Herbert Schramm (13 October 1913 – 1 December 1943) was a German Luftwaffe military aviator during World War II, a fighter ace credited with 42 aerial victories claimed in 480 combat missions.

Born in Wetzlar, Schramm was a pilot and flight instructor prior to joining the Luftwaffe.

Posted to Jagdgeschwader 53 (JG 53—53rd Fighter Wing), he claimed his first aerial victory on 14 May 1940 during the Battle of France.

He then fought in the Battle of Britain and Operation Barbarossa, the German invasion of the Soviet Union in June 1941.

On 1 December 1943, he was killed in action near Eupen during aerial combat with United States Army Air Forces fighters.

Schramm was born on 13 October 1913 in Wetzlar, at the time in the Rhine Province within the German Empire.

[1] Prior to joining the military service, he worked as a pilot and flight instructor for Siebel aircraft manufacturing.

When German forces invaded Poland on 1 September 1939 which marking the beginning of World War II, he was posted to 8.

[3] During the Battle of France, JG 53 was subordinated to Luftflotte 3 (Air Fleet 3) commanded by General der Flieger Hugo Sperrle, supporting Army Group A's breakthrough area.

[10] Schramm claimed his first aerial victory against the Royal Air Force (RAF) on 2 September.

[12] On 15 September, also known as the Battle of Britain Day, the Gruppe encountered 20 to 30 RAF fighters south of London.

Gruppe was withdrawn from the English Channel and relocated to an airfield at München-Gladbach, present-day Mönchengladbach, for a period of rest and replenishment.

[17] In early February 1941, the pilots returned from vacation to the airfield München-Gladbach and began training for their next deployment.

Gruppe's ground-elements travelled to Berck-sur-Mer in France while the pilots began conversion training to the then new Messerschmitt Bf 109 F series at Mannheim-Sandhofen Airfield.

[19] On 8 June 1941, the bulk of JG 53's air elements moved via Jever, in northern Germany, to Mannheim-Sandhofen.

On 21 June, the Geschwaderkommodore (wing commander) of JG 53 and its Gruppenkommandeure were summoned to nearby Suwałki, where Generalfeldmarschall (field marshal) Albert Kesselring gave the final instructions for the upcoming attack.

[22] Schramm claimed two further DB-3 bombers on 3 July on a combat air patrol over the advancing German ground forces.

[27] Here on 10 September, Schramm made an emergency landing at Ossijaki following engine failure of his Bf 109 F-2 "black 3+I".

[34] In April 1942, Schramm was posted to Ergänzungs-Jagdgruppe Süd (Supplementary Fighter Group, South) as an instructor.

Following his convalescence, Schramm was posted to the Blindflugschule 10 (school for instrument flight training) in Altenburg.

There, the Gruppe received new Bf 109 G-6 aircraft and replacement pilots and trained for defense of the Reich missions against the United States Army Air Forces (USAAF).

Gruppe was scrambled at Saint-Dizier and intercepted approximately 150 USAAF bombers without escorting fighter protection shortly after 14:00 over the Palatinate.

[42] On 1 December 1943, intercepting bombers en route to Cologne, Schramm was killed in action following aerial combat west of Eupen near Verviers by a Republic P-47 Thunderbolt fighter.

However, Schade convinced the responsible authorities and Schramm received a military funeral in his hometown Wetzlar.