Josef-Emil Clade
Hauptmann
 
Josef-Emil Clade
 
    Josef-Emil Clade was born on 26 February 1916 at Hambach in the Neustadt region. He began flying gliders in 1931 and joined the Luftwaffe in 1936. Clade was serving with JG 1 during the German Blitzkrieg of the Low Countries in May 1940. Unteroffizier Clade was assigned to 1./JG 1. He claimed his first victories on 11 May, when he shot down a Belgian Gladiator biplane fighter near Maastricht in the morning and a French LeO 451 twin-engine bomber on an evening mission, also in the Maastricht area. Clade claimed a further two victories during the French campaign. On 6 July 1940, 1./JG 1 was redesignated 7./JG 27. In March 1941, Feldwebel Clade was posted as an instructor to Ergänzungsgruppe/JG 27. This unit was later amalgamated into ErgänzungsJagdgruppe Süd. By June 1942, Oberfeldwebel Clade was serving in the Mediterranean theatre with 5./JG 27 from bases in North Africa. He recorded his 10th victory on 5 July when he shot down a RAF Spitfire fighter near El-Daba. Leutnant Clade was appointed Staffelkapitän of 7./JG 27 on 23 May 1943. He had 17 victories to his credit. On 5 October , Clade shot down a USAAF B-24 four-engine bomber for his 18th victory. However, he was shot down in this engagement and baled out of his stricken Bf 109 G-6 (W.Nr. 170 05). He recorded his 20th victory on 13 November, when he shot down a RAF Beaufighter twin-engine fighter-bomber near Levita in Greece.
 
Emil Clade with his Bf 109G and his mechanic in 1943.
Emil Clade with his Bf 109G and his mechanic in 1943.
 
    On 20 December 1943 he shot down a USAAF B-17 four-engine bomber near Megara for his 22nd victory. Some days later, Clade was transferred to 2./Jagdgruppe Süd, based at Avignon in France. He was badly wounded in a Resistance attack on 16 February 1944. He was hospitalised until November 1944. On his recovery from his wounds,  Clade returned to 7./JG 27.  On 26 November 1944, he was forced to bail out of his damaged Bf 109 K-4 after aerial combat. Clade was appointed Staffelkapitän of 12./JG 27, based in France, in November 1944. On 25 and 26 December he claimed  a USAAF P-47 fighter shot down to record his 23rd and 24th victories. In February 1945, Oberleutnant Clade was appointed acting Gruppenkommandeur of III./JG 27, based at Hesepe in Germany performing Reichsverteidigung missions. His last aerial combat took place on 25 February, when he engaged and shot down an USAAF P-38 twin-engine fighter. However, his aircraft had also received damage in the encounter and he was forced to bale out. He later met his opponent and exchanged souvenirs over a meal. Hauptmann Clade, in conjunction with Major Peter Werfft (26 victories, RK), was responsible for disbanding III./JG 27 at Saalbach on or about 3 May 1945. Most of the unit disappeared into the mountains before surrendering or being captured by US troops. On 3 May 1945, Clade was appointed Gruppenkommandeur of I./JG 27.
    Emil Clade was credited with 27 victories. Included in his victory total are two four-engine bombers
 
No
Date
Time
A/c Type
Unit
Location
Comments
1
11.5.1940
7:01
 Gladiator 1./JG 1 Maastricht Gladiator of 1/I/2 of Aeronautique Militaire Belge
2
11.5.1940
19:50
 LeO 451 1./JG 1 W Maastricht LeO 451 of GB I/12 or GB II/12 of Armée de l’Air
3
17.5.1940
12:58
 Morane 1./JG 1 Compiegne -
4
26.5.1940
9:45
 Spitfire 1./JG 1 Calais area -
7
12.6.1942
18:20
 P-40 5./JG 27 S El Adem -
8
16.6.1942
16:42
 P-40 5./JG 27 Bü-Ahmed -
9
26.6.1942
14:50
 P-40 5./JG 27 35km SW Marsa Matruh -
10
5.7.1942
13:55
 Spitfire 5./JG 27 40km SE El-Daba Spitfire V of 145 Sqn, RAF
11
19.7.1942
9:18
 Hurricane 5./JG 27 Bir Ibrahim Hurricane II of 127 or 238 Sqn, RAF
12
3.8.1942
18:05
 Spitfire 5./JG 27 N El-Bahrein Spitfire V of 145 Sqn, RAF
13
2.9.1942
17:05
 Spitfire 5./JG 27 SSW El-Hammam Spitfire V of 601 Sqn, RAF
14
11.11.1942
9:12
 P-40 5./JG 27 15km SSE Sollum -
15
3.3.1943
8:48
 Spitfire 5./JG 27 20km S Ragusa -
16
11.5.1943
12:14
 P-38 5./JG 27 15km W Marsala -
17
13.5.1943
-
 P-38 5./JG 27 35km SW Cagliari -
18
5.10.1943
12:43
 B-24 7./JG 27 20km NW Lebadeia -
19
8.11.1943
10:35
 Beaufighter 7./JG 27 10km S Symphonos -
20
13.11.1943
8:55
 Beaufighter 7./JG 27 N Levita -
21
16.11.1943
12:35
 Beaufighter 7./JG 27 NNW Insel Kos -
22
20.12.1943
12:45
 B-17 7./JG 27 NNE Megara -
23
25.12.1943
11:55
 P-47 12./JG 27 20km S St Vith -
24
26.12.1943
11:10
 P-47 12./JG 27 5km E St Vith -
25
29.1.1945
16:22
 Typhoon 12./JG 27 Wallenbrück -
26
22.2.1945
15:10
 B-26 12./JG 27 Warrendorf -
27
25.2.1945
8:35
 P-38 12./JG 27 Much -
 
Victories : 27
Awards :
Units : JG 1, JG 27
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