Hubert A Zemke

Military
Colonel Hubert Zemke of the 56th Fighter Group. Handwritten caption on reverse: 'First Lieutenant Hub Zemke, US Army Air Corps, 8th Pursuit Group, Mitchel Field, Long Island, New York. Taken just before dispersal to England as an Observer to the Royal Air Force.' media-456713.jpg FRE 9841 Colonel Hubert Zemke of the 56th Fighter Group. Handwritten caption on reverse: 'First Lieutenant Hub Zemke, US Army Air Corps, 8th Pursuit Group, Mitchel Field, Long Island, New York. Taken just before dispersal to England as an Observer to the Royal Air Force.' Roger Freeman Collection

IWM, Roger Freeman Collection

Object Number - FRE 9841 - Colonel Hubert Zemke of the 56th Fighter Group. Handwritten caption on reverse: 'First Lieutenant Hub Zemke, US Army Air Corps, 8th Pursuit Group,...

17 air victories with 56th FG flying P-47s, 2 1/2 with 479th FG flying P-51s. Lost 30 October 1944 when P-51 broke up in storm. Prisoner of War (POW) in Stalag Luft I. Was appointed as head of American Prisoner of War (POW)s while in camp. Retired from USAF in 1967. Aircraft included 'May Tavarish' and 'Oregon's Britannia'.



Also flew an experimental mission where they put a Bombsight in the nose of a droop snoop P-38J with Maj Arthur R Scroggins. Bombed an airfield in France but upon returning the A/C brakes failed and crew were lucky to survive the landing.



DSC/ SS/ DFC w/ 7 Oak Leaf Clusters/ AM w/ 3 Oak Leaf Clusters/ PH/ Army Commendation Medal / British DFC/ Croix de Guerre with Palm (France)/ Croix de Guerre with Palm (Belgium)



17.75 confirmed aerial victories



Note: All official government documents for Col Zemke do not have a middle initial or middle name. His DSC, SS, DFC and AM award documents reflect ZEMKE, HUBERT and Missing Air Crew Report #10423, reflect ZEMKE, Hubert (nmi).

Connections

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Units served with

People

  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 479th Fighter Group Headquarters (479th Fighter Group)
  • Service Numbers: O-356174
  • Highest Rank: Brigadier General
  • Role/Job: Fighter Pilot/Group Commander
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 95th Bomb Group 335th Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: 14090993
  • Highest Rank: Major
  • Role/Job: Bombardier

Aircraft

Colonel Hubert Zemke of the 479th Fighter Group on the wing of a P-38 Lightning.
  • Aircraft Type: P-38 Lightning
  • Unit: 474th Fighter Group 428th Fighter Squadron
Colonel Hubert Zemke, Commanding officer of the 479th Fighter Group with his P-51 Mustang. Zemke has handwritten on the reverse: 'Zemke as Co 479 Fitr Group No particular insignia or canopy paint was put on this aircraft. In shot it was aluminium colour. The is the P-51D that did me in by shedding a wing.'
  • Aircraft Type: P-51 Mustang
  • Unit: 361st Fighter Group 479th Fighter Group 376th Fighter Squadron Headquarters (479th Fighter Group)

Places

Prisoners of war, including Colonel Hubert Zemke of the 479th Fighter Group at Stalag Luft I.
  • Site type: Prisoner of war camp
  • Known as: Stalag Luft I, Barth, Germany

Events

Event Location Date Description

Born

14 March 1914 Son of Benno and Anna M Zemke.

Other

Transferred to 479th Fighter Group

12 August 1944

Other

Prisoner of War (POW)

30 October 1944 Prisoner of War (POW) . Stalag Luft I.

Died

30 August 1994

Revisions

Date
Contributorjmoore43
Changes
Sources

Added " / " in the "Role/job" field as a separator to aid readability.

Date
ContributorEmily
Changes
Sources

Restored middle initial A based on signatures & handwritten signed letters written by Hub Zemke to Roger Freeman, held in IWM supporting documentation for the Roger Freeman Collection

Date
Contributordecwriter
Changes
Sources

NARA award documents, MACR #10423, social security and all official registers for Col Zemke reflect no middle initial or middle name.

Date
Contributordecwriter
Changes
Sources

Col Zemke's bio photo show numerous decorations and awards. He wears the Army Commendation Medal as the AF Commendation Medal was approved in 1959, thus equivalent. AF members continued to receive the Army Commendation Medal until 1959. All foreign decorations are listed after US decorations and awards.

Date
ContributorAl_Skiff
Changes
Date
Contributorjmoore43
Changes
Sources

Added a connection to Stalag Luft 1 per WW2 POW records at the National Archives (NARA).

Date
Contributorjmoore43
Changes
Sources

Removed a space in the "Summary biography" to aid clarity.
Updated the S/N and Added POW camp info to the POW event from WW2 POW records at the National Archives (NARA).

Date
ContributorAl_Skiff
Changes
Sources

AAM DB Entry [ Arthur R Scroggins ]

Date
ContributorEmily
Changes
Sources

Associated Stalag Luft I

Date
ContributorEmily
Changes
Sources

Associated images of Zemke

Date
ContributorEmily
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Sources

Associated media

Date
ContributorEmily
Changes
Sources

Update location pin for Stalag Luft I

Date
ContributorEmily
Changes
Sources

MACR 10423 / Paul Andrews, Project Bits and Pieces, 8th Air Force Roll of Honor database

Drawn from the records of the National Museum of the Mighty Eighth Air Force, Savannah, Georgia / The Mighty Eighth by Roger Freeman; Who's Who in the Eighth Air Force and/or Biographical Directory Command & Staff Officers Eighth Air Force 1942-45 MACR 10423

Freeman, The Mighty Eighth, p. 276

Freeman, The Hub

Date
ContributorAAM
Changes
Sources

Ted Damick, VIII Fighter Command pilots list

Hubert A Zemke: Gallery (118 items)