Bernhard Jope, commander of Kampfgeschwader 100 question
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timothydaiss
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Bernhard Jope, commander of Kampfgeschwader 100 question
Bernhard Jope was commander of KG 100 bomber group and I believe he was the pilot that flew a Dornier 217 that dropped a Fritz X guided bomb on the cruiser USS Savannah on 9-11-1943 at Salerno, Italy. However, I am not certain if he was the pilot or just the commander at the time. Anybody know? thanks
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Dieter Zinke
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Re: Bernhard Jope, commander of Kampfgeschwader 100 questio
You have mistaken the date!timothydaiss wrote:Bernhard Jope was commander of KG 100 bomber group and I believe he was the pilot that flew a Dornier 217 that dropped a Fritz X guided bomb on the cruiser USS Savannah on 9-11-1943 at Salerno, Italy. However, I am not certain if he was the pilot or just the commander at the time. Anybody know? thanks
11.09.1943 is correct !! (II. and II. / KG 100 with FX 100 and Hs 293)
DZ
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timothydaiss
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Sept 11 1943 is the correct date of the attack
I have substantial proof that the Fritz X bomb was dropped on the USS Savannah on Sept. 11, 1943. Documentation: History of U.S. Naval Operations in World War II by Admiral Samuel Eliot Morison (this is the official history of the US Navy), second: DEPARTMENT OF THE NAVY -- NAVAL HISTORICAL CENTER see http://www.history.navy.mil/photos/sh-u ... cl42-l.htm. Third: For my newspaper column in 2002, I interviewed 30 former USS Savannah crew and have on file numerous eye witness accounts of the men who were on the cruiser and each stated it was Sept. 11 when the ship was hit by the Fritz X bomb.
In addition - I have numerous photos of the USS Savannah with such captions as below from National Archives in Washington D.C.
Photo #: SC 364342
USS Savannah (CL-42)
Afire and beginning to settle by the bow, very soon after she was hit by a German guided bomb during the Salerno operation, 11 September 1943.
The bomb penetrated the top of the ship's number three 6"/47 gun turret, which is in the center of this photograph with smoke over it.
Photograph from the Army Signal Corps Collection in the U.S. National Archives.
Online Image: 60KB; 740 x 605 pixels
Reproductions of this image may also be available through the National Archives photographic reproduction system.
In addition - I have numerous photos of the USS Savannah with such captions as below from National Archives in Washington D.C.
Photo #: SC 364342
USS Savannah (CL-42)
Afire and beginning to settle by the bow, very soon after she was hit by a German guided bomb during the Salerno operation, 11 September 1943.
The bomb penetrated the top of the ship's number three 6"/47 gun turret, which is in the center of this photograph with smoke over it.
Photograph from the Army Signal Corps Collection in the U.S. National Archives.
Online Image: 60KB; 740 x 605 pixels
Reproductions of this image may also be available through the National Archives photographic reproduction system.
Last edited by timothydaiss on 08 Mar 2005, 20:22, edited 1 time in total.
T.Daiss -
II./KG 100
(Extract)
Sep 43: Biscay operations concluded, returned to Istres on 9 September and began a series of successful attacks on Allied ships off the Salerno invasion beaches in South Italy between 11 and 17 September. The Group shared (with III./KG 100) in a number of hits that sank the hospital ship New Foundland and damaged the cruisers USS Savannah, USS Philadelphia and HMS Uganda and the Royal Navy destroyers Loyal and Nubian. Five Do 217s were lost by the Gruppe on these missions over the Gulf of Salerno or over the beachhead area. Two British landing craft were sunk in the Corsican harbor of Ajaccio during an attack by 11 planes on 30 September, 2 of which failed to return.
Kommandeur:
Maj. Franz Hollweck (7 May 43 - 10 Sep 43)
Hptm. Heinz Molinnus (10 Sep 43 - 4 Oct 43) KIA
III./KG 100
(Extract)
Sep 43: following an unsuccessful strike on vessels in the Straits of Messina on 5 September that cost a K-2 and crew (6N+CD), the Gruppe’s big moment finally came in the afternoon of 9 September when it attacked Italy’s main fleet off the northeast coast of Sardinia, where it was underway from La Spezia and Genoa to Allied ports to surrender. The attack was carried out in Staffel- strength under perfect visual conditions, permitting pin-point accuracy with the guided weapons. The battleship Roma was hit twice and sank within an hour, while further hits were scored on the battleship Italia and two destroyers that caused heavy damage. Between 11 and 16 September multiple missions were flown against Allied warships off the invasion beaches at Salerno in South Italy, during which the RN battleship Warspite was heavily damaged and the RN battleship Valiant lightly damaged on 16 September. Two Do 217Ks were lost on these missions. Several more operations were flown in the same target area on 18 and 19 September at a cost of one more Dornier and crew. On 20 September 8.Staffel was ordered to depart Istres for Schwäbisch Hall to begin conversion to the Heinkel He 177, later moving to Fassberg.
Kommandeur:
Hptm. Ernst Hetzel (DKG) (4 May 43 - 28 Jul 43)
Hptm. Bernhard Jope (DKG, RK, EL) (28 Jul 43 - 10 Sep 43)
Hptm. Gerhard Döhler (10 Sep 43 - ? )
Balke, Ulf. Kampfgeschwader 100 “Wiking”: Eine Geschichte aus Kriegstagebüchern, Dokumenten und Berichten 1934-1945. (Stuttgart: Motorbuch Verlag, 1981).
The book's author, a highly respected German WW II aviation historian, has little to say about the 11 September attack on Savannah and Philadelphia (see p.265). In fact, he is not certain whether it was an Hs or an FX that hit and damaged the cruisers (see p.347). There were no aircraft or personnel lost on this mission. Unfortunately, he does not identify the crews taking part in the attack, so your conviction that Jope flew or commanded the aircraft that released the guided weapon cannot be confirmed from the Geschwader's unit history. However he does say that Jope was ordered to Rome on 7 September to meet with the chief of staff of Luftflotte 2 and ordered in utter secrecy to prepare for an attack on La Spezia. After Jope returned to Istres, the attack was flown on 9 September and at 1540 hrs a PC 1400 X aimed and release by Unteroffizier Klapproth in Jope's plane struck the Roma in the afterdeck. After that, the Roma was hit several more times by PC 1400 X weapons from other aircraft. The next day, 10 September, Jope was appointed Geschwader Kommodore and busied himself taking over responsibility for the entire Geschwader. There is not the slighest evidence from this material that Jope flew on the 11 September. Unless conclusive proof comes to light, I would have to say that he did not fly on the Savannah mission. Jope was awarded the Ritterkreuz as an Oberleutnant and Staffelkapitan of 2./KG 40 on 30 December 1940, so that has nothing to do with KG 100. He was awarded the Eichenlaub on 24 March 1944, and the citation makes no mention of the 11 September 1943 mission.
JOPE, Bernhard. (RE, DKG). 01.07.39 Oblt., trf from I./KG 88 to KG 77. 12.06.43 Hptm., appt Kdr. IV./KG 100 (to 27.07.43). 28.07.43 Hptm., appt Kdr. III./KG 100 (to 10.09.43). 01.08.43 promo to Maj. 10.09.43 appt Kommodore KG 100 (to 20.08.44). 17.10.44 appt Kommodore KG 30 (to 23.11.44), then KG (J) 30 (to 03.45). 01.01.45 promo to Obstlt.
HTH,
--Larry
II./KG 100
(Extract)
Sep 43: Biscay operations concluded, returned to Istres on 9 September and began a series of successful attacks on Allied ships off the Salerno invasion beaches in South Italy between 11 and 17 September. The Group shared (with III./KG 100) in a number of hits that sank the hospital ship New Foundland and damaged the cruisers USS Savannah, USS Philadelphia and HMS Uganda and the Royal Navy destroyers Loyal and Nubian. Five Do 217s were lost by the Gruppe on these missions over the Gulf of Salerno or over the beachhead area. Two British landing craft were sunk in the Corsican harbor of Ajaccio during an attack by 11 planes on 30 September, 2 of which failed to return.
Kommandeur:
Maj. Franz Hollweck (7 May 43 - 10 Sep 43)
Hptm. Heinz Molinnus (10 Sep 43 - 4 Oct 43) KIA
III./KG 100
(Extract)
Sep 43: following an unsuccessful strike on vessels in the Straits of Messina on 5 September that cost a K-2 and crew (6N+CD), the Gruppe’s big moment finally came in the afternoon of 9 September when it attacked Italy’s main fleet off the northeast coast of Sardinia, where it was underway from La Spezia and Genoa to Allied ports to surrender. The attack was carried out in Staffel- strength under perfect visual conditions, permitting pin-point accuracy with the guided weapons. The battleship Roma was hit twice and sank within an hour, while further hits were scored on the battleship Italia and two destroyers that caused heavy damage. Between 11 and 16 September multiple missions were flown against Allied warships off the invasion beaches at Salerno in South Italy, during which the RN battleship Warspite was heavily damaged and the RN battleship Valiant lightly damaged on 16 September. Two Do 217Ks were lost on these missions. Several more operations were flown in the same target area on 18 and 19 September at a cost of one more Dornier and crew. On 20 September 8.Staffel was ordered to depart Istres for Schwäbisch Hall to begin conversion to the Heinkel He 177, later moving to Fassberg.
Kommandeur:
Hptm. Ernst Hetzel (DKG) (4 May 43 - 28 Jul 43)
Hptm. Bernhard Jope (DKG, RK, EL) (28 Jul 43 - 10 Sep 43)
Hptm. Gerhard Döhler (10 Sep 43 - ? )
Balke, Ulf. Kampfgeschwader 100 “Wiking”: Eine Geschichte aus Kriegstagebüchern, Dokumenten und Berichten 1934-1945. (Stuttgart: Motorbuch Verlag, 1981).
The book's author, a highly respected German WW II aviation historian, has little to say about the 11 September attack on Savannah and Philadelphia (see p.265). In fact, he is not certain whether it was an Hs or an FX that hit and damaged the cruisers (see p.347). There were no aircraft or personnel lost on this mission. Unfortunately, he does not identify the crews taking part in the attack, so your conviction that Jope flew or commanded the aircraft that released the guided weapon cannot be confirmed from the Geschwader's unit history. However he does say that Jope was ordered to Rome on 7 September to meet with the chief of staff of Luftflotte 2 and ordered in utter secrecy to prepare for an attack on La Spezia. After Jope returned to Istres, the attack was flown on 9 September and at 1540 hrs a PC 1400 X aimed and release by Unteroffizier Klapproth in Jope's plane struck the Roma in the afterdeck. After that, the Roma was hit several more times by PC 1400 X weapons from other aircraft. The next day, 10 September, Jope was appointed Geschwader Kommodore and busied himself taking over responsibility for the entire Geschwader. There is not the slighest evidence from this material that Jope flew on the 11 September. Unless conclusive proof comes to light, I would have to say that he did not fly on the Savannah mission. Jope was awarded the Ritterkreuz as an Oberleutnant and Staffelkapitan of 2./KG 40 on 30 December 1940, so that has nothing to do with KG 100. He was awarded the Eichenlaub on 24 March 1944, and the citation makes no mention of the 11 September 1943 mission.
JOPE, Bernhard. (RE, DKG). 01.07.39 Oblt., trf from I./KG 88 to KG 77. 12.06.43 Hptm., appt Kdr. IV./KG 100 (to 27.07.43). 28.07.43 Hptm., appt Kdr. III./KG 100 (to 10.09.43). 01.08.43 promo to Maj. 10.09.43 appt Kommodore KG 100 (to 20.08.44). 17.10.44 appt Kommodore KG 30 (to 23.11.44), then KG (J) 30 (to 03.45). 01.01.45 promo to Obstlt.
HTH,
--Larry