DO32P02 WWII HANS JOACHIM MARSEILLE

Hans Joachim Marseille was born in December 1919 and died in September 1942 at the age of 23. He was one of the greatest German fighter aces of the Second World War - credited with achieving 158 certain and probable air victories. Hans Joachim Marseille came from a family with French roots. He joined the Luftwaffe at the age of 19 - in 1938. He started his combat trail with a struggle over the skies of England, where he won 7 air victories - all over Supermarine Spitfires. He later fought in the Balkans, but his achievements in North Africa brought him the greatest fame. It is because of them that he was nicknamed the Star of Africa or the Desert Eagle. The extraordinary abilities of Hans Joachim Marseille can be proved by the fact that on September 1, 1942 alone, he managed to shoot down 17 enemy machines! For this achievement, he received Diamonds for his Iron Cross. His favorite plane was the Messerschmitt Me-109 F-4. He died as a result of an air crash on September 30, 1942. Despite his discipline problems, he was respected by other pilots - both German and Allied. More than once during the battles in North Africa, he showed a chivalrous attitude towards the defeated opponent. There are also many indications that he kept a considerable distance from the Nazi ideology.