Another Kraut/Frog pilot gone...

[Tuborg]

Major Siegfried Freytag
Thu Oct 23 22:09:28 2003
80.164.87.79

Major
Freytag, Siegfried
* 10.11.1919 Danzig-Langfuhr
+ 02.06.2003 Marseille / Frankreich
Ritterkreuz am: 03.07.1942
als: Oberleutnant
Funktion: Flugzeugführer I./JG 77
Bes. Vermerke: Nach dem Krieg in der franz. Fremdenlegion.

Siegfried Freytag, der Stern von Malta, was born in 1919. He joined the JG77 where he achieved his first kill on 13.7.41 in Russia, a Mig-3. One year later he had achieved 57 kills at the Eastern front and was moved to the Mediterrainiens. Here he participated in the battle of Malta and shot down 20 Spitfires. It is said, that he had to bail out into open sea near an english vessel and was about to be captured by an english boat. But was picked out of the "Bach" by an D0-24 in the last minute. Then the 77 was moved to Tunesia, where they were replacing the JG27. Promoted as wing-commander (Kommandeur) of the I./ JG77 they fought the long retreat back through Sicily and Italy in 43-44, where he was badly wounded first by an P-38 on July 12. 1943, and later on 29.1.44 due strafing Spitfires at his homebase. Like so many other veterans at this time he was burned out, and in September 44 , with 99 kills to his credit, the JG77 was re-drawn to refreshment and taken into Reichsverteidigung. After Operation Bodenplatte, where he achieved his last victory, a Spifire and his 102 kill, he was transfered to JG 7 where he flew the new ME 262. Late in March he was promoted as Kommodore of the JG51, but he never showed up in his new post. Frytag flew 878 missions and was awarded with the RK. After the war he joined the French Legion as an infantrist, and it is believed that he still is alive some where in the south of France. Steinhoff, his CO in Afrika once said about him: "He was nervous like a racehorse, but a dream of a pilot..."

[Batz]

Siegfried Freytag was born on 10 November 1919 at Danzig-Langfuhr. Freytag served with 6./JG 77 from early 1941. He participated in the invasion of Greece and Crete. However, he did not gain his first victory until 13 June 1941, operating over the Eastern front, when he shot down a Russian MiG-3 fighter. A year later Oberleutnant Freytag had 57 victories to his credit, recorded in 360 missions, plus 12 aircraft destroyed on the ground and had been awarded the Ritterkreuz on 3 July 1942. He recorded his 10th victory on 12 August 1941, his 20th victory on 30 October, his 30th victory on 26 March 1942, his 40th victory on 8 May 1942 and his 50th victory on 3 June. On 27 June 1942, Freytag was appointed Staffelkapitän of 1./JG 77 and relocated with the unit to the Mediterranean theatre. Operating over Malta from July until October, Freytag was to claim 21 confirmed victories, and many unconfirmed, raising his victory total to 78. He was the highest scoring German fighter pilot over Malta. However, RAF Spitfire fighters shot him down on 27 July. He was rescued from the sea off Valetta by a Do 24 three-engine flying boat, just as British rescue launches were approaching. Operating over North Africa and Tunisia, Freytag added a further 16 victories. On 13 March 1943, Freytag was appointed Gruppenkommandeur of II./JG 77. He also saw action over Sicily but was shot down over Gela by USAAF P-38 twin-engine fighters on 12 July. Freytag successfully baled out of his stricken Bf 109 G-6 (W.Nr. 180 25) but was wounded in the encounter. Following his recovery from wounds, Freytag led II./JG 77, on Reichsverteidigung duties, from bases in Germany. He claimed his 100th victory on 13 June 1944. On 25 December, Freytag was appointed acting Kommodore of JG 77 when Major Johannes Wiese (133 victories, RK-EL) was shot down and wounded in aerial combat. He recorded his 102nd, and last, victory on 1 January 1945. Freytag was again appointed acting Kommodore of JG 77 on 7 March, following the death in action of Major Erich Leie (121 victories, RK). He led the unit until 1 April. On 4 April 1945, Freytag was transferred to the Geschwaderstab of JG 51 but was soon transferred to JG 7, operating the Me 262 jet fighter, where it was intended he become a Gruppenkommandeur. However, the war ended before he could take up the position. Freytag was recommended for the award of the Eichenlaub. Freytag’s post-war career is unknown.

    Siegfried Freytag was credited with 102 victories. He recorded 57 victories over the Eastern front. Included in his 45 victories recorded over the Western front are at least three four-engine bombers.

I had read where Freytag was in bad spirits after Germamy's defeat. Its "assumed" he joined the French Foreign Legion and may have ended up in South East Asia (French Indochina; Veitnam). According to a few folks who tried to contacting him over the past few years is that he was very private and would or could not discuss the war.