Wilhelm Herget
German flying ace
Died when: 63 years 270 days (764 months)Star Sign: Cancer
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Wilhelm Herget (30 June 1910 – 27 March 1974) was a German Luftwaffe military aviator during World War II, a night fighter ace credited with 73—15 daytime and 58 nighttime—enemy aircraft shot down in over 700 combat missions.
The majority of his victories were claimed over the Western Front in Defense of the Reich missions against the Royal Air Force's Bomber Command.
Born in Stuttgart, Herget grew up in the grew up in the German Empire, Weimar Republic and Nazi Germany.Following graduation from school and a vocational education in printing, he joined the military service in the Luftwaffe.
Herget flew his first combat missions in the 1939 Invasion of Poland and in 1940, in the Battle of France and Britain.
In May 1941, he participated in the Anglo-Iraqi War.In November 1941, Herget transferred to the night fighter force, initially serving with Nachtjagdgeschwader 1 (NJG 1—1st Night Fighter Wing).
In September 1942, Herget became group commander of I.Gruppe (1st group) of Nachtjagdgeschwader 4 (NJG 4—4th Night Fighter Wing), a position he held until December 1944.
Following his 63rd aerial victory, he was awarded the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves on 11 April 1944.
The Knight's Cross (German: Ritterkreuz), and its variants were the highest awards in the military and paramilitary forces of Nazi Germany during World War II.
Herget flew his last combat missions with Jagdverband 44 (JV 44—44th Fighter Detachment), a Messerschmitt Me 262 jet fighter unit, in 1945.
After the war, he worked in publishing.Herget died on 27 March 1974 in Stuttgart.
