German World War II flying ace and wing commander (1915–1961)
Josef Priller
Josef Priller in World War II
Nickname(s)
Pips
Born
(1915-07-27)27 July 1915 Ingolstadt, German Empire
Died
20 May 1961(1961-05-20) (aged 45) Böbing, West Germany
Buried
Westfriedhof Augsburg
Allegiance
Nazi Germany
Service/branch
Army (1935–36) Luftwaffe (1936–45)
Years of service
1935–1945
Rank
Oberst (colonel)
Unit
JG 71, JG 51 and JG 26
Commands held
JG 26
Battles/wars
See battles
World War II
Phoney War
Battle of France
Battle of Britain
Western Front
Awards
Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves and Swords
Other work
Manager of the Riegele brewery
Josef "Pips" Priller (German:[ˈpʁɪlɐ]; 27 July 1915 – 20 May 1961) was a German military aviator and wing commander in the Luftwaffe during World War II. As a fighter ace, he was credited with 101 enemy aircraft shot down in 307 combat missions. All of his victories were claimed over the Western Front, including 11 four-engine bombers and at least 68 Supermarine Spitfire fighters.
Priller joined the military service in the Wehrmacht of Nazi Germany in 1935. Initially serving in the Army, he transferred to the Luftwaffe (Air Force) in 1936. Following flight training, he was posted to Jagdgeschwader 334 (JG 334—334th Fighter Wing) and then to Jagdgeschwader 51 (JG 51—51st Fighter Wing) on 1 May 1939. On 1 September 1939, the day when Germany invaded Poland, he was appointed squadron leader of the 6. Staffel of JG 51. He flew in the Battle of France and claimed his first aerial victory on 28 May 1940. He received the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross in October 1940 following his 20th aerial victory which he claimed during the Battle of Britain.
In November 1940, Priller was transferred to Jagdgeschwader 26 "Schlageter" (JG 26—26th Fighter Wing) and was given command of the 1st Squadron. In June and July 1941 he accounted for a further 20 victories, earning him the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves on 19 October 1941. Priller was appointed Group Commander of the III. Gruppe of JG 26 "Schlageter" on 6 December 1941. He claimed his 70th victory on 5 May 1942. Priller became Wing Commander of JG 26 "Schlageter" on 11 January 1943. During the Allied Invasion of Normandy on 6 June 1944 he flew one of the few Luftwaffe missions against the Allied beachhead that day. Priller claimed his 100th victory on 15 June 1944. For this achievement he was awarded the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves and Swords. During Operation Bodenplatte on 1 January 1945, Priller led an attack on the Allied airfields at Brussels-Evere and Brussels-Grimbergen. On 31 January 1945 Priller was appointed Inspekteur der Jagdflieger West (Inspector of Fighter Pilots West) and ceased operational flying. He held this position until the end of the war in May 1945.
Following the war, Priller managed the family brewery business. He died in 1961.
Josef "Pips" Priller (German: [ˈpʁɪlɐ]; 27 July 1915 – 20 May 1961) was a German military aviator and wing commander in the Luftwaffe during World War...
Adolph, Rolf Pingel and Schöpfel. Müncheberg and the recently arrived JosefPriller would be appointed to senior commands during the year after the loss...
freestyle skier Scroobius Pip (born 1981), alias of rapper David Meads JosefPriller (1915–1961), German fighter ace nicknamed "Pips" Pip (Great Expectations)...
JG 26 accounted for 15 enemy aircraft. JosefPriller was among those to score bringing his tally to 22. Priller later rose to command JG 26. Galland claimed...
1956 – Zoltán Halmay, Hungarian swimmer and trainer (b. 1881) 1961 – JosefPriller, German colonel and pilot (b. 1915) 1962 – Timothy (Szretter), a Polish...
Sierra Nevada Brewing Company partnered with Riegele on Oktoberfest. JosefPriller List of oldest companies "Brauhaus Riegele". Retrieved 11 April 2017...
Josef Zwernemann (26 March 1916 – 8 April 1944) was a German Luftwaffe military aviator during World War II and a fighter ace credited with 126 enemy...
flew with such experienced pilots as Alfred Grislawski, Hans Dammers and Josef Zwernemann. After a few days of intensive mock combats and practice flights...
Ostermann (102) Herbert Rollwage (102)? Josef Wurmheller (102) Rudolf Miethig (101) Werner Mölders (101) JosefPriller (101) Ulrich Wernitz (101) Paul-Heinrich...
translator (d. 1969) 1915 – Mario Del Monaco, Italian tenor (d. 1982) 1915 – JosefPriller, German colonel and pilot (d. 1961) 1916 – Elizabeth Hardwick, American...
destroyer commander "Pip" – G. P. B. Roberts, British general "Pips" – JosefPriller, World War II German fighter ace "Popo 婆婆" (Chinese, "Granny") – Luo...
against the invasion. The last two Jagdgeschwader 26 Fw 190As, piloted by JosefPriller and his wingman Heinz Wodarczyk, that were to be recalled conducted...
Gordon Gollob, Major Rudolf Schoenert, Hauptmann Heinz Strüning, Major Josef Fözö and Major Georg Christl. The eulogy was delivered by Generaloberst...
September. At the time, JG 26 was under the command of Oberstleutnant JosefPriller. Caldwell described Krupinski's style of command as too loose. He stated...
three children, with two older brothers, Wilhelm Wilhelm (1904–1981) and Josef Wilhelm (1909–1981). His father fought in and survived World War I as an...
fighting on the Western Front were only partly successful, and Oberst JosefPriller, Geschwaderkommodore of JG 26 and charged with III. Gruppe's training...
sailors died. Schuck, one of his junior officers, appealed to Reichskommissar Josef Terboven. On 12 January 1945 Terboven hand-delivered Schuck's affidavit...
Global Information
Nazi Germany