Werner Streib Explained

Werner Streib
Birth Date:13 June 1911
Birth Place:Pforzheim, German Empire
Death Place:Munich, West Germany
Placeofburial:Munich, Ostfriedhof
Allegiance: (to 1945)
Serviceyears:1934–1945
1956–1966
Rank:Oberst
Brigadegeneral
Branch:Army (1934–35)
Luftwaffe (1935–45)
German Air Force (1956–66)
Commands:NJG 1
Unit:NJG 1
Battles:World War II
Awards:Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves and Swords
Laterwork:Bundeswehr

Werner Streib (13 June 1911 – 15 June 1986) was a German Luftwaffe military aviator during World War II, a night fighter ace credited with 68—one daytime and 67 nighttime—enemy aircraft shot down in about 150 combat missions. All of his nocturnal victories were claimed over the Western Front in Defense of the Reich missions against the Royal Air Force's Bomber Command.

Born in Pforzheim, Streib grew up in the Weimar Republic and Third Reich. Following graduation from school, he began military service in the Reichswehr in 1934 and in 1936, transferred to the Luftwaffe. After training at various postings, he served with Zerstörergeschwader 1 (ZG 1—1st Destroyer Wing) flying a Messerschmitt Bf 110 heavy fighter at the outbreak of World War II. On 10 May 1940, Streib claimed his first aerial victory. In June 1940, he was appointed Staffelkapitän (squadron leader) of the 2. Staffel (2nd squadron) of ZG 1. Shortly later, this squadron became 2. Staffel of Nachtjagdgeschwader 1 (NJG 1—1st Night Fighter Wing). On the night of 19/20 July, Streib claimed his first nocturnal aerial victory. In October 1940, he was appointed Gruppenkommandeur (group commander) of the I. Gruppe of NJG 1 and by end-1940 was credited with nine aerial victories. In 1943, Streib was involved in evaluating the then new Heinkel He 219. Flying the He 219, he claimed five aircraft destroyed on 11/12 June 1943. Streib was appointed Geschwaderkommodore (wing commander) of NJG 1 on 1 July 1943. On 11 March 1944, he was awarded the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves and Swords, the highest award in the military and paramilitary forces of Nazi Germany during World War II, for 66 confirmed victories. In March 1944, he was made Inspector of Night Fighters and he would stay in this post until the end of the war.

Early life

Streib, the son of a merchant, was born on 13 June 1911 in Pforzheim, at the time located in the Grand Duchy of Baden of the German Empire. Following graduation from school with his Abitur (university-preparatory high school diploma) and a commercial education in 1934, Streib joined the military service in the Reichswehr with Infanterie-Regiment 14, a regiment of the 5. Infanterie-Division based in Konstanz, as a Fahnenjunker (officer cadet). On 1 October 1935, then an Oberfähnrich (officer candidate), Streib transferred to the newly emerging Luftwaffe (air force) and was promoted to Leutnant (second lieutenant) on 1 April 1936. Streib first served as an air observer with an aerial reconnaissance unit before in 1938, he was posted to the II. Gruppe (2nd group) of Jagdgeschwader 132 "Richthofen", named after the World War I fighter ace Manfred von Richthofen.[1] This unit was later renamed to I. Gruppe (1st group) of Zerstörergeschwader 1 (ZG 1—1st Destroyer Wing).

World War II

On Friday 1 September 1939, German forces invaded Poland starting World War II in Europe. At the time, Streib was serving with the Flughafenbetriebskompanie (airport operational company) of I./ZG 1 before becoming a pilot. On 10 May 1940, the first day of the Battle of France, Streib claimed his first aerial victory. Flying a Messerschmitt Bf 110 heavy fighter, he was credited with shooting down a Royal Air Force (RAF) Bristol Blenheim bomber. For this achievement he was awarded the Iron Cross 2nd Class (German: Eisernes Kreuz zweiter Klasse) on 17 May 1940. On 6 June 1940, he was appointed Staffelkapitän (squadron leader) of the 2. Staffel (2nd squadron) of ZG 1. This squadron became 2. Staffel of Nachtjagdgeschwader 1 (NJG 1—1st Night Fighter Wing) on 26 June 1940.

Night fighter career

In May 1940 the creation of the Nachtjagd (night fighter force) had commenced and I. Gruppe of NJG 1 flew out of Gütersloh airfield. On the night of 19/20 July, Streib claimed his first nocturnal aerial victory over a RAF Armstrong Whitworth Whitley shot down at 02:15 near Saerbeck. Two nights later at 01:22, Streib claimed his second nocturnal, his third overall, victory over another Whitley shot down 10abbr=offNaNabbr=off north of Münster. On 30/31 August 1940, Streib claimed two aerial victories. He was credited with shooting down a Vickers Wellington at 23:24 north-northeast of Emmerich am Rhein and a Handley Page Hampden at 00:32 near Arnhem. On the night of 30 September to 1 October, Streib was victorious over two Wellington and one Hampden bombers. He claimed the first Wellington at 22:49 near Bersenbruck and the second at 23:35 near Menslage. The Hampden was shot down at 23:19 near Badbergen. This took his total to eight victories in overall, including seven by night and one by day. He was also awarded the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross (German: Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes) on 6 October 1940 as Oberleutnant (first lieutenant) and Staffelkapitän of the 2./NJG 1. After Wolfgang Falck, Streib was the second member of the night fighter force and first pilot to receive this distinction. On 7 October, he was promoted to Hauptmann (captain) and appointed Gruppenkommandeur (group commander) of the I. Gruppe of NJG 1.

On the night of 14/15 October, Streib was credited with the destruction of another Hampden at 03:05 northeast of Calbe, this was also his last of 1940 and ninth overall. For these achievements he received the German Cross in Gold (German: Deutsches Kreuz in Gold), awarded on 26 February 1941. At 22:18 on 10/11 March 1941, Streib claimed his ninth nocturnal victory when he shot down a Hampden 15abbr=onNaNabbr=on southwest of Venlo. Four nights later, on 14/15 March 1941, a Wellington shot down at 22:32 near Helenaveen became his tenth, eleventh overall, aerial victory. On 10/11 April 1941, he was credited with shooting down a Hampden at 22:49 west of Roggel and a second Hampden at 23:02 near Ittervoort. A Wellington claimed at 23:39 on 17/18 April 1941 10abbr=onNaNabbr=on east of Weert became his 13th, 14th overall, victory. One Whitley shot down on each night of 30 June to 1 July and 3/4 July 1941 respectively, took his total to 16 aerial victories overall. The first Whitley was claimed at 01:19 2abbr=onNaNabbr=on northwest of Waldfeucht while the second was recorded at 02:33 3abbr=onNaNabbr=on east of Asten. Two Wellingtons fell to his guns on the night of 15/16 July. The first aircraft was claimed at 00:54 near Someren and the second at 01:45 near Geyspers.

Kammhuber Line

By mid-1940 by 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. At 02:19 on the night of 6/7 August, Streib claimed his 18th nocturnal victory over a Whitley shot down 10abbr=onNaNabbr=on northeast of Eindhoven. Streib claimed his 20th nocturnal victory on the night of 16/17 August. At 02:05 he claimed an Avro Manchester bomber shot down 10abbr=onNaNabbr=on northeast of Sittard and at 02:52 a Whitley bomber 2abbr=onNaNabbr=on north of Roermond. On the night of 27/28 December, Streib claimed his last victories of 1941 taking his total to 23, including one daytime victory. At 20:15 and at 20:45, he claimed a Wellington and a Whitley, both over the Zuiderzee.

Two Wellington's claimed on 26/27 March 1942, were his first on 1942. The first Wellington was shot down at 23:51 in the vicinity of Enkhuizen and the second at 23:58 southeast of Zutphen. He again claimed two Wellington's two weeks later. On 10/11 April at 00:41, a first Wellington was shot down 15abbr=onNaNabbr=on south Nijmegen, the second at 12abbr=onNaNabbr=on southwest of Venlo. At 00:56, 8abbr=onNaNabbr=on southeast of Tilburg, and at 02:05, near 's-Hertogenbosch, on the night of 30/31 May, Streib was credited with two Whitleys shot down.

Streib claimed his last victory of 1942 on the night of 20/21 December. He shot down a Wellington at 20:13, 25abbr=onNaNabbr=on southeast of 's-Hertogenbosch. His first victory of 1943, his 40th nocturnal, was claimed on the night of 9/10 January when he shot down an Avro Lancaster bomber at 19:15, 8abbr=onNaNabbr=on west of Venlo. Four nights later, he claimed two further Lancasters shot down, the first at 19:16 southwest of Apeldoorn and the second at 19:44, 15abbr=onNaNabbr=on southwest of Hoog Soeren. On the night of 2/3 February 1943, Streib was credited with shooting down a Lancaster bomber at 21:12, 20abbr=onNaNabbr=on south of Eindhoven followed by four-engines bomber of unknown type at 21:30, 15abbr=onNaNabbr=on south of Venlo. These two claims took his total to 45 aerial victories, including one by day. On 26 February 1943, Streib was awarded the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves (German: Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes mit Eichenlaub) as Major and Gruppenkommandeur of the I./NJG 1. He was the 197th member of the German armed forces to be so honored. He received the Oak Leaves from Adolf Hitler personally at his office in the New Reich Chancellery in Berlin on 11 May 1943. During the night of the 29/30 March he shot down Wellington HE545 from No. 166 Squadron RAF. Pilot Officer James Robert Arthur Hodgson and his crew were posted missing. On the night of the 3/4 April 1943 Streib claimed a trio of Halifax bombers on an operation to attack Essen. One of the bombers was Halifax II DT723, LQ-F, crewed by Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF) personnel from No. 504 Squadron RAF and piloted by Pilot Officer L. Lago. All the crew with the exception of Flight Sergeant W. S. Beaty survived to be taken prisoner of war.

Testing the Heinkel He 219

Streib was involved in evaluating the then new Heinkel He 219 for its suitability as night fighter. On 25 March 1943, Streib flew He 219 V1 in mock combat against a Junkers Ju 188 E-1, piloted by Oberst Viktor von Loßberg, at the Erprobungstelle Rechlin, the primary Luftwaffe aviation service-test facility, located just south of Rechlin. In this test the He 219 proved itself to be more than 25abbr=offNaNabbr=off faster than the Ju 188. The He 219 also easily outmaneuvered the Ju 188 in this test. The theoretically greater rate of climb of the Ju 188 proved to be incorrect.

On the night of 11/12 June 1943, Streib, together with radio operator (Bordfunker) Unteroffizier Helmut Fischer, flew the prototype version He 219 V9, with the pre-production label A-0/R2 "G9+FB" (Werknummer 190 009—factory number), in combat against the RAF and claimed five aerial victories. That night, Bomber Command had sent a force of 783 heavy bombers on an attack against Düsseldorf. Of this attack force, made up of Wellington, Handley Page Halifax, Short Stirling and Avro Lancaster bombers, 693 aircraft actually hit the target. His five victory claims included a Halifax shot down at 01:05 in location 14abbr=onNaNabbr=on southeast of Roermond, a second Halifax shot down at 01:20 in location 2abbr=onNaNabbr=on southwest of Rheinberg, a third Halifax shot down at 01:55 in location 3abbr=onNaNabbr=on north of Mook, a Lancaster shot down at 02:16 in location 18abbr=onNaNabbr=on southwest of Nijmegen in the center of Mill, and a fourth Halifax shot down at 02:22 in location 3abbr=onNaNabbr=on west of Sambeek. This "ace-in-a-day" achievement took his total to 55 nocturnal aerial victories.

However, when returning to Venlo, Streib crashed the He 219 during landing. Low on fuel, Streib reported that during the landing approach the cockpit iced up, impairing his vision, necessitating an instrument approach. He activated the electrically controlled flaps and lowered the landing gear. Unnoticed by Streib, the flaps did not lock down and the electrically controlled flaps retracted themselves. Subsequently, his airspeed was too high during the final approach. Streib, misjudging his airspeed, flared the aircraft and slammed it into the runway. The resulting shockwave ruptured the tires; the starboard engine and cockpit were torn off the aircraft. Both Streib and Fischer escaped with minor injuries.

High command

At 01:30 on the night of 12/13 June, Streib was credited with the destruction of a Lancaster 45abbr=onNaNabbr=on south of Doetinchem. A Stirling claimed at 01:30 on 22 June 35abbr=onNaNabbr=on northwest of Venlo took his total to 57 nocturnal victories. On 24/25 June 1943, he was credited with a victory over Halifax claimed at 00:51 near Kempen. Streib was appointed Geschwaderkommodore (wing commander) of NJG 1 on 1 July 1943, succeeding Falck in this capacity. On the night of 25/26 July 1943, Streib claimed four aerial victories, the second of which his 60th nocturnal. At 00:28, he claimed to have shot down a Stirling bomber approximately 11abbr=onNaNabbr=on northeast of Eindhoven. His second of the night and 60th nocturnal overall was claimed over a Lancaster at 00:46 about 10abbr=onNaNabbr=on north of Helmond. The third claim that night, a Halifax was made at 01:20 in a position 6abbr=onNaNabbr=on southeast of Oisterwijk, and the fourth, another Lancaster, at 01:42 approximately 17abbr=onNaNabbr=on northeast of 's-Hertogenbosch. One of the bombers was Halifax JA855, PM-A, from No. 103 Squadron RAF. Squadron leader G. R. Carpenter was captured but only three other members survived.

On 11 March 1944, he was awarded the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves and Swords (German: Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes mit Eichenlaub und Schwertern) for 66 confirmed victories. The presentation was made by Hitler at the Berghof in Berchtesgaden on 4 April. On 23 March 1944, he was made Inspector of Night Fighters and he would stay in this post as Oberst until the end of the war. In consequence of this appointment, command of NJG 1 was given to Oberstleutnant Hans-Joachim Jabs. On 11 November, Reichsmarschall (Marshal of the Realm) Hermann Göring, in his role as commander-in-chief of the Luftwaffe, organized a meeting of high-ranking Luftwaffe officers, including Streib. The meeting, also referred to as the "Areopag" was held at the Luftkriegsakademie (air war academy) at Berlin-Gatow. This Luftwaffe version of the Greek Areopagus—a court of justice—aimed at finding solutions to the deteriorating air war situation over Germany.

Often called 'Father of the Nachtjagd Streib helped develop the operational tactics used by the Nachtjagd during the early to mid-war years, and along with the likes of Falck made the Luftwaffes night fighter force an effective fighting force against the RAF Bomber Command offensive. He is mentioned in the book Almost a Lifetime by John McMahon when he shot down John's Lancaster, killing all but John.

Later life

After the war he worked in the grocery business before joining the Bundeswehr on 16 March 1956. Streib was asked to testify in the aftermaths of the 1961 F-84 Thunderstreak incident. For three years he commanded the pilot school A in Landsberg am Lech, equipped with the T-6 Texan. He was responsible for training the beginner pilots in the West German Air Force. Brigadegeneral Streib's military career ended with his retirement on 31 March 1966. His last position was Inspizient Fliegende Verbände (Inspector of Flying Forces). He died on 15 June 1986 in Munich and was buried at the Ostfriedhof (Eastern Cemetery) in Munich with military honors.

Summary of career

Aerial victory claims

According to US historian David T. Zabecki, Streib was credited with 66 aerial victories.[2] Obermaier and Scutts list Streib with 68—one daytime and 67 nighttime—aerial victories, claimed in about 150 combat missions. Spick also states that Streib was credited with 66 aerial victories, including one by day. Foreman, Parry and Mathews, authors of Luftwaffe Night Fighter Claims 1939 – 1945, researched the German Federal Archives and found records for 67 nocturnal victory claims. Mathews and Foreman also published Luftwaffe Aces — Biographies and Victory Claims, listing Streib with 66 claims, including one as a Zerstörer pilot, plus two further unconfirmed claims.

Chronicle of aerial victories
Claim
(total)
Claim
(nocturnal)
DateTimeTypeLocationSerial No./Squadron No.
– 3. Staffel of Zerstörergeschwader 1 –
110 May 194012:00BlenheimWaalhaven
– 2. Staffel of Nachtjagdgeschwader 1 –
2120 July 194002:15WhitleySaerbeck
3222 July 194001:22Whitley10km (10miles) north MünsterWhitley N1487/No. 78 Squadron RAF
4330 August 194001:22Wellington20km (10miles) north-northeast Emmerich am RheinWellington T2559/No. 214 Squadron RAF
5430 August 194023:24HampdenArnhemHampden L4079/No. 50 Squadron RAF
6530 September 194022:49WellingtonBersenbruck
7630 September 194023:19HampdenBadbergen
8730 September 194023:35WellingtonMenslage
9815 October 194003:05Hampdennortheast Calbe
Stab I. Gruppe of Nachtjagdgeschwader 1 –
10910 March 194122:18Hampden15km (09miles) southwest Venlo
111014 March 194122:32WellingtonHelenaveen
121110 April 194122:49Hampdenwest Roggel
131210 April 194123:02HampdenIttervoort
141317 April 1941 23:39Hampden10km (10miles) east WeertWellington R1599/No. 311 Squadron RAF
15141 July 194101:19Whitley2km (01miles) northwest Waldfeucht
16154 July 194101:19Whitley3km (02miles) east Asten
171616 July 194101:19WellingtonSomeren
181716 July 194101:45WellingtonGeyspers
19187 August 194102:19Whitley10km (10miles) northeast EindhovenWhitley Z6488/No. 51 Squadron RAF
201917 August 194102:19Manchester10km (10miles) northeast Sittard
212017 August 194102:19Whitley2km (01miles) north Roermond
222127 December 194120:15WellingtonZuiderzee
232227 December 194120:45WhitleyZuiderzee
23?26 March 194223:51WellingtonEnkhuizen
24?26 March 194223:58Wellingtonsoutheast Zutphen
242511 April 194200:41Wellington15km (09miles) south Nijmegen
252611 April 194200:49Wellington12km (07miles) southwest VenloWellington R1230/No. 304 Polish Bomber Squadron
262731 May 194200:56Whitley15km (09miles) southeast Tilburg
272831 May 194202:05Whitley's-Hertogenbosch
28292 June 194200:46Wellington5km (03miles) south-southeast Venlo
29303 June 194200:46Wellington5km (03miles) west Viersen
30311 August 194200:35Blenheim15km (09miles) south-southeast KevelaerBlenheim V6432/No. 18 Squadron RAF
31321 August 194201:44Wellingtonnorth Stokkem
32331 August 194202:28Wellington12km (07miles) southwest Venlo
33346 August 194201:18Halifax15km (09miles) north Eindhoven
343527 August 194223:57WellingtonEindhoven
353628 August 194201:04StirlingEichem
363711 September 194200:34Wellington20km (10miles) east 's-Hertogenbosch
373817 September 194201:12Wellington7km (04miles) southeast Eindhoven
383920 December 194220:13Wellington25km (16miles) southeast 's-Hertogenbosch
39409 January 194319:15Lancaster8km (05miles) west VenloLancaster R5738/No. 97 Squadron RAF
404113 January 194319:16Lancastersouthwest ApeldoornLancaster W4261/No. 106 Squadron RAF
414213 January 194319:44Lancaster15km (09miles) southwest Hoog Soeren
42432 February 194321:12Lancaster20km (10miles) south EindhovenLancaster ED440/No. 49 Squadron RAF
43442 February 194321:30four-engined bomber15km (09miles) southwest VenloLancaster ED488/No. 50 Squadron RAF
444529 March 194323:15Wellingtonnorth ArnhemWellington HE545/No. 166 Squadron RAF
45463 April 194322:52Halifax20km (10miles) west Arnhem
46473 April 194323:00Halifaxnorthwest KleveHalifax DT808/No. 405 (Vancouver) Squadron RCAF
47483 April 194323:30Halifax43km (27miles) north RoermondHalifax DT635/No. 158 Squadron RAF
48499 April 194323:25Halifax17km (11miles) northeast 's-Hertogenbosch
495028 May 194323:25Lancaster18km (11miles) northwest Arnhem
5051♠12 June 194301:05Halifax14km (09miles) southeast RoermondLancaster W4983/No. 467 Squadron RAAF
5152♠12 June 194301:20Halifax2km (01miles) southwest RheinbergHalifax JB972/No. 408 Squadron RCAF
5253♠12 June 194301:55Halifax3km (02miles) north MookHalifax HR719/No. 158 Squadron RAF
5354♠12 June 194302:16Lancaster18km (11miles) southwest NijmegenLancaster DS647/No. 115 Squadron RAF
5455♠12 June 194302:22Halifax3km (02miles) west SambeekHalifax W7932/No. 78 Squadron RAF
555613 June 194301:30Lancaster45km (28miles) south Doetinchem
565722 June 194301:30Stirling35abbr=onNaNabbr=on northwest Venlo
575825 June 194300:51HalifaxKempenHalifax HR816/No. 405 (Vancouver) Squadron RCAF
Stab of Nachtjagdgeschwader 1 –
585926 July 194300:28Stirling11abbr=onNaNabbr=on northeast EindhovenStirling EE906/No. 620 Squadron RAF
596026 July 194300:46Lancaster10abbr=onNaNabbr=on north Helmond
606126 July 194301:20Halifax6abbr=onNaNabbr=on southeast OisterwijkHalifax JD207/No. 10 Squadron RAF
616226 July 194301:42Lancaster17abbr=onNaNabbr=on northeast 's-HertogenboschLancaster ED734/No. 156 Squadron RAF
626330 July 194301:45Halifax25abbr=onNaNabbr=on northwest Stade
636424 August 194301:23HalifaxHeiligenseeHalifax HR944/No. 158 Squadron RAF
646520 September 194301:01HalifaxZenderen southeast Eindhoven
65664 December 194302:15LancasterBraunschweigLancaster DS733/No. 426 (Thunderbird) Squadron RCAF
66674 December 194302:50Lancasternear Lingen

Awards

References

Bibliography

External links

Notes and References

  1. For an explanation of Luftwaffe unit designations see Organization of the Luftwaffe during World War II.
  2. For a list of Luftwaffe night fighter aces see List of German World War II night fighter aces