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Born in the German capital of Berlin on January 22, 1891, Bruno Leopold Loerzer was an army officer who learned to fly when the Great War began in the summer of 1914. Another young soldier named Hermann Goering flew as Loerzer’s observer and photographer from October 28, 1914 until late June 1915. Transferring to fighters, Loerzer flew with two Jagdstaffeln in 1916 before joining Jagdstaffel 26 in early 1917. By that time, he (with his aircraft painted with distinctive black and white stripes) had scored two victories, both over French aircraft.

As his victory score mounted, Loerzer was awarded the Iron Cross of 1914, First Class and the House Order of Hohenzollern. By mid-October 1917, he and squadron mate Goering had fifteen kills each. Despite the low number, the latter was decorated with Germany’s highest military honor: the blue enamel cross of the Pour le Mérite.

Thirty years later, Loerzer would snicker to colleagues that Goering had inflated his mission claims:

“Do the same,” Loerzer claimed Goering had urged him, “otherwise we’ll never get ahead!”

Loerzer’s tally reached twenty victories at the end of 1917. He received the “Blue Max” on February 12, 1918.

Around the same time, Loerzer took command of the newly formed Jagdgeschwader III, the third of Germany’s famed “flying circuses.” His aces included brother Fritz, who claimed eleven victories. Leading Jasta 26 and three other squadrons (with Hermann Dahlmann’s support as adjutant and wingman), Loerzer proved a successful wing commander.

Equipped with the new BMW-engined Fokker D.VII, Jagdgeschwader III cut a wide swath through Allied formations in the summer of 1918… and Loerzer’s personal score steadily increased. He achieved his last ten victories in September 1918; his final score numbered forty-four. Shortly before the signing of the November armistice, Loerzer was promoted to Hauptmann.

As Germany was caught in the throes of revolution, Loerzer irregularly fought with Freikorps anti-communist paramilitary units from December 1918 until March 1920. He commanded FA 427 in the Baltic, tactically supporting the Eiserne Division in the air.

During the 1930s, Loerzer was a leader in various civil aviation organizations like the National Socialist Flying Corps (NSFK). He joined the newly-formed Luftwaffe in 1935 with the rank of Oberst. Loerzer’s long friendship with Goering was rewarded with fringe benefits, and he became Inspector of Fighters in 1938 with the rank of Generalmajor.

With the start of the Second World War in September 1939, Loerzer was named commander of II Air Corps. He was awarded the Iron Cross of 1939, First Class two weeks after Germany invaded Poland. Loerzer was also awarded the Knight’s Cross of the Iron Cross on May 29, 1940. Just over a year later, his II Air Corps participated in the invasion of the Soviet Union. The unit a section of Albert Kesselring’s Second Air Fleet in support of Field Marshal von Bock. II Air Corps was then transferred to Messina, Sicily in October 1941… where it remained until the summer of 1943. When the Allies invaded Sicily, the section returned to the Italian mainland after suffering heavy losses.

In December 1942, Fighter Ace Werner Baumbach (Group Commander of III/Kampfgeschwader 30) wrote a letter to Hans Jeschonnek (Chief of the General Staff of the Luftwaffe) regarding the heavy losses suffered by II Air Corps under Loerzer’s leadership. As a result, he was removed from command of the unit in February 1943. However, Loerzer was subsequently promoted by Goering as Chief of the Luftwaffe Personnel Department and Chief of Personnel Armament and National Socialist Leadership of the Luftwaffe. He was also promoted to Generaloberst.

Goering described Loerzer as “his laziest general”. However, he swept aside Loerzer’s shortcomings by commenting:

“I need someone I can drink a bottle of red wine with in the evening.”

Loerzer showed his gratitude on the occasion of Goering’s 51st birthday (January 12, 1944), when he presented the Reichsmarschall with a carload of black market goods from Italy. They included women’s stockings, soaps, and other rare items. Along with the booty came a complete price list in order to keep black market prices uniform throughout Germany.

In December 1944, Loerzer was assigned to the Fuhrerreserve. He retired in April 1945… and was captured by the Americans one month later. He was an Allied prisoner up until 1948.

Bruno Loerzer died in the West German city of Hamburg on August 23, 1960. He was sixty-nine years old.