Helmut Mertens

Helmut Mertens
Nickname(s)	Pitt
Born	11 November 1917 Essen, Germany
Died	Usingen, Germany
Allegiance	Nazi Germany
Service/branch	Luftwaffe
Years of service	1937–1943
Rank	Hauptmann
Unit	LG 2, JG 3
Battles/wars	World War II Eastern Front Battle of France Battle of Britain Operation Barbarossa Western Front Defence of the Reich
Awards	Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross German Cross in Gold

Helmut Mertens (also known as "Pitt") (11 November 1917 – 17 January 1984) was a German fighter ace of World War II. He was born in Essen and served in the Luftwaffe as a career fighter pilot who served in the Battle of France, Battle of Britain, the invasion of Russia Operation Barbarossa and on the Western Front in the Defence of the Reich. His victory tally as a fighter pilot is reported as high as 97 or as low as 54 aircraft confirmed shot down.

Career

Mertens was born on 11 November 1917 in Essen. He joined the Luftwaffe (German Air Force) in 1937 and trained as a fighter pilot. He served in the Second World War and was accredited as one of their most successful aces.

Early Service

By the outbreak of war on 1 September 1939 Mertens had been commissioned as leutnant and was a fighter pilot flying the Messerschmitt Bf 109 with No. I (Jagd) Gruppe of Lehrgeschwader 2 LG 2. With this unit he participated in Operation Case Yellow the Battle of France and on 19 May 1940 shot down a Hurricane fighter of the Royal Air Force his first victory in combat. On 3 June 1940 he shot down a French Curtiss fighter his second victory. Mertens transferred to Jagdgeschwader 3 flying with their 9 Staffel (squadron) in the Battle of Britain as his unit provided escort cover for German bombers attacking England and on 26 October 1940 he shot down another Hurricane fighter. He was awarded the Iron Cross 2nd class.

Eastern Front

Flying against less experienced Russian pilots in older aircraft during the invasion of Russia Operation Barbarossa Mertens began to find success more quickly, he shot down a Russian DB-3 bomber on 26 June 1941 and then during July 1941 he shot down eleven more Russian aircraft including three in a day on 16 July 1941 and was awarded the Iron Cross 1st Class. On 23 July 1941 he was appointed Staffel Kapitan (squadron commander) of his squadron, 9 Staffel. Mertens shot down 7 more aircraft in August 1941, one more in September and another in October 1941. bringing his score to 25 confirmed victories. The majority of his victories in Russia were Polikarpov I-15 and Polikarpov I-153 fighters and Tupolev SBSB-2 and Ilyushin DB-3 bombers.

In February 1942 Mertens transferred to the Staff of Jagdgeschwader 3 and was promoted oberleutnant before joining the Staff of III Gruppe, Jagdgeschwader 3. He was awarded the German Cross in gold on 27 May 1942 or 8 June 1942 and between 6 April 1942 and 26 July 1942 shot down fifteen more Russian aircraft, primarily Lavochkin-Gorbunov-Gudkov LaGG-3 and Polikarpov I-153 fighters and Ilyushin DB-3 bombers, bringing his score to 40 confirmed victories.

In late July 1942 Mertens was appointed to command the 1 Staffel (squadron) of Jagdgeschwader 3 and promptly shot down 7 more Russian fighters and bombers during the next four weeks. A photograph in "Luftwaffe Ruddedr Markings 1936-45" taken on 22 July 1942 in the Stalingrad sector shows him posing with the tail of his Bf 109 which is marked with 47 victory tabs. He was awarded the Knight’s Cross of the Iron Cross on 4 September 1942, the recommendation was written at the time that he had achieved 50 victories in air combat. His award is well documented Following this he was temporarily appointed Gruppenkommandeur (wing leader) of I Gruppe (comprising 1, 2 and 3 Staffel) of Jagdgeschwader 3 until November 1942. Documentation concerning Mertens service in the next eight or nine months from the time of his award until July 1943 is scarce and no details at all of his actions as a fighter pilot are known.

Western Front

By July 1943 he was back in action flying with 1 Staffel Jagdgeschwader 3 on the Western Front flying in the Defence of the Reich against the daylight attacks on German home targets by primarily 8th USAAF formations. On 30 July 1943 he shot down a B-17Flying Fortress and on 17 August 1943 another B-17Flying Fortress.

On 23 September 1943 Mertens was appointed commander of 4 Staffel of Ergänzungsjagdgruppe Ost (Training Fighter Wing – East) to complete the operational training phase for young pilots arriving from fighter pilot school Jagdfliegerschule. He was promoted hauptmann on 1 October 1943 and on 8 January 1944 returned to fully operational duties when appointed to command the 7 Staffel Jagdgeschwader 3. On 20 Feb 1944 Mertens shot down a B-17Flying Fortress and then made a ramming attack on a B-24 Liberator bomber. In this attack his Bf 109 (marked White 1 + |) was wrecked and he was wounded, he baled out but that was his last operational mission.

While recovering Mertens was briefly appointed to command 1 Staffel of Ergänzungsjagdgruppe Ost (Training Fighter Wing – East) in April 1944 until he assumed temporary command of I Gruppe Jagdgeschwader 3 and then joined the staff of Adolf Galland General of Fighter pilots. From November 1944 Mertens held posts within Ergänzungsjagdgruppe Ost (Training Fighter Wing – East) and finally the operational training establishment of Second World War.

At the end of the war he was credited with about 750 combat missions and 50 or 54 confirmed air victories (97 according to some sources) and the sinking of a Russian gun boat. Obermaier records 60 victories in the East and between 16 to 20 four engine bombers shot down in the West.

See also

• List of World War II flying aces

Awards

• Aviator badge (1938)
• Front Flying Clasp of the Luftwaffe in Gold
• Iron Cross (1939)
  • 2nd Class (awarded late 1940)
  • 1st Class (awarded July 1941)
• German Cross in Gold on 27 May 1942 or 8 June 1942 as oberleutnant in the Jagdgeschwader 3.
• Knight’s Cross of the Iron Cross on 4 September 1942 as oberleutnant in 1./Jagdgeschwader 3.