“for posting as an airborne observer.” Authorized biographer
Erich Gritzbach wrote that having been rejected for observer
training, Göring nevertheless moved with Loerzer to Darmstadt
and started flying as his observer in defiance of all rules and
regulations. In fact, he was routinely posted to Air Reserve
Detachment at Darmstadt for observer training on October .
The Gritzbach legend maintained that Göring “stole a
plane” to join Loerzer at Field Air Detachment. The person-
nel file shows this (regular) posting beginning on October ,
with Göring flying as Loerzer’s observer at Verdun until the end
of June , but again it makes no mention of any stolen plane.
The detachment’s war diary shows that by mid-February Lo-
erzer and Göring were flying an Albatros, No. B; they had
picked up photographic equipment at Trier, and Göring had
taken a rapid radio and Morse signaling course.
Their mission reports gave both men a first-class opportu-
nity of mingling with the top brass. Hermann pasted into his
album snapshots of the Prince of Hohenzollern with him on
Vouziers Airfield, General von Knobelsdorff with Loerzer and
himself, and other visiting notables. On the last two days of Feb-
ruary the war diary mentioned that Lieutenant Göring had
taken the reconnaissance reports “in person” to brigade or corps
headquarters. After particularly valuable reconnaissance flights
over the dangerous armored gun battery at Côte de Talon, the
two intrepid aviators were summoned to the royal presence on
March and personally decorated by the crown prince, who
commanded the Fifth Army, with the Iron Cross First Class.
“The air-force lieutenants Göhring and Lörzer [sic],” recalled
the prince in his memoirs, “were among those who dis-
played conspicuous dash and zeal.”
Göring became a frequent visitor in the royal mess. When
he strolled in, all eyes went to this handsome, broad-shouldered