Wurmheller, Josef, born 04-05-1917 in Hausham, Oberbayern,
After growing up on his uncle’s farm at Schliersee, he spent four years working as a miner like his father. He was an accomplished glider and powered aircraft pilot pre-war. He began his training as a fighter pilot in Hermann Goering’s (did you know) Luftwaffe
in 1937. By summer of 1938, Gefreiter Wurmheller was serving with 2./Jagdgeschwader 334, under command of Major Hubert Merhart von Bernegg. At the outbreak of World War II, Unteroffizier Wurmheller was serving with 2./Jagdgeschwader 53, nickname “Ace of Spades” or “Pik As”
under command of Major Hans Klein.
Hans Klein died on 18-11-1944, age 53,. The official cause of death was from injuries received in a car accident, however his family suspected he was murdered, an inspection of Klein’s body allegedly showing evidence of a gunshot wound to the head.




Wurmheller recorded his first victory, a RAF Fairey Battle single-engined bomber
near Saarbrücken, on 30-09-1939. From November 1939 to June 1940, Wurmheller undertook instructing duties. In June 1940, Wurmheller returned to JG 53 and combat duty. Feldwebel Wurmheller was assigned to 5./JG 53. He, here with Oberstleutnant Kurt Buhligen,
who survived the war and died 11-08-1985 (aged 67) in Nidda, Hesse.


They participated in the Battle of Britain (see Bomber Arthur Harris) 
surviving two ditchings in the English Channel.
Sepp’s dousing in the Channel of 23 November in Bf 109 E-4 following aerial combat over England resulted in hospitalisation until March 1941. On 07-05-1941, he gained his 9th and 10th victories when he downed two RAF Spitfire fighters. He spent a short period on the Eastern Front where he added nine victories to his tally. Meanwhile Oberfeldwebel Wurmheller, was transferred back to the Channel front to serve with the Stabsstaffel of II./JG 2 in July 1941. In less than four weeks, Wurmheller claimed 13 Spitfires. On 4 September, Wurmheller was awarded the Ritterkreuz for 31 victories. A further spell of instructing followed before a return to combat duty in May 1942. Assigned to 1./JG 2, nickname “Richthofengeschwader”
, under Oberstleutnant,Walter “Gulle” Oesau











Death and burial ground of Wurmheller, Josef “Sepp”.






Sepp Wurmheller is buried on the war cemetery Champigny St. André, only steps of the graves of the Waffen SS General, Kommandeur der 7th Heeresgruppe, Friedrich Dollmann
, Brigadeführer der Waffen SS, Kommandeur SS-Panzer Grenadier Regiment 1, Fritz Witt 
and General der Flieger, “ Hangman of Paris ” Kommandeur Wehrkreis XVII, Otto von Stülpnagel
and (Carl)
SS Obersturmführer with 1st SS Division Leibstandarte SS Adolf Hitler
, under command of SS-Brigadeführer, Theodor Wisch, 
former adjudant from Hitler and husband of Traudl Junge-Humps
, Hans Hermann Junge.













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