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Re: Erhardt Gmelin
To clarify the situation, I have integrated the info from TOCH with the pre-existing data on LwOCS to update our files:
GMELIN, Erhardt. (DOB: 31.07.21 in Stettin). 03.41 ZS 1 as trainee bordfunker. 05.41 Erg.St./ZG 26. 06.41 4./ZG 26. 11.41 9./ZG 1. 05.42 1./ZG 2. 09.42 II./ZG 2. 07.43 with 3./Erg.Schl.Gr. 12.43 FFS A 9 as pilot trainee. 08.44 attended I./JG 104 for conversion to Bf 109. 01.45 with 5./JG 52. 20.03.45 II./JG 52 unhurt? - bailed out after combat with P-51s 05.45 Fw., 6./JG52. Survived the war. [never an officer - credited with no claims].
GMELIN, Knud. (DOB: 07.12.21 in Nedlitz /Krs. Osthavelland). 11.42 with FFS C 6 (to 12.42). 02.43 with Blindflugschule 3. 03.43 trf to 10./KG 40 (to 04.43). 04.43 trf to 11./KG 40. 04.43 trf to 13./KG 40 (to 09.43). 18.07.43 Lt., 13./KG 40. 01.08.43 Lt., 13./KG 40 unhurt - Ju 88 C-6 (F8+IX) ditched in Pl.Qu. 14 West/9751 after being shot down by a Catalina of VP 63 - recovered by 1. Seenotstaffel. 18.09.43 Lt., 13./KG 40. 09.43 trf to 10./KG 40 (to 10.43). 11.43 trf to 1./ZG 1 (to 06.44) due to unit renaming. 29.11.43 Lt., 1./ZG 1. 13.12.43 Lt., 1./ZG 1. 11.04.44 Lt., 1./ZG 1. 04.44 Lt., appt Stafü of 1./ZG 1 (to 09.06.44). 09.6.44 Oblt., 13.(Erg)/KG 40 a.k.a. 1./ZG 1 Lt., Stafü 1./ZG 1 KIA by AA fire - Ju 88 C-6 (F8+RX) [Version #2: or Ju 88 R-2 (2N+AH)] hit by light AA vic Caen crash-landed vic Epron/France but bled to death - wounded in the hip). 09.06.44 Buried initially in the park of Louvigny, south of Caen. Buried permanently at la Cambe near Bayeux. Final rank: Oblt. Credited with at least 8 victories in 70 missions.
So apparently the reason we had nothing about Erhard was that he had never been an officer.
I had searched the Barbas' II./JG 52 book and found nothing about any claims. His shoot down on 20.03.45 confirms that he had only been an Fw.
Unless someone has any new input, this seems to be the end of the story.
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