Kampfgeschwader 54
Kampfgeschwader 54 | |
---|---|
Wing | |
Role | Air interdiction close air support Offensive counter air Maritime interdiction Strategic bombing |
Size | Air Force Wing |
Nickname(s) | Totenkopf (Death's Head) |
Engagements | World War II |
Insignia | |
Identification symbol | Geschwaderkennung of B3 |
Kampfgeschwader 54 "Totenkopf" (German pronunciation:
KG 54 was formed in May 1939. The bomber wing was equipped with two of the major German
KG 54 began its first campaign in September 1939 when
From July 1940 it fought in the
KG 54's attack on
History
Kampfgeschwader 54 was formed on 1 May 1939 at
II. Gruppe was not formed until 15 December 1939 near Hoya, southeast of Bremen after the war had started. The group was formed from II./KG 28 and was handed the former's He 111Ps. It transferred from Hoya to Oldenburg for training in January 1940. It may have some contribution, or transfer of personnel to III./KG 54 prior to 1 February. The Gruppe was training under Luftflotte 2 during the winter and relocated to Celle in March 1940.[7]
III. Gruppe was formed on 1 February 1940 at Wiener Neustadt, Austria. The He 111P was used to equip the group and received aircraft and crews from I. and II./KG 54 as well and crews from training programs. By mid-March the Gruppe was fully formed and was training at Celle from 18 to 31 March 1940, as Bissel 1–7 April, at Vechta from 8 April–16 May 1940. Part of the operational training exercise was to fly airborne leaflet propaganda over northeastern France. Major Adolf Häring was the group's first commanding officer.[8]
Wartime service
Poland, Denmark, Norway and the Phoney War
On 1 September 1939,
On 10 September 1939 it was engaged in attacks on troop concentrations north of Praha, and bombed
II./KG 54 had been sitting idle since formation. It transferred to Celle and was put under the command of
I. and III./KG 54 spent the spring in training as the
By May 1940, KG 54 could muster three Gruppen and a stab unit. Stab./KG 54 had on strength six He 111Ps, with four operational, and a single He 111D, not operational at Quakenbrück. It was subordinated to Albert Kesselring and Luftflotte 2. I./KG 54 was based at Quakenbrück also. The Gruppe fielded 36 (33 operational) He 111Ps. II./KG 54 had 29 bombers with all but three operational at Varrelbusch. III./KG 54 was stationed at Cologne and Ostheim. It was given 35 bombers for the offensive and 27 were combat ready on A-Day, 10 May 1940.[10]
France and the Low Countries
Operation
This effort was part of an effort to achieve
III./KG 54 carried out
On 14 May 1940, the
Surrender negotiations had already begun and Student radioed General der Flieger Richard Putzier to cancel the attack. When the message reached KG 54's command post, the Geschwaderkommodore Walter Lackner, was already approaching Rotterdam and his aircraft had reeled in their long-range aerials. Haze and smoke obscured the target; to ensure that Dutch defences were hit Lackner brought his formation down to 2,300 ft (700 m).[18] The first group unloaded their bombs on the centre of Altstadt where it was thought Dutch artillery was concentrated.[19] The larger formation came from the north-east, out of position to spot red flares launched from the south side of the city, and proceeded with their attack. Two Gruppen, II. and III., with 54 He 111s dropped low to release 97 tonnes (213,848 lb) of bombs, mostly in the heart of the city.[18]
Only Otto Höhne's I./KG 54 aborted the attack with his group.[20] Höhne made wide detour to attack from the southwest. As the bombardier prepared to release the bombs, Höhne spotted a red flare near the Maas Island, and u-turned with his formation with their bombs still aboard.[21] The city centre was destroyed. Bombs struck vegetable oil storage tanks causing uncontrollable fires. Some 800 Dutch civilians were killed and 78,000 made homeless.[18] Another source gives a figure of 814 deaths.[22] In the immediate aftermath, Rotterdam surrendered. Faced with air-dropped leaflets threatening the destruction of Utrecht, the Dutch surrendered on 15 May.[18]
I./KG 54 targeted rail junctions, bridges, troops in western Belgium and carried out these operations on 16 May near Brussels. II./KG 54 moved to
Beginning with 19 May, KG 54 sustained particularly high losses necessitating the entire wing's removal from the front line nine days later.
From 20 to 26 May, I. Gruppe bombed airfields at Norrent-Fontes and St. Omer and French Army positions at Abbeville and Tournai. KG 54 was also involved in the Battle of Dunkirk and Siege of Calais, with particularly heavy attacks on Dunkirk from 27 May–2 June. II. Gruppe bombed Calais on 21 May, but focused on the northern flank, bombing ports and airfields from Zeebrugge to Calais. It intensified attacks on Dunkirk from 24 May–2 June losing six aircraft in that time. On 3 June it was withdrawn to Celle to rest and refit while crews also converted to the Junkers Ju 88.[10] KG 54 sank the 8,000-ton French Navy steamer Aden on 27 May.[27] III./KG 54 also centred bombing operations over Dunkirk claiming a destroyer damaged on 1 June before transferring to Germany Adolf Häring was replaced as group commander Kurt Leonhardy.[10]
III./KG 54 was the only one of the three Gruppen to take part in Fall Rot, the final phase of the Battle for France.[8] On 3 June 1940 it participated in Operation Paula, around Paris and supported the advance to the French capital which was captured on 14 June after being declared an open city. It then proceeded to support the advance into Normandy and Brittany from 5–19 June. It attacked troop and communication targets as well as airfields at Abbeville, St Omer and Norrent-Fontes from the 5–15 June in the Orléans area on 16 June.[8] By this time III./KG 54 was operating at the limits of its range, from bases in Germany, and were forced to stage to forward airfields in France to operate.[28] By the time of the Armistice of 22 June 1940, III./KG 54 had lost nine aircraft, 12 men killed in action and one wounded in action.[8]
KG 54 lost 46 bombers. Human losses amounted to 130 personnel killed, 10 missing, 60 wounded and 188 as
Battle of Britain and The Blitz
After the
I. and II./KG 54 relocated to Coulommiers – Voisins Aerodrome for the offensive over Britain. On 19 July III./KG 54 was disbanded with some crews going to night fighters. The group was reactivated on 1 September 1942.[8]
On 11 July IV.(Erg)/KG 54 was created at Lechfeld using some personnel from III./KG 54. Equipped with Ju 88As and He 111Ps the Staffel was renamed 10.(Erg)/54 to assist with the training of personnel. The previous day, the Luftwaffe had begun operations that were known to them as the Kanalkampf and escalated into the Battle of Britain. KG 54 suffered its first combat losses, when it lost two Ju 88s, one destroyed and one damaged, to 609 Squadron near a convoy off Swanage.[31] KG 54 attacked convoys Booty and Agent. Gruppenkommandeur of II./KG 54, Major Leonhardy was shot down and killed by 601 Squadron along with two others. Two I./KG 54 Ju 88s were shot down by 87 Squadron. Another of the group's Ju 88s was damaged by a night fighter.[32] Leonhardy was replaced by Karl-Bernhard Schlaeger.[8]
On 13 August 1940, the Luftwaffe began an
Further missions by II./KG 54 to
Three days later I./KG 54 bombed the Abingdon aerodrome, II. Gruppe attacked shipping off the
On 5/6 September 1940 I./KG 54 made single-aircraft attacks on Southampton,
KG 54 also struck at towns alongside major industrial centres:
The unit lost 265 killed, 121 missing, 63 as
Western Front, Channel and Atlantic Front
During its time in France, II./KG 54 also attempted to support the
Eastern Front
The KG 54 committed 70 aircraft to the initial attack, with 64 serviceable to Operation Barbarossa. The groups were based at Lublin–Świdnik under the command of Fliegerkorps V, subordinated to Luftflotte 4. KG 54 was to support Army Group South.
On 22 June 1941 it attacked airfields at
On 28 June it repeatedly bombed columns neat Lviv and
By the time of withdrawal, I./KG 54 had been credited with 240 aircraft destroyed on the ground, hundreds of artillery and tanks destroyed and thousands of motor vehicles destroyed. Commanding officer Richard Linke was credited with 30 tanks destroyed and was awarded the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross on 19 September 1941. The cost to the group was 23 aircraft.[53]
II./KG 54 lost 12 aircraft during July, during the same period I./KG 54 lost 19.
In October KG 54 was strengthened by the return of I. Gruppe on 18 October. KG 54 focused on rail and road traffic during the month, particularly bottlenecks at
II./KG 54 continued on to the end of Barbarossa. It indirectly supported German forces in the
II./KG 54, the only unit of the Geschwader to operate on the front after Barbarossa. From Königsberg, the group transferred to Orsha, to support Fliegerkorps VIII in Army Group Centre's sector. On 24 January it attacked the Soviet 39th Army at Mologino in the Battles of Rzhev until late March 1942, interdicting rail traffic in the Kalinin and Toropets sectors. On 5/6 April 1942, it bombed the aircraft engine plant at Rybinsk, north-northeast of Moscow. Operations for May are largely unknown; it took part in security warfare operations near Dorogobuzh on 3 June and armed reconnaissance over Tula on 10/11 June.[55]
On 18 June 1942 II./KG 54 was reassigned to
On 17 August, from Shatalovka, it flew support operations for the 3rd Panzer Army near Rzhev and Vyazma to 30 August. Over the 1–8 October it targets the large Red Army rail head at Soblago. The group flew its 5,000th mission in the Soviet Union on 6 October. The Gruppe was withdrawn from Russia on 13 October 1942; the last recorded sortie was flown on the 9th. It was moved to Munich via Warsaw. From 18 August to 13 October it reported the loss of 10 aircraft. During 1942 operations in the East, it lost 32 aircraft destroyed and 20 damaged, suffered 31 killed, 57 missing and 29 captured. No personnel were recorded as missing.[55]
Western Front, Baedeker raids
II./KG 54 briefly returned to British skies in 1942 for the
Mediterranean, Middle East and African theatres
I./KG 54 supported the
A contingent of 14 aircraft supported the
It allocated seven Ju 88s to Derna to support the Axis in North Africa on 19 June. From July to 10 August, attacks against Malta and convoy escort were the main activities. I./KG 54 attack the Pedestal Convoy without loss from the 11 to 14 August. By 20 September it could muster only 14 combat ready aircraft from 32. Still the only group of KG 54 present in the theatre, it supported the last offensive against Malta from 10 to 19 October, and on 24 October flew bombing operations in the Second Battle of El Alamein.[59][63]
II. and III./KG 54, the latter being resurrected on 1 September 1942, joined I./KG 54 in operations over Africa and the Mediterranean. From October 1942 to February 1943 KG 54 was heavily involved in convoy escort,
KG 54 losses in over North African and the Mediterranean from November 1942 to May 1943 amounted to 43 destroyed and one damaged. I./KG 54 reported the loss of 13 and one damaged; II./KG 54 lost 14, III./KG 54 lost 15 and IV./KG 54 reported one loss. The last of the losses over African occurred on the 3 May 1943 when III./KG 54 lost two Ju 88s.[66]
III./KG 54 remained active for longer. It had only 8 operational Ju 88s from 21 on 10 April. The group attacked the landings resulting from
II./KG 54 continued operating throughout the
The Western Front and Operation Steinbock
Operating from bases in northern Germany (Wittmund, Jever, Marx), Stab., I., and II./KG 54 took part in Operation Steinbock. It began the offensive on 21/22 January 1944, and all Gruppen were involved in the first wave. That first night KG 54 lost four aircraft.
I. Gruppe lost 15 Ju 88s over the course of February and March. By 20 March it had only nine operational from 17. From 1 to 12 May it was ordered to
The Gruppen were rushed to
III./KG 54 carried out similar operations against the landings with withdrew to Eindhoven with I. Gruppe. From 16 to 20 July if flew night attacks over Saint-Lo and in support of the German forces in the
Jet operations
KG(J) 54 was close to full-strength in February 1945—III/KG(J) 54 never became operational. The Stabsschwarm and I. Gruppe flew an intercept mission on 9 February 1945 with III/
War crime allegations
KG 54's attack on Rotterdam was subject to examination and debate at the Nuremberg Trials. Göring and Kesselring both refused to take any responsibility for the attacks.[81] Richard Overy contends the attack, like the bombing of Warsaw, occurred because the Dutch Army refused to abandon the city or declare it an open city. Overy suggests that the possibility that the bombing took place because Göring was attracted to the idea of displaying the ruthlessness of German military power to the World, but acknowledges that cannot, and has not, been proven.[82] Göring was cross-examined on the issue on the third and last day of his testimony, in which he defended himself on a host of war crimes and crimes against humanity charges. He refused to accept culpability and argued he ordered the bombing because heavy fighting was occurring there. He also argued that the dynamics of modern warfare eclipsed the policies established at the Geneva and Hague conventions.[83]
At Nuremberg Prosecutor Maxwell Fyfe accused Kesselring of ordering the bombing as surrender negotiations were being carried out. Kesselring had admitted in a previous interrogation that the real purpose in bombing Rotterdam was to "present a firm attitude and secure an immediate peace" - in other words a war-winning attack. Kesselring denied using those words but admitted to having used the words "severe measures" to overcome Dutch resistance. When presented with evidence the negotiations had begun at 10:30 and the attack order had been given at 13:00, Kesselring replied that he was merely complying with Kurt Student's request and was unaware the Dutch intended to surrender.[84] The German official historians Horst Boog Gerhart Krebs and Detlef Vogel argued the city was a combat zone and the bombing did not violate the then valid Hague Convention on Land Warfare, 1907.[4]
Otto Hohne, who was in command of I./KG 54 during the attack was also called on to testify and contended that because of the heavy smoke and haze which hung over the city, it had been something of a miracle that he saw the red signal flare and was able to abort the last phase of the bombing. All flying officers involved in the actual attack noted the dense smoke and haze which hung over the city before the bombing commenced. For his actions that day, Hohne earned the curious distinction of receiving the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross for calling off his last wave of bombers.[85][86]
Commanding officers
- Oberst Walter Lackner, 1 May 1939 – 19 May 1940 (POW)
- Oberstleutnant Otto Höhne, 22 June 1940 – 23 November 1941
- Oberstleutnant Walter Marienfeld, 23 November 1941 – 1 April 1943
- Oberstleutnant Volprecht Riedesel Freiherr zu Eisenbach, 1 April 1943 – 27 February 1945
- Major Hansgeorg Bätcher, 27 February 1945 – 8 May 1945
References
- ^ a b c d de Zeng, Stankey & Creek 2007, p. 177.
- ^ Buckley 1999, p. 129.
- ^ a b Air Power History, Volumes 44-45, p. 71.
- ^ a b Boog, Krebs & Vogel 2006, p. 362.
- ^ a b c d e de Zeng, Stankey & Creek 2007, p. 178.
- ^ Radtke 1990, pp. 14, 19–22.
- ^ a b c d e f g de Zeng, Stankey & Creek 2007, p. 183.
- ^ a b c d e f g h de Zeng, Stankey & Creek 2007, p. 188.
- ^ Hooton 1994, p. 208.
- ^ a b c d e f g h de Zeng, Stankey & Creek 2007, pp. 178, 183, 188.
- ^ Cull, Lander & Weiss 1999, pp. 43–44.
- ^ Cull, Lander & Weiss 1999, pp. 47, 49.
- ^ Hooton 1994, pp. 240–241.
- ^ Cull, Lander & Weiss 1999, p. 76.
- ^ Hooton 2007b, p. 51.
- ^ Dupuy 1963, p. 21.
- ^ Frieser 1995, p. 74.
- ^ a b c d e Hooton 1994, p. 249.
- ^ Jackson 1974, pp. 44–45.
- ^ de Zeng, Stankey & Creek 2007, p. 182.
- ^ Jackson 1974, p. 45.
- ^ Jackson 1974, p. 44.
- ^ Cull, Lander & Weiss 1999, p. 205.
- ^ Cull, Lander & Weiss 1999, p. 266.
- ^ Cull, Lander & Weiss 1999, pp. 269–270.
- ^ Hooton 1997, p. 254.
- ^ Jackson 1974, p. 116.
- ^ Hooton 2007b, p. 87.
- ^ Hooton 1994, p. 267.
- ^ Hooton 1997, p. 17.
- ^ Mason 1969, p. 177.
- ^ Mason 1969, pp. 226, 228–229.
- ^ a b c d e f de Zeng, Stankey & Creek 2007, p. 179.
- ^ a b c de Zeng, Stankey & Creek 2007, p. 184.
- ^ a b Bungay 2000, p. 208.
- ^ James & Cox 2000, p. 74.
- ^ Mackay 2011, p. 31.
- ^ Mason 1969, pp. 236–240.
- ^ Mason 1969, pp. 238–239.
- ^ Mason 1969, pp. 241–242.
- ^ Parker 2013, p. 119.
- ^ a b c d e f de Zeng, Stankey & Creek 2007, pp. 179, 184.
- ^ Mason 1969, p. 278.
- ^ Mason 1969, p. 290.
- ^ Mason 1969, p. 302.
- ^ Wakefield 1999, p. 130.
- ^ Goss 2010, pp. 212–248.
- ^ Bergström 2007a, p. 38.
- ^ Bergström 2007a, pp. 38–39.
- ^ Bergström 2007a, p. 39.
- ^ Radtke 1990, p. 55.
- ^ Bergström 2007a, p. 65.
- ^ Bergström 2007a, p. 63.
- ^ a b de Zeng, Stankey & Creek 2007, p. 185.
- ^ a b c d e f g de Zeng, Stankey & Creek 2007, p. 186.
- ^ Bergström 2007a, pp. 63–64.
- ^ Bergström 2007a, p. 70.
- ^ de Zeng, Stankey & Creek 2007, pp. 179, 182.
- ^ a b c d e f g de Zeng, Stankey & Creek 2007, pp. 182, 186–187, 188–190.
- ^ Radtke 1990, pp. 100–120.
- ^ Hooton 1997, pp. 212, 245.
- ^ Goss 2007, p. 102.
- ^ Radtke 1990, pp. 126–130.
- ^ Bertke, Kindell & Smith 2012, p. 67.
- ^ Bertke, Kindell & Smith 2012, p. 68.
- ^ Shores, Ring & Hess 1975, pp. 55, 57, 64, 219, 233, 235, 237, 259, 266, 303, 323, 332, 351 (I./KG 54), 76, 101, 114, 117, 132, 135, 154, 201, 271, 272, 353 (II./KG 54), 132, 42, 67, 71, 90, 101, 132, 156, 190, 214, 278, 282, 351, 362 (III./KG 54), 76 (IV./kg 54).
- ^ Radtke 1990, pp. 188–193.
- ^ de Zeng, Stankey & Creek 2007, p. 187.
- ^ de Zeng, Stankey & Creek 2007, pp. 187–188.
- ^ Mackay 2011, pp. 98–105.
- ^ Mackay 2011, pp. 109–112.
- ^ Mackay 2011, pp. 134–138.
- ^ Mackay 2011, pp. 144–155.
- ^ Mackay 2011, pp. 203–230.
- ^ Mackay 2011, pp. 231–244.
- ^ Mackay 2011, pp. 273–284.
- ^ Mackay 2011, pp. 241–250.
- ^ de Zeng, Stankey & Creek 2007, p. 190.
- ^ a b Caldwell & Muller 2007, p. 270.
- ^ Caldwell & Muller 2007, p. 271.
- ^ Murray 1983, pp. 37–38.
- ^ Overy 2013, p. [page needed].
- ^ Rice 1997, p. 66.
- ^ Goldensohn 2005, p. 325.
- ^ Bekker 1994, p. [page needed].
- ^ Hohne & Holden 2004, p. [page needed].
Bibliography
- Air Power History, Volumes 44–45, 1997.
- Bekker, Cajus (1994). The Luftwaffe War Diaries: The German Air Force in World War II. New York: Da Capo Press. ISBN 978-0-306-80604-9.
- ISBN 978-1-85780-270-2.
- Bertke, Donald A.; Kindell, Don; Smith, Gordon (2012). The Royal Navy is Bloodied in the Mediterranean. World War II Sea War. Vol. 3. Dayton, Ohio: Bertke Publications. ISBN 978-1-937470-01-2.
- ISBN 978-0-19-822889-9.
- ISBN 978-1-85728-589-5.
- ISBN 978-1-85410-721-3.
- Caldwell, Donald; ISBN 978-1-85367-712-0.
- Cull, Brian; Lander, Bruce; Weiss, Heinrich (1999). Twelve Days in May. London: Grub Street Publishing. ISBN 978-1-90230-412-0.
- de Zeng, H.L.; Stankey, D.G.; Creek, E.J. (2007). Bomber Units of the Luftwaffe 1933–1945; A Reference Source, Volume 1. ISBN 978-1-85780-279-5.
- ISBN 978-0-531-01238-3.
- OCLC 712782345.
- Goss, Chris (2007). Sea Eagles Volume Two: Luftwaffe Anti-Shipping Units 1942–45. Burgess Hill: Classic Publications. ISBN 978-1-9032-2356-7.
- Goss, Chris (2010). The Luftwaffe's Blitz: The Inside Story, November 1940 – May 1941. Manchester: Crecy Publishing. ISBN 978-0-85979-148-9.
- ISBN 978-3-486-56124-1.
- Hohne, Joachim; Holden, Randall (2004). Glory Refused: Memoirs of a Teenage Rocket Pilot of the Third Reich. Self Published. OCLC 70698294.
- Hooton, E.R. (1994). Phoenix Triumphant; The Rise and Rise of the Luftwaffe. London: Arms & Armour Press. ISBN 978-1-85409-181-9.
- Hooton, E. R. (1997). Eagle in Flames: The Fall of the Luftwaffe. ISBN 978-1-86019-995-0.
- Hooton, E.R. (2007b). Luftwaffe at War; Blitzkrieg in the West. Chevron/Ian Allan. ISBN 978-1-85780-272-6.
- Jackson, Robert (1974). Air War Over France, 1939–1940. London: Ian Allan. ISBN 978-0-7110-0510-5.
- James, T.C.G; ISBN 978-0-7146-8149-8.
- Mackay, Ron (2011). The Last Blitz: Operation Steinbock, the Luftwaffe's Last Blitz on Britain – January to May 1944. Red Kite. ISBN 978-0-9554735-8-6.
- Mason, Francis (1969). Battle Over Britain. London: McWhirter Twins Ltd. ISBN 978-0-901928-00-9.
- ISBN 978-1-57488-125-7.
- Overy, Richard J. (2013). The Bombing War : Europe 1939–1945. London & New York: Allen Lane. ISBN 978-0-7139-9561-9.
- Parker, Nigel (2013). Luftwaffe Crash Archive: Volume 1: A Documentary History of Every Enemy Aircraft Brought Down Over the United Kingdom, September 1939 – 14 August 1940. London: Red Kite. ISBN 978-1-906592-09-7.
- Shores, Christopher F.; Ring, Hans; Hess, William N. (1975). Fighters Over Tunisia. London, UK: Neville Spearman. ISBN 978-0-85435-210-4.
- Radtke, Siegfried (1990). Kampfgeschwader 54 von der Ju 52 zur Me 262, Eine Chronik nach Kriegstagebüchern, Dokumenten und Berichten 1935–1945 [Kampfgeschwader 54 from Ju 52 to Me 262, A Chronicle based on War Diaries, Documents and Reports 1935–1945] (in German). Munich, Germany: Schild Verlag. ISBN 978-3-88014-098-1.
- Rice, Earle (1997). The Nuremberg Trials. San Diego: Lucent Books. ISBN 978-1-56006-269-1.
- Wakefield, Ken (1999). Pfadfinder: Luftwaffe Pathfinder Operations Over Britain. NPI Media Group. ISBN 978-0-75241-692-2.
Further reading
- Bergström, Christer (2007b). Stalingrad – The Air Battle: 1942 through January 1943. Midland Puplishing, Hinkley. ISBN 978-1-85780-276-4
- Bergström, Christer (2015). The Battle of Britain: An Epic Conflict Revisited. Casemate: Oxford. ISBN 978-1612-00347-4.
- Bergström, Christer; Mikhailov, Andrey (2001). Black Cross / Red Star Air War Over the Eastern Front, Volume II, Resurgence January–June 1942. Pacifica, California: Pacifica Military History. ISBN 978-0-935553-51-2.
- Dierich, Wolfgang (1995). Die Verbände der Luftwaffe 1935–1945 (in German). Verlag Heinz Nickel. ISBN 3879434379.
- Griehl, Manfred and Joachim Dressel. Heinkel He 177 – 277 – 274. Shrewsbury, UK: Airlife Publishing. ISBN 1-85310-364-0.
- Hayward, Joel S (1998). ISBN 978-0-7006-1146-1
- ISBN 1-877853-13-5