Hermann-Friedrich Joppien - Military Career

Military Career

Hermann-Friedrich Joppien was born on 19 July 1912 in Bochum in the Province of Westphalia, a province of the Kingdom of Prussia. Joppien joined the military service with an Infantry Regiment in October 1931.

In mid 1939 Joppien was posted to the 1st Staffel (squadron), Jagdgeschwader 51 (JG 51—51st Fighter Wing). He claimed his first victory, a French Morane-Saulnier M.S.406 on 23 November 1939, although Joppien's aircraft undercarriage had been damaged and his aircraft overturned on landing, Joppien escaping injury. Joppien claimed four victories during the 1940 French campaign. On 6 August 1940 Joppien became Staffelkapitän (squadron leader), 1./JG 51. Joppien then claimed 26 victories during the air battles over England. Joppien was awarded the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross and on 18 October 1940 appointed Gruppenkommandeur (group commander), I./JG 51. He recorded his 40th claim on 21 April 1941. He was awarded the Oak Leaves to his Knight's Cross on 23 April for achieving 40 victories.

Joppien led I./JG 51 during the invasion of Russia and on 30 June 1941 shot down five Russian bombers near Bobruysk. 12 victories followed in July, including four Tupolev SB-2 bombers shot down on 2 July and another three SB-2s on 24 July.

However, after his 58th victory on 5 July, Joppien was wounded by bomber return fire and spent several weeks in hospital. On 28 August 1941 Joppien engaged in combat with Russian fighters and bombers near Yelnya, southwest of Bryansk. In the subsequent action Joppien was shot down and killed in his Bf 109 F-2 (Werknummer 9670—factory number) "Black <<" by a Russian MiG-3 fighter.

"Jupp" Joppien was officially credited with 70 victories and the fourth highest scoring fighter pilot at the time of his death. His victory total included 42 aerial victories claimed over the Western front among them 23 Supermarine Spitfires.