4./JG 53 - Staffelkapitän

[wotan]

I need some help completing a list of StaKa for 4./JG 53. Here is what I have:

Hptm. Hubert Kroeck
11.38 - Appointed Staffelkapitän 4./JG 133
05.39 - 4./JG 133 re-designated 4./JG 53 - Staffelkapitän 4./JG 53 - to 04.40

Oblt. Günther Schulze-Blanck
04.40 - Appointed Staffelkapitän 4./JG 53
09.09.40 - KIA – shot down into the Channel off Hastings; body washed ashore on 29.09.40

Oblt. Richard Vogel
09-40 - Appointed Staffelkapitän 4./JG 53
10.10.40 - KIA – shot down into the sea east of Ramsgate by a Spitfire.

Oblt. Kurt Liedke
10.40 - Appointed Staffelkapitän 4./JG 53 - to 08.10.41

Oblt. Gerhard Michalski
10.41 - Appointed Staffelkapitän of 4./JG 53 - to 07.42

Oblt. Wilhelm Hobirk
07.42 - Appointed Staffelkapitän of 4./JG 53 - to 10.42

Oblt. Fritz Dinger
10.42 - Appointed Staffelkapitän 4./JG 53
27.07.43 - KIA – hit and killed on the ground at Scalea airfield in South
Italy by bomb fragments during Allied raid.

???

Oblt. Günther "Hupatz" Seeger
07.44 - Appointed Staffelkapitän 4./JG 53 - to 10.08.44
08.44 - 4./JG 53 was re-designated 7./JG 53

Any help would be appreciated,

TIA

[Chris Goss]

You really needed Jochen Prien's JG 53 history. The missing names are:

Oblt Walter Schmidt-Coste 15 Mar 37-30 Jun 38
Oblt Alfred von Loijewski to 31 Oct 38
Hptm Krauss Aug 43 to Apr 44

[wotan]

Thanks for the reply.

Back in 2007 on this forum I had asked about biographical info. on a "Hptm. Krauss":

Hptm. ??? Krauss - 2 abschuße - ♠ II./JG 53 (4./JG 53)

At that time there were no replies. I knew he fit somewhere in there between Dinger and Seeger but lacking a first name (there were plenty of Krauss and Krause's) I wasn't sure. i now know him to be:

Hptm. Willy Krauss
08.43 - Appointed Staffelkapitän 4./JG 53 - 04.44

If its not to much trouble does anyone have any more info. on Willy Krauss? In some sources he is credited with 1 air victory and in Tony Woods' list he is listed with 2:

02.09.43 - Hptm. Krauss: 1 - 4./JG 53 - P-38 - 55 km. S. Insel Ischia
07.01.44 - Hptm. Krauss: 2 - 4./JG 53 - P-38 - 40 km. S.E. Marburg

Also, who replaced him as Staka of 4./JG 53 (acting or otherwise)?

Again thanks for the help,