Born in Raudten, Vogt grew up in the Weimar Republic and Nazi Germany. He joined the military service in the Luftwaffe and was trained as a fighter pilot. Following flight training, he was posted to Jagdgeschwader 26 "Schlageter" (JG 26—26th Fighter Wing) in September 1941. Flying with this wing, Vogt claimed his first aerial victory on 6 November 1941 on the Western Front over a Royal Australian Air Force fighter aircraft. In August 1944, he was appointed squadron leader of 5. Staffel (5th squadron) of JG 26 and was awarded the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross on 25 November 1944 for 46 aerial victories claimed. On 14 January 1945, Vogt was killed in action when he was shot down by United States Army Air Forces fighters southeast of Cologne-Eil.
World War II in Europe began on Friday 1 September 1939 when German forces invaded Poland. In September 1941, Vogt was transferred from the Ergänzungs-Jagdgruppe West, a supplementary training unit for fighter pilots destined to fight on the Western Front, to Jagdgeschwader 26 "Schlageter" (JG 26—26th Fighter Wing).[2] Vogt was assigned to the 6. Staffel (6th squadron) on 16 September.[1] His unit was subordinated to II. Gruppe (2nd group) of JG 26 and had just been equipped with the Focke-Wulf Fw 190 A-1.[3] The commanding officers were Oberleutnant Walter Schneider, Staffelkapitän (squadron leader), and HauptmannWalter Adolph, the Gruppenkommandeur (group commander). Already two days later, Adolph was killed in action and replaced by HauptmannJoachim Müncheberg.[4]
On 30 July, he was wounded again when he bailed out of his Fw 190 A-5 (Werknummer 410006) following combat with a B-17 bomber northeast of Duisburg.[16] A month later, he made a forced landing at Romilly after his Fw 190 A-4 (Werknummer 42456) sustained combat damage.[17] Vogt shot down Australian Flight Lieutenant Tony Gaze from No. 66 Squadron on 4 September near Le Tréport. Gaze was on a fighter escort mission for American Martin B-26 Marauder bombers and RAF Douglas A-20 Havoc, Lockheed Ventura and North American B-25 Mitchell bombers into northern France.[18]
On 28 January 1944, Vogt claimed a Spitfire from the Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF) No. 403 Squadron in combat southwest of Albert. Pilot OfficerClaude Weaver was critically injured and died shortly after in a hospital.[19][20] On 8 March, the Eighth Air Force, formerly known as VIII Bomber Command, targeted Berlin with 702 heavy bombers, in particular the ball bearing factory at Erkner. In total, 17 escort fighters and 37 bombers were lost, including two B-17 bombers credited to Vogt. The first B-17, from either 96th Bombardment Group or 388th Bombardment Group was shot down 16 km (9.9 mi) southwest of Gardelegen. The second B-17 from the 452d Bombardment Group, for which he received credit, was a Herausschuss (separation shot) claimed 15 km (9.3 mi) east of Nienburg. A Herausschuss was a severely damaged heavy bomber forced to separate from its combat box which normally was counted as an aerial victory.[21]
Vogt was awarded the German Cross in Gold (Deutsches Kreuz in Gold) on 20 March.[8] On 12 April, Vogt was credited with two aerial victories over Consolidated B-24 Liberator bombers from the 445th Bombardment Group.[22] The next day, he was credited with his fifth aerial victory over a heavy bomber on 13 April 1944. That day, he claimed a Herausschuss over a B-17 in the vicinity of Trier.[23] In May, he became an officer, attaining the rank of Leutnant (second lieutenant).[1]
On 20 June, Vogt temporarily took command of 7. Staffel of JG 26 when OberleutnantWaldemar Radener had been seriously wounded in aerial combat on 15 June.[26] The Eighth Air Force and Allied Expeditionary Air Force (AEAF) sent over a thousand bombers to support the breakout of Normandy beachhead on 22 June. II. Gruppe of JG 26 was ordered to intercept the bombers and fighter escorts heading for Paris. During this mission, Vogt was credited with a Herausschuss over a B-17 near Paris.[27]
Command of 7. Staffel was officially handed to Leutnant Hans Prager on 15 August while Vogt was appointed Staffelkapitän of 5. Staffel of JG 26 on 14 August 1944, replacing HauptmannWalter Matoni who was transferred.[28] On 21 September, during the Battle of Arnhem, Vogt shot down an unarmed Douglas C-47 Skytrain transport aircraft on a mission to drop reinforcements for the British 1st Airborne Division.[29] On 23 September, the Allied flew resupplies to the combat area around Arnhem. The transport aircraft were protected by 519 fighters from the VIII Fighter Command and 40 Lockheed P-38 Lightning fighters from the Ninth Air Force. German fighters dispatched by Luftflotte Reich never reached the transports. Over Goch, II. Gruppe intercepted a flight of P-51 fighters from the 352nd Fighter Group. For the loss of one of their own, II. Gruppe shot down four P-51 fighters, including two by Vogt.[30]
In November II. Gruppe was ordered to relocate to an airfield at Reinsehlen, south of Hamburg, where the pilots received the Fw 190 D-9, equipped with an inline engine. Vogt claimed his last aerial victory flying a radial engined Fw 190 A on 19 November when he shot down a Spitfire from RCAF No. 412 Squadron.[31] On 25 November, two pilots of JG 26 were awarded the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross (Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes), Vogt for 46 aerial victories and MajorKarl Borris, the commander of I. Gruppe, for 41 aerial victories.[32] He claimed his 48th and last aerial victory on 26 December during the Siege of Bastogne as part of Battle of the Bulge. That day, he was credited with an Auster shot down near Bastogne.[33]
Operation Bodenplatte and death
Vogt led 5. Staffel during Operation Bodenplatte on 1 January 1945, an attempt at gaining air superiority during the stagnant stage of the Battle of the Bulge.[34] II. Gruppe, under the leadership of MajorAnton Hackl was based at Nordhorn at attacked the Evere Airfield at Brussels. Together with III. Gruppe, which was led by HauptmannWalter Krupinski, the attack on Evere was the only successful mission.[35] II. Gruppe lost 13 Fw 190s destroyed and two damaged. Nine of its pilots were missing; five were killed and four captured. While III. Gruppe lost six Bf 109s and four pilots, one of them was captured, the others were killed. Allied losses are given at Evere as 32 fighters, 22 twin-engine aircraft and 13 four-engine aircraft destroyed, plus another nine single-, six twin- and one four-engine aircraft damaged.[36]
On 14 January, during the retreat of German forces in the Ardennes, Vogt was shot down and killed by USAAF P-51 fighters of the 78th Fighter Group in his FW 190 D-9 (Werknummer 210176) southeast of Cologne-Eil. That day, JG 26 lost 13 pilots killed in action, more than on any other day of the war.[37][38]
Summary of career
Aerial victory claims
According to Weal, Vogt was credited with 48 aerial victories.[39] Obermaier also lists him with 48 aerial victories, all of which over the Western Allies, claimed in 174 combat missions.[1] Mathews and Foreman, authors of Luftwaffe Aces — Biographies and Victory Claims, researched the German Federal Archives and found records for 47 aerial victories, plus one further unconfirmed claim. All of his aerial victories were claimed over the Western Allies and includes eight four-engined bombers.[40]
Chronicle of aerial victories
This and the – (dash) indicates unwitnessed aerial victory claims for which Vogt did not receive credit.
This along with the * (asterisk) indicates an Herausschuss (separation shot)—a severely damaged heavy bomber forced to separate from his combat box which was counted as an aerial victory.
This and the ? (question mark) indicates information discrepancies listed by Prien, Stemmer, Rodeike, Bock, Mathews and Foreman.
Claim
Date
Time
Type
Location
Claim
Date
Time
Type
Location
– 6. Staffel of Jagdgeschwader 26 "Schlageter" –[8] At the Channel and over England — 22 June – 31 December 1941
Fellgiebel, Walther-Peer[in German] (2000) [1986]. Die Träger des Ritterkreuzes des Eisernen Kreuzes 1939–1945 — Die Inhaber der höchsten Auszeichnung des Zweiten Weltkrieges aller Wehrmachtteile [The Bearers of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross 1939–1945 — The Owners of the Highest Award of the Second World War of all Wehrmacht Branches] (in German). Friedberg, Germany: Podzun-Pallas. ISBN978-3-7909-0284-6.
Girbig, Werner (1997). Start im Morgengrauen [Takeoff at Dawn] (in German). Stuttgart, Germany: Motorbuch Verlag. ISBN978-3-613-01292-9.
Goss, Chris; Cornwell, Peter; Rauchbach, Bernd (2010). Luftwaffe Fighter-Bombers Over Britain: The Tip and Run Campaign, 1942–43. Mechanicsburg, PA: Stackpole Books. ISBN978-0-8117-0691-9.
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.
Manrho, John; Pütz, Ron (2004). Bodenplatte: The Luftwaffe's Last Hope-The Attack on Allied Airfields, New Year's Day 1945. Crowborough, UK: Hikoki Publications. ISBN978-1-902109-40-4.
Obermaier, Ernst (1989). Die Ritterkreuzträger der Luftwaffe Jagdflieger 1939 – 1945 [The Knight's Cross Bearers of the Luftwaffe Fighter Force 1939 – 1945] (in German). Mainz, Germany: Verlag Dieter Hoffmann. ISBN978-3-87341-065-7.
Patzwall, Klaus D.; Scherzer, Veit (2001). Das Deutsche Kreuz 1941 – 1945 Geschichte und Inhaber Band II [The German Cross 1941 – 1945 History and Recipients Volume 2] (in German). Norderstedt, Germany: Verlag Klaus D. Patzwall. ISBN978-3-931533-45-8.
Patzwall, Klaus D. (2008). Der Ehrenpokal für besondere Leistung im Luftkrieg [The Honor Goblet for Outstanding Achievement in the Air War] (in German). Norderstedt, Germany: Verlag Klaus D. Patzwall. ISBN978-3-931533-08-3.
Prien, Jochen; Stemmer, Gerhard; Rodeike, Peter; Bock, Winfried (2003). Die Jagdfliegerverbände der Deutschen Luftwaffe 1934 bis 1945—Teil 5—Heimatverteidigung—10. Mai 1940 bis 31 Dezember 1941—Einsatz im Mittelmeerraum—Oktober 1940 bis November 1941—Einsatz im Westen—22. Juni bis 31. Dezember 1941—Die Ergänzungsjagdgruppen—Einsatz 1941 bis zur Auflösung Anfang 1942 [The Fighter Units of the German Air Force 1934 to 1945—Part 5—Defense of the Reich—10 May 1940 to 31 December 1941—Action in the Mediterranean Theater—October 1940 to November 1941—Action in the West—22 June to 31 December 1941—The Supplementary Fighter Groups—Action from 1941 until their Breakup in Early 1942] (in German). Eutin, Germany: Struve-Druck. ISBN978-3-923457-68-7.
Prien, Jochen; Stemmer, Gerhard; Rodeike, Peter; Bock, Winfried (2004). Die Jagdfliegerverbände der Deutschen Luftwaffe 1934 bis 1945—Teil 7—Heimatverteidigung—1. January bis 31 Dezember 1942—Einsatz im Westen—1. Januar bis 31. Dezember 1942 [The Fighter Units of the German Air Force 1934 to 1945—Part 7—Defense of the Reich—1 January to 31 December 1942—Action in the West—1 January to 31 December 1942] (in German). Eutin, Germany: Struve-Druck. ISBN978-3-923457-73-1.
Prien, Jochen; Stemmer, Gerhard; Rodeike, Peter; Bock, Winfried (2010). Die Jagdfliegerverbände der Deutschen Luftwaffe 1934 bis 1945—Teil 10/IV—Einsatz im Westen—1.1. bis 31.12.1943 [The Fighter Units of the German Air Force 1934 to 1945—Part 10/IV—Action in the West—1 January to 31 December 1943] (in German). Eutin, Germany: Struve-Druck. ISBN978-3-923457-92-2.
Scherzer, Veit (2007). Die Ritterkreuzträger 1939–1945 Die Inhaber des Ritterkreuzes des Eisernen Kreuzes 1939 von Heer, Luftwaffe, Kriegsmarine, Waffen-SS, Volkssturm sowie mit Deutschland verbündeter Streitkräfte nach den Unterlagen des Bundesarchives [The Knight's Cross Bearers 1939–1945 The Holders of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross 1939 by Army, Air Force, Navy, Waffen-SS, Volkssturm and Allied Forces with Germany According to the Documents of the Federal Archives] (in German). Jena, Germany: Scherzers Militaer-Verlag. ISBN978-3-938845-17-2.
Thomas, Nick (2015). Sniper of the Skies: The Story of George Frederick 'Screwball' Beurling, DSO, DFC, DFM. Barnsley, South Yorkshire: Pen and Sword. ISBN978-1-4738-6666-9.