[Larry deZeng]

III./KG 55
………..
25 Oct 42: transferred to Saki/Crimea to rest and refit and remained there, out of action, until 30 December.

Air Supply of Stalingrad and Operations in Eastern Ukraine. (Jan 43 - Apr 43)
30 Dec 42: again operational, transferred back to Morosovskaya to begin participating in the transport of supplies to Stalingrad and the evacuation of wounded on the return flights.
1 Jan 43: 2 He 111Hs (G1+DP,BR), the first from 8.Staffel and the latter from 9.Staffel, FTR from supply flights to Stalingrad-Pitomnik, 10 MIA.
2 Jan 43: evacuated Morosovskaya as Soviet forces approached and transferred to Novocherkassk/36 km NE of Rostov.
3 Jan 43: unserviceable He 111 blown up at Morosovskaya by the rear guard to prevent it from falling into enemy hands.
5 Jan 43: 7.St. He 111H crashed and burned while landing at Fp.Novocherkassk, 100%, 5 KIA.
…………

The book cited below has several personal recollections of the Gruppe's 30 Dec – 2 Jan stay at Morosovskaya that describe the scene, the cold, the fog, the misery and the rapid approach of the Russians. Unfortunately, there is nothing specific about the flight of Stramm and his He 111 to Pitomnik.

Dierich, Wolfgang. Kampfgeschwader 55 “Greif”: Eine Chronik aus Dokumenten und Berichten 1937-1945. Stuttgart: Motorbuch Verlag, 1975. ISBN: 3-87943-340-2. Hb. Dj. 501p. Illus. Maps. Dwgs. Appendices. Bibliography. Pages 284-86.

L.