[oquaig]

Dang, I thought this one was gong to be easy...

Originally Posted by Larry deZeng

Sielec (Selets'): 10 km SSE of Wladimir Wolynsk (Volodymyr-Volynsky), which is 432 km SSW of Minsk. Source has this marked as an Einsatzhafen. Directory No. 10 2341. Map and grid square T51.41.1.

The only other possibility from this source is:

Sloboda-Boleschowska: 15 km SW of Bolechow, which is 22 km S of Stry (Stryj, Stryy) and nearly 1,200 km from Moscow. Construction was underway here in September 1943.

I think we can dismiss these as they are in western Ukraine. KG. 2 was with Fliegerkorps VIII at the time and on 5 July was attacking Soviet road columns between Smolensk and Orsha. Whether at at Silce or Selische, it was from this place they also attacked Moscow on 20 July.

Originally Posted by Larry deZeng

There are 35 places with the name "Sloboda" is Belarus (Belorussia). One of them was 47 km NNW of Smolensk and in German hands on 21 Jul 41...

Yes, and 14 of them west of the Dnepr -Dvina line which is as far as the Germans had advanced by 10 July. I am confining my search west of this line (one can find all 35 easily by going to a web site for muslim prayer times/Belarus, complete with GPS locations and a simple map).

Originally Posted by Larry deZeng

in the Minsk area on 5 Jul 41 (II.(Schl.)/LG 2), another 72 km SW of Minsk on 10 Jul (Stab and I./KG 2, I./St.G. 2), another 25 km NE of Minsk on 17 Jul 41 (Koflug 11/XI). Another problem is that the active airfields by this name that were in western Belorussia/Eastern Poland in summer 1941 were quite like deactivated by the Germans by the end of 1941 and therefore may not appear in the September 1943 Directory.
Other Sloboda, etc. locations:
Sielc: 27 km WSW of Ostroleka in NE Poland
Sloboda: 34 km E of Minsk.

The last mentioned, Sloboda: 34 km E of Minsk, was a Soviet airfield and was the one in use by all the JG's you mentioned and sometimes referred to as "Sloboda Ost". I was also reminded that Slepnyanka airfield 5 Km east of Minsk (home of 313 RAP and the airfield where 161 IAP deployed forward to on 22 June to provide air cover for Minsk) was sometimes referred to as "Sloboda west". I am guessing this where II.LG 2 briefly stayed at before moving on to Lepel.

Originally Posted by Larry deZeng

in the Minsk area on 5 Jul 41 (II.(Schl.)/LG 2), another 72 km SW of Minsk on 10 Jul (Stab and I./KG 2, I./St.G. 2)

Stolbsty is 72 Km SW of Minsk on the direct road to Minsk and 3 Km up that road is another Sloboda, but no Silce or Selische. Not under Fleigerkorps VIII area of operations and I./St.G. 2 did transfer to Fleigerkorps II about this time. I wonder if Stab and I./KG 2 came under Fleigerkorps II direction or if it remained with Fleigerkorps VIII ?

Oquaig