Ernst Bormann was born on 5 November 1897 in
Kirchbrak. He joined Reserve Infantry Regiment No. 82 on 17 August 1915 as a
cadet. Bormann transferred to aviation, being sent to
Fliegerersatz-Abteilung 7 ("Replacement Detachment 7") on 7 March 1917. He moved on to FEA 12 on 24 October 1917. He was at
Armee-Flug-Park (Army Flight Park) 9 when he received his first operational assignment; on 8 January 1918, he was posted to
Feldflieger Abteilung (Field Flier Detachment) 42. Ernst Bormann was a flying instructor from 1 August 1925 to 30 September 1930, at the nascent
Luftwaffe's covert aviation training center at
Lipetsk, the
Soviet Union. He returned to Germany to instruct there. In 1934, after
Hitler's rise to power, Bormann was commissioned as a captain in the Luftwaffe. From 1 April 1935 to 31 May 1938, he was a
staffelkapitän for Kampfgeschwader Boelcke. From 1 July to 31 October 1938, he commanded III.
Gruppe of
Jagdgeschwader 132. His next assignment was the command of
Lehrgeschwader (Advanced Training Wing) 1; this posting lasted until July 1940. During
World War II, Bormann succeeded to command of
Kampfgeschwader 76. As a major general, he was the
Fliegerführer Crimea from February to June 1943. He was taken prisoner by the Soviet forces on 10 May 1945. Bormann returned from imprisonment in the Soviet Union in October 1955. He earned a Doctorate before dying in
Düsseldorf on 1 August 1960. ==Awards==