II./TG 5
II./TG 5
Formation. (May 43)
Formed 1 May 1943 at Pomigliano/13 km NE of Naples with a Gruppenstab, Stabsstaffel and 3 (later 4) Staffeln by renaming II./KG z.b.V. 323. Each of the flying components had an authorized allowance of 6 Me 323 transports for a total of 24 initially.[1]
Germany and Italy. (May 43 - Oct 43)
7 May 43: Me 323 blown up at Tunis to prevent it from falling into enemy hands, 100%.
8 May 43: Gruppe reported just 8(6) Me 323s on strength.[2]
21 May 43: turned over all 12 remaining Me 323s to I./TG 5 (Pomigliano) and departed Italy for Ristissen/near Laupheim in South Germany where it was completely reconstituted over the following two to three months. During that period it took over all of the Me 323s that had been delivered to III./TG 5 or, more likely, the entire III. Gruppe was re-designated II./TG 5.[3]
Jul 43: while the main body remained in Germany, elements assisted in the transporting of reinforcements (mainly paratroops from 1. and 2. Fallschirmjägerdivisionen) from South France to Sardinia and Italy.
12 Jul 43: Me 323 crash landed at Fp. Dijon/E France, 40%.
17 Jul 43: two aircraft belonging to the Gruppe bombed on the ground at Fp. Pomigliano, Ju 52 @ 100% and a Me 323 @ 50%, 1 KIA.
21 Jul 43: Me 323 bombed on the ground at Fp. Grosseto, 100%.
29 Jul 43: Me 323 bombed on the ground at Fp. Pratica di Mare/28 km SSW of Rome, 40%.
30 Jul 43: Me 323 shot up by a fighter near Barcaggio/Corsica and force landed in northern Corsica, 80%, 4 WIA.
31 Jul 43: Me 323 force landed at Pontederea due to poor visibility, 30%.
1 Aug 43: Me 323 bombed on the ground at Fp. Naples-Capodichino, 100%.
17 Aug 43: 3 Me 323s bombed on the ground at Fp. Istres in S France, 100%, 70% and 20%.
18 Aug 43: main body of Gruppe in transfer from Leipheim/S Germany to Pistoia/32 km NW of Florence with Me 323s.[4]
5 Sep 43: Me 323 bombed on the ground at Fp. Grosseto, 65%.
7 Sep 43: entire Gruppe ordered to immediately transfer to Lagnasco in N Italy.[5]
12 Sep 43: Me 323 crashed at Tuna/15 km SW of Piacenza in N Italy, 100%, 7 killed and 2 injured.
18 Sep 43: took part in the airlifting of the German garrison on Corsica to Pisa on the mainland under the control of Stab/TG 5, this operation continuing to 28 September.[6]
23 Sep 43: 4 Me 323s bombed on the ground at Fp. Pisa, 2 @ 100% and 2 @ 55%.
30 Sep 43: 2 Me 323s shot down by fighters while in-flight between Corsica and Elba, both 100%, 7 KIA and 5 WIA.
30 Sep 43: unserviceable Me 323 blown up at Poretta (Poretto) near Bastia in N Corsica to prevent it from falling into enemy hands, 100%.
Oct 43: during the first half of October, after completion of the Corsica operation, the Gruppe departed Italy and transferred to Goslar/N Germany.[7]
Germany, Poland, Romania and Czechoslovakia. (Oct 43 - Aug 44)
1 Jan 44: Goslar with 6. Staffel detached at Gardelegen.[8]
Jan – Mar 44: deployed from Goslar to Poland, but the exact dates and locations are not known.
16 Mar 44: all or elements now at Biała Podlaska/E Poland.[9]
24 Mar 44: Me 323 (C8+AP) lost during operations in the East - no details.
12 Apr 44: Me 323 (C8+GP) bombed on the ground at Fp. Wiener-Neustadt, 100%.
16 Apr 44: 3 Me 323s (C8+HP and DS) bombed on the ground at Fp. Belgrade-Zemun, 60%, 40% and 20%.
20 Apr 44: Gruppe at Zilistea/15 km NE of Buzău in C Romania with 5. Staffel detached at Huşi/E Romania. Gruppe believed to be taking part in the large-scale airlift operations centered on the evacuations of Odessa and Crimea.[10]
19 May 44: ordered to transfer to Schroda airfield/SE of Posen.[11]
Jun 44: Gruppe (Stab and 5. – 8. Staffel) transferred from Ploeşti/Romania to Posen (Poznań)/NW Poland. No operations were flown from there and then at the end of July II./TG 5 moved to Brünn (Brno) in Czechoslovakia where it was still located on 22 August with some 27 Me 323s, 1 Ju 52 and 1 Fi 156.[12]
17 Aug 44: Me 323 (C8+GR) crash landed between Riga and Insterburg/E Prussia due to engine failure, 60%.
25-28 Aug 44: believed to have taken part in the air evacuation of German troops from Romania, but confirmation is needed. [See under I./TG 5 for additional information.]
28-30 Aug 44: returned to Germany and disbanded. Remaining assets were used in the formation of the re-established 16./TG 4.[13]
FpNs:Geschwaderstab and 5. – 8. Staffel (L 35369, L 44132)
Kommandeur:
Maj. Hans Fischer (1 May 43 - 27 May 43)
Maj. Fritz Bartel (Barthel?) (DKG) (5 Jun 43? - c. 30 Aug 44)
Also see:
BÖSMÜLLER, Ernst, Oblt. Pilot. Stellv. Staka 7./TG 5.
BÜSSELMANN, Ernst, Hptm. Pilot.
DAVIGNON, Hans Werner, Oblt. Adjutant in Gruppenstab II./TG 5.
FISCHER, Hanns, Hptm.
FISCHER, Paul, Hptm.
HECK, Bruno, Lt.
MÖLTER, Kurt, Hptm.(Kr.O.).
SCHAFFENBERG, ? , Hptm. Staka Stabsstaffel II./TG 5.
SCHLEYER, Adolf, Oblt. Techn.Offz. in Stab II./TG 5.
WENDEL, Herwarth, Maj.d.R.
© by Henry L. deZeng IV (Work in Progress, 2022).
(1st Draft 2022)
References
- ↑ G.Tessin-Verbände und Truppen der Deutschen Wehrmacht und Waffen-SS 1939-1945 - Teil 14: Die Luftstreitkräfte; J-L.Roba-“The Messerschmitt Me 323 in 1942-1943”, in Luftwaffe Verband Journal No. 5, pp.15-21 (source used throughout and not individually footnoted).
- ↑ PRO London: DEFE 3 ULTRA signal ML1542.
- ↑ K.Kössler-wer kennt sie schon!: Die Kennzeichen der Transportfliegerverbände der Luftwaffe von 1937-1945; Luftwaffe Verband Journal No. 7, p.24.
- ↑ PRO London: AIR 40 Air Ministry intelligence documents based on ULTRA and “Y” Service intercepts.
- ↑ BNA HW 5/339.
- ↑ K.Gundelach-Med:691.
- ↑ Air Ministry intelligence documents-op cit.
- ↑ Air Ministry intelligence documents-op cit.
- ↑ Air Ministry intelligence documents-op cit; PRO London: DEFE 3 ULTRA signal (number not recorded).
- ↑ ULTRA signal (number not recorded).
- ↑ BNA HW 5/494.
- ↑ AFHRA Maxwell: decimal 512.619 British AirMin P/W interrogations, ADI(K) series, microfilm rolls A5400-05, interrogation ADI(K) 622/44.
- ↑ K.Kössler-wer kennt sie schon!: Die Kennzeichen der Transportfliegerverbände der Luftwaffe von 1937-1945; Luftwaffe Verband Journal No. 7, p.24.
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