Julius Meimberg (11 January 1917 – 17 January 2012) was a German Luftwaffe military aviator during World War II, a fighter ace credited with 53 aerial victories—that is, 53 aerial combat encounters resulting in the destruction of the enemy aircraft—claimed in over 250 combat missions. In the 1960s, he invented an open-end spinning device and received patents in the US and Germany for it. In 1970, Meimberg founded the travel agency "Meimberg" and in 2001, he received the Rudolf-Diesel-Medaille for his achievements as an inventor. Early life and career Meimberg was born on 11 January 1917 in Münster in the Province of Westphalia, a province of the Kingdom of Prussia. He was the sixth and youngest child of a textile merchant, owner of a company founded by his grandfather. World War II World War II in Europe had begun on Friday 1 September 1939 when German forces invaded Poland. On 6 December 1939, Meimberg was posted to Jagdgeschwader 2 "Richthofen" (JG 2—2nd Fighter Wing), named after World War I fighter ace Manfred von Richthofen, which at the time was based at Zerbst. At Zerbst, Hauptmann Wolfgang Schellmann was tasked with the creation of the new II. Gruppe (2nd group) of JG 2 on 15 December. The Gruppe was staffed by personnel from I. Gruppe of JG 2, I. Gruppe of Jagdgeschwader 3 (JG 3—3rd Fighter Wing), and newly trained fighter pilots from the fighter pilot schools. There, Meimberg was assigned to 4. Staffel (4th squadron), headed by Oberleutnant Hans Hahn. Meimberg was appointed Staffelkapitän (squadron leader) of 3. Staffel of JG 2 on 15 April 1941. He replaced Oberleutnant Hermann Hollweg who was transferred. On 4 August 1942, Meimberg succeeded Oberleutnant Rudolf Pflanz as Staffelkapitän of 11. Staffel of JG 2. Pflanz had been killed in action on 31 July. Mediterranean Theater On 4 November 1942, Meimberg and his 11. Staffel received orders to immediately transfer to Sicily. That same day, 30 men and their equipment were flown in three Junkers Ju 52 transport aircraft from the airfield Poix-Nord at Poix-de-Picardie in France to Coleman Army Airfield, refueling at Reims. On 8 November, the Staffel arrived in Trapani, located in the northwest of Siciliy, and then moved to Comiso which is in southeastern part of Sicily. On 15 November, Meimberg received orders to move his Staffel to Tunisia in North Africa where they were based at the Bizerte Airfield where