Another captured LW pilot

[Nikita Egorov]

Gentlemen,

As usual, how this loss was recorded in GQ?

14.05.1944 (or 11.05.1944) area of Grigoriopol - Dubossary. In airial combat shot down Bf-109. Unit uncertain (recon unit). Oblt. Ludwig Stahl (b.1915) bailed out and taken prisoner. His wingman managed to disengage, so, apparantly, he reported Stahl's loss.

TIA

[yogybär]

The area strongly suggests that it was a plane from Luftflotte 4 .

LF4 included two units with Bf109: JG52 and NAGr.14.

11..05.1944:
I./JG52 did claim several planes in the area of Grigoriopol, while 1./NAGr.14 claimed two Doppeldecker in the area east of Rybnitsa (also on the Dnestr, but further North).

15.05.
Again several claims by I./JG52 in the area.

For the well-documented JG52 I didn't find anything about a Leutnant Stahl. So, for me it seems to have been a pilot from NAGr.14. Its Stab and 1.Staffel were based in Leipzig (Bessarabia) and Comrat at that time, so I guess they covered the right part of Heeresgruppe Südukraine while 2.Staffel covered the left. Also, 1.Staffel had a loss due to enemy action in May '44.
The Aufklärer flew in Rotten, so it all makes sense as long as no Lt. Stahl from JG52 "pops up".

Sources:
- http://www.ww2.dk/air/recon/nagr14.htm
- Tony Wood's claim list
- Luftwaffe maps covering the area

What backgound information can you give us on that case?

[Larry deZeng]

We have a little on Stahl's earlier career but not his loss in 1944:

STAHL, Ludwig. (DOB: 10.01.15). 26.02.43 Oblt.(d.R.), trf from Nahaufklärungsstaffel 4/33 to Führerreserve Ob.d.L. and ordered to FFS A/B 41 for temporary duty. 13.03.43 Oblt., in Führerreserve Ob.d.L.

HLdeZ/DGS

[Nikita Egorov]

Joerg and Larry,

Thank you for answers. I've checked my source more carefully. He is from 1/NAGr.14.
The story goes like this: on 14 May, Stahl and other pilot took off on flight to recon road north of Grigoriopol-Dubossary. East of Grigoriopol at h. 1000 m they were atacked by Soviet fighters. Stahl's Me-109 was badly crippled and he bailed out. Second Me-109 possibly managed to disengage, though Stahl did not observe it's fate.

Source:
TsAMO. f. 17 VA. op.6520. d. 25
"Interrogation protocoles of captured German pilots"

I presume Stahl was shot down by 897 IAP, since no more claims on Me-109 are reported in that area.

Regards,
Nikita

PS. Larry, could it be possible for you to check in your files Lt. Arnold Zeppelin from 2/KG4, shot down and captured on May 6, 1944 in Sewastopol area. Plane He-111H-20 (5J+IK)

[Larry deZeng]

Nikita wrote in part:

PS. Larry, could it be possible for you to check in your files Lt. Arnold Zeppelin from 2/KG4, shot down and captured on May 6, 1944 in Sewastopol area. Plane He-111H-20 (5J+IK)

Sorry, but we had to exclude most Leutnante and Oberleutnante from our data base because it would have become unmanageable otherwise. Our data base consists of 30,000+ of the 122,000 Luftwaffe officers who served during World War II. As you can see, we have none that begin with the letters "Zep...".

ZENTNER, Wilhelm. 01.03.43 promo to Hptm.(d.R.z.V./Flak).
ZENZINGER, Karl. 01.06.43 promo to Maj. z.V. (Flieger).
ZERBE, Edwin. 01.09.42 promo to Hptm. 09.06.44 Hptm./Maj., appt provisional then permanent Kdr. II./FAS II (still 04.45). 07.44 Hptm., Kdr. le.Flak-Abt. z.b.V. 12100.
ZERKIBL, Joseph. 01.08.43 promo to Maj.(d.R.). 01.45 Maj. and Maj. beim Stabe in Stab/Ln.-Abt. 123 (3. Flak-Div.) (to c.27.01.45). c.28.01.45 Maj., appt Maj. beim Stabe in Stab/Ln.-Abt. 168 (8. Flak-Brig.).

HLdeZ/DGS

[Nikita Egorov]

Larry,

Anyway, thanks for assistance.

[Charles Bavarois]

Hello Nikita,

Oblt. Stahls loss was reported like:
Krasnaja Gorka (Planquadrat 9713, Karte 1:300000) am Dnjestr
14.5.1944
Feindflug
1.(Eins)/ NAG 14
Oberleutnant, Flugzeugführer und Beobachter und Offizier z.b.V.
Vermißt über Feindgebiet und abgestürzt.
Bf 109 G-6, RL+JC, weiße 11.

Additional info:
Stammkennzeichen RL+JC was allocated to a Bf 109 G-6 Werknummer 161055, built in late November 1943 at Messerschmitt Regensburg. Looking at the Bewegungsliste for 1/NAG 14, the a/c perhaps was an /U3 Baureihe, what is a shot-range tactical recce-aircraft. In late 1943 and early 1944 quite a few newly manufactured Bf 109 fighters were allocatet to the General der Aufklärungsflieger and rebuilt to recce-configuration due to a shortage in recce-a/c.

HTH

Carl

[Nikita Egorov]

Charles,

Thank you for this marvelous answer!

[Andreas Brekken]

Hi, all

One additional piece of information - from the summary loss records one can read that the loss was recorded in the GenQu loss list of 24.05.1944.

Pilot and aircraft listed as missing in action.

Regards,
Andreas B

[yogybär]

Yes, Krasnaja Gorka is ca. 5km N of Thigina. Afaik, in that village was a soviet Army Headquarter at that time.

Some more background information:
In that area was a soviet bridgehead over the Dnestr called "Butor" (east bank village) or "Pugatscheny-Serpeny" (west bank). On 10th of May, the Wehrmacht started an operation to eliminate this small bridgehead - in vain. Anyway, this bridgehead was not decisive during the "Iasi-Kishinev-operation" later in August 1944.
Acc. to a book from Tschuikow, the Luftwaffe flew 877 sorties on the 10.05.44!

Nikita, do you know which type was used by 897.IAP and what was its subordination (IAD, IAK, Air Army)?