Josef “Pips” Priller

Josef “Pips” Priller was born on the 27th of July 1915 at Ingolstadt in Bayern. In 1935, Fahnenjunker Priller was serving in Infanterieregiment 19. Oberfähnrich Priller transferred to the Luftwaffe and began his flying training at Salzwedel in October 1936. On the 1st of April 1937, Leutnant Priller was posted to I./JG 135. In November 1938 the unit was redesignated I./JG 233 and again on 1 May 1939 to I./JG 51. In July 1939, he was serving with I./JG 71 which was to be redesignated II./JG 51 in October 1939. On 1 October 1939, Priller was appointed Staffelkapitän of 6./JG 51. He gained his first victories on 28 May 1940 over Dunkirk in aerial combat with RAF fighters. He claimed six victories during the French campaign, including his 6th on the 25th of June, when he shot down a RAF Spitfire fighter near Desvres. By the end of August his victory total stood at 15. On 17 October, Oberleutnant Priller claimed his 20th victory resulting in the award of the Ritterkreuz on 19 October. He claimed at least fourteen victories in the Battle of Britain.

Despite much combat with the British, Priller was unable to add to his score before the end of the year. That winter, JG 26 was withdrawn from the Channel front back to Germany for a rest. On his return to the Channel Priller enjoyed a remarkable run of victories between the 16th of June and the 11th of July 1941 shooting down 19 RAF aircraft, including 17 Spitfire fighters, to bring his victory total to 39. On the 14th of July, Priller shot down his 40th victim. He was awarded the Eichenlaub on the 19th of October for 41 victories. Hauptmann Priller became Gruppenkommandeur of III./JG 26 on 6 December 1941. By the end of 1941 Priller’s score stood at 58. He recorded his 60th victory on the 27th of March 1942 and his 70th victory on 5 May. By the end of 1942 Priller had 81 confirmed victories to his tally. On the 11th of January 1943, Priller became Kommodore of JG 26. On the 6th of June 1944 Priller along with his wingman became famous for making a single strafing pass, on the beaches  of Normandy, this is the only recorded daylight attack by the Luftwaffe, and was brought to the attention of the world by the book and then the movie The Longest Day.

He was awarded the Schwertern on the 2nd of July 1944. Oberstleutnant Priller brought up his 100th victory on the 18th of July 1944 when he brought down a USAAF B-24 four-engine bomber. On the 1st of January 1945, Priller led JG 26 and III./JG 54 in the attack on the Allied airfields, codenamed Operation Bodenplatte, at Brussels-Evére and Brussels-Grimbergen. On the 28th January, Priller was appointed Inspekteur der Jagdflieger Ost, a position that required he cease operational flying and which he held until the end of the war. Josef “Pips” Priller flew 1,307 combat missions to achieve 101 victories. All his victories were recorded over the Western Front and include 11 four-engine bombers. He was the most successful pilot in battles with Spitfires claiming at least 68 of them.

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