On 1 September 1943, Scholz was promoted to Geschwaderkommodore (Wing Commander) of JG 5 thus succeeding OberstleutnantGotthard Handrick. Scholz's previous position of Gruppenkommandeur (Group Commander) of III. Gruppe of JG 5 was backfilled by Hauptmann (captain) Heinrich Ehrler.[4] On 1 August 1944, Scholz was given the position of Jagdfliegerführer Norwegen. In consequence of this decision, Major Ehrler again succeeded Scholz in his previous command position of Geschwaderkommodore of JG 5.[5] At the time of his death, he was the last known surviving Lieutenant Colonel of the Wehrmacht.
Summary of career
Aerial victory claims
Mathews and Foreman, authors of Luftwaffe Aces — Biographies and Victory Claims, researched the German Federal Archives and state that Scholz was credited with 33 aerial victories. This figure includes one claim during the Spanish Civil War, eight claims during the Battle of France and Battle of Britain on the Western Front, eighteen claims during Operation Barbarossa and six further claims at the Arctic Sea of the Eastern Front.[6]
Victory claims were logged to a map-reference (PQ = Planquadrat), for example "PQ 36 Ost 2912". The Luftwaffe grid map (Jägermeldenetz) covered all of Europe, western Russia and North Africa and was composed of rectangles measuring 15 minutes of latitude by 30 minutes of longitude, an area of about 360 square miles (930 km2). These sectors were then subdivided into 36 smaller units to give a location area 3 km × 4 km (1.9 mi × 2.5 mi) in size.[7]
Chronicle of aerial victories
Claim
Date
Time
Type
Location
Claim
Date
Time
Type
Location
– 3. Staffel of Jagdgruppe 88 –[6] Spanish Civil War
Mathews, Andrew Johannes; Foreman, John (2015). Luftwaffe Aces — Biographies and Victory Claims — Volume 4 S–Z. Walton on Thames: Red Kite. ISBN978-1-906592-21-9.
Mombeek, Eric (2010). Eismeerjäger—Zur Geschichte des Jagdgeschwaders 5—Band 3 [Fighters in the Arctic Sea—The History of the 5th Fighter Wing—Volume 3]. Linkebeek, Belgium: ASBL, La Porte d'Hoves. ISBN978-2-930546-02-5.
Mombeek, Eric (2011). Eismeerjäger—Zur Geschichte des Jagdgeschwaders 5—Band 4 [Fighters in the Arctic Sea—The History of the 5th Fighter Wing—Volume 4]. Linkebeek, Belgium: ASBL, La Porte d'Hoves. ISBN978-2-930546-05-6.
Prien, Jochen; Stemmer, Gerhard; Rodeike, Peter; Bock, Winfried (2001). Die Jagdfliegerverbände der deutschen Luftwaffe 1934 bis 1945 Teil 3—Einsatz in Dänemark und Norwegen 9.4. bis 30.11.1940—Der Feldzug im Westen 10.5. bis 25.6.1940 [Fighter Pilot Association of the German Luftwaffe 1934 to 1945 Part 3—Assignments in Denmark and Norway 9 April to 30 November 1940—The campaign in the West 10 May to 25 June 1940] (in German). Struve-Druck. ISBN978-3-923457-61-8.
Prien, Jochen; Stemmer, Gerhard; Rodeike, Peter; Bock, Winfried (2002). Die Jagdfliegerverbände der Deutschen Luftwaffe 1934 bis 1945—Teil 4/II—Einsatz am Kanal und über England—26.6.1940 bis 21.6.1941 [The Fighter Units of the German Air Force 1934 to 1945—Part 4/II—Action at the Channel and over England—26 June 1940 to 21 June 1941] (in German). Eutin, Germany: Struve-Druck. ISBN978-3-923457-64-9.
Prien, Jochen; Stemmer, Gerhard; Rodeike, Peter; Bock, Winfried (2003). Die Jagdfliegerverbände der Deutschen Luftwaffe 1934 bis 1945—Teil 6/II—Unternehmen "BARBAROSSA"—Einsatz im Osten—22.6. bis 5.12.1941 [The Fighter Units of the German Air Force 1934 to 1945—Part 6/II—Operation "BARBAROSSA"—Action in the East—22 June to 5 December 1941] (in German). Eutin, Germany: Struve-Druck. ISBN978-3-923457-70-0.
Scholz, Günther; Mobius, Ingo; Johnston, David (2011). In the Skies over Europe: The Memoirs of Luftwaffe Fighter Pilot Günther Scholz : from the Legion Condor to the Defense of the Reich. Atglen, PA: Schiffer Military History. ISBN978-0-7643-3760-4.
