Archive Report: Axis Forces
1914-1918   1935-1945
Compiled from official National Archive and Service sources, contemporary press reports, personal logbooks, diaries and correspondence, reference books, other sources, and interviews.

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Johann Badum: 54 victories on Eastern, Western and African fronts

Johann Badum (born 2 March 1921 at Ruthweiler in the Kusel region of Pfalz, died 12 January 1943 near Giordani, Tripoli). He flew over 300 combat missions and secured the bulk of his victories on the Eastern front (51), including 14 Sturmovik ground attack aircraft, which, although rugged, were no match for the German fighters. He wore the Knight’s Cross of the Iron Cross, awarded in recognition of extreme battlefield bravery or successful military leadership. From January 1942, Badum was serving with the Ergängzungsstaffel/JG 77 on the southern sector of the Eastern front. On his sixth mission, flown on 26 February, Badum claimed a Russian Pe-2 twin-engine bomber shot down for his first victory. In April 1942, Badum was transferred to 6./JG 77. He had accumulated three victories in 45 missions at this time. He claimed 17 victories in July, including his 20th victory shot down on 24 July, to raise his victory total to 29.

In August, Badum recorded a further 14 victories, including, in two missions on 13 August, five Russian LaGG-3 fighters shot down to record his 34th through 38th victories. He claimed his 51st victory on 16 September. 

Leutnant Badum was awarded the Ritterkreuz on 15 October. 

In early December 1942, II./JG 77 was relocated to North Africa. Badum claimed three Allied fighters shot down in this theatre, all Curtiss P-40 fighters, to raise his victory total to 54. On 12 January 1943, Badum was shot down and killed in Bf 109 G-2 (W.Nr. 10727) ‘Yellow 7’ in aerial combat with USAAF P-38 twin-engine fighters southwest of Giordani in Tunisia. 

Known Victory Claims

02/06/1942		6	JG 77	LaGG-3		15.57	Eastern Front
05/06/1942		6	JG 77	I-153			Eastern Front
06/06/1942		6	JG 77	I-16 Rata			Eastern Front
08/06/1942		6	JG 77	LaGG-3		12.35	Eastern Front
02/07/1942		6	JG 77	Pe-2			Eastern Front
26/07/1942		6	JG 77	Il-2			Eastern Front
26/07/1942							Eastern Front
28/07/1942		6	JG 77	Il-2		19	Eastern Front
28/07/1942		6	JG 77	Il-2		19.02	Eastern Front
28/07/1942		6	JG 77	Il-2		19.04	Eastern Front
29/07/1942		6	JG 77	Pe-2		6.54	Eastern Front
06/08/1942		6	JG 77	Pe-2		12.1	Eastern Front
06/08/1942		6	JG 77	DB-7		18.05	Eastern Front
12/08/1942		6	JG 77	Curtiss P-40		16.37	Eastern Front
12/08/1942		6	JG 77	Curtiss P-40		7.08	Eastern Front
13/08/1942		6	JG 77	LaGG-3		8.52	Eastern Front
13/08/1942		6	JG 77	LaGG-3		9.15	Eastern Front
13/08/1942		6	JG 77	LaGG-3		13.36	Eastern Front
13/08/1942		6	JG 77	LaGG-3		13.46	Eastern Front
13/08/1942		6	JG 77	LaGG-3		13.5	Eastern Front
13/08/1942		6	JG 77	LaGG-3		17.22	Eastern Front
18/08/1942		6	JG 77	LaGG-3		17.23	Eastern Front
18/08/1942		6	JG 77	LaGG-3		17.23	Eastern Front
25/08/1942		6	JG 77	Il-2		17.36	Eastern Front
03/09/1942		6	JG 77	LaGG-3		4.48	Eastern Front
03/09/1942		6	JG 77	LaGG-3		4.52	Eastern Front
05/09/1942		6	JG 77	Il-2		17.14	Eastern Front
05/09/1942		6	JG 77	Il-2		17.21	Eastern Front
14/09/1942		6	JG 77	Airacobra		12.05	Eastern Front
15/09/1942		6	JG 77	Il-2		6.5	Eastern Front
15/09/1942		6	JG 77	LaGG-3		6.53	Eastern Front
15/09/1942		6	JG 77	LaGG-3		7.1	Eastern Front
21/12/1942		6	JG 77	Curtiss P-40			Western Front
21/12/1942		6	JG 77	Curtiss P-40			Western Front
02/01/1943		6	JG 77	Curtiss P-40			Western Front

Awards: Ritterkreuz (10/15/42), Deutsches Kreuz in Gold (3 October 1942) ,  Ehrenpokal (13 September 1942) , EK 1 & 2, Fighter Operational Clasp

Researched by Stefan Pietrzak Youngs from Kracker Archive (on this site), Georg Winter and private research.