Edmund Roßmann

Who was Edmund Roßmann?

Edmund "Paule" Roßmann was a German World War II fighter ace and was credited with 93 aerial victories achieved in 640 combat missions, among the numerous ground attack missions. A flying ace or fighter ace is a military aviator credited with shooting down five or more enemy aircraft during aerial combat. He is also noted as being an early mentor of Erich Hartmann, history's leading fighter ace.

Unteroffizier "Paule" Roßmann was transferred to 7./Jagdgeschwader 52 on 1 March 1940 and participated in the Battle of France and Battle of Britain. He was credited with six aerial victories in the western theatre before JG 52 was deployed to Operation Barbarossa.

By the end of 1941 he had accumulated 32 aerial victories. He was awarded the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross after 250 combat missions and 49 aerial victories. From March to June 1942 he was posted to Ergänzungs-Jagdgruppe Ost as fighter pilot instructor and returned to his Staffel afterwards. Nevertheless he almost doubled his score by the end of 1942 and claimed his 80th victory on 29 November 1942.

On 9 July 1943 Roßmann attempted to rescue a crash landed fellow pilot behind Russian lines.