(1920-09-27)27 September 1920 Arnswalde, Free State of Prussia, Weimar Republic
Died
4 December 1943(1943-12-04) (aged 23) near Dodewaard, German-occupied Netherlands
Cause of death
Killed in action
Buried
Ysselsteyn German war cemetery, Netherlands
Allegiance
Nazi Germany
Service/branch
Luftwaffe
Years of service
1939–1943
Rank
Hauptmann (captain)
Unit
JG 3
Commands held
9./JG 3, II./JG 3
Battles/wars
See battles
World War II
Operation Barbarossa
Eastern Front
Defense of the Reich †
Awards
Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves
Wilhelm Lemke (27 September 1920 – 4 December 1943) was a Luftwaffe flying ace of World War II. Lemke was credited with 131 aerial victories—that is, 131 aerial combat encounters resulting in the destruction of the enemy aircraft. All but six of his victories were claimed over the Soviet Air Forces in 617 combat missions.[1]
Born in Arnswalde, Lemke joined the military service in the Luftwaffe of Nazi Germany in 1939. Following flight training, he was posted to 8. Staffel (squadron) of Jagdgeschwader 3 (JG 3—3rd Fighter Wing). He flew his first combat missions in Operation Barbarossa, the German invasion of the Soviet Union, and claimed his first aerial victory on 26 June 1941. There, after 59 aerial victories, he was awarded the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross on 12 September 1942. He was given command as Staffelkapitän (squadron leader) of 9. Staffel in November 1942. On 16 March 1943, he was credited with his 100th aerial victory. Four months later, on 28 July 1943, he claimed his 125th and last victory on the Eastern Front.
Lemke was subsequently relocated to the Western Front, where he flew in the Defense of the Reich and claimed six further victories. In mid-November 1943, he was appointed Gruppenkommandeur (group commander) of the II. Gruppe (2nd group) of JG 3 "Udet"; he was awarded the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves on 25 November. Lemke was killed in action on 4 December 1943 northwest of Nijmegen in combat with United States Army Air Forces fighters.
WilhelmLemke (27 September 1920 – 4 December 1943) was a Luftwaffe flying ace of World War II. Lemke was credited with 131 aerial victories—that is,...
with 10 heavy bombers shot down Missing in action on 4 October 1943. WilhelmLemke † Germany Luftwaffe 131 Killed in action on 4 December 1943. Gerhard...
the Stab/JG 3 was based at Mönchengladbach. On 4 December 1943 Hpt. WilhelmLemke (131 kills) was killed in combat with P-47s of the 352nd Fighter Group...
association of around 100 manufacturers in Haiti. It is headed by president WilhelmLemke and is best known internationally for its work promoting assembly plants...
Paetsch. Witnesses to the wedding included his friends Gerhard Barkhorn and Wilhelm Batz. On 25 May, II. Gruppe was ordered to transfer one Staffel to the...
Stadtbauoberinspektor Tiefbautechniker im Straßenbau (inspector for road construction) Wilhelm and his wife Therese. Barkhorn had two brothers, Helmut and Dieter, and...
Wilhelm Batz (21 May 1916 – 11 September 1988) was a German Luftwaffe fighter ace during World War II. A flying ace or fighter ace is a military aviator...
Westerholt. Galland's older brother was Fritz and his two younger brothers were Wilhelm-Ferdinand and Paul. Their father had pet names for all his family members...
was subordinated to II. Gruppe of JG 52 which was headed by Hauptmann Wilhelm Ensslen. At the time, the Gruppe was based at Peuplingues near the English...
Wilhelm Graf (1878–1937), a farmer, and his wife Maria, née Sailer (1877–1953). He was the third of three children, with two older brothers, Wilhelm Wilhelm...
Max Lemke (7 April 1895 – 29 May 1985) was a German Generalmajor in the Wehrmacht during World War II, the last commander of the Fallschirm-Panzer-Division...
Staffelkapitän Fermer who was killed in action. He was replaced by Oberleutnant Wilhelm Keidel who was killed the next day. Keidel was then temporarily succeeded...
the defensive fire of a Tupolev SB tail gunner. His wingman Leutnant WilhelmLemke managed to guide him back to the airfield at Polonne. There, he crashed...
Braunsberg, present-day Braniewo, Poland. He was the first son of Friedrich Wilhelm Krupinski, a Obergerichtsvollzieher (bailiff), and his wife Auguste, née...
Wilhelm Crinius (2 December 1920 – 26 April 1997) was a Luftwaffe fighter ace during World War II. A flying ace or fighter ace is a military aviator credited...
Global Information
Nazi Germany
Luftwaffe