Heinz Strüning

Heinz Strüning
Born	13 January 1912 Neviges, Kingdom of Prussia, German Empire
Died	24 December 1944(1944-12-24) (aged 32) near Bergisch Gladbach, Free State of Prussia, Nazi Germany
Buried	cemetery Westönnen
Allegiance	Nazi Germany
Service / branch	Luftwaffe
Years of service	1935–44
Rank	Hauptmann (captain)
Unit	ZG 26, KG 30, NJG 2, NJG 1
Battles / wars	World War II Defense of the Reich  †
Awards	Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves

Heinz Strüning (13 January 1912 – 24 December 1944) was a German Luftwaffe military aviator during World War II, a night fighter ace credited with 56 nocturnal aerial victories claimed in 280 combat missions.

All of his victories were claimed over the Western Front in Defense of the Reich missions against the Royal Air Force's Bomber Command. He was shot down and killed in action on Christmas Eve, 24 December 1944.

Early life and career

Strüning was born on 13 January 1912 in Neviges, at the time in the Rhine Province of the German Empire. He was the son of electrician Karl Strüning. Following graduation from the Realgymnasium—a secondary school built on the mid-level Realschule—in Langenberg he began his vocational education as a merchant. In March 1935, he joined the Luftwaffe and was trained as a pilot.

Holding the rank of Unteroffizier, he was posted to 5. Staffel (5th squadron) of Zerstörergeschwader 26 "Horst Wessel" (ZG 26—26th Destroyer Wing), named after the Nazi martyr Horst Wessel, on 2 August 1939.

World War II

World War II in Europe began on Friday, 1 September 1939, when German forces invaded Poland. Flying with ZG 26, he flew several patrol missions on the Western Front during the Phoney War period. On 9 April 1940, the Wehrmacht launched Operation Weserübung, the German assault on Denmark and Norway. Two days later, Strüning was reassigned to the Zerstörrerstaffel of Kampfgeschwader 30 (KG 30—30th Bomber Wing). Until 9 June, he flew escort missions in support of the German troops at Narvik. For his service in Norway, he was awarded the Iron Cross second Class (Eisernes Kreuz zweiter Klasse) on 15 July 1940. On 1 August 1940, Strüning was promoted to Feldwebel (sergeant).

Night fighter career

A map of part of the Kammhuber Line. The 'belt' and night fighter 'boxes' are shown.

Following the 1939 aerial Battle of the Heligoland Bight, Royal Air Force (RAF) attacks shifted to the cover of darkness, initiating the Defence of the Reich campaign. By mid-1940, Generalmajor (Brigadier General) Josef Kammhuber had established a night air defense system dubbed the Kammhuber Line. It consisted of a series of control sectors equipped with radars and searchlights and an associated night fighter. Each sector named a Himmelbett (canopy bed) would direct the night fighter into visual range with target bombers. In 1941, the Luftwaffe started equipping night fighters with airborne radar such as the Lichtenstein radar. This airborne radar did not come into general use until early 1942.

In July 1940, elements of (Z)KG 30 were trained and converted to flying night fighter missions. These elements then became the 4. Staffel in the II. Gruppe (2nd group) of the newly created Nachtjagdgeschwader 1 (NJG 1—1st Night Fighter Wing). On 11 September, II. Gruppe of NJG 1 was reassigned and became the I. Gruppe of Nachtjagdgeschwader 2 (NJG 2—2nd Night Fighter Wing), subsequently Strünning became a pilot of 1./NJG 2. Kammhuber had created I./NJG 2 with the idea of utilizing the Junkers Ju 88 C-2 and Dornier Do 17 Z as an offensive weapon, flying long range intruder (Fernnachtjagd) missions into British airspace, attacking RAF airfields. Until October 1941, I. Gruppe operated from the Gilze-Rijen Air Base.

With this unit, Strüning flew 66 intruder missions over England at night, and claimed his first aerial victory on the night of 23 November 1940 over a Vickers Wellington bomber 50 kilometres (31 miles) west of Scheveningen. Two days later, he received the Iron Cross first Class (Eisernes Kreuz erster Klasse). For his service in Norway, he was presented the Narvik Shield on 30 January 1941. On the evening of 15 February 1941, Strüning claimed a Lockheed Hudson 75 km (47 mi) east of Great Yarmouth and a Wellington 65 km (40 mi) east-northeast of Southend-on-Sea. Following his fifth aerial victory, he received the Honour Goblet of the Luftwaffe (Ehrenpokal der Luftwaffe) on 12 June 1941. On 1 July 1941, Strüning was promoted to Oberfeldwebel (Master Sergeant). He claimed his ninth and last intruder aerial victory on 13 October 1941 over a Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress in the vicinity of Upwood over England.

In the timeframe 24 October 1940, the date of I. Gruppe's first aerial victory, to 12 October 1941, the intruder Gruppe claimed approximately 100 RAF aircraft destroyed, additionally further aircraft were damaged as well as RAF ground targets attacked. This came at the expense of 26 aircraft lost. In October 1941, Hitler ordered the intruder operations stopped as he was skeptical of the results. The unit was then ordered to Catania, Sicily in the Mediterranean theater of operations. Strüning however stayed at Gilze-Rijen and was transferred to the Ergänzungsjagdgruppe, a supplementary unit of NJG 2.

In November 1941, he was transferred to 7./NJG 2. With this unit, Strüning gained 15 victories until mid-September 1942. He received the German Cross in Gold (Deutsches Kreuz in Gold) in July 1942, after his 19th claim. In mid September 1942 he was promoted to Leutnant and awarded the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross (Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes) in October 1942. Strüning is then transferred to 2./NJG 1 in May 1943.

Staffelkapitän and death

Heinkel He 219

Strüning was promoted to Oberleutnant (first lieutenant) on 1 August 1943. On 15 August, he was then appointed Staffelkapitän of 3. Staffel of Nachtjagdgeschwader 1 (NJG 1—1st Night Fighter Wing). On 23 August 1943, Strüning claimed a Lancaster shot down 20 km (12 mi) east of Eindhoven.

Strüning coordinated the introduction of the new Heinkel He 219 "Uhu". With this aircraft, Strüning downed three bombers on the night of 31 August 1943, a Halifax 20 kilometers (12 miles) west of Mönchengladbach. On 22 June 1944, he shot down three RAF bombers. Strüning was awarded the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves (Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes mit Eichenlaub) on 20 July 1944.

On 7 October, Helmut Lent, the Geschwaderkommodore of NJG 3, died of wounds sustained in a flying accident the day before. Lent's state funeral was held in the Reich Chancellery, Berlin, on Wednesday 11 October 1944. Strüning, together with Oberstleutnant Hans-Joachim Jabs, Major Rudolf Schoenert, Oberstleutnant Günther Radusch, Hauptmann Karl Hadeball and Hauptmann Paul Zorner, formed the guard of honor. On 15 November, Strüning again participated in a guard of honor. He and Leutnant Karl Schnörrer, Oberst Gordon Gollob, Major Georg Christl, Major Rudolf Schoenert, Major Josef Fözö formed the guard of honor at Walter Nowotny funeral at the Zentralfriedhof in Vienna. Nowotny had been killed in action on 8 November 1944. The eulogy was delivered by Generaloberst Otto Deßloch.

At about 6 pm on 24 December 1944 his Messerschmitt Bf 110 G-4 (Werknummer 740 162—factory number) G9+CT was shot down by 10-kill ace F/L R.D. Doleman and F/L D.C. Bunch of No. 157 Squadron RAF in a de Havilland Mosquito Intruder while he tried to attack a Lancaster bomber over Cologne. He bailed out but struck the tail of his plane and fell to his death. His body was found two months after his death. Strüning was buried at the Ostfriedhof (eastern cemetery) in Westönnen in field X, grave 14.

Summary of career

Aerial victory claims

During his career, Hauptmann Heinz Strüning had made 280 combat missions (250 at night), and claimed 56 victories at night (including two Mosquitoes).

Foreman, Parry and Mathews, authors of Luftwaffe Night Fighter Claims 1939 – 1945, researched the German Federal Archives and found records for 56 nocturnal victory claims. Mathews and Foreman also published Luftwaffe Aces — Biographies and Victory Claims, listing Strüning with 56 aerial victories claimed in 280 combat missions.

Chronicle of aerial victories
Claim	Date	Time	Type	Location	Serial No./Squadron No.
– 1. Staffel of Nachtjagdgeschwader 2 –
1	23 November 1940	18:40	Wellington	50 km (31 mi) west of Scheveningen
2	15 February 1941	09:15	Hudson	75 km (47 mi) east of Great Yarmouth
3	15 February 1941	19:58	Wellington	65 km (40 mi) east-northeast of Southend-on-Sea
4	7 May 1941	02:08	Wellington	Peterborough	Wellington R3227/No. 11 Operational Training Unit RAF
5	9 May 1941	23:30	Wellington	over the North Sea
6	5 July 1941	01:57	Wellington	vicinity of Bircham Newton
7	19 August 1941	01:20	Blenheim	vicinity of Grantham
8	19 August 1941	02:00	Blenheim	vicinity of Grantham
9	13 October 1941	22:20	B-17	vicinity of Upwood
– Ergänzungsjagdgruppe of Nachtjagdgeschwader 2 –
10	26 January 1942	22:35	Whitley
11	29 April 1942	01:15	Boston	5 km (3.1 mi) southeast of Noordschans
12	9 May 1942	01:02	Stirling
13	20 May 1942	00:56	Stirling		Stirling DJ977/No. 218 (Gold Coast) Squadron RAF
14	31 May 1942	00:27	Boston		Manchester L7429/No.49 Conversion Flight RAF
15	2 June 1942	03:10	B-24
16	2 June 1942	03:25	Wellington		Stirling R9318/No. 15 Squadron RAF
17	6 June 1942	03:35	Stirling
18	20 June 1942	03:27	Wellington
19	26 June 1942	01:13	B-24
– 8. Staffel of Nachtjagdgeschwader 2 –
20	22 July 1942	01:45	Halifax	14 km (8.7 mi) south of Utrecht
21	26 July 1942	02:30	Wellington	northeast of Amersfoort
22	30 July 1942	03:55	Wellington
23	10 September 1942	22:50	Wellington	12 km (7.5 mi) northeast of Helmond
24	16 September 1942	23:34	Wellington		Stirling DF550/No. 142 Squadron RAF
– 2. Staffel of Nachtjagdgeschwader 1 –
25	14 May 1943	01:49	Halifax	10 km (6.2 mi) north of Breskens
26	14 May 1943	02:26	Halifax	60 km (37 mi) west of Walcheren	Halifax W7935/No. 102 Squadron RAF
27	24 May 1943	02:14	Stirling	18 km (11 mi) south of Utrecht	Stirling BK783/No. 75 Squadron RAF
28	26 May 1943	02:33	Wellington	Loosduinen	Wellington HE228/No. 192 Squadron RAF
29	28 May 1943	01:54	Mosquito	15 km (9.3 mi) southeast of Gouda
30	17 June 1943	02:06	Halifax	10 km (6.2 mi) northwest of Euddorp
31	22 June 1943	02:02	Lancaster		Lancaster ED885/No. 156 Squadron RAF
32	23 June 1943	02:39	Halifax	16 km (9.9 mi) east of Utrecht	Halifax DT700/No. 77 Squadron RAF
33	25 June 1943	02:49	Lancaster	30 km (19 mi) west of Schouwen	Lancaster LM327/No. 97 Squadron RAF
34	25 June 1943	02:56	Halifax	20 km (12 mi) west-northwest of Schouwen	Halifax JD250/No. 51 Squadron RAF
35	25 June 1943	03:02	Stirling	25 km (16 mi) west of Schouwen	Stirling BK628/No. 90 Squadron RAF
– 3. Staffel of Nachtjagdgeschwader 1 –
36	14 July 1943	01:40	Halifax	Venlo railway station	Halifax BB323/No. 419 Squadron RCAF
37	23 August 1943	01:43	Lancaster	20 km (12 mi) east of Eindhoven	Lancaster ED701/No. 103 Squadron
38	31 August 1943	03:20	Halifax	20 km (12 mi) west of Mönchengladbach	Halifax LK894/No. 434 (Bluenose) Squadron RCAF
39	31 August 1943	03:45	Halifax	west of Mönchengladbach	Stirling EH938/No. 75 Squadron RAF
40	31 August 1943	03:45	Halifax	60 km (37 mi) west-southwest of Mönchengladbach	Halifax HR739/No. 158 Squadron RAF
41	1 September 1943	01:05	Halifax	Brandenburg
42	25 March 1944	00:30	four-engined bomber	230° from Dortmund	Lancaster LM471/No. 576 Squadron RAF
43	11 May 1944	00:15	Lancaster	18 km (11 mi) northeast of Bruges	Halifax LV985/No. 427 Squadron RCAF
44	13 May 1944	00:48	Halifax	15 km (9.3 mi) south-southeast of Brussels	Halifax MZ629/No. 431 (Iroquois) Squadron RCAF
45	22 May 1944	01:32	Lancaster	north of Fessenhout	Lancaster LL951/No. 460 Squadron RAAF
46	23 May 1944	01:14	Lancaster	vicinity of Giessen
47	25 May 1944	00:47	Halifax	vicinity of Leopoldsburg	Halifax HX352/No. 429 Squadron RCAF
48	25 May 1944	01:15	Viermot	Off Ostend
49	3 June 1944	00:36	Halifax	Schouwen Island
50	6 June 1944	02:30	Mosquito	Noord Brabant	Mosquito NS950/No. 515 Squadron
51	17 June 1944	01:07	four-engined bomber	beacon "Gorilla"
52	17 June 1944	01:13	four-engined bomber	beacon "Gorilla"
53	22 June 1944	01:13	Lancaster	Venlo
54	22 June 1944	01:17	B-17	vicinity of Maastricht	B-17 SR382/No. 214 Squadron RAF
55	22 June 1944	02:30	four-engined bomber	beacon "Hamster"
56	19 July 1944	01:55	Mosquito	50 km (31 mi) west of Berlin	Mosquito MM136/No. 571 Squadron RAF

Awards

• Iron Cross (1939)
  • 2nd Class (15 July 1940)
  • 1st Class (25 November 1940)
• Narvik Shield (30 January 1941)
• Honour Goblet of the Luftwaffe (Ehrenpokal der Luftwaffe) on 12 June 1941 as Feldwebel in a Nachtjagdgeschwader
• German Cross in Gold on 10 July 1942 as Oberfeldwebel in the Ergänzungsstaffel/Nachtjagdgeschwader 2
• Wound Badge in Black (10 September 1943)
• Front Flying Clasp of the Luftwaffe for Night Fighter in Gold with Pennant (31 May 1944)
• Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves
  • Knight's Cross on 29 October 1942 as Leutnant of the Reserves and pilot in the 3./Nachtjagdgeschwader 1
  • 528th Oak Leaves on 20 July 1944 as Hauptmann of the Reserves and Staffelkapitän of the 3./Nachtjagdgeschwader 1

Dates of rank

1 August 1940:	Feldwebel (Technical Sergeant)
1 July 1941:	Oberfeldwebel (Master Sergeant)
1 August 1942:	Leutnant (Second Lieutenant)
1 August 1943:	Oberleutnant (First Lieutenant)
1 April 1944:	Hauptmann (Captain)

References

Bibliography

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• Accident description for Halifax HX352 at the Aviation Safety Network. Retrieved on 12 April 2022.
• Accident description for Halifax JD250 at the Aviation Safety Network. Retrieved on 12 April 2022.
• Accident description for Halifax LK894 at the Aviation Safety Network. Retrieved on 12 April 2022.
• Accident description for Halifax LV985 at the Aviation Safety Network. Retrieved on 12 April 2022.
• Accident description for Halifax MZ629 at the Aviation Safety Network. Retrieved on 12 April 2022.
• Accident description for Halifax W7935 at the Aviation Safety Network. Retrieved on 12 April 2022.
• Accident description for Lancaster ED701 at the Aviation Safety Network. Retrieved on 12 April 2022.
• Accident description for Lancaster ED885 at the Aviation Safety Network. Retrieved on 12 April 2022.
• Accident description for Lancaster LL951 at the Aviation Safety Network. Retrieved on 12 April 2022.
• Accident description for Lancaster LM327 at the Aviation Safety Network. Retrieved on 12 April 2022.
• Accident description for Lancaster LM471 at the Aviation Safety Network. Retrieved on 12 April 2022.
• Accident description for Manchester L7429 at the Aviation Safety Network. Retrieved on 12 April 2022.
• Accident description for Mosquito MM136 at the Aviation Safety Network. Retrieved on 12 April 2022.
• Accident description for Mosquito NS950 at the Aviation Safety Network. Retrieved on 12 April 2022.
• Accident description for Stirling BK628 at the Aviation Safety Network. Retrieved on 12 April 2022.
• Accident description for Stirling BK783 at the Aviation Safety Network. Retrieved on 12 April 2022.
• Accident description for Stirling DF550 at the Aviation Safety Network. Retrieved on 12 April 2022.
• Accident description for Stirling DJ977 at the Aviation Safety Network. Retrieved on 12 April 2022.
• Accident description for Stirling EH938 at the Aviation Safety Network. Retrieved on 26 September 2022.
• Accident description for Stirling R9318 at the Aviation Safety Network. Retrieved on 12 April 2022.
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