Eastern-Front Transporter losses - need help !!!

[Doug Stankey]

Actually, we see no problem here.

On one hand, it was quite normal for aircrew (or aircraft for that matter) to be shuffled around between units, especially during periods of chaos.

At the same time, there was an enormous bureaucratic time lag that has distorted the time element in the surviving records. The unit association mentioned with the Ritterkreuz award was that of the fellow at the time that he was recommended for the award. This could be months or even years earlier! Similarly, the time lag in FPN records are typically 3 to 6 months behind reality.

In our rather extensive compilation of officer careers, we observe that relatively rapid reassignments were common, even the norm. Thus we hold that such an apparently "abrupt" reassignment is not something to be concerned about.

Incidently, I see that no one caught the difference between KG.z.b.V. 172 and KGr. z.b.V. 172. As I./KG.z.b.V. 172 became KGr.z.b.V. 172, my statement stands correct for the time point in question!

LdZ
DGS