[Larry deZeng]

Adam,

The Gruppe I./186 was not formed until 10 September 1939. Only 4. Trägersturzkampfstaffel/186 existed and it made several successful attacks on the Polish submarine base at Hela and on antiaircraft positions surrounding it with 11 Ju 87s. On 3 September the Stukas attacked and damaged a Polish destroyer and minesweeper in Hela harbor. Following three days of concentrated action around Danzig Bay, the Staffel then supported ground forces for the next 10 days, operating from Stolp-West (to 2 Sep), Brüsterort (2-6 Sep), then Lauenburg, Danzig and Radom (6-14 Sep). I have no record on who the Staffel came under on 1 Sep 39 or what higher formation it was attached to.

Trägerjagd-Gr. II./186 (a.k.a. Trägerjagdgruppe II./186 and II.(J)/186 (T)) operating under 1. Fliegerdiv. on the opening day of the campaign in Poland on 1 September, flying cover for Stuka attacks on the Polish naval base at Hela. These escort missions continued around Danzig Bay until 3 September and then encounters with enemy aircraft rapidly diminished.

Sources for I./186:
Dierich-VdL; Tessin-Tes; N.Kannapin-FpÜ; J-P.Défieux-Répertoire des Unités Aériennes de la Luftwaffe 1935-1945: Reconnaissance Aéronavale; M.Holm-website ww2.dk; F.Kurowski-Seekrieg aus der Luft: Die deutsche Seeluftwaffe im Zweiten Weltkrieg:28; Mahlke, Helmut, Stuka: Angriff – Sturzflug:45-46ff, 70; U.Balke-KG 2/Bd. I:407; BA-MA Freiburg: RL 2 III Meldungen über Flugzeugunfälle…..(Loss Reports – LRs).

Sources for II./186:
Dierich-VdL; Tessin-Tes; N.Kannapin-FpÜ; J.Prien-Geschichte des Jagdgeschwaders 77/Band (vol.) 1:47-51ff; U.Balke-KG 2/Bd. I:402; M.Holm-website ww2.dk; BA-MA Freiburg: RL 2 III Meldungen über Flugzeugunfälle…..(Loss Reports – LRs).

HTH,

L.