Hptm. Franz ZAUNER, KG 54

[byron-]

Hello friends,

Does any one has an info about a sealanding of Hptm. Franz ZAUNER, K.G. 54? Time unknown.
An other incidend.
Any info about an italian crew, saved by the Seenotstaffel 7 in the sea south of Crete at 04.08.44. Maybe our italian friends can know more?

regards

Byron

[Doug Stankey]

Here is what we have about this fellow:

ZAUNER, Franz. (DOB: 04.09.16 in Hallein/Salzburg/Austria)
(n.d.) trained as a pilot when with the Osterreichischen Bundesheer.
1938 trf to the Luftwaffe. posted initially to Fl.Ausb.Rgt. 32, then to FFS (C) Wiener-Neustadt.
03.39 returned to Fl.Ausb.Rgt. 32 as an instructor.
1941 trf to IV./KG54.
09.41 trf to 6./KG 54.
01.12.41 Oblt., appt Staka 6./KG 54 (to 30.10.42).
25.05.42 Oblt., awarded the Ehrenpokal.
01.06.42 began the Verbandsführerlehrgang.
End of 08.42 returned to II./KG 54.
31.10.42 Hptm., appt Staka 10./KG 54.
01.11.42 Hptm., appt Kdr. IV./KG 54 (to 31.03.43).
07.11.42 Oblt., awarded DKG, 6./KG 54.
01.04.43 Hptm., appt provisional Kdr. III./KG 54 (to 30.09.44).
12.06.43 Hptm., Kdr. III./KG 54 WIA motor failure, Ju 88 A-4 (B3+GD) force landed at sea vic Pantelleria.
11.43 rejoined KG 54.
05.02.44 Maj., awarded Ritterkreuz, Kdr. III./KG 54.
01.05.44 promo to Maj.
26.02.45 Maj., appt Kdr. III./KG 76 (to 08.05.45).
Credited with 212 missions and sank two freighters.
†29.07.2008 in München.

We hope that this is what you need.

HLdZ
DGS

[RudiS]

Hi Byron,

This is what I have:

June 12th 1943 Ju88A-4 WNr141242 B3+GD of StIII./KG54:
Engine failure during low level flight to target (ships at Pantelleria). Crashed into the sea near the south coast of Sicily.

FF Zauner Franz Hptm Wounded - GrKdr III./KG54
BO Müller Franz Ofw KIA - 9./KG54
BF Hogrefe Hans-Joachim Uffz Wounded - 9./KG54
BS Ebert Herbert Fw KIA - 9./KG54

Regards,
Rudi.

[Doug Stankey]

Regarding the rescue of some Italians on 04.08.44:


The history of Seenotstaffel 7 is quite detailed but makes no mention of rescuing anyone on 04.08.44. Perhaps an Italian unit did the deed.


This spring, Shores new "Mediterranean Air War, Volume 1" will become available. Perhaps that will be revealing on this point.


Thürling, Horst. Die 7.Seenotstaffel 1941-1944 (Berlin: Rudower Panorama Verlag, 1976). ISBN: 3-932403-01-0.


DGS

[byron-]

Hello Doug and Rudi,

That is a lot of infos and i thank you very much

byron