Hans-Ekkehard Bob

Hans-Ekkehard Bob
Born	24 January 1917 Freiburg, Breisgau
Died	12 August 2013 (aged 96) Freiburg, Baden-Württemberg, Germany
Allegiance	Nazi Germany
Service / branch	Template:Luftwaffe
Years of service	1936–45
Rank	Major
Unit	JG 54, JG 51, JG 3, EJG 2, JV 44
Commands	IV./JG 51, II./JG 3, II./EJG 2
Battles / wars	World War II
Awards	Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross
Relations	Elmar Bob (son)
Other work	Founder and Chairman of Bohrmaschinen und Geräte GmbH (drilling equipment)

Hans Ekkehard Bob (24 January 1917 – 12 August 2013) was a German fighter pilot, serving with the Luftwaffe. During World War II, Bob flew approximately 700 combat missions, and claimed 60 victories; 37 of which were on the Eastern Front.

Early Luftwaffe

Bob joined the Luftwaffe in 1936, at the rank of a Fahnenjunker (officer candidate), and began his flight training on 1 June 1937.

World War II

On 5 September 1940, Bob was temporarily appointed Staffelkapitän (squadron leader) of 7. Staffel of Jagdgeschwader 54 (JG 54–54th Fighter Wing), replacing Oberleutnant Günther Scholz. Scholz was temporarily transferred to the Gruppenstab (headquarters unit) of III. Gruppe of JG 54. There, Scholz succeeded Hauptmann Fritz Ultsch who had been killed in action.

On 29 May 1944, the wing commander Jagdgeschwader 3 "Udet" (JG 3–3rd Fighter Wing), named after the World War I fighter ace Ernst Udet, Major Friedrich-Karl Müller was killed in action. In consequence, Bob was transferred and temporarily was placed in command of JG 3 until the official successor, Major Heinz Bär, took command on 9 June. Bob was then given command of IV. Gruppe of JG 3, replacing Hauptmann Gustav Frielinghaus in this capacity.

Summary of career

Aerial victory claims

According to US historian David T. Zabecki, Bob was credited with 60 aerial victories. Mathews and Foreman, authors of Luftwaffe Aces — Biographies and Victory Claims, researched the German Federal Archives and found records for 57 aerial victory claims, plus four further unconfirmed claims. This figure includes 37 aerial victories on the Eastern Front and another 20 on the Western Front, including one heavy bomber.

Awards

• Iron Cross (1939)
  • 2nd Class (17 September 1939)
  • 1st Class
• Ehrenpokal der Luftwaffe (28 September 1940)
• German Cross in Gold on 24 December 1942 as Oberleutnant in the 9./Jagdgeschwader 54
• Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross on 7 March 1941 as Oberleutnant and Staffelkapitän of the 9./Jagdgeschwader 54

References

Bibliography

• Bergström, Christer (2007). Hans-Ekkehard Bob Ace Profiles Number 1 — The Men and Their Aircraft. Crowborough: Air Power Editions. ISBN 978-0-9555977-1-8.
• Bob, Hans-Ekkehard (2003). Betrayed Ideals, Memoirs of a Luftwaffe Fighter Ace. Cerberus Publishing Ltd. ISBN 1-84145-031-6.
• Bob, Hans-Ekkehard (2011). Jagdgeschwader 54 — Die Piloten mit den grünen Herzen (in German). Aachen, Germany: Helios Verlags- und Buchvertriebsgesellschaft. ISBN 978-3-86933-041-9.
• Fellgiebel, Walther-Peer [in German] (2000) [1986]. Die Träger des Ritterkreuzes des Eisernen Kreuzes 1939–1945 — Die Inhaber der höchsten Auszeichnung des Zweiten Weltkrieges aller Wehrmachtteile [The Bearers of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross 1939–1945 — The Owners of the Highest Award of the Second World War of all Wehrmacht Branches] (in German). Friedberg, Germany: Podzun-Pallas. ISBN 978-3-7909-0284-6.
• Forsyth, Robert (1996). JV 44: The Galland Circus. Classic Publications. ISBN 0-9526867-0-8.
• Mathews, Andrew Johannes; Foreman, John (2014). Luftwaffe Aces — Biographies and Victory Claims — Volume 1 A–F. Walton on Thames: Red Kite. ISBN 978-1-906592-18-9.
• Obermaier, Ernst (1989). Die Ritterkreuzträger der Luftwaffe Jagdflieger 1939 – 1945 [The Knight's Cross Bearers of the Luftwaffe Fighter Force 1939 – 1945] (in German). Mainz, Germany: Verlag Dieter Hoffmann. ISBN 978-3-87341-065-7.
• Patzwall, Klaus D.; Scherzer, Veit (2001). Das Deutsche Kreuz 1941 – 1945 Geschichte und Inhaber Band II [The German Cross 1941 – 1945 History and Recipients Volume 2] (in German). Norderstedt, Germany: Verlag Klaus D. Patzwall. ISBN 978-3-931533-45-8.
• Prien, Jochen; Stemmer, Gerhard; Rodeike, Peter; Bock, Winfried (2002). Die Jagdfliegerverbände der Deutschen Luftwaffe 1934 bis 1945—Teil 4/II—Einsatz am Kanal und über England—26.6.1940 bis 21.6.1941 [The Fighter Units of the German Air Force 1934 to 1945—Part 4/II—Action at the Channel and over England—26 June 1940 to 21 June 1941] (in German). Eutin, Germany: Struve-Druck. ISBN 978-3-923457-64-9.
• Prien, Jochen; Stemmer, Gerhard; Bock, Winfried (2018). Die Jagdfliegerverbände der Deutschen Luftwaffe 1934 bis 1945—Teil 13/IV—Einsatz im Reichsverteidigung und im Westen—1.1. bis 31.12.1944 [The Fighter Units of the German Air Force 1934 to 1945—Part 13/IV—Action in the Defense of the Reich and in the West—1 January to 31 December 1944] (in German). Eutin, Germany: Struve-Druck. ISBN 978-3-942943-19-2.
• Ries, Karl and Obermaier, Ernst (1991). Luftwaffe Rudder Markings 1936–1945. Schiffer Publishing. ISBN 0-88740-337-9.
• Scherzer, Veit (2007). Die Ritterkreuzträger 1939–1945 Die Inhaber des Ritterkreuzes des Eisernen Kreuzes 1939 von Heer, Luftwaffe, Kriegsmarine, Waffen-SS, Volkssturm sowie mit Deutschland verbündeter Streitkräfte nach den Unterlagen des Bundesarchives [The Knight's Cross Bearers 1939–1945 The Holders of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross 1939 by Army, Air Force, Navy, Waffen-SS, Volkssturm and Allied Forces with Germany According to the Documents of the Federal Archives] (in German). Jena, Germany: Scherzers Militaer-Verlag. ISBN 978-3-938845-17-2.
• Spick, Mike (1996). Luftwaffe Fighter Aces. New York: Ivy Books. ISBN 978-0-8041-1696-1.
• Trautloft, Hannes and Bob, Hans-Ekkehard (2005). War Diaries of Hannes Trautloft Kommodore of JG54 Grunherz. Cerberus Publishing Ltd. ISBN 1-84145-010-3.
• Zabecki, David T., ed. (2014). Germany at War: 400 Years of Military History. Santa Barbara, California: ABC-Clio. ISBN 978-1-59884-981-3.