Helmut Mertens

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Helmut Mertens, nicknamed “Pitt” (11 November 1917 – 17 January 1984), was a German fighter ace in World War II. Born in Essen, he joined the Luftwaffe in 1937 and served as a front-line fighter pilot through 1943, rising to the rank of Hauptmann. He fought in the Battle of France, the Battle of Britain, the invasion of the Soviet Union, and on the Western Front during the Defence of the Reich.

Mertens is credited with a large number of aerial victories, though exact counts vary by source, ranging from about 49 to 97. He flew with units including LG 2 and Jagdgeschwader 3, sometimes serving as squadron commander. He earned several awards, including the Iron Cross 1st Class and the Knight’s Cross of the Iron Cross, and also received the German Cross in Gold. On the Western Front he shot down B-17 bombers in 1943. In February 1944 he rammed a B-24 Liberator; his plane was damaged and he was wounded, after which he returned to training and staff roles for the remainder of the war. He died in Usingen, West Germany, in 1984.