shoot down behind enemy lines
 

I just recently read a book about a US pilot who was shot down during the Vietnam war and he spent 23 days behind the enemy lines before he was recued.
During the German advances into Russia in 41/42 I would presume their were numerous accounts of Luftwaffe personal who managed to make it safely back after going down in Russian occupied territory. Does anyone know of any unique experiences?

Re: shoot down behind enemy lines
 

Check out Karl-Fritz Schröder's experience of returning from behind Russian lines with JG 5 after being shot down. Eric Mombeek's books on that unit has the full account from Karl. He was 2 or 3 days hiding and travelling before making it back to German lines.

Re: shoot down behind enemy lines
 

Franz Kurowski's "Luftwaffe Aces" has accounts of evasion from both Heinz Baer and Otto Kittel.

And (as I duck) "Blonde Knight..." has a chapter about Hartmann behind the lines.

Don

Re: shoot down behind enemy lines
 

One Day after "Barbarossa" at the 23. June 1941 Hans Ekkehard Bob follow a SB 2 and must go down 200 km behind the "Frontline". After three days he was found by german Tanks with Oberstleutnant Wenck (later General). With a Fielser Storch he was brought back to JG 54. Greetings Peglar

Re: shoot down behind enemy lines
 

There are many instances in the Gen.Qu. loss reports from the SU of pilots and crew being initially reported as MIA, but later amended to them returning OK, wounded or injured. It wouldn't be a stretch to assume that many of these instances were due to guys who went down behind enemy lines and evaded capture to return, or were rescued due to the rapid advance of German ground forces. There are a few instances where the ground unit that rescued them is mentioned by name. There are also instances of guys being rescued by their own mates landing their machines in enemy territory to pick them up. For instance:

Ju 88A-4, 5502, BIBRA, Major Ernst Frhr. von, , III., Stab III., KG 51, blaue A, 9K+AA, , , 23-Aug-42, Gr.Kdr. Notlandung due to Flak. B & Bf WIA. Rescued by Oblt. Poppenburg in '9K+AD'., F RK., Lfl.4/Eins.Osten, Gen.Qu.6.Abt. (mfm #7)-Vol.11; Dierich, KG 51, p.187, , PlQu. 31 35, 15%, F, B Ogefr. Günther Heyde & Bf Ogefr. Walter Repinski, ,

Re: shoot down behind enemy lines
 

Hi !

This is a photo from Oblt.Poppenburg , his crew and Staka in front of 9k+AD. Tazinskaja- August/September 1942. Staka Hptm. Walter Heilmann KIA on 12.9.1942.

Rene

Re: shoot down behind enemy lines
 

Neat photo. Thanks for posting it.