4.GIAD in Kurland

[yogybär]

A long time ago I got some information from a nice guy called Nikita Egorov about this topic. Now I would like to know more... but cannot contact him any more. Does anyone know more, or a (internet) source for 3., 4.GIAD or 1.GIAK's battles in the second half of 1944?

Here is what he wrote me back in 2004:

This is what I have in general concerning 4 GIAD in Courland. If you are interested in the Soviet VVS during 1941-1945, you know that this was an elite unit comprised of 64, 65 and 66 GIAPs. Before going to Baltic countries in 1944 274 IAD (former designation) was formed on the basis of VVS of the 4th strike army and underwent combat activities starting from 1942 as a part of 1 VA, 6 VA. Starting from spring 1943 it was organically assigned to 1 GIAK together with 3 GIAD.
4 GIAD took an active part in the liberation of Belorussia (operation "Bagration"). 4 GIAD met the beginning of the campaign as an operational part of 15 VA of the 3-d Belorussian front. Division headquarters was based in Lavrinenki (50 km. East of Orsha) with 64 GIAP at Bolshie Orlovichi, 65 GIAP at Korobki, and 66 GIAP at Khlystovichi. All three regiments were equipped with Yak-9Ts and Yak-9Ds. This is a sort of short prehistory which has nothing in common with the Courland pocket. Besides, 4 GIAD had to face various groups of JG51 as well as III/JG11 for the period they fought in Belorussia and Lithuania. Soviet armies turned the direction of the offensive, somehow, in the end of July 1944 and 4 GIAD was redirected from Shaulen area to support troops in the vicinity of Bausk and escort Sturmovicks to Elgava. But before this 66 GIAP was withdrawn from the frontline to convert into new fighters - Yak-3s. It will appear on the battlescene a little bit later.
The description of the first combat of 65 GIAP above Latvian border refers to July 28, 1944 when a group of 10 Yaks during escort mission clashed with 12 Fw-190 in the area of Elgava. Soviet pilots claimed 4 Fw-190 shot down, including two by Starshiy Leytenant (1-st lieutenant) Hero of Soviet Union, Adil Kuliev. Germans paid back by shooting down two Yaks of 65 GIAP in this combat: construction number(the same as German Werknummer) 0632, with pilot Mladshiy Leytenant (Sublieutenant) Mikishkov, who successfully bailed out in the area of Puttli village and construction number 0920, with Mladshiy Leytenant Krasnopevtsev, who was killed. Victories were credited to pilots of 3/JG54: Fritz Tegtmeier and Bruno Tezzele. I have almost all the descriptions of combats of 4 GIAD, but it'll be a huge tome to add them into this narration:-) So I reduce my story to some general figures.
Fromthe beginnning of the campaign( I mean 28 July, 1944) and till August 15, 1944 4 GIAD claimed 50 German planes, the major stake of them were Fw-190s. On August 15, 1944 66 GIAP return to the division with new Yak-3s at its disposal. For the whole month till September 1944 4 GIAD was operational in the area Tukums - Auze - Elgava. I would like to highlight you attantion to Soviet massive attacks on Libava port, occured on September 15-17, 1944. 4 GIAD also participated in this operation but when VVS KBF attacked Libau port itself, 4 GIAD was busy covering Sturmovicks of 335 ShAD in the area of Yetsava - Elgava. On September 15 two regiments of 4 GIAD shot down 27 Fw-190 for the loss of only two Yaks of 65 GIAP.
Later in September 4 GIAD was shifted to the west to back Soviet troops in the area of Memel and till March 1945 it sporadically appeared above the Courland pocket. Last victories in Courland were archieved by pilots of 64 GIAP on March 19, 1945 in the Sirava area.