JV 44: help with translation

[David E. Brown]

Nick,

From “The Koller War Diary” entry for 26 April 1945 (p.50-51):

General Schultz reported: “Luftwaffenkommando West has dissolved the remaining Close-range Reconnaissance Staffel equipped with the Me 262 (NAG 6) and sent the aircraft to Jagdverband 44 (fighter unit)”. (They must be absolutely crazy; those people had no sense whatsoever. The high command could not give up its only eyes. The aircraft and their crews would have to be reassembled immediately for reconnaissance purposes.)

Reference: Smith, J.R. (ed), 1990; The Koller War Diary. Monogram Aviation Publications, Sturbridge, 104p.

Koller later goes on about JV 44 reporting 95 Me 262s at München-Riem (p.51). He was aghast that so many machines were there and the fact that JV 44 had only enough resources and personnel to deal with 20, and, that JG 7 was begging for more aircraft. He states that he tried to find out who permitted this to happen – Kammler, Kammhuber, Saur – and determined to send 70 machines to JG 7 and getting his Quartermaster to make it happen. One suspects that the JV 44 document referred to was the well-known 26 April 1945 listing of all Me 262s to be found at München-Riem.

But regarding your initial question, it would appear that the dissolution order came from someone in Luftwaffenkommando West as reported by Schultz.

Best,

David