombers, four of which claimed as Herausschüsse (separation shots).[4] Mathews and Foreman, authors of Luftwaffe Aces – Biographies and Victory Claims, researched the German Federal Archives and found records for 106 aerial victory claims, plus eight further unconfirmed claims. This figure includes 12 aerial victories on the Eastern Front and 94 over the Western Allies, including 23 four-engine bomber.[5]

  This and the ♠ (Ace of spades) indicates those aerial victories which made Schröer an "ace-in-a-day", a term which designates a fighter pilot who has shot down five or more airplanes in a single day.

  This and the – (dash) indicates unconfirmed aerial victory claims for which Schröer did not receive credit.

  This and the ? (question mark) indicates that Australian author Russell Brown has expressed doubt regarding the veracity of Schröer's claims on this day.[6]

  This along with the * (asterisk) indicates an Herausschuss (separation shot)—a severely damaged heavy bomber forced to separate from his combat box which was counted as an aerial victory.

Claim	Date	Time	Type	Location	Unit	Claim	Date	Time	Type	Location	Unit
– Claims with I. Gruppe of Jagdgeschwader 27 –[7] In North Africa — April 1941 – June 1942
1	19 April 1941	—	Hurricane	west of Tobruk[8]	1./JG 27	7	14 September 1941	15:55	Hurricane	south of El Hambra[9]	1./JG 27
2	25 June 1941	14:20	Hurricane	south of Sidi Barrani[10]	1./JG 27	8	30 May 1942	14:05	P-40	northeast of Bir Hacheim[11]	Stab I./JG 27
3	8 July 1941	07:00	Hurricane	west of Bardia[10]	1./JG 27	9	10 June 1942	07:49	P-40	5 km (3.1 mi) west of Bir Hacheim[12]	Stab I./JG 27
4	19 July 1941	18:17	P-40	northeast of Ras Asaz[10]	1./JG 27	10	15 June 1942	18:06	P-40	northwest of El Adem[12]	Stab I./JG 27
5	21 August 1941	18:20	Hurricane	northeast of Bardia[10]	1./JG 27	11	15 June 1942	18:11	P-40	northwest of El Adem[12]	Stab I./JG 27
6	29 August 1941	18:10	P-40	northwest of Sidi Barrani[10]	1./JG 27
– Claims with III. Gruppe of Jagdgeschwader 27 –[13] In North Africa — June 1942 – November 1942
12	23 June 1942	14:40	P-40	10 km (6.2 mi) south of Sidi Omar[14]	8./JG 27	37♠	15 September 1942?	11:55	P-40	south of El Alamein[15]	8./JG 27
13	26 June 1942	11:40	P-40	southwest of Mersa Matruh[14]	8./JG 27	38♠	15 September 1942?	16:45	P-40	northeast of Deir El Tarfa[15]	8./JG 27
14	26 June 1942	11:44	Hurricane	southwest of Mersa Matruh[14]	8./JG 27	39♠	15 September 1942?	16:55	P-40	northeast of Deir El Tarfa[16]	8./JG 27
15	26 June 1942	16:10	P-40	southwest of Mersa Matruh[14]	8./JG 27	40♠	15 September 1942?	17:03	Spitfire	vicinity of El Alamein[16]	8./JG 27
16	2 July 1942	07:00	P-40	southeast of El Alamein[17]	8./JG 27	41	16 September 1942	09:25	P-40	south of El Alamein[16]	8./JG 27
17	2 July 1942	07:05	P-40	east of El Alamein[17]	8./JG 27	42	20 September 1942	16:33	P-40	8 km (5.0 mi) southwest of El Alamein[16]	8./JG 27
18	3 July 1942	14:40	Hurricane	south of Imayid[17]	8./JG 27	43	21 September 1942	16:30	Spitfire	north of El Hammam[16]	8./JG 27
19	3 July 1942	14:47	Hurricane	southeast of El Hammam[17]	8./JG 27	44	30 September 1942	10:30	Spitfire	south-southwest of El Alamein[16]	8./JG 27
20	3 July 1942	14:50	P-40	southeast of El Hammam[17]	8./JG 27	45	2 October 1942	15:40	P-40	north-northeast of Deir El Tarfa[16]	8./JG 27
21	4 July 1942	18:40	P-40	southeast of El Alamein[17]	8./JG 27	46	9 October 1942	09:25	Boston	northeast of El Dabaa[16]	8./JG 27
22	6 July 1942	11:45	P-40	20 km (12 mi) southwest of El Alamein[17]	8./JG 27	47	9 October 1942	16:15	Spitfire	northwest of El Dabaa[16]	8./JG 27
23	6 July 1942	11:48	P-40	21 km (13 mi) southwest of El Alamein[17]	8./JG 27	48	9 October 1942	16:20	Hurricane	southeast of Bir el Abd[16]	8./JG 27
24	11 July 1942	16:05	Spitfire	southeast of El Alamein[17]	8./JG 27	49	20 October 1942	14:12	P-40	southwest of Deir El Tarfa[16]	8./JG 27
25	11 July 1942	16:10	P-40	southwest of El Alamein[17]	8./JG 27	50	23 October 1942	08:00	P-46	northeast of El Alamein[18]	8./JG 27
26	13 July 1942	09:57	Hurricane	south of El Hammam[17]	8./JG 27	51	23 October 1942	08:30	P-46	southeast of El Alamein[18]	8./JG 27
27	13 July 1942	10:02	Hurricane	south of El Hammam[17]	8./JG 27	52	24 October 1942	08:25	P-40	northeast of El Alamein[18]	8./JG 27
28	13 July 1942	10:05	Hurricane	south of El Hammam[17]	8./JG 27	53	24 October 1942	16:45	Hurricane	southwest of El Alamein[18]	8./JG 27
29	14 July 1942	10:15	P-40	southwest of El Alamein[17]	8./JG 27	54	26 October 1942	13:10	P-40	west of El Alamein[18]	8./JG 27
30	16 July 1942	18:30	P-40	southwest of El Alamein[17]	8./JG 27	55	27 October 1942	—	P-40	northwest of Quotaifiya[18]	8./JG 27
31	17 July 1942	18:25	P-40	west of El Alamein[17]	8./JG 27	56	27 October 1942	—	P-40	northeast of Quotaifiya[18]	8./JG 27
32	8 September 1942	12:45	Spitfire	vicinity of Deir El Tarfa[15]	8./JG 27	57	27 October 1942	—	P-40	northeast of El Dabaa[18]	8./JG 27
33	8 September 1942	12:50	Spitfire	vicinity of Deir El Tarfa[15]	8./JG 27	58	29 October 1942	12:25	Spitfire	south of El Alamein[18]	8./JG 27
34	13 September 1942	17:25	P-40	7 km (4.3 mi) southwest of El Alamein[15]	8./JG 27	59	30 October 1942	09:20	P-39	south-southeast of El Dabaa[18]	8./JG 27
35♠	15 September 1942?	11:40	P-40	west of El Alamein[15]	8./JG 27	60	4 November 1942	12:15	B-24	between Sollum and Benghazi[18]	8./JG 27
36♠	15 September 1942?	11:43	P-40	west of El Alamein[15]	8./JG 27	61	16 November 1942	15:20	P-40	south of Tecis[18]	8./JG 27
– Claims with III. Gruppe of Jagdgeschwader 27 –[19] Eastern Mediterranean, Crete, Sicily, Greece, Tunisia and Italy — November 1942 – February 1943
62	11 February 1943[Note 2]	13:30	B-26	north-northeast Karpathos	8./JG 27	63	11 February 1943[Note 2]	13:34	B-26	north-northeast Karpathos	8./JG 27
– Claims with II. Gruppe of Jagdgeschwader 27 –[21] Sicily, Tunisia and Italy — February – July 1943
64	29 April 1943	18:08	P-38	60 km (37 mi) southeast of Marettimo[22]	Stab II./JG 27	75	25 May 1943	11:17	B-17	40 km (25 mi) northwest Marettimo[22]	Stab II./JG 27
65	29 April 1943	18:10	P-38	60 km (37 mi) southeast Marettimo[22]	Stab II./JG 27	76	31 May 1943	14:40	B-17	west-northwest Trapani[23]	Stab II./JG 27
66	5 May 1943	15:00	B-24	northwest Marettimo[22]	Stab II./JG 27	77	7 June 1943	06:44	P-40	5 km (3.1 mi) north Pantelleria[23]	Stab II./JG 27
67	9 May 1943	13:10	B-24	15 km (9.3 mi) east Capo Gallo[22]	Stab II./JG 27	78	10 June 1943	09:26	P-46	3 km (1.9 mi) south-southwest Granitola Torreta[23]	Stab II./JG 27
68	9 May 1943	13:40	P-38	70 km (43 mi) northwest Capo San Vito[22]	Stab II./JG 27	79	10 June 1943	09:27	P-46	4 km (2.5 mi) south-southwest Granitola Torreta	Stab II./JG 27
69	11 May 1943	11:46	P-38	60 km (37 mi) northeast Cap Bon[22]	Stab II./JG 27	—	10 June 1943	—	Boston	Pantelleria	Stab II./JG 27
70	11 May 1943	12:14	B-17	25 km (16 mi) south Marsala[22]	Stab II./JG 27	80	15 June 1943	08:23	B-17	2 km (1.2 mi) west Favignana[23]	Stab II./JG 27
71	18 May 1943	13:45	B-17	50 km (31 mi) northwest Trapani[22]	Stab II./JG 27	81	11 July 1943	13:20	B-24	25 km (16 mi) south Crotone[23]	Stab II./JG 27
72	19 May 1943	13:42	P-38	west Marettimo[22]	Stab II./JG 27	82	16 July 1943	13:00	B-24	5 km (3.1 mi) southwest Santeramo in Colle[24]	Stab II./JG 27
73	21 May 1943	11:21	B-17	35 km (22 mi) south Marsala[22]	Stab II./JG 27	83	16 July 1943	13:15	B-24	10 km (6.2 mi) west-southwest Bari[24]	Stab II./JG 27
74	21 May 1943	11:28	Spitfire	23 km (14 mi) northwest Pantelleria[22]	Stab II./JG 27	84	23 July 1943	14:10	B-17	20 km (12 mi) north Stromboli[24]	Stab II./JG 27
– Claims with II. Gruppe of Jagdgeschwader 27 –[25] Defense of the Reich — September 1943 – March 1944
—	6 September 1943	10:50	B-17	Karlsruhe/Stuttgart[26]	Stab II./JG 27	89	7 January 1944	12:20	P-38	north of Saarbrücken[27]	Stab II./JG 27
—	6 September 1943	11:00	B-17	south of Echterdingen[26]	Stab II./JG 27	90	11 January 1944	12:25	B-24	southeast of Assen[27]	Stab II./JG 27
85	6 September 1943	11:08	B-17	east of Geislingen[26][Note 3]	Stab II./JG 27	91	11 January 1944	13:30	B-17*	west of Almelo[27]	Stab II./JG 27
86	14 October 1943	14:20	B-17*	Alzey[26]	Stab II./JG 27	92	29 January 1944	11:02	B-17*	Sankt Wendel[27]	Stab II./JG 27
87	29 November 1943	14:48	B-17	south-southwest of Bremen[26]	Stab II./JG 27	93	25 February 1944	12:28	B-17	20 km (12 mi) northeast of Chiemsee[27]	Stab II./JG 27
88	19 December 1943	12:38	B-17	Krimml[28]	Stab II./JG 27	94	25 February 1944	12:31	B-17	Altötting[27]	Stab II./JG 27
—	7 January 1944	12:07	P-38	north of Saarbrücken[27]	Stab II./JG 27	95	3 March 1944	12:23	P-38	Magdeburg[27]	Stab II./JG 27
– Claims with III. Gruppe of Jagdgeschwader 54 –[29][30] Defense of the Reich — May 1944
96	24 May 1944	11:15	P-51	Berlin center[31]	Stab III./JG 54	98	24 May 1944	11:45	B-17	Wittstock[31]	Stab III./JG 54
97	24 May 1944	11:40	B-17	Wittstock[31]	Stab III./JG 54
– Claims with the Stab of Jagdgeschwader 3 "Udet" –[30] Flying the Focke-Wulf Fw 190 — March 1945 – May 1945
103	11 March 1945	—	P-39[32]		Stab JG 3 "Udet"	109	19 April 1945	—	Il-2[32]		Stab JG 3 "Udet"
104	11 March 1945	—	Pe-2[32]		Stab JG 3 "Udet"	110	19 April 1945	—	Yak-3[32]		Stab JG 3 "Udet"
105	11 March 1945	—	Pe-2[32]		Stab JG 3 "Udet"	111	24 April 1945	—	Yak-3[32]		Stab JG 3 "Udet"
106	15 March 1945	—	P-39[32]		Stab JG 3 "Udet"	112	24 April 1945	—	Yak-9[32]		Stab JG 3 "Udet"
107	15 March 1945	—	La-5[32]		Stab JG 3 "Udet"	113	26 April 1945	—	La-5[32]		Stab JG 3 "Udet"
108	15 March 1945	—	Yak-3[32]		Stab JG 3 "Udet"	114	26 April 1945	—	La-5[32]		Stab JG 3 "Udet"

Notes

1. According to his [Werner Schröer] statement family name was Schroer until 1968 and Schröer from then on.[1]
2. On 11 February 1943, on a shuttle flight from Rhodes to Crete, Schröer intercepted and claimed two light bombers which he identified as Bristol Beaufort bombers north-northeast Karpathos. RAF records show that two Martin B-26 Marauder bombers were lost on 15 February and the time of the claims filed by Schröer. Authors Prien, Rodeike and Stemmer argue that at the time the B-26 was a new and unknown aircraft type to Schröer while the date discrepancy cannot be explained.[20]
3. There is more than one place in Germany called Geislingen; German Wikipedia has a fuller list. At least two are in Baden-Württemberg, which is where Schröer's other combats on 6 September 1943 took place. It may not be possible to determine which Geislingen this was.

References

Citations

1. Scherzer 2007, p. 685.
2. Spick 1996, pp. 3–4.
3. Zabecki 2019, p. 330.
4. Obermaier 1989, p. 40.
5. Mathews & Foreman 2015, pp. 1175–1177.
6. Brown 2000, pp. 281–282.
7. Prien, Rodeike & Stemmer 1998, pp. 562–564, 567–568.
8. Prien et al. 2003, p. 370.
9. Prien et al. 2003, p. 372.
10. Prien et al. 2003, p. 371.
11. Prien et al. 2004, p. 180.
12. Prien et al. 2004, p. 181.
13. Prien, Rodeike & Stemmer 1995, pp. 344–346.
14. Prien et al. 2004, p. 338.
15. Prien et al. 2004, p. 340.
16. Prien et al. 2004, p. 342.
17. Prien et al. 2004, p. 339.
18. Prien et al. 2004, p. 343.
19. Prien, Rodeike & Stemmer 1995, p. 346.
20. Prien, Rodeike & Stemmer 1995, pp. 204, 346.
21. Prien, Rodeike & Stemmer 1997, pp. 561–562.
22. Prien et al. 2010, p. 210.
23. Prien et al. 2010, p. 211.
24. Prien et al. 2010, p. 212.
25. Prien, Rodeike & Stemmer 1997, pp. 563–564.
26. Prien et al. 2009, p. 199.
27. Prien et al. 2019, p. 292.
28. Prien et al. 2009, p. 200.
29. Schumann 2016, p. 47.
30. Mathews & Foreman 2015, p. 1177.
31. Prien et al. 2019, p. 451.
32. Prien & Stemmer 2002, p. 398.

Bibliography

• Brown, Russell (2000). Desert Warriors: Australian P-40 Pilots at War in the Middle East and North Africa, 1941–1943. Maryborough, Queensland, Australia: Banner Books. ISBN 978-1-875593-22-4.
• Mathews, Andrew Johannes; Foreman, John (2015). Luftwaffe Aces — Biographies and Victory Claims — Volume 4 S–Z. Walton on Thames: Red Kite. ISBN 978-1-906592-21-9.
• Obermaier, Ernst (1989). Die Ritterkreuzträger der Luftwaffe Jagdflieger 1939 – 1945 [The Knight's Cross Bearers of the Luftwaffe Fighter Force 1939 – 1945] (in German). Mainz, Germany: Verlag Dieter Hoffmann. ISBN 978-3-87341-065-7.
• Prien, Jochen; Rodeike, Peter; Stemmer, Gerhard (1995). Messerschmitt Bf 109 im Einsatz bei der III. und IV./Jagdgeschwader 27, 1938 – 1945 [Messerschmitt Bf 109 in Action with the III. and IV./Jagdgeschwader 27, 1938 – 1945] (in German). Eutin, Germany: Struve-Druck. ISBN 978-3-923457-30-4.
• Prien, Jochen; Rodeike, Peter; Stemmer, Gerhard (1997). Messerschmitt Bf 109 im Einsatz bei II./Jagdgeschwader 27, 1940 – 1945 [Messerschmitt Bf 109 in Action with II./Jagdgeschwader 27, 1940 – 1945] (in German). Eutin, Germany: Struve-Druck. ISBN 978-3-923457-42-7.
• Prien, Jochen; Rodeike, Peter; Stemmer, Gerhard (1998). Messerschmitt Bf 109 im Einsatz bei Stab und I./Jagdgeschwader 27, 1939 – 1945 [Messerschmitt Bf 109 in Action with the Headquarters Unit and I./Jagdgeschwader 27, 1939 – 1945] (in German). Eutin, Germany: Struve-Druck. ISBN 978-3-923457-46-5.
• Prien, Jochen; Stemmer, Gerhard (2002). Jagdgeschwader 3 "Udet" in WWII: Stab and I./JG 3 in Action with the Messerschmitt Bf 109. Atglen, Pennsylvania: Schiffer Publishing. ISBN 978-0-7643-1681-4.
• Prien, Jochen; Stemmer, Gerhard; Rodeike, Peter; Bock, Winfried (2003). Die Jagdfliegerverbände der Deutschen Luftwaffe 1934 bis 1945—Teil 5—Heimatverteidigung—10. Mai 1940 bis 31 Dezember 1941—Einsatz im Mittelmeerraum—Oktober 1940 bis November 1941—Einsatz im Westen—22. Juni bis 31. Dezember 1941—Die Ergänzungsjagdgruppen—Einsatz 1941 bis zur Auflösung Anfang 1942 [The Fighter Units of the German Air Force 1934 to 1945—Part 5—Defense of the Reich—10 May 1940 to 31 December 1941—Action in the Mediterranean Theater—October 1940 to November 1941—Action in the West—22 June to 31 December 1941—The Supplementary Fighter Groups—Action from 1941 until their Breakup in Early 1942] (in German). Eutin, Germany: Struve-Druck. ISBN 978-3-923457-68-7.
• Prien, Jochen; Stemmer, Gerhard; Rodeike, Peter; Bock, Winfried (2004). Die Jagdfliegerverbände der Deutschen Luftwaffe 1934 bis 1945—Teil 8/I—Einsatz im Mittelmeerraum—November 1941 bis December 1942 [The Fighter Units of the German Air Force 1934 to 1945—Part 8/I—Action in the Mediterranean Theater—November 1941 to December 1942] (in German). Eutin, Germany: Struve-Druck. ISBN 978-3-923457-74-8.
• Prien, Jochen; Stemmer, Gerhard; Rodeike, Peter; Bock, Winfried (2009). Die Jagdfliegerverbände der Deutschen Luftwaffe 1934 bis 1945—Teil 10/III—Reichsverteidigung—1.1. bis 31.12.1943 [The Fighter Units of the German Air Force 1934 to 1945—Part 10/III—Defense of the Reich—1 January to 31 December 1943] (in German). Eutin, Germany: Struve-Druck. ISBN 978-3-923457-89-2.
• Prien, Jochen; Stemmer, Gerhard; Rodeike, Peter; Bock, Winfried (2010). Die Jagdfliegerverbände der Deutschen Luftwaffe 1934 bis 1945—Teil 11/I—Einsatz im Mittelmeerraum—1.1. bis 31.12.1943 [The Fighter Units of the German Air Force 1934 to 1945—Part 11/I—Action in the Mediterranean Theater—1 January to 31 December 1943] (in German). Eutin, Germany: Struve-Druck. ISBN 978-3-923457-95-3.
• Prien, Jochen; Balke, Ulf; Stemmer, Gerhard; Bock, Winfried (2019). Die Jagdfliegerverbände der Deutschen Luftwaffe 1934 bis 1945—Teil 13/V—Einsatz im Reichsverteidigung und im Westen—1.1. bis 31.12.1944 [The Fighter Units of the German Air Force 1934 to 1945—Part 13/V—Action in the Defense of the Reich and in the West—1 January to 31 December 1944] (in German). Eutin, Germany: Struve-Druck. ISBN 978-3-942943-21-5.
• Scherzer, Veit (2007). Die Ritterkreuzträger 1939–1945 Die Inhaber des Ritterkreuzes des Eisernen Kreuzes 1939 von Heer, Luftwaffe, Kriegsmarine, Waffen-SS, Volkssturm sowie mit Deutschland verbündeter Streitkräfte nach den Unterlagen des Bundesarchives [The Knight's Cross Bearers 1939–1945 The Holders of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross 1939 by Army, Air Force, Navy, Waffen-SS, Volkssturm and Allied Forces with Germany According to the Documents of the Federal Archives] (in German). Jena, Germany: Scherzers Militaer-Verlag. ISBN 978-3-938845-17-2.
• Schumann, Ralf (2016). Ritterkreuzträger Profile Nr. 15 Werner Schröer – Der zweiterfolgreichste Jagdflieger über Afrika [Knight's Cross Profiles Nr. 15 Werner Schröer – The Second most Successful Fighter Pilot over Africa] (in German). UNITEC-Medienvertrieb. OCLC 958500223. ASIN B01GSGW93A  (24 February 2017).
• Spick, Mike (1996). Luftwaffe Fighter Aces. New York: Ivy Books. ISBN 978-0-8041-1696-1.
• Zabecki, David T., ed. (2019). The German War Machine in World War II. Santa Barbara, California: ABC-Clio. ISBN 978-1-44-086918-1.