World War II Erwin Clausen (5 August 1911 – 4 October 1943) was a German Luftwaffe military aviator during World War II, a fighter ace credited with 132 aerial victories—that is, 132 aerial combat encounters resulting in the destruction of the enemy aircraft—claimed in 561 combat missions.
In June 1943, Clausen was appointed Gruppenkommandeur (group commander) of I. Gruppe of Jagdgeschwader 11 (JG 11—11th Fighter Wing), tasked with defense of the Reich missions.
Holding the rank of Unteroffizier (subordinate officer or lance sergeant), he received flight training.
[1][Note 1] World War II in Europe had begun on Friday, 1 September 1939, when German forces invaded Poland.
On the afternoon (16:06 – 17:10) of that day, the Gruppe flew a combat air patrol mission, and for the first time of the war 3.
[5] On 30 September, the Gruppe moved to an airfield at Uetersen, flying defensive missions over the German Bight.
[6] The unit relocated multiple times and was flying in defense of the Reich from Esbjerg on 10 May 1940, the start of the Battle of France.
[8] On 23 May, they transferred again, this time to Ferme Montecouvez, an airfield approximately 15 kilometers (9.3 mi) south of Cambrai.
(Jagd) Gruppe was tasked with providing fighter escort for German transports resupplying the 4th Army in the vicinity of Cambrai.
On this mission, Clausen claimed an Armée de l'air Potez 63 twin-engined aircraft shot down.
(Jagd) Gruppe was scrambled to intercept a flight of Royal Air Force Bristol Blenheim bombers resulting in combat southwest of Saint-Omer.
JG 77 supported the German advance as part of Heeresgruppe Süd (Army Group South).
The mission, the second of the day, a combat air patrol encountered a flight of a Polikarpov I-153 biplane fighters east of Iași.
[23] On 14 July during the landing approach at the airfield at Kastornoye, Clausen was injured when his Bf 109 F-4 (Werknummer 13121—factory number) collided with aircraft from 4.
Clausen and together with Oberleutnant Viktor Bauer were presented the Oak Leaves by Adolf Hitler at the Führerhauptquartier at Rastenburg.
Gruppe of JG 77 was transferred to the North African theater, arriving at an airfield near Janzur, located west of Tripoli.
[28] Clausen, who for his facial features was nicknamed 'Caesar', was transferred to the Ergänzungs-Jagdgruppe Süd (Supplementary Fighter Group, South) on 1 February 1943, and promoted to Hauptmann (captain).
On 20 June 1943, Clausen was appointed Gruppenkommandeur (group commander) of I. Gruppe of Jagdgeschwader 11 (JG 11—11th Fighter Wing), succeeding Major Walter Spies.
Elements of 4th Bombardment Wing were already airborne and aimed at targeting the Fokker aircraft manufacturing sites at Amsterdam.
[33] Clausen shot down a B-24 Liberator, his 12th over the USAAF, but then was killed in aerial combat over the North Sea in his Focke-Wulf Fw 190 A-5/U12 (Werknummer 7358—factory number) approximately 115 kilometers (71 mi) northwest of Borkum.
[34] The exact circumstances of his death remain unknown, he made his last radio communication at 10:28, confirming the order to return to base.