[Larry Hickey]

Many,

Not yet; remember, Jochen publishes these books with a team, who provide various parts of each volume. I've been trying to track down the source of the original problem, which is Galland's officer files, which Doug Stankey and Larry de Zeng have largely been using to create their officer bios, a number of which have been published on this board. I think it is clear now, after working with Doug Stankey on this, that the most accurate source for the leadership of II.(S)/LG2, at least for the Polish Campaign, is Marius Emmerling's excellent Vol 3 of "Luftwaffe Nad Polska," which is in Polish, but has been translated into English as a reference for the EOE Project. A/O 8/26/39 Marius records that Spielvogel was the Gr. Kdre (until he was SD by German ground fire and killed on 09.09.39). He also has the StaKap as Adolf Galland (4 St); Otto Weiss (5 St.); and Oblt. Friedrich Lampe (6 St.). Weiss, who was 5 StaKap moved up to GrKdr on 10.09.39 and his place was taken by Oblt. Horst Freiherr von Grote.

During the WC of May-Jun 1940, Weiss was Gr. Kdr., and, according to Prien's JFV Vol 4/II, the StaKap a/o 26.6.40 were Grote (4 St.); Oblt. Egon Thiem (5 St.) and Oblt. Wolf-Dieter Pietsmeyer (6 St), all three of whom and the Gr Kdr won the RK by late in the WC, although Grote is missing from Obermeier's RKT book for Stuka and Schlacht pilots for some unknown reason. He still is reported winning the RK on June 21, 1940 (as did the other unit StaKap) on a German website for RK winners. Emmerling reports that Grote took Weiss's place as StaKap of 5 Staffel when Weiss moved up to GrKdr on 10.09.39, but what we don't know is how he got to be StaKap of 4 Staffel by May, 1940 and the WC.

Galland flew his last flight while StaKap of 4 Staffel on 17.2.40, then transferred to the 109 and the Stab of JG27. Did Grote transfer at that time from 5 Staffel to 4 Staffel to replace Galland, and Thiem was promoted to replace him in 5 Staffel? And when did Pietsmeyer take command of 6 Staffel from Lampe (or some other interim person)? When and why did Lampe leave? Pietsmeyer was apparently promoted to 6 StaKap from within 6 Staffel, although we don't know the date.

So that is where we stand with II.(S)/LG2 during 1939-40 up to the time the unit converted from the Hs123 to the Bf109E-4/B, Weiss, Grote, Thiem and Pietsmeyer all remaining in their positions, according to Prien's JFV Vol 4/II, until this conversion took place during 08.40.

Marius Emmerling also identifies two Stab Officers for II Gr a/o 09.09.40: Oblt FNU Meinardus, Gr Adj., and Lt. FNU Rasch, a pilot with the Stab in an unstated position. Rasch is also referred to as in 4 Staffel during the PC, so he may have had a dual position. Does anyone know first names or anything else about the careers of either of these two individuals?

Any comments or additional info out there to answer these questions?

Regards,