12.(See)/SG 151

[Hans Mcilveen]

Browsing through the documents on Larry Dezeng's Luftwaffe Airfields 1935-1945 project page on http://www.ww2.dk/lwairfields.html I found an interesting unit: 12.(See)/SG 151.
It was based at Lübeck (Feb-Mar 45) and Grossenbrode (May 45).
I know a bit about the operational training duties of SG 151 in general but this is the first time I have seen the 'See' (sea or naval) designation of this 12th Staffel. What was the purpose of this Staffel and what type of aircraft did it use?

Hans

[hucks216]

According to Larry & Doug's book on Dive Bomber & Ground Attack units, 12./SG-151 were equipped with Fw-190 & Ju-87 aircraft and were training in the anti-shipping role (Vol 2 page 311).

[lpersen]

Hi, Bases of the 12./SG 151 (ex. 2./SG 152) were Rahmel 17/8/44 to xx/02/45 then Parleberg xx/02/45 to xx/04/45 and finally Lübeck-Blankense xx/04/45 - xx/05/45. StKpt were Hptm. Heinz Jungclaussen from 17/08/44 - 31/01/45; Hptm. Paul Dose 01/02/45 - 24/02/45; Oblt. Friedrich Seyffardt 24/02/45 -10/03/45 and Oblt. Artur Heyer, 11/03/45 - xx/05/45. Hope it helps. Thats all data I have. Regards, Lovro

[Larry deZeng]

Hans,

As Hucks stated, 12.(See)/SG 151 was intended for employment against shipping. It had no seaplanes so the "See" designation refers to its function rather than to its equipment. Its designation comes from both German documents and from the ULTRA intercepts of German signals. See Footnotes (7) and (14) below.

L.


IV./SG 151(Second Formation)




Formation. (Aug 44)
Formed 17 August 1944 (orders issued 31 July 1944?) at Proßnitz (Prostĕjov)/48 km NE of Brno in south-central Czechoslovakia by renaming the Gruppenstab of I./SG 152, 1./SG 152 as 10. Staffel, 6./SG 151 as 11. Staffel and 2./SG 152 as 12. Staffel. The last of these was detached at Rahmel/25 km NNW of Danzig for training with FW 190s in the anti-shipping role.[1]

Czechoslovakia, Yugoslavia and Germany. (Aug 44 - May 45)
6 Oct 44: 10. Staffel transferred to Neusatz (Novi Sad)/70 km NW of Belgrade for operations under Einsatzstab Banat against Soviet forces advancing through western Romania into southern Hungary and eastern Yugoslavia.[2]
1 Dec 44: Gruppe reported 9 x Ju 87D-2/D-3/D-5, 1 x Ju 87R-1, 3 x FW 190A-5/A-6, 100 x FW 190F-3/F-8 and 8 x FW 190G-2/G-3 on strength.[3]
1 Jan 45: 11. Staffel re-designated 14./SG 151 and 14./SG 151 re-designated 11. Staffel around this date.[4]
25 Jan 45: 12.St. FW 190F-8 force landed due to engine trouble – location not reported, 80%, pilot WIA.[5]
26-27 Jan 45: 2 FW 190F crashes at Fp.Proßnitz.
5 Feb 45: Gruppe now at Oberscheckenbach/9 km N of Rothenburg (Tauber), having just moved from Proßnitz.[6]
17 Feb 45: 12.(See) Staffel at Lübeck-Blankensee attached to III./SG 151 with 27 FW 190s and 7 Ju 87s, but without fuel or bombs.[7]
20-24 Feb 45: Gruppenstab and 10. – 11. Staffel transferred from Oberscheckenbach to Nürnberg-North (4 km north of the city).[8]
1 Mar 45: FW 190F-8 crashed at Fp.Lübeck-Blankensee, 100%.
18 Mar 45: Gruppenstab and 10. – 11. Staffel at Nürnberg-North.[9]
27-28 Mar 45: Gruppenstab and 10. Staffel ordered to moved to Amberg and 11. Staffel to Neu-Ulm on or about this date.[10]
3 Apr 45: Gruppenstab and 10. – 11. Staffel ordered disbanded this date.[11]
11 Apr 45: 10. Staffel ordered to transfer from Amberg to Straubing and 11. Staffel from Neu Ulm to Schongau.[12]
15 Apr 45: Gruppenstab and 10. – 11. Staffel disbanded.[13]
4-8 May 45: 12.(See)/SG 151 disbanded at Großenbrode where it had been attached to I./SG 151.[14]

FpNs: Gruppenstab (L 53983)
10.Staffel (L 55079)
11.Staffel (L 49069)
12.Staffel (L 54864)

Kommandeur:
Hptm. Karl Kennel (RK, EL, DKG) (17 Aug 44 - 10 Oct 44)
Hptm. Franz Smole (15 Oct 44 - 23 Feb 45)
Hptm. Paul Dose (RK, DKG) (24 Feb 45 - 15 Apr 45)


© H.L. deZeng IV, 2003


[1] Dierich-VdL:270; Kannapin-Feldpostübersicht; Carlsen/Meyer-Die Flugzeugführer-Ausbildung der deutschen Luftwaffe 1935-1945/Bd.2:338-48; NARA WashDC: RG 242/T-77 Lw.Personalamt orders; M.Pegg-Hs 129:173.

[2] PRO London: DEFE 3 ULTRA signal HP2683.

[3] BA-MA - Flugzeug-Bereitstellungen (Aircraft Availability Status Reports – FzB) in: M.Holm website.

[4] Kannapin-op cit. This is very “iffy” since the authoritative Carlsen and Meyer make no mention of it.

[5] BA-MA Freiburg: RL 2 III Meldungen über Flugzeugunfälle…..(Loss Reports – LRs). All subsequent loss entries are from this source.

[6] Tessin-Tes.

[7] ULTRA signals BT5093 and BT5361.

[8] NARA WashDC: RG 242/T-321 roll 112 frame 545.

[9] ULTRA signal BT7805.

[10] Carlsen/Meyer-op cit.

[11] T-321 roll 114 frame 237.

[12] ULTRA signal KO1259.

[13] Carlsen/Meyer-op cit.

[14] T-321 roll 114 frame 237.

[Nick Beale]

Picking up on two of the ULTRA references Larry cites:

CX/MSS/T467/52 (BT 5361) says nothing of the "(See)" designation but gives the unit strength on 17 February 1945: 27 (19) Fw 190, 2 (2) Ju 87, 1 (1) Ar 96, 1 Fw 44 (being ferried). The unit was at Blankensee but had neither fuel nor bombs.

CX/MSS/T464/15 (BT 5093) again omits the "(See)".

[Stig Jarlevik]

Hi Larry

Checking your book, I immediately notice you have either dropped the Kommandeur Major Heinz Frank or not added him as a possible (your c is dated 2003 while the book is from 2013).

I am however puzzled that you keep Karl Kennel with this unit.
In your book you have him as Kommandeur of II./SG 2 between 29.7.44 - 8.5.45, which very much compromise his listing with IV./SG 151

If I may stick my neck out, I would say that Karl Kennel had nothing to do with IV./SG 151 at all

Heinz Frank was in charge of II./SG 2 from ca 30.6.1944 to 29.7.1944
Heinz Frank was in charge of I./SG 152 from 29.7.1944 (and IV./SG 151 which it became) until his death in October 1944.

Karl Kennel was in charge of I./SG 152 before Frank, possibly as early as Spring 1944 and he was replaced by Frank on 29.7.1944 (they sort of swopped command!)

If Karl Kennel had something to do with IV./SG 151 it then means he was sitting on two chairs at the same time. Nothing unusual as such since I have managed to do that half my life, but then again I was never at war with anyone....

So what do you and everyone else think?

Cheers
Stig

[lpersen]

Hi all,

this is what I have about GrpKdr of IV./SG 151:

Hptm. Karl Kennel: 17/08/44 - 10/10/44
Hptm. Franz Smole: 15/10/44 - 23/02/45
Hptm. Paul Dose: 24/02/45 - 15/04/45

Regards,

lovro

[Larry deZeng]

Hi Stig,

One of Doug's jobs was to reconcile the Kommandeure looking for duplication, the holding of two positions at once, etc. So I hope he sees this and is able to offer some additional comments. Unfortunately, errors and oddities like this get into the manuscript because they exist in previously published works and now it is impossible to figure out which one of 2, 3 or 4 choices it is. This happens in documents, too. An LPA order is issued appointing so-and-so to a position, but several days later the appointment is canceled by telephone so the researcher is left in the dark. There is not, and never will be, a 100% accurate, detailed, wide-ranging history of the Luftwaffe or component thereof. One does one's best and then prepares to take the heat.

Larry

[Stig Jarlevik]

Indeed Larry

That is why I risked sticking my neck out....

Let's see if Doug has any objections.

Cheers
Stig

[Doug Stankey]

To add to the discussion, here is what I have abstracted from our Officer Career database:

12./SG 151:
Staka:
Hptm. Paul Dose (DKG, RK) (01.02.45 - 23.02.45).
Oblt. Fritz Seyffardt (DKG, RK) (24.02.45 - 10.03.45).

This generally agrees with Iperson's comments but he also added that Artur Heyer was a Staka as well. Our database states that Heyer was Staka but for 12./SG 152, not 151. Could this be due to a typo by us? According to our notes for Jungclausen, he was not involved with SG 151, but this could be due to an omission. Where did you find this?

Any comments/clarifications?

Regarding Kennel as Kdr. of IV./SG 151:
I agree that the most likely scenario is that Karl Kennel was not involved with SG 151. Our notes for him stated: "17.08.44 Hptm., appt Kdr. IV./SG 151 (to 10.10.44)." but this appears to be redundant but not impossible if he was in an acting capacity then concurrency is possible if the "permanent" appointee is unavailable for whatever reason.

When our book manuscript was being "frozen" in 2009 the clash seemed less apparent. Unfortunately, proper resolution appears impossible for now.

The most likely listing appears to be:

IV./ SG 151:
Kdr:
Maj. Heinz Frank (DKG, RK, EL) (08.44 - 07.10.44 KIA).
Oblt. Rudolf Smola (DKG, RK) (c. 10.44 - 27.03.45 KIA). - acting
Hptm. Paul Dose (DKG, RK) (24.02.45 - 15.04.45).