Major Eduard Tratt was the highest scoring Zerstörer pilot of the war with 38 victories and Gruppenkommandeur of II./Zerstörergeschwader 26 (ZG 26).

At the beginning of World War II, Leutnant Tratt was serving in 1 Staffel, Zerstörergeschwader 1 (ZG 1), flying the Messerschmitt Bf 110 heavy twin-engine fighter.

After participation in Polish campaign Tratt took part in the Battle of France, and on 1 June 1940 claimed 3 Hawker Hurricane fighters over Dunkirk.

Tratt flew numerous ground attack and fighter missions during 1941 and claimed another 9 victories over Russian aircraft by the end of 1941.

When I Gruppe were recalled to Landsberg-Lech to begin conversion to the Me 210 in January 1942, Tratt was then transferred to command 4 Staffel, Zerstörergeschwader 26 (ZG 26).

In early 1943 I./ZG 1 flew against targets in the Stalingrad area, but then moved to Poltava, with attacks on Russian troop positions, supply and communications lines, and airfields.

With the increasing day bombing campaign over the Reich by the USAAF 8th Air Force, the Luftwaffe evaluated various means for its fighters to bring down more bombers during its incursions over occupied Europe.

On 11 October 1943 Hauptmann Tratt was appointed Gruppenkommandeur of the reformed II./ZG 26, flying the new heavy fighter versions of the Messerschmitt Me 410 from Hildesheim.

He recorded 18 victories over the Western Front, including 6 four-engine heavy bombers (5 Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress and 1 Consolidated B-24 Liberator) and 5 P-38 Lightnings.