Looking for abstracts to von Rohden collection at NARS in the 1960's

[edNorth]

Seems IV./JG 54 was not disbanded, rather becoming IV./JG 26 later in February 45.
But yes, it was a four Staffeln Gruppe... this site helps yet again.
http://www.ww2.dk/
http://www.ww2.dk/air/jagd/jg54.htm
(so IV./JG 54 this perhaps was only drained of suitable trainees)

[Richard T. Eger]

Dear Ed and Norbert,

Thanks for your input. I've also contacted Robert Forsyth, author of JV 44, independently. One of the hinge words here is "geschlossen", a verb describing Galland's status. At this point, Galland was without portfolio or, even worse, possibly under indictment. The date of the document, as I mentioned, is 10.2.45, so I'm not exactly sure of his status at the time. The use of the word may also have been done in distain or disgust. It is hard to say.

I've attempted to reconstruct the statement to get a clearer meaning and context flow:

"1.) By order to organize IV./JG 54 into an Me 262 - Jagdgruppe (II./JG 7), 4. Staffel is released to Gen.Lt. Galland, currently without standing, to organize and establish a Jagdstaffel of Me 262's under his leadership to provide as part of JG 7."

Comments?

Regards,
Richard

[Nick Beale]

Die durch Umgliederung der IV./JG 54 in eine Me 262 - Jagdgruppe (II./JG 7) freiwerdende 4. Staffel ist geschlossen Gen.Lt. Galland zur Aufstellung einer unter seiner Führung stehenden und dem JG 7 anzugleidernen Jagdstaffel Me 262 zur Verfügung zu stellen.

"The 4. [Staffel] — freed up by the conversion of IV. [Gruppe]/JG 54 into an Me 262 Jagdgruppe (II./JG 7) — is placed, as a complete unit, at the disposal of Gen.Lt. Galland for the establishment of an Me 262 Jagdstaffel under his leadership and attached to JG 7."

I think there's an ambiguity in that "4. Staffel" doesn't mean 4./JG 54 (part of the I. Gruppe) here but rather "the fourth Staffel of the IV. Gruppe" (i.e. 16./JG 54).

The reason for that is that JG 54's Gruppen had four Staffeln each while JG 7 was set up with only three per Gruppe but with gaps in the numbering to allow for a fourth. So the JG 7 structure was:

I. Gruppe: 1., 2. and 3./JG 7
II. Gruppe: 5., 6. and 7./JG 7
III. Gruppe: 9., 10. and 11./JG 7

So Galland was to get the Staffel that was surplus in the reorganisation. As to "geschlossen" in this context, it can mean "united" or "in a body" and I take that to mean here that Galland will get all the Staffel's elements: flying, technical, signals, admin. etc. You'll often see in other reorganisations that the pieces were split up and assigned to various units.