KG 53 Pilot Vollmer

Hi, I am not sure what kind of info everyone here has, but I am searching for any available information about KG53, and where I could find more information about my grandfather's service with them. My grandfather was named Erich Martin Vollmer and he was first a flak gunner and then a pilot of He-111 and Ju-88 bombers in Kampfgeschwader 53 Legion Condor in WWII. I am interested especially in when/where they surrendered to the Americans and what happened to the members of KG 53 at that time. The story is kinda murky, but all I know is that my grandfather surrendered to the Americans at some point and was a prisoner for a while and made his way (I think he walked?) back to his hometown in East Germany in December 1946. I think he was an officer by the end of the war but I am really unsure about that. I'm curious about his activities during the war and after, and why and under what circumstances he was released.

[Jim P.]

Could this be your gramps? The aircraft was apparently only lightly damaged and only the casualties are mentioned. Given that the pilot and observer were wounded the casualty report (NVM/NVL) might have more details.

He 111H-, , Vollmer, Oblt. Martin, , I., , KG 53, , , , , 01-Jun-43, WIA due to Flak. B also WIA., , Lfl.1/Eins.Osten, Gen.Qu.6.Abt. (mfm #10)-Vol.18, , (Wolchowbrückenkopf), b, F, B Fw. Heinz Fritsche, ,

[Matti Salonen]

1943-06-01, 2./KG 53, He 111 H-16, 8500, A1+DK, Bahnhof Wolchow (Pl.Qu. 36 Ost 20/1/2/4), Flakbeschuß. Bruch ? %.
Flugzeugführer Olt Vollmer, Martin, verletzt
Beobachter Fw Fritsche, Heinz, verletzt

Matti

[Andrew Arthy]

Hi,

From 'Luftwaffe Officer Career Summaries' by Larry deZeng and Doug Stankey:

VOLLMER, Martin. (DOB: 20.06.14 in Halle). 07.07.43 Oblt. in I./KG 53 and 10./KG 53. 08.11.43 Oblt., awarded the Ehrenpokal. 01.01.44 promo to Hptm. 11.44 in Erg.JG 1 and then trf to IV./JG 300. 18.01.45 Hptm., Offz. z.b.V. and NS-Führungsoffizier in 6./JG 300.

Cheers,
Andrew A.
Air War Publications - www.airwarpublications.com

Hi guys, that is him. About the aircraft receiving light damage, I think there was a story about him being shot down or having the airplane damaged while flying, and him making it back somehow but I'm unsure of the details. Does Olt mean Oberleutnant? I think that was his rank. I'm really unsure of what all these abbreviations mean, could someone explain to me what this information means? Sorry for being a newbie haha... thanks for the info also!

[Jim P.]

"B also WIA., , Lfl.1/Eins.Osten, Gen.Qu.6.Abt. (mfm #10)-Vol.18, , (Wolchowbrückenkopf), b, F, B Fw. Heinz Fritsche"

B = Beobachter = observer
Lfl.1/Eins.Osten = Luftlotte 1/Einsatz Osten - Eastern front
Gen.Qu.6.Abt. (mfm #10)-Vol.18 = General Quarter 6.Abteillung - Volume 18 = reference to the Luftwaffe loss list record set
mfm #10 = microfilm roll #10 (the original paper docs have been microfilmed postwar)
Wolchowbrückenkopf - Wolchow bridgehead
b = beschatig - damaged
F - Feindflug - flight against the enemy

[Stig Jarlevik]

Depending on how much "newbie" you are, one interesting aspect of the information listed is that your grandfather was retrained as a fighterpilot with a so called Ergänzungsgruppe (an advanced training unit also working as an Operational Training Unit), in this case Jagdgeschwader 1.

After retraining he was posted to the IV Gruppe of Jagdgeschwader 300 and obviously ended his career with the 6th Staffeln, which was part of the II Gruppe.

It also seems he was a general officer with his unit and tasked with the political leadership/indoctrination ot its members, or have I misunderstood the meaning of NS-Führungsoffizier?

Finally in 2007 a two volume set (in depth study) was published about JG 300. Vol II covers your grandfathers period. Unfortunately it is not well indexed so I cannot see if he is mentioned anywhere in the book.

Cheers
Stig