General Klaus Naumann: The Most Highly Decorated Bundeswehr Soldier

     Born on May 25, 1939 in Munich, Germany, Klaus Dieter Naumann would eventually become one of the most highly decorated German soldiers in the post-World War Two Bundeswehr. Naumann's Bundeswehr career began in 1958 when he enlisted and was posted to Feldartilleriebataillon 41 (Field Artillery Battalion 41). Naumann soon entered Heeresoffizierschule III (Army Officer School) located in München and then further trained at the Artillerieschule (Artillery School) in Idar-Oberstein. Upon completion of these schools, Naumann graduated as an artillery officer.

     Between 1970 and 1972, Naumann attended the thirteenth class of the Generalstabslehrgang (General Staff Course) taught at the Führungsakademie der Bundeswehr (Command Academy of the Bundeswehr) in Hamburg. Excelling in the course work, Naumann was recognized by being awarded the General-Heusinger-Preis (General Heusinger Prize). Instituted on August 4, 1967, this is the highest honor that can be bestowed to a student upon completion of either General Staff or Admiralty Staff training. After graduation, Naumann held numerous positions within the Bundeswehr, including: Panzerartilleriebataillon 51, Panzerartilleriebataillon 135 (as Battery Chief), Panzerbrigade 15 (operations officer), and Panzerartilleriebataillons 55 (commander).

     In 1981, Naumann was promoted to Oberst (Colonel) and he soon became the head of the Department of Military Policy, Nuclear Strategy and Arms Control (Dezernatsleiter für Militärpolitik, Nuklearstrategie und Rüstungskontrolle), a staff position of the German Military Representative in the NATO Military Committee (Deutschen Militärischen Vertreters im Militärausschuss). In 1983, Naumann graduated from the Royal College of Defense Studies (London, England) and from 1984 to 1986, he commanded Panzergrenadierbrigade 30.

     On October 1, 1991, Naumann was appointed in the role he is most remembered for, that of Generalinspekteur der Bundeswehr (Inspector General of the German Armed Forces). This came with a promotion to General and at the time, Naumann was the youngest officer to be appointed to the position. During his term, Naumann initiated a reorganization of the Bundeswehr which commenced in July 1994. By December of that year, he was nominated to become the next Chairman of the NATO Militärausschuss. Naumann's nomination was accepted and in February 14, 1996, his tenure as Inspector General ended and his career as chairman began. Naumann held the chairmanship until 1999 when he retired after nearly 41 years of military service.

     The photograph of Naumann was taken sometime in 1993 or 1994. He is wearing the light gray semi-dress uniform jacket, blue button down shirt, and a black tie. As an officer, the upper collar has gold piping along the edge. Given his was an artillery officer, Naumann wore the crossed cannon badge on the red beret and his shoulder-boards had deep red piping. It should be noted, however, that the waffenfarb (corps color) for general ranks and above was the same deep red as artillery. Speaking of shoulder-boards, although not very visible, each shoulder-board had four rank pips and a laurel plus an inner piping, all in a gold color. On his collar are the General rank tabs which were red with gold bullion thread. Interestingly, the Bundeswehr version differed very little from the original World War Two rank tab. On his left sleeve, of which only the braided gold border can be seen, is the tri-color (black/red/yellow) patch upon which a black eagle within a yellow shield is superimposed. Not visible is the crest of the Führungsstab der Streitkräfte (Fü S; Command Staff of the Armed Forces) on the pocket hanger which is fitted through the button of the upper right pocket.

     As for decorations seen in this photograph (which are only a portion of what he was ultimately decorated with), on the upper row of ribbons, starting nearest his lapel: Verdienstorden der Bundesrepublik Deutschland 1. Klasse (Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany, 1st. Class), Verdienstorden der Bundesrepublik Deutschland, Ehrenkreuz der Bundeswehr (Honor Cross of the Bundeswehr), and the Deutsches Sportabzeichen (German Sports Badge). The next row consists of: Rettungsschwimmabzeichen (Lifeguard Badge), Commandeur de la Légion d'Honneur (Commander's Cross of the Legion of Honor [French award]), Meritorious Service Medal [U.S. award], and the Grand Cruz, Orden del Mérito Militar con Distintivo Blanco (Grand Cross of Military Merit with White Decoration [Spanish award]). The single award on the third row is the Knight Commander of the Order of the British Empire (KBE; [British award]).

Primary Source:

Klaus Naumann (General). (2021, August 23). Wikipedia. Retrieved January 9, 2022, from https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Klaus_Naumann_(General)

Aimo Allan Koivunen: The Soldier Who Overdosed in Combat

     Thanks to the Facebook algorithm, a story floated through my feed about one Aimo Allan Koivunen, a Finnish soldier who supposedly went on a drug fueled escapade across the Finnish landscape, pursued by Soviet soldiers in March 1944. Having seen such news stories be wrong before, I decided to take a deeper dive and see if there was, in fact, any truth to the wild adventure of Aimo Koivunen. Turns out, it was true!

     Aimo was born on October 17, 1917 in the Finnish town of Alastaro. His father was Frans Vihtori Koivunen and his mother Aune Sofia Koivunen. He had at least two sisters (Eila Ilona Aalto and Marjatta Koivunen) and two brothers (Tapani Vihtori Koivunen and Väinö Armas Koivunen). After his baptism in October 24, 1917, his godparents were Frans and Olga Heikkilä, a farming family. At some point in time, Aimo married Elsa Esteri. At least in the sources I have available, little is said about his early life prior to entering military service. 

     When the Winter War against the Soviets started in November 30, 1939, Aimo was already in the military, being assigned to the third battalion of Jalkaväkirykmentti 13 (III/JR 13; Infantry Regiment 13). This battalion was made up of Finnish Home Guard men from the Salon Suojeluskuntapiiri Sammatissa (Salo Conservation District in Sammat). Aimo served with the unit until May 27, 1940 (the actual combat ceased on March 13, 1940). With the prospect of war with the Soviets again on the horizon, Aimo was transferred to the sixth battalion of Jalkaväkirykmentti 35 (6./JR 35) on June 17, 1941. The Continuation War commenced on June 25, 1941 and Aimo went to battle with the battalion until July 19, 1942. After this date, there is a gap in Aimo's service history when on October 28, 1942, Aimo is listed with the fifth battalion of JR 35 (5./JR 35) until January 9, 1943 when Aimo was reassigned to the headquarters of JR 35 until April 30, 1943. On that date, Aimo was transferred to Osasto Paatsalo, Erillinen Pataljoona 4 (Department Paatsalo, Seperate Battalion 4; 4./Er.P 4).

     Er.P 4 was a special unit established on July 1, 1943 to conduct long-range patrols for the purposes of intelligence gathering on Soviet forces. The battalion was broken down into four companies, or departments, which were Osasto Vehniäinen, Kuismanen, Marttina, and Osasto Paatsalo. A fifth department, Osasto Jauri, was set up in May 23, 1944 as a transport flight for the men of the other companies. Each department was responsible for covering assigned sectors within Finland proper. 4./Er.P 4 was responsible for the eastern border of Finland stretching from Kiesting to the Arctic Ocean. Osasto Paatsalo had actually existed prior to the formation of Er.P 4, first commencing patrol activities during the Winter War. Until June 1944, 4./Er.P 4 was commanded by Kapteeni (later Majuri) Harri Paatsalon. His successor was Kapteeniluutnantti Pentti Ahola.

     On March 10, 1944, Aimo was part of a ski patrol led by patrol leader Luutnantti Norri near Kantalahti, Lapland. The overall mission was commanded by Vänrikki (2nd. Lieutenant) Rytkösen. While moving along a road during the evening, the patrol penetrated Soviet lines and a shot was heard followed by an aircraft flying overhead. The patrol thought that they had avoided the Soviets but they soon ran into a Soviet ski patrol that took the Finnish under sub-machine gun fire. Rather than engage the enemy,  Rytkösen ordered his men to withdraw. The Soviets continued to bear down on the retreating Finnish who returned fire which gave the Soviets pause. In the brief respite, Aimo was ordered to deploy mines to slow the enemy advance. Unfortunately, he got no fire support from his men to the point that he enlisted villagers from Välikankaan to keep watch for the Soviets. It was decided that if need be, the patrol would rendezvous at Kaitatunturi then continue on to Koutamotunturi to link up with another Finnish patrol led by Ilmari Honkanen.

     All told, the skirmish with the Soviets that the patrol had run into lasted ten minutes. Still, the Soviet ski troops hadn't given up the chase and although both sides exchanged fire, none of the Finnish troops were hit. As the patrol continued to withdraw, Aimo was able to seed mines along the tracks they had been using and which they expected the Soviets to follow. After several hours, Aimo and the rest of the patrol were exhausted, having been engaged for several hours but fortunately, the Soviets had stopped following them. Aimo, especially, was feeling weak, in part due to having had little to eat. He then remembered that in his tunic pocket, he had the entire patrol's allotment of Pervitin.

     What was Pervitin? It was a methamphetamine. When taken, it resulted in increased energy, reduced the need for sleep, lowered hunger cravings, and instilled a sense of immense, nearly unstoppable, confidence in the imbiber. In Germany, Pervitin was able to be purchased over the counter until 1941 when it became regulated. Soldiers were issued the drug in 3 milligram tablets, tank crews had their own version in “Panzerschokolade” (“Tank Chocolate”) which was Pervitin laced chocolate candy, while the Luftwaffe issued it to air crews to enhance their attention span but also to allow downed airmen to sustain themselves while making their way back to friendly lines. Pervitin was made illegal in 1941 but this failed to stop the flow of the drug and in fact, the German military seemed to turn a blind eye to its use despite the very real problems of addiction, overdose, withdrawal effects, and obfuscation of the senses when it came to military decision making. Like the Germans, the Finnish (as did the U.S.) also issued it to their troops to enable them to push themselves beyond their regular limits.

     Aimo, feeling the effects of exhaustion, took the bottle of Pervitin out of his tunic and attempted to shake a pill out of it to consume. Try as he might, the pills stuck together and would not come out. Aimo shook the bottle and the entire supply of pills, thirty in all, fell out into his gloved hand in a clump. Out of sight of his comrades, he downed all thirty pills at one time. In minutes, the Pervitin took effect and Aimo felt flush with energy but in taking such a massive quantity, Aimo's perception soon began to warp and he felt as if he was going to pass out. His last, unfazed thought was that he had made a terrible mistake.

     Aimo recollected that when he recovered his wits to a degree, he was at the Finnish border, alone. He was unsure if he abandoned his patrol or if his patrol abandoned him given his state. It was March 19 or March 20, 1944. Aimo was in for another shock in that not only did he not have his sub-machine gun, his backpack was totally empty. Thus, he had neither food, water, nor any change of clothing or other supplies that he had originally carried in the pack. Outside of what few items he had in his uniform pockets, Aimo was only armed with a knife. Aimo also still had his wrist compass and made for what he thought was Koutamotunturi. Along the way, he spotted the smoke from campfires in the distance. Believing it to be his comrades, Aimo skied on, using a steep slope to pick up speed. As he closed the distance, to his horror, the campfires were not surrounded by Finnish troops but Soviet ones. Originally starting to brake thinking they were allies, Aimo stopped braking and used his remaining momentum to roar right through the Soviet camp. Startled Soviet soldiers scattered as the Finnish soldier flashed through them. The return fire once the Soviets got over their surprise was ineffective. However, Aimo was not out of the woods when a ski patrol of skilled Soviet partisans picked him up and gave chase. It took everything for Aimo to keep ahead of the partisans, the distance sometimes being only 328 feet between the two opponents. Aimo came to the base of a mountain and as the snow was not as packed, it caused his skis to sink. He struggled to get up the mountain, the partisans getting as close as 65 feet. By the time Aimo crested the mountain, he managed to again put distance between him and his pursuers. By a stroke of luck, a snow storm blew in which reduced visibility to only a few feet. The storm, coupled with the coming of night, saw the partisans abandon the chase.

     Aimo spent the next day skiing to the west before he stopped and set up a campfire, managing a tea from a packet that he had found in his pocket. After the tea, he used his hands to dig out a pit to get into and sleep. Rising in the evening, Aimo continued, scooping up pine cones along the way and putting them in his backpack. With these, he made a soup for sustenance as he carried on with his trek. At one point, he had to fend off a wild wolf with his knife but in the fight, his wrist compass was broken. As Aimo went on, at some point, his backpack was lost. By now, he had been moving for days, driven on by lucid dreams of his comrades. As he traveled, Aimo came upon a small shack and after going inside, he set up a small fire on the floor, using a tin cup he found to warm snow into water. Likely due to his state of mind, Aimo was not at all shocked when the shack started to catch fire. As the fire spread along the wooden floor, Aimo simply shifted further away, trying to sleep. Eventually, the entire shack burned to the ground and Aimo simply carried on, moving to a sauna near the shack, starting a fire there until he was able to sleep. Without his compass, Aimo navigated using the North Star. To add to his discomfort, the fingers on one of his hands were beginning to succumb to frostbite. 

     Aimo found a well-used trail and road that led to a German position. There were dugouts and barbed wire emplacements but while Aimo called out, there was no answer. Unhitching from his skis, Aimo walked into the position and then stepped on a anti-personnel mine with his left foot. The resulting detonation shredded his foot and lower left leg. So as not to freeze, Aimo crawled towards the nearest dugout. With a ski pole in his left hand, he reached the dugout and with his right hand, grabbed a door handle to the entrance into the dugout's covered section. He passed out, the handle having broken off the door. When he awoke, Aimo used his knife to carve wood chips out of the door to make a small fire with and used the tin cup to melt snow to drink. Aimo remained there, in and out of delirium, the only food coming from a jay bird that came within grasping distance. Aimo ate it raw. After seven days, an aircraft flew overhead and Aimo put a scrap of his snowsuit on his ski pole and waved it around. Fortunately for Aimo, the aircraft was Finnish and the pilot noticed him and waggled the plane's wings in acknowledgment before it flew away. In time, a Finnish patrol arrived and evacuated Aimo to a field hospital in Salla. Upon arrival, Aimo's heart-rate was 200 beats per minute which was well over the average 60 to 100 beats per minute and his weight was down to 94 pounds. He also survived temperatures of 20 to 30 below zero. In two weeks, Aimo had skied from Kaitatunturi to the abandoned German position some 30 miles north of Salla for a total distance of 248 miles.

     Aimo survived the war, being discharged on April 1, 1944. He ended the war with the rank of Alikersantti (Corporal). The photograph of Aimo shows him with, most likely, the green with white border collar tabs of the infantry. Because the collar tab is devoid of any stripes, the rank shown in the photograph is that of Sotamies, or Private. If he had his Alikersantti rank at the time of the picture, there would have been a single yellow chevron, running vertically, in the center of each tab. The medals on his right upper tunic pocket are skill badges. The top row consists of a unidentified skill badge while the one nearest the tunic buttons is a grade of  the Ampumamerkit (Shooting Badge) for Kivääri (Rifle). The badge centered on his pocket is the Vartiotehokkuusmerkki (Civil Guard Efficiency Badge).

     Aimo passed away on August 2, 1989 at the age of 71 in Jyväskylä, Finland. He was laid to rest in Pylkönmäki.

Primary Source:

Koivunen, Aimo (1978, April 14) Pervitiini-Partio, Kansa Taisteli, 126-132.

 

Oberfeldwebel: Panzertruppen Funkmeister

(Author's Collection)

     Leaning out of the open loader's hatch of a Panzerkampfwagen III (PzKpfw III) medium tank is one of the tank's five man crew. What theater of war the tank and crew is in can be hinted to by looking at his feldbluse insignia on the lapels. Troops within the Deutsches Afrikakorps (DAK; German Africa Corps), from the rank of Oberst (Major) down to the lowliest Soldat (Private), wore the same litzenspiegel (collar patch) and in the case of panzer troops, the waffenfarbe (corps color) of rosa (Rose-Pink) formed the backing of the litzen. The litzen can barely be seen on the upper lapels of the feldbluse's collar. Below the litzen are the silver metal totenkopf (death's head) that represented the Panzertruppen (armored troops), pinned directly through the material of the feldbluse. Normally, the totenkopf were pinned through the center of the black collar patches piped in rosa waffenfarbe that were worn on the wool panzer uniforms on the Continent. For rank, the crewman is a Oberfeldwebel, equivalent Sergeant Major in the U.S. Army. This can be told by the two metal rank pips on his schulterstücke (shoulder boards) which are also edged in silver or subdued tress.

     As for his position within the tank, a likely one is that of radio operator. That this is probable is because of the trade sleeve badge (ärmelabzeichen) seen on the lower right sleeve of his feldbluse. The badge, consisting of three double-ended lightening bolts in gold threading crossed over each other, signify that he is a Funkmeister (radio operator). However, there is braid encircling the badge which means he earned a higher level of proficiency. A silver braid signified a Funkmeister Wärte II (Radio Operator 2nd. Class) while a gold braid was for a Funkmeister Wärte I (Radio Operator 1st. Class). The badge without a braid was the basic level of skill in radio operation. It is difficult to say what he earned based on the black and white photograph.

     As for the tank itself, given we see so little of it, it is difficult to determine what model of PzKpfw III the tank is but within the DAK panzer forces, the Ausf E, G, H, and Ausf J models predominated. As to the unit, only two main armored forces were encompassed within the DAK and that was the 15. Panzerdivision and the 21. Panzerdivision.

Primary Sources:

Davis, Brian L. Badges & Insignia of the Third Reich 1933-1945 (London: Arms and Armour Press, 1994)

Spielberger, Walter J. Panzer III & Its Variants (Atglen: Schiffer Publishing Ltd., 1993)

Staff Sergeant James A. Baptiste: F Company, 365th. Engineer Battalion

      A studio portrait of Staff Sergeant James A. Baptiste, taken on March 3, 1947. Baptiste served with F Company, 365th. Engineer Battalion, which was a Negro unit. The 365th. Engineer Battalion was deployed to the European Theater and according to Department of the Army Pamphlet (DA PAM) 672-1 Unit Citation and Campaign Participation Credit Register dated July 6, 1961, it participated in the Normandy, Northern France, Central Europe, and Rhineland campaigns. The unit also received, according to the pamphlet, occupation credit for serving in occupational duty in Germany from May 2, 1945 to September 4, 1945.

     Given the date of the photograph, Baptiste survived the war. He was from Algiers, a section of New Orleans, Louisiana. Designated as the 15th. Ward (out of 17 wards that make up New Orleans), Algiers is the only Orleans Parish community that sits west of the Mississippi River. It is also the second oldest portion of New Orleans. His residence was listed as 1114 Whitney Avenue though today, assuming Google Maps is accurate, that location is shown as the intersection of Whitney Avenue and Newton Street. Still, if his residence was in that general location, it is no longer standing, having made way for small businesses on each corner of the intersection.

     For a uniform, Baptiste is wearing the summer cotton khaki uniform shirt and would have had matching khaki trousers. The color of the uniform was designated as “Khaki Shade No.1”. Had he been wearing the necktie, the end of it was often tucked between the second and third button. Interestingly, Baptiste has retained his enlisted soldier's visor cap which ceased being issued to enlisted soldiers by the close of 1941 and so this suggests Baptiste enlisted prior to that date or he privately purchased the cap as it remained a very popular item for enlisted men. Of note is that Baptiste apparently removed the stiffening within the cap, giving it a “crushed” look. This made the cap look more field used rather than something picture perfect for garrison wear and thus conveyed that the wearer was an experienced veteran of which Baptiste, given his service, was.

     Another bit of history is that it is very likely Baptiste and the men of the 365th. Engineer Battalion trained at Camp Forrest which was located in Tullahoma, Tennessee. This was the largest U.S. Army training base during World War Two and served as training grounds for infantry, artillery, engineers, signals/communications, and cooks. The base ceased to be in 1946, having been declared surplus. What could not be sold off and carried away was removed and left only concrete foundations, chimneys, and roads. In 1951, the property became the home of what is today the Arnold Engineering Development Complex (AEDC).

Ruth B. Loving: Volunteer Nurse’s Aide Corps

     The Office of Civilian Defense tasked the American Red Cross with initiating a training program through which to graduate women as nurse's aides. The reason for this was to take some of the non-medical burden off nurses so that they could put more of their attention towards their patients medical needs. Any woman, aged 18 to 50, could volunteer for the program and had to pledge to serve no less then 150 volunteer hours. A massive campaign was launched to recruit volunteers for what was now called the Volunteer Nurse’s Aide Corps and those efforts paid off. By the close of the war in 1945, some 110,170 volunteers went through the 80 hour training course program, graduated, and served around the U.S. in some 2,500 military and civilian hospitals. The Volunteer Nurse’s Aide Corps was administered by the Volunteer Special Services and the Volunteer Nurse’s Aide Corps volunteers contributed a total of 42 million volunteer hours during World War Two.

     The photograph is that of Ruth B. Loving at her Volunteer Nurse’s Aide Corps course graduation in 1941. The uniform she is wearing was the standard for the Volunteer Nurse’s Aide Corps and consisted of a pale blue smock over a white, short-sleeved dress, a white and pale blue cap, white nylon stockings, and white lace-up leather shoes. The insignia for the Volunteer Nurse’s Aide Corps consisted of a dark blue circle upon which was a white triangle with a red cross inside the triangle. This was worn as a left sleeve patch as well as smaller patch sewn to the front of the nurse's cap. The pin seen between the dress' collars was gold edged with a white center. Around the gold portion, it read “American Red Cross Volunteer” while centered in the middle of the white center was a red cross. The entire pin was enameled. Upon graduating, the new nurse's aides received their cap, pin, and patches during the ceremony. Loving became a senior aide during her time in the Volunteer Nurse’s Aide Corps. As a note, one can see that the sleeve patch is pinned on as she was just issued it during the graduation.

     Loving was active in serving and following her entering into the Volunteer Nurse’s Aide Corps, she was part of the Massachusetts Women's Defense Corps (MWDC) which was authorized on May 1941 by Governor Leverett Saltonstall. The MWDC was overseen by the Massachusetts Committee on Public Safety and the organization supported the Massachusetts State Guard, the U.S. Army, Massachusetts state agencies as needed, and local organizations. The MWDC assisted in five critical areas which were air raid protection/air warden services, communications, food services, medical services, and transportation. Where possible, MWDC women were used to fill roles which could allow military men to be called to active duty for the war. In December 1944, the MWDC became the Massachusetts Women's Corps (MWC) but in September 1946, the MWC was inactivated. Loving enlisted on August 13, 1943. She was one of four African-Americans who served in the MWDC and unlike the U.S. Army's Women's Army Corps (WAC) which was segregated, the MWDC was integrated. Loving primarily worked in food services but also received training as a radio operator.

     As for the Volunteer Nurse’s Aide Corps, following the end of World War Two, its continued existence was seen by some as no longer necessary. However, the Red Cross pushed to maintain the program, in a much smaller scale, primarily to supply aides to under-served medical facilities. While it no longer exists as the Volunteer Nurse’s Aide Corps, the program went on to graduate new aides who would later volunteer during the Korean War, Vietnam War, and later conflicts. Today, the Red Cross offers Certified Nurse Assistant (CNA) training and certification, continuing the tradition started by the Volunteer Nurse’s Aide Corps.

Gefreiter: Sibirisches Kosaken-Reiter-Regiment 2

      A Gefreiter of the Sibirisches Kosaken-Reiter-Regiment 2 (2nd. Siberian Cossack Regiment). Identification of this unit is made simple by the sleeve shield which consists of the Cyrillic letters for PSV in yellow with yellow upper and lower segments of the shield design with blue being the left and right segments. His rank is evidenced by the single silver tress stripe on each of his shoulderboards, as authorized for all Cossack units beginning May 29, 1943. The rank of gefreiter was the equivalent to a British lance corporal. 

     For decorations, he is wearing two Tapferkeitsauszeichnung für Angehörige der Ostvölker (Valor Award for the Eastern Peoples; shorted to Ostvolkmedaille [Eastern Peoples’ Medal]) of which both appear to be the Ostvolkmedaille 2nd. Class in Bronze (what appear to be stripes on one are more likely wrinkles in the ribbon material). The other is the Kriegsverdienstkreuz 2. Klasse mit Schwertern (War Merit Cross with Swords 2nd. Class). Although this ribbon could be worn through the button hole like the Iron Cross ribbon, it is said that veteran German soldiers held the War Merit Cross with Swords 2nd. Class in low regard, calling any soldier who elected to wear the ribbon as “soldaten im Eisenkreuz ausbildung” (“Soldiers in Iron Cross training.”). If the Iron Cross ribbon was worn with the War Merit Cross ribbon, the former took precedence and would be worn over the latter.

SS-Oberscharführer Oscar Bang: Freiwilligen-Legion Norwegen

     A rather interesting photograph depicting a kriegsberichter (war correspondent) belonging to the Freiwilligen-Legion Norwegen. This Waffen-SS unit was raised in occupied Norway and was made up of Norwegian volunteers under the promise that the personnel would be led by Norwegian officers, the unit would continue to wear Norwegian military uniforms, and that the language within the unit would remain Norwegian. In addition, it was promised that the unit would only see action in Finland. All told, some 1,900 men volunteered and by June 29, 1941, Den Norske Legion (as the unit was called in Norwegian) was formed.

     In short order, two of the promises were completely ignored. The men wore standard German Waffen-SS uniforms and insignia, including unit specific insignia, rather than Norwegian military uniforms. This included the unit cuff title (called Ärmelstreifen) which read "Frw. Leg. Norwegen", special collar tabs featuring a heraldic lion, and those who belonged to the Norwegian NSDAP (Nasjonal Samling) wore a special sleeve patch. For the majority, the regular German Waffen-SS sigrunen (SS runes) tabs were used on the collars rather than the lion tabs. The second broken promise occurred when the Freiwilligen-Legion Norwegen was sent to the Rückwärtiges Heeresgebiet Nord (Army Group North Rear Area) in February 1942. This area of operations was to the rear of Heeresgruppe Nord (Army Group North). The main task of units in Rückwärtiges Heeresgebiet Nord was security and often, anti-partisan operations. The reason for not sending the unit to Finland was due to the Germans not wanting to give the Norwegians any validation of their territorial claims to the Kola and Petsano peninsulas (in Russia and Finland respectively). Freiwilligen-Legion Norwegen was posted to Krasnoye Selo, a town outside of St. Petersburg, Russia. The unit was subordinate to the 2nd. SS Infantry Division (mot.), the division having Dutch, Flemish, and Latvian units underneath it in addition to the Norwegians. The 2nd. SS Infantry Division took part in mass executions as well as the rounding up and deportation of any Russian Jews they found from 1941 through 1942 though it is unknown if Freiwilligen-Legion Norwegen was involved in any of these operations or took part in the atrocities. Later, the unit would be strengthened with the addition of a police company (Den Norske Legions Politikompani). By March 1943, the Freiwilligen-Legion Norwegen ceased to be, the unit being disbanded. This was because the 2nd. SS Infantry Division (mot.), which was very heavy with Latvian units, became the 2nd. SS Latvian Brigade and thus the Norwegians, along with the Dutch and Flemish, all had their respective units withdrawn and disbanded. All told, Freiwilligen-Legion Norwegen lost 180 to 190 men killed in action though there were some desertions and a handful of men were taken prisoner by Soviet forces. Following the disbandment of Freiwilligen-Legion Norwegen, those men who desired to continue their service in the Waffen-SS were transferred to SS-Panzergrenadier-Regiment 23 which was part of 11. SS-Freiwilligen Panzergrenadier-Division "Nordland".

     Freiwilligen-Legion Norwegen had its own Propagandakompanie (PK; Propaganda Company) that was led by one SS-Unterscharführer Breien. Under him were 15 men, including photographer SS-Rottenführer Ulf Tur, artist/illustrator SS-Sturmmann Finn Wigforss, and one SS-Sturmmann Holmung who served as the driver for the PK's vehicle(s). The man in the photograph is SS-Oberscharführer Oscar Bang. What we can tell about him is that he was attending the SS-Junkerschule Bad Tölz at the time this picture was taken. This can be told by the upper most cuff title on his left sleeve which reads “SS-Schule Tölz“. The school, one of several, was located in the town of Bad Tölz which was some 30 miles outside of Munich. Given this, Bang's rank at the time of the photograph is that of SS-Standartenjunker, or officer candidate. The various SS-Junkerschule taught military planning, logistics, small unit tactics, combat engineering, weapons training, and more but also the curriculum included political ideology and indoctrination. The SS-Standartenjunker could expect to be at the school for up to 19 months and if he successfully graduated, he was commissioned as a SS-Untersturmführer (equivalent to a U.S. Army 2nd. Lieutenant). Given he has the school's cuff title on his sleeve, it meant that Bang was not at the front with his unit but instead, was billeted at the school. Once he graduated, the school's cuff title would be removed from his uniform. The cuff title below it reads “SS-Kriegsberichter” and this identifies his position within the Freiwilligen-Legion Norwegen and that he is part of the unit's Propagandakompanie. Finally, the third cuff title is that of the unit, "Frw. Leg. Norwegen". However, Bang is wearing the last two in the incorrect order of precedence. The unit cuff title is superior to his position and so the “SS-Kriegsberichter” cuff title should be below the "Frw. Leg. Norwegen" cuff title. That the “SS-Schule Tölz“ cuff title is above the other two is because the school takes precedence over his position as well as his unit for the time he remains at SS-Junkerschule Bad Tölz.

     As a side note, the camera Bang is using appears to be a Leica III manual rangerfinder camera which was introduced in 1933 and built in various models all the way through 1960. The viewfinder was designed for a 50mm lens (which appears to be fitted) and shot 35mm film.

Natalia Fedorovna Bode: Haunted by the War

     Soviet photojournalist Natalia Fedorovna Bode poses beside a T-28 medium tank. Born December 30, 1914 in Kiev, Bode began her journalistic career in 1934 with the коммунист (Communist) and by 1938, she was working as a columnist for the Ukrainian bureau of the Russian News Agency TASS. 

     When war broke out, Bode would lose her husband Boris Kozyuk (also a photographer) and so she volunteered to cover the combat with the newspaper Krasnaya Armia (Red Army) and she would spend the remainder of the war covering actions on the Central and Southwest Front as well as the First Belarussian Front. A skilled photographer, Bode was not above taking risks to obtain compelling imagery. Her photographs were published in numerous other Russian newspapers and press outlets and they would also see worldwide publication as well. For her dedication, acclaimed work, and service, Bode was given the rank of First Lieutenant and she earned the Order of the Red Star, Order of the Patriotic War, Medal of Courage, and the Medal for the Defense of Stalingrad. 

     Bode would remarry to Yevgeny Dolmatovsky, a poet who worked for Pravda to whom she’d met during the war. Bode would continue her photojournalistic career with the Ukrainian newspaper Radyansʹka Kulʹtura (Soviet Culture). She died on July 2, 1996 and upon her death, it was discovered she’d hidden away much of her wartime photographs, most unpublished, as Bode wished not to remind herself of the war and all that came with it.

SS-Obersturmführer Roberts Ancāns: 19. Waffen-Grenadier-Division der SS (Lettische Nr. 2)

     Roberts Ancāns was born on November 11, 1919 in the Latvian town of Tiļžys (Tilza). He attended the Bruoļu Skryndu primary school in the town of Aglyunys. He continued his education, having moved to Kuorsova, finally completing his pre-university schooling in 1938. That same year, he entered the Latvejis Universitates Saimesteibys (Lativan University of Applied Sciences) where he sought to earn a degree in law. While at university, he joined the “Lacuania” student fraternity. War, however, was on the horizon and Ancāns voluntarily enlisted in the Sauszemes Spēki (Latvian Land Forces) in the fall of 1939. Unfortunately for Latvia, the Molotov–Ribbentrop Pact contained a secret protocol which literally handed Latvia to the Soviet Union and on August 5, 1940, Latvia became the Latvijas Padomju Sociālistiskā Republika (Latvian Soviet Socialist Republic). There was little fighting as the Latvian military was outnumbered, outgunned, and could expect no support against the Soviet juggernaut. This, however, changed when Operation Barbarossa kicked off on June 22, 1941 and the Germans poured across the Soviet borders which included Latvia. The arrival of German forces saw Latvians rise up against the Soviets, creating numerous skirmishes which aided the Germans in pushing the Soviets out. Following this, the Germans disarmed these paramilitary forces.

     Ancāns, and many other Latvians, volunteered to enlist in the Schutzmannschaften (auxiliary police units) which the Germans organized commencing in July 1941. In all, the Germans raised 47 Latvian Schutzmannschaft-Bataillonen (auxiliary police battalions). Initially put in charge of these units was Voldemārs Veiss who held the rank of Standartenführer (equivalent to a full Colonel). By September 1941, the 16.Zemgales Policejas Bataljona (16th. Zemgales Police Battalion) was formed as a combat unit rather than a rear-area policing force and in October 1940, Ancāns transferred into this unit. At this time, what combat Ancāns saw isn't well known but it is said he was within the Kholm Pocket in which a hodge-podge of German units fended off Soviet attacks from January 23, 1942 to May 5, 1942. 62 miles to the southwest, the Demyansk Pocket existed at the same time as the Kholm Pocket, lasting from February 8, 1942 to May 20, 1942. Ancāns is reported to have been decorated with the Demjanskschild (Demyansk Shield) and if this is accurate, then his presence within the Kholm Pocket would not be correct. Regardless of where Ancāns was, by this time, he held the rank of lieutenant and had been wounded during the combat which took place. Successfully evacuated and given time to convalesce, Ancāns would, by February 1943, join the newly formed 15. Waffen-Grenadier-Division der SS (Lettische Nr. 1) (15th. Waffen Grenadier Division of the SS (1st. Latvian)) which was part of the Latviešu Leģions (Latvian Legion). By now, the Germans had begun conscription within Latvia though there were still some volunteers that came into the recruiting stations for the unit's three regiments: Waffen-Grenadier-Regiment der SS 32 (located in Paplaka, Latvia), Waffen-Grenadier-Regiment der SS 33 (in Vainode), and Waffen-Grenadier-Regiment der SS 34 (in Cēsis). The division went into action on November 1943 but after fighting in the Leningrad districts of Ostrov, Novosokolniki and Novgorod Oblast, the unit had been ground down. What was left of the division retreated all the way back to Berlin, surrendering to U.S. forces between April 27, 1945 and May 2, 1945.

     Ancāns, however, had transferred to the 19. Waffen-Grenadier-Division der SS (Lettische Nr. 2) which was created in January 1944, mainly from the Latvian troops that had been under the 2nd. SS Infantry Brigade. The unit was initially commanded by SS-Oberführer Hinrich Schuldt. Specifically, Ancāns was a SS-Untersturmführer (equivalent to a 2nd. Lieutenant) in Waffen-Feldersatz-Bataillon 19. The unit became trapped within the Courland Pocket and on December 24, 1944, Ancāns led 180 men from his battalion along with the 8./SS-Artillerie Regiment 19 to hold a vital position against Soviet attacks. This position, known as Rumbas Farm, was the meeting point between the 19. Waffen-Grenadier-Division der SS and the 21.Luftwaffen-Feld-Divisionen. The kampfgruppe repulsed four Soviet attacks which was supported by tanks, artillery, and close air support. A total of six tanks were knocked out by soldiers of which Ancāns claimed one of the destroyed tanks while the German artillery claimed three more tanks. In all, the Germans held the farm and 200 Soviet soldiers lay dead in the fields. This action earned Ancāns the Eisernes Kreuz 1. Klasse (Iron Cross 1st. Class) on December 27, 1944 and he was recommended by his superiors for the Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes (Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross) which was approved and awarded to him on January 25, 1945. Ancāns was severely wounded and was one of the lucky soldiers that were evacuated out of the Courland Pocket before the German forces which remained surrendered to the Soviets on May 10, 1945. By now, Ancāns held the rank of SS-Obersturmführer (equivalent to a 1st. Lieutenant).

     The photograph of Ancāns is from his soldbuch (pay book) as evidenced by the ink stamp marks in the upper left and lower right corners. The Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes is around his throat, the Eisernes Kreuz 1. Klasse is on the left pocket while the ribbon for the Eisernes Kreuz 2. Klasse is seen through his feldbluse's button hole. Underneath it is the ribbon for the Ostmedaille (East Front Medal). Just visible on his right sleeve is his Panzervernichtungsabzeichen (Tank Destruction Badge). Situated above the left pocket is the Nahkampfspange in Silber (Close Combat Clasp in Silver) while the remaining medals under the Iron Cross is the Infanterie-Sturmabzeichen in Silber (Infantry Assault Badge) and the Verwundetenabzeichen 1. Klasse (Wound Badge in Gold) as Ancāns had been wounded on six different occasions. Of interest is the Latvian badge seen on the right pocket of his feldbluse. This badge denoted that he graduated from the Latvian Platoon Commander's Course. It consisted of a sword and wreath with a “K“ on either side of the sword. A hand with two fingers outstretched is below the sword, the fingers touching the sword hilt. Across the top is the motto, in Latvian, “Tēvzemei un Brīvībai“ which means “For Fatherland and Freedom“ in English.

     Ancāns survived the war and resided in Augsburg, West Germany. During this time, he served as an administrator for the International Refugee Organization. Ancāns immigrated to the United States in 1955, taking up residence in the state of New York where he worked as a contractor for the Otis Elevator Company. On January 1, 1982, Ancāns died in Tannersville, New York at the age of 62.

Matrose: Marine-Artillerie-Einheiten

     The Kriegsmarine maintained shore-based forces and coastal artillery (Marine-Artillerie-Einheiten) was one of those components. Typically, these artillery units were positioned at vital ports and harbors but could be redeployed to defend any coastal region from attack. 

     The soldier shown here holds the rank of Matrose (Seaman), the lowest rank in the Kriegsmarine. The shoulder boards have the coastal artillery cypher in gold colored threading which is that of an anchor over which is a stylized winged artillery shell. The collar litzen was identical to that used by the Heer (Army) except that the litzen was gold in color with a white center stripe. Likewise, the eagle insignia over the right breast pocket was similar to the Heer but was gold in color as well and used a dark green backing. The feldbluse was also similar to the Heer M1936 but the differences included the lack of the M1936's distinctive dark blue-green collar and the use of internal skirt pockets rather than patch pockets. Speaking of buttons, they were gold in hue and featured an anchor motif on them. The belt buckle was also much the same as the Heer, to include the motto "Gott mit Uns" ("God with Us"), but had a gold hue finish. His cap, called a schiffchen ("Little Boat"), was similar to the Heer feldmutze but used gold in the national roundel and the inverted chevron (called a soustache) was gold in color rather than the Heer's practice of using a soldier's corps color (waffenfarbe). 
 

Private: Army Service Forces

     A studio portrait of an enlisted man with the rank of private following his graduation from basic training at Fort Monmouth in 1943. Fort Monmouth, once located in Monmouth County, New Jersey, was home to the U.S. Army's Eastern Signal Corps Training Center. The center contained the Eastern Signal Corps Schools for enlisted, officer candidate, and officer personnel as well as the Replacement Training Center. The latter was housed in Camp Charles Wood which, along with Camp Coles and Camp Evans, were encompassed within Fort Monmouth's boundaries. The officer candidate Signal Corps school was the “bread and butter” of the facility, graduating a little over 21,000 men as newly commissioned second lieutenants between 1941 and 1946. Also housed at Fort Monmouth during World War Two was the U.S. Army's Film Training Lab.

     The private excelled at marksmanship during his training as evidenced by the Marksmanship Qualification Badge worn on the left coat pocket. He achieved the lowest grade, that of Marksman, as evidenced by the plain award. Beneath it are three clasps, denoting what he earned the badge in. The top clasp is Rifle, the clasp below it is Machine Gun, and the third clasp is Carbine. To receive the clasps in each weapon class, he had to meet a specific number of target hits at various ranges and in different positions. Other common wartime clasps included Pistol, Bayonet, Grenade, BAR (Browning Automatic Rifle), and Submachine Gun among others. As a note, the next highest grade of the badge was Sharpshooter which included a round target on the badge while the highest grade was Expert and that badge consisted of a Sharpshooter Badge encompassed by laurels. The patch on his shoulder is that of the Army Service Forces and a part of that organization included the six technical services of the Army: Corps of Engineers, Ordnance Department, Quartermaster Corps, Chemical Corps, Medical Corps, and the Signal Corps. The private is a part of the Signal Corps as evidenced by the branch insignia of the Signal Corps on the coat's lapels. The insignia is that of two key components of a wigwag kit that consisted of two wigwag flags and a torch (the rest of the kit contained kerosene for the torch and a signal flare). Wigwag, more properly known as aerial telegraphy, was a method of flag signaling developed by U.S. Army surgeon Albert J. Myer who would become the very first commanding officer of the Signal Corps which was established on June 21, 1860. Thus, the significance of using the flags and torch as the branch insignia.

     As for Fort Monmouth, following World War Two, the Pigeon Breeding and Training Center was added to the campus though it was closed in 1957. The Signal Corps itself left Fort Monmouth in the 1970s, making its new home at Fort Gordon, Georgia. What remained was the Communications-Electronics Command Life Cycle Management Command (CECOM LCMC), the 754th. Explosive Ordnance Disposal Unit, Joint Interoperability Test Command, United States Military Academy Preparatory School (USMAPS), and the Patterson Army Health Clinic. Unfortunately, Fort Monmouth fell to the ax of the Base Realignment and Closure (BRAC) process and after all of the entities on the fort were relocated, Fort Monmouth was officially closed on September 15, 2011. Given the length of time the BRAC process took, then New Jersey Governor Jon Corzine signed the Fort Monmouth Economic Revitalization Act on April 28, 2006 that established the Fort Monmouth Revitalization Planning Authority in order to guide the redevelopment of Fort Monmouth and the land it sits on following its closure.

Unteroffizieranwärter: Heer Nachrichtenpersonal

     A studio portrait of an Unteroffizieranwärter. An Unteroffizieranwärter (Non-Commissioned Officer Candidate) was a soldier who was considered by his superiors to be a candidate for attending Unteroffizierschule (NCO School). His rank (for the moment) is Gefreiter which was equivalent to a Lance Corporal and this is shown by the “V” shaped silver tress on a triangular wool backing. His status as a NCO school candidate is denoted by the single loop of silver tress on his schulterklappen (shoulderboards). Of interest is his Nachrichtenpersonal (Signals Operator) proficiency badge. This proficiency badge was given to those soldiers who excelled in the tasks required to operate signals equipment but more importantly, how to service, maintain, and repair communication equipment. The color of the “blitz” (lightning bolt) followed the same regulation as the Waffenfarbe (corps colors) and so in this case, it would appear that the Unteroffizieranwärter is infantry and so the “blitz” would be white. Had he been, for example, artillery, then the “blitz” would have been red (the corps color of artillery). As a note, the soustache (the inverted chevron) on his feldmütze (field service cap) would also match the corps color. So, as another example, had this Unteroffizieranwärter been with a Kraftfahrparktruppen (vehicle troop), the piping on the shoulderboards, the soustache, and the “blitz” would all be blue.

     The Litzenspiegel (more often called Litzen; collar patches), prior to 1938, would have matched the Waffenfarbe. However, it was seen that logistically, creating collar patches in all of the Waffenfarbe colors was simply impractical and would have burdened unit tailors with having to sew on new litzen if a unit changed missions (for example, transitioning from a cavalry unit to an infantry unit) or soldiers from other units transferred in. So, after 1938, a universal litzen was introduced with silver-gray threading on a green backing. By 1940, this was changed to a feldgrau (field gray) to more match the uniform but it was never popular and troops, when they could, would wear the green backed litzen and those troops who had the pre-1938 litzen with the Waffenfarbe colors continued to wear them as a sign of pride.

Heisōchō Takeo Tanimizu: A Compassionate Warrior

(Author's Collection)

     Imperial Japanese Navy Warrant Officer Takeo Tanimizu poses beside his Mitsubishi A6M5c Model 52 Reisen fighter, tail code 03-09 (c/n 32374). At the time this photograph was taken, Tanimizu was assigned to the 303 Hikótai, 203 Kókūtai which was based at Kagoshima. The photograph was likely taken sometime in June, 1945. All told, Tanimizu was credited with between 18 to 32 kills, making him an ace. It was rare that Japanese fighters carried kill markings (as kill scores weren’t officially kept) but Tanimizu chose to put them on his aircraft as a way to boost morale among the many inexperienced pilots that predominated the ranks by 1945. 

     Tanimizu, during and long after World War Two, felt regret and sadness for the lives he took in combat. He did his duty nonetheless. After the war, he erected a small Buddhist shrine in his residence and every night, would offer prayers to those men whose lives he had cut short. Tanimizu, even during combat, was honorable and felt compassion for his opponents. In one example, his unit sparred with U.S. Marine fighters. The Japanese fliers won the contest and Tanimizu spotted a downed American pilot swimming in the ocean. Tanimizu struggled out of his life preserver (as worn by pilots operating over ocean), came down at low altitude, opened his canopy, and threw the life preserver to the pilot whose name was Captain Harvey Carter (who survived the war). On August 31, 1944, eleven B-24 bombers belonging to the 14th. USAAF which were operating out of Liuzhou, China were intercepted by Tanimizu and his comrades who sought to stop the bombers from attacking the Imperial Japanese Navy airfield in Takao. In the combat, Tanimizu was credited with downing one B-24 and severely damaging another. 

     Unbeknownst to Tanimizu, the crippled B-24 made it back to China but crashed into Maoer Mountain in Guangxi Province. Forward to 1996, the remains of the lost B-24 were discovered by farmers looking for medicinal herbs. Tanimizu learned of the find and knew he was the one responsible for the deaths of the crew. When asked about the discovery, he wished that the crew had found happiness in the afterlife. Tanimizu’s Reisen survived the war but was collected, along with other military aircraft, in Nagasaki and reduced to scrap in November 1945. Tanimizu himself passed on to the great beyond on March 12, 2008 at the age of 88.

Kanonier Karl-Heinz Rosch: Doing Good in Evil Times

     Karl-Heinz Rosch, one of many young men in the German Wehrmacht in the final two years of the war, did not survive the conflict. However, he became known as the “Hero with No Glory” for a selfless act on his part that led to the creation and erection of one of two known monuments dedicated to a specifically named World War Two German soldier...a measure to give him the glory some felt he deserved.

     Rosch was born on October 3, 1926 in the German town of Meißen and little is known of his early childhood. His military career began when he was conscripted into service at the age of 17 in July 1944. Rosch soon found himself assigned to the elite Fallschirm-Panzer-Division 1. “Hermann Göring”. This unit, whose lineage went back to its formation by Hermann Göring in 1933 as a police battalion, became a Luftwaffe unit in September 1935 under the designation Regiment General Göring. At the time of Rosch's appointment, the division was commanded by Generalmajor Wilhelm Schmalz. Specifically, Rosch was assigned to the 14. Batterie (14th. Battery) of Fallschirm-Ersatz- und. Ausbildungs-Regiment “Hermann Göring” (Parachute Replacement and Training Regiment “Hermann Göring” under the command of Oberst Fritz Fullriede. The purpose of the regiment was to take in new recruits and transfers, provide them with training, then push them into the parent unit (in this case, Fallschirm-Panzer-Div 1 HG) as replacements for casualties. Rosch, by October 1944, had the rank of Kanonier (Private in an artillery unit) and was assigned to the Muni-Staffel (Munitions Staffel, literally “ammunition squadron”) of 14. Batterie. His immediate commander was Oberwachtmeister Heinz Wustmann. Also by this time, the process of turning the division into a full Panzerkorps had gotten underway, ordered on October 1, 1944 with the first step being the formation of Fallschirm-Panzergrenadier Division 2 "Hermann Göring”. This brought a large influx of men into the training regiment (drawn from superfluous Luftwaffe personnel and draftees leeched from the German Heer (Army).

     Fallschirm-Ersatz- und. Ausbildungs-Regiment “Hermann Göring” was based in Utrecht in the Netherlands and by the beginning of October 1944, elements of Rosch's battery was situated in the town of Goirle, some 54 miles south of Utrecht. Specifically, Rosch and his fellow soldiers were based at a farm owned by the Kilsdonk family. Rosch celebrated his eighteenth birthday at the farm on October 3, 1944. Three days later, on October 6, Rosch was inside the farmhouse having a cup of coffee with the matriarch of the Kilsdonk family when the whistle of incoming mortar rounds from a British unit started to impact near the farm. Rosch, along with his fellow soldiers, picked up their arms and made for their positions to ride out the bombardment and prepare to repulse the expected attack once the shelling stopped. Rosch, from his position, noticed that the two children (aged 4 and 5) belonging to the Kilsdonk family, Jan and Toos, were in the yard and seemed to be oblivious to the incoming fire that was creeping towards the farmhouse. Rosch dropped his weapon and ran towards the two children, picking them both up, one under each arm, and took them to the relative safety of the farmhouse's basement. Rosch sprinted back towards his comrades when a mortar round directly struck Rosch near the very location where the children had been. The detonation of the round blew Rosch apart. When the bombardment ceased, there was no follow-up assault on the unit's position and so Rosch's fellow soldiers were able to assemble Rosch's various body parts that had been strewn across the yard by the blast and buried him on the farm's grounds in a field grave.

     Rosch's selfless sacrifice was a closely guarded Kilsdonk family secret. The German occupation of the Netherlands, which worsened starting in June of 1941, saw the people of the Netherlands endure starvation, deplorable living conditions, mass deportations, and war crimes to the point that by the final surrender of German forces on May 5, 1945, the country was in relative ruin. Not surprisingly, the hatred of the Germans was high and for the Kilsdonk family to praise a German soldier for saving the lives of their children was simply inviting ridicule and shame. In fact, Rosch's parents and relations did not know the truth behind their son's death, even after Rosch's father was able to visit the farm following the fall of East Germany in 1989. But, in 2004, that changed.

     The two children, Jan and Toos, finally informed the world of what happened to them on that October day in 1944 and who they had to thank for their lives. Rosch's sacrifice was made known to the Rosch family and Rosch's body was exhumed and re-interned at the Deutsche Kriegsgräberstätte Ysselsteyn (German War Cemetery Ysselsteyn) located 1.2 miles outside of Ysselsteyn, Germany. Jan and Toos wanted to erect a monument to Rosch but despite some 60 years having passed since World War Two, the opposition to it was great. Nevertheless, through the efforts of former Goirle city councilman Herman Van Rouwendaal, enough private funds were raised to have sculptor Riet van der Louw create the bronze statue that depicts a German soldier with two children under his arms. The monument was unveiled in 2008 but because the city would not allow it to be put on public property, it was erected on  private property, situated in a garden in front of the home of a citizen who had actually met Rosch prior to his death. It is located in the village of Riel (a municipality of Goirle) at the corner of Dorpstraat and Beatrixstraat streets.

     The photograph of Rosch shows him in full Luftwaffe uniform. He looks to be wearing the early M35 Fliegerbluse for enlisted ranks as there does not seem to be any noticeable lower pockets on the Flight Blouse, something introduced on the M40 Fliegerbluse. Despite being introduced prior to the start of World War Two, the M35 continued to see wear well into 1945. He is wearing the black leather Marschstiefel, or Marching Boots, and atop his head is the Luftwaffe Einheitsfliegermütze which was introduced starting in September 1943. Not visible is the single gull pip on his white collartabs that denotes his rank of Kanonier. After June 1943, the Fallschirm-Panzer-Division 1. “Hermann Göring” adopted the standard Luftwaffe waffenfarbe (corps colors) and so Rosch's collartabs should have been red which was the corps color for Artillerie (Artillery). However, the division changed the regulations so often (three times between 1936 and 1943), it was difficult for troops in the field to adopt the new regulations and so it was not uncommon for enlisted men to use the standard HG white collartab regardless of their branch of service. Just visible on his right sleeve is the enlisted cuff title for the division which was a dark blue band with HERMANN GÖRING in white block letters.

Major: Bundesgrenzschutz

     Established on March 16, 1951, the West German Bundesgrenzschutz (BGS; Federal Border Guard) was tasked with protecting the newly created West German borders. When first formed, it was a paramilitary force of 10,000 men responsible for protecting the borders within a 19 mile deep zone from said borders. The BGS was, more or less, light infantry and was organized as battalions made up of companies and platoons within the companies. A notable aspect of the BGS from its inception through to 1976 was the usage of World War Two surplus German equipment and field gear, uniforms patterned on their World War Two progenitors, production of field gear derived from their World War Two equivalents, and the continued (to this day) use of the stahlhelm. One reason for this was due to the BGS falling under the Bundesministerium des Innern (Federal Ministry of the Interior) rather than the Bundesministerium der Verteidigung (Federal Ministry of Defense). The German Bundeswehr (Federal Defense), which was founded on November 12, 1955, was under the Bundesministerium der Verteidigung and there was initial resistance (especially by France) of rearming West Germany. The looming Cold War changed this, resulting in the creation of the Bundeswehr, but there may have been an unstated desire to not have the new German army resemble its World War Two predecessor and because of this, the new German army looked much like U.S. soldiers in terms of uniform styling, field gear, weapons, helmets, and more. Only after a few years did some of the WW2-era uniform items and insignia creep back into the Bundeswehr. When the BGS was founded, it wasn't surprising that the majority of the non-commissioned officers (NCOs) and officers were veterans of World War 2, having served in the Wehrmacht. It should be noted that the wartime Wehrmacht included only the Heer (Army), Kriegsmarine (Navy), and the Luftwaffe (Air Force) and did not include the Allgemeine-SS (General SS) or the Waffen-SS. The influx of veterans is evidenced by the BGS officer in the photograph here.

     The officer holds the rank of Major and this is denoted by the collar Litzenspiegel (collar patches) and the schulterstücke (shoulder boards) on his tunic. The BGS used the same rank insignia as the Ordnungspolizei from World War 2, keeping the same green truppenfarbe (troop color) as the wartime Schutzpolizei (State Protection Police). The dienstrock (literally service shirt) bears a resemblance to the wartime Model 1936 officer's dienstanzug (service uniform) except for the usage of a more traditional lapel. The material coloration is a light green though the collar, in keeping with the tradition of the Model 1936, is a blue-green color. On the left sleeve is the BGS Bundesadler (Federal Eagle). The medal on his left pocket is the Deutsches Sportabzeichen (German Sports Badge). It is the 1957 regulation version of the wartime era DRL (Deutscher Reichsbund für Leibesübungen; German Reich Association for Physical Exercises) version of the badge but with the swastika on the bottom of the medal removed. Had it been earned post-WW2, the scripted letters would have been DSB (Deutscher Sportbund; German Sports Association). In 2007, the letters changed again, this time to DOSB (Deutscher Olympischer Sportbund; German Olympic Sports Federation). Above the left pocket is a ribbon bar consisting of his World War Two decorations. The first two appear to be the Eisernes Kreuz 1. Klasse and Eisernes Kreuz 2. Klasse (Iron Cross 1st. and 2nd. Class). The third may be a Verwundetenabzeichen 2. Klasse (Wound Badge in Silver) but the fourth cannot be determined with any certainty though it is most likely the Ostmedaille (Eastern Medal) for having served on the Eastern Front during the war. The collared shirt was white with a blue-green tie.

     In regards to the helmet, the BGS was issued with wartime produced M35 stahlhelm that had been taken from warehoused stocks. In 1951, production commenced on a small batch of new helmets to replace unserviceable ones with the designation M35/50. These were identical to the wartime helmets in every way with only the serial numbers giving away the newly built helmets. Curiously, most of these new helmets ended up in the hands of local German police forces rather than the BGS for whom they were made for. The second, and final, BGS helmet was the M35/53 and these can be easily told apart from the other M35 styles by the lack of ventilation holes and different liner arrangements. Since this officer's helmet has the ventilation holes, it is either a wartime issue M35 or the M35/50.

     Barely visible beneath his left arm is a pistol holster attached to his leather belt (koppel) which itself was much the same as the wartime two-prong officer's belt. The pistol was likely either a wartime produced 9mm Walther P-38 or the post-war version, the P1. This was the most common pistol in the BGS until 1975 when it was replaced by the P4 which itself was a further development of the P-38.

Lieutenant Richard E. Smith: 39th. Fighter Squadron

     Lieutenant Richard E. Smith stands next to his Lockheed P-38H “Japanese Sandman II” (serial number 42-66905). Smith’s previous aircraft, a P-38F, had been written off and so he carried over the name to his new mount. Smith was with the 39th. Fighter Squadron, 35th. Fighter Group, 5th. Air Force and the unit flew missions in the Southwest Pacific Theater beginning in June 1942. By the close of 1943, the 39th. transitioned to the Republic P-47 Thunderbolt. The P-38s were transferred to the 431st. Fighter Squadron, 475th. Fighter Group that operated from North Borio Airfield, Borio. 

     On December 4, 1943, Lieutenant Dolphus Ransome Dawson II took the former Smith’s P-38H up for a training exercise but during the flight, the aircraft developed mechanical problems and Dawson had no choice but to force land the plane. Unable to make any of the nearby airfields, Dawson brought the plane down into a swamp near Embi Airfield No. 2 located in Papua, New Guinea. The P-38H was a complete write-off but Dawson walked away without injury. Rescue personnel from the airfield retrieved Dawson but the aircraft was abandoned where it lay. 

     Smith would survive the war, achieving seven kills against Japanese aircraft (two A6M Zeros fighters, two Ki-43 “Oscar” fighters, two Ki-61 “Tony” fighters, and one G4M “Betty” bomber) which made him an ace. He retired from the Air Force with the rank of Captain and passed away in 2006. Dawson would also retire from the Air Force, earning the rank of Major, before passing on in 1995. 

     Sometime in the 1980s, the wreckage of the P-38H was discovered and in 1986, Smith would visit the crash site of his former aircraft. In 2003, both tail booms and other various parts and components from the P-38H were salvaged and as of 2006, remain with Precision Aerospace out of Wangaratta, Australia. As for the 39th. Fighter Squadron, it is still in active service as the 39th. Flying Training Squadron, operating out of Randolph Air Force Base in Texas. The 431st. Fighter Squadron, however, was inactivated on June 30, 1992, the General Dynamics F-111 “Aardvark” being the last aircraft the unit flew.

Obergefreiter: Panzer-Abteilung 300

     A studio photograph of an Obergefreiter (Senior Corporal) of a panzer unit. Comparing the uniform to the previous panzer crewman photograph before this image, one will note that the pink piping is no longer present on the collars as a means to simplify production of the uniform. His rank is denoted by the insignia on his sleeve consisting of two strips of tress forming a downward pointing “V” on a triangular wool backing. For decorations, he wears the ribbon for the Eisernes Kreuz 2. Klasse (Iron Cross 2nd. Class) through the buttonhole of his tunic. Next is the Panzerkampfabzeichen (Panzer Assault Badge) which was awarded to recognize those who showed exceptional élan and achievement while involved in armored combat. The medal beside it is the Verwundetenabzeichen 3. Klasse (Wound Badge 3rd. Class). It was awarded to those wounded 1-2 times in combat. The semi-matte black paint of the medal has been worn off, no doubt from rubbing against equipment and metal within the confines of a tank.

     The main interest in this photograph is the Krimschild (Crimea Shield) which is sewn to the sleeve of his tunic above his rank. Instituted on July 25, 1942, the Krimschild was awarded to military personnel under the command of Generalfeldmarschall Erich von Manstein who fought against Soviet forces in the successful taking of the Crimea region from September 21, 1941 to July 4, 1942. This meant that the Obergefreiter was with a unit under the 11th. Army which von Manstein commanded during the Crimea Campaign. Thus, it is possible that he belonged to the only panzer unit attached to the 11th. Army, Panzer-Abteilung 300. This unit specialized in using radio-controlled demolition tanks, being equipped with the Schwerer Ladungsträger Borgward B IV (Sd.Kfz. 301; Heavy Explosive Carrier Borgward B IV), the Leichter Ladungsträger Goliath (Sd.Kfz. 302; Light Explosive Carrier Goliath), and Panzerkampfwagen III (Sd.Kfz. 141) medium tanks.

Private Wiley: Boca Raton Army Air Field

     Date unknown and assuming the name written on the photograph pertains to the soldier, then Private Wiley poses with his M1903A3 Springfield bolt-action rifle on the sands somewhere in Boca Raton, Florida. That we know the location is because, written on the back of the photograph, it reads: “This is on bivouac at Boca Raton. Everything was sand including half I ate.”

     Even though the date is not known, we can place it to at least after June 1, 1942 when Boca Raton Army Air Field (AAF) officially opened. The facility was under the jurisdiction of the 3501st. Base Unit, Eastern Technical Training Command. Other units stationed at the airfield included the 319th. Base Headquarters & Air Base Squadron, the 26th. Anti-Submarine Wing, and the 13th. Sub Depot, Air Technical Service Command. The entire base encompassed some 5,860 acres with a little over 800 buildings and a regular population of 16,000 military personnel. The main role of Boca Raton AAF was to train personnel in the use of radar. In addition to instruction on using radar, training was also provided on maintaining radar equipment and the unit also performed the installation of radar gear in aircraft.

     PVT Wiley looks to be wearing the M1938 one-piece herringbone twill (HBT) coverall which suggests he may have been a mechanic as this uniform item was typically only issued to mechanics in addition to tank crewmen. However, the coveralls soon became popular with other branches in the U.S. Army so this isn't a reliable indicator of his military profession. For equipment, PVT Wiley has little. It would appear that he only has on his M1VA1 gas mask bag that contained his M3 diaphragm gas mask. For head covering, he is only wearing the liner to the M1 steel helmet. The bayonet fixed to his rifle is the original M1905 pattern which featured a 16 inch blade. By 1943, a new bayonet for the M1903 was issued, the M1, which was shorter at 10 inches. Many of the original M1905 bayonets were taken out of service, modified to M1 standards, then reissued.

     As for Boca Raton AAF, by the end of World War Two, the need for the facility fell and on May 5, 1947, the last class from the radar school graduated. The program then moved to Keesler Field in Biloxi, Mississippi. On September 18, 1947, the Category 4 Hurricane Four severely damaged the facility before all of the equipment was moved to Keesler Field. Nature wasn't done with Boca Raton AAF and on October 12, 1947, the Category 2 hurricane, informally called Hurricane King, ravaged the base to the point it was largely uninhabitable. Some of the land was returned to the town of Boca Raton and 838 acres was kept as the Boca Raton Air Force Auxiliary Field (AFAF). It was used as a secondary base for the 1707th. Air Transport Wing and the U.S. Army Chemical Corps used part of the facility as a research lab. By 1958, Boca Raton AFAF was shut down with 1,000 acres given for educational purposes (today, the land is used by Florida Atlantic University and shared with Palm Beach State College), 200 acres left for the Boca Raton Airport Authority (where Boca Raton Airport currently operates), with the remainder given back to Boca Raton.

Staff Sergeant Frank T. Lusic: 327th. Bomb Squadron

     Draped in a belt of .50cal. ammunition, Staff Sergeant Frank T. Lusic poses for the camera in front of the Boeing B-17F bomber named “Meat Hound.” Lusic was a waist gunner which was, perhaps, the most vulnerable and exposed duty position on a B-17. Each B-17 had two waist gunners, one for the port side of the aircraft and the other for the starboard side. The gunner positions were directly across from each other and since the B-17C model, each station was open-air and equipped with a Browning M2 .50cal. machine-gun. This meant that the gunners were fully exposed to the elements and the frigid temperatures when operating at 29,000ft which was the typical height the bombers would fly. In addition, since their position was open, there was no protection from enemy bullets. Each waist gunner wore electrically heated flight clothing in order to withstand temperatures that could go as low as 60 degrees below zero. Once the bomber flew above 10,000ft. in altitude, the crew had to wear oxygen masks. Finally, once the bomber was nearing the target zone or commenced to flying into enemy held territory, the gunners would don a heavy, 25lb. armored apron and in some cases, a M1 steel helmet, to serve as their only means of protection.

     Lusic is wearing the B-3, a heavy leather jacket, and A-3 leather pants. Underneath his jacket and pants would be the F-1 heated suit which included gloves and heated booties. The connectors that supply heat to the gloves can be seen poking out from underneath his jacket. He looks to be wearing the B-6 helmet with B-7 goggles. The yellow item is the B-3 “Mae West” flotation life vest and the tan straps are a QAC (Quick Attachable Chest) harness. If forced to bail out, he would quickly attach a parachute to the harness. The reason for not typically wearing the parachute was due to its bulkiness which made movement in the cramped interior of the B-17 difficult. Lusic's unit was the 327th. Bomb Squadron, 92nd. Bomb Group. On September 6, 1943, Lusic and his fellow crew of a B-17F bomber (serial 42-30000) were returning from a sortie against Stuttgart when the flight was jumped by German fighters. The bomber was heavily damaged to the point the pilot, 1st. Lieutenant Wayne Bogard, ordered everyone to abandon ship near the town of Troyes. All of the crew were able to parachute safely from the bomber which crashed near the town of Estissac, some twelve miles west of Troyes. Staff Sergeant (S/Sgt) Arthur Beach (top turret gunner) evaded capture, 1Lt. Bogard was captured and spent the rest of the war in Stalag Luft I, S/Sgt. Floyd M. Carl managed to get back to England by boat (the “Suzanne-Renee”) on December 7, 1943, S/Sgt. Cloe R. Crutchfield (ball turret gunner) and Technical Sergeant Max Gibbs (radio operator) both evaded capture and crossed the Pyrenees in January 1944, Sergeant (Sgt) Taylor Harrison (bombardier) evaded capture, 2nd. Lieutenant (2Lt) Robert D. Larson (co-pilot) made it to Switzerland, 2Lt. James McGrew (navigator) was captured, S/Sgt. Herschell Richardson (left waist gunner) evaded capture, and Lusic (right waist gunner) was also captured and spent the rest of the war as a Prisoner of War (POW).

     As for “Meat Hound”, it had the serial 42-29524, and belonged to the 358th. Bomb Squadron, 303rd. Bomb Group. On January 11, 1944, the bomber was returning from a raid on Oschersleben when it was hit by enemy aircraft fire over Durgerdam. Pilot 1Lt. Jack W. Watson ordered the crew to bail out of the stricken bomber which the crew did near the shore of Lake IJssel which was northeast of Amsterdam. Sadly, the fates of the crew were not as fortunate as Lusic's compatriots. 2Lt. Vance R. Colvin (bombardier), S/Sgt. Samuel L. Rowland (flight engineer), Sgt. Fred H. Booth (ball turret gunner), and Sgt. William H. Fussner (right waist gunner) all landed in the lake and drowned and would eventually be recovered and buried in Amsterdam. 2Lt. John G. Leverton (navigator), S/Sgt. Harry Romaine (radio operator), Sgt. Eugene R. Stewart (left waist gunner), and Sgt. Roman P. Kosinski (tail gunner) were all captured by the Germans and became POWs. 2Lt. Clayton C. David (co-pilot) managed to evade capture and crossed the Pyrenees and made it back to England on May 25, 1944. Watson was able to bring the crippled “Meat Hound” back to England.

Leutnant der Reserve Paul-Georg Kleffel: 4./Panzer-Aufklärungs-Abteilung 3

     Born on September 7, 1920 in Billerbeck, Germany, Paul-Georg Kleffel's early life isn't much known and in fact, much of what we do know concerns his military career. In 1939, Kleffel joined the German Heer (Army), his qualifications permitting him to apply from the outset as a reserve officer (Reserveoffiziere). He was sent to one of the five Kriegsschulen (War Schools) within Germany to attend the standard eight week training course which Kleffel successfully passed, graduating with the rank of Leutnant der Reserve (2nd. Lieutenant) sometime in 1941. 

     Kleffel was posted to the 4./Panzer-Aufklärungs-Abteilung 3 (4th. Company, 3rd. Reconnaissance Detachment) which was part of the 3. Panzerdivision. The division was the third of the original three panzer divisions created by the German Army, being formed on October 15, 1935. The 3. Panzerdivision saw action during the invasion of Poland, combat in Belgium, and saw action during the Battle of France. Kleffel, however, did not go into battle with the division until Unternehmen Barbarossa (Operation Barbarossa), the invasion of Russia, that kicked off on June 22, 1941. 3. Panzerdivision was under the XXIV. Armeekorps as part of the 2. Panzerarmee which itself was under Heeresgruppe Mitte (Army Group Center).

     Kleffel remained with the 4./Panzer-Aufklärungs-Abteilung 3 for the entirety of the war but curiously, much of his early combat career on the Eastern Front isn't well documented. In fact, the two volume series “Armored Bears: The German 3rd. Panzer Division in World War II”, written by veterans of the 3rd. Panzer Division, makes no mention of Kleffel until his actions in 1943-1944. What we do know is that his first position in the 4th. Kompanie was as a Zugführer (platoon leader). It was during this time that Kleffel was decorated with the Eisernes Kreuz 2. Klasse (Iron Cross 2nd. Class), Eisernes Kreuz 1. Klasse (Iron Cross 1st. Class), Nahkampfspange in Bronze (Close Combat Clasp in Bronze), and the Medaille Winterschlacht im Osten 1941/42 (Winter Battle in the East 1941–42 Medal) which is more often referred to as the Ostmedaille (Eastern Medal). The latter, a campaign medal, was received for service in Russia between November 15, 1941 and April 15, 1942. On November 16, 1943, Kleffel (now a Oberleutnant der Reserve;1st. Lieutenant) was awarded with the Deutsches Kreuz in Gold (German Cross). This decoration was received for either repeated acts of bravery under fire or for examples of exceptional military leadership. A part of the prerequisite to being awarded this medal was to already have earned the Eisernes Kreuz 1. Klasse which Kleffel had.

     On April l13, 1944, now Kompaniechef (Company Commander) of the 4th. Kompanie, Kleffel and his unit was situated in a wooded area to the east of Orhei (today in the Republic of Moldova). There, they spotted Soviet infantrymen advancing through the woods and Kleffel understood that if the Soviets were allowed to establish themselves there, it would pose a very real threat to the German defensive lines to the south of Orhei. Without orders, Kleffel moved to attack, committing eight Schützenpanzerwagen (SPW), the term German officers used for the Sonderkraftfahrzeug 251 (Sd.Kfz 251) half-track. As the half-tracks crested a hill, Soviet anti-tank guns greeted them but skillful use of the terrain and mobility of the half-tracks allowed Kleffel to maneuver to the flank of the Soviet infantry where the machine-guns tore into the Soviet troops, sending them into a panic. Not one to pause, Kleffel pushed the attack against the routed infantry, chasing them despite driving into the effective range of the Soviet guns. The Soviet troops, part of a regiment, were decimated but before the Soviets could mobilize a counter-attack, Kleffel pulled his half-tracks back to his line. For this action, Kleffel was presented with the Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes (Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross) on May 14, 1944. Kleffel, during his combat career, was wounded seven times though interestingly, his known decorations do not include the Verwundetenabzeichen (Wound Badge). Even if the injuries were relatively minor, it would have certainly been enough to warrant the Verwundetenabzeichen 3. Klass. In addition, sometime in the latter half of 1944, Kleffel was promoted to Hauptmann (Captain).

     Kleffel survived the war but whether he served any time as a POW is not known. He finished an apprenticeship and starting in 1949, he worked in the film industry until 1956 when he joined the Bundeswehr. Entering into service as a Hauptmann, in keeping with his rank from World War Two, Kleffel completed his general staff training and became the G3 (operations) staff officer for Panzergrenadierbrigade 13 from 1959 to 1963. He then spent a year at the Führungsakademie der Bundeswehr (Bundeswehr Leadership Academy) until 1964 when he transferred to, interestingly, the 3. Panzerdivision as their Chief of Staff. Promoted to Oberst (Colonel), Kleffel became a planner in 1968 at the Bundesministerium der Verteidigung (Federal Ministry of Defense) until taking over as the commander of Panzergrenadierbrigade 16 whose command he held until April 30, 1972. Following that command, Kleffel moved to lead the III. Korps until September 1973 when he then assumed command of the 12. Panzerdivision until September 30, 1976. Kleffel would hold several other positions until he retired from the Bundeswehr on September 30, 1980. Bundeswehr decorations he received included the Verdienstkreuz 1. Klasse (Cross of Merit 1st. Class) in 1973 and the Großes Verdienstkreuz (Commander's Great Cross of Merit) in 1979.

     After retiring, Kleffel became the manager for Johanniter-Unfall-Hilfe (Johanniter Accident Aid), a Christian charity organization. He remained as manager until 1987. Paul-Georg Kleffel died in Bonn, Germany on February 19, 2020 at the age of 99.

     The photograph here is likely a postwar autograph card. It shows Kleffel as a fresh Leutant der Reserve as denoted by his schulterstücke (shoulder boards) and he is wearing the Dienstanzug für Offiziere (Service Uniform for Officers) in the Modell 1936 style, evidenced by the dark, blue-green collar. That is could be postwar is that the photograph is cropped in such a way as to not show the swastika of the adler (eagle) above the right breast pocket. The display of the swastika in Germany was banned following the approval of Strafgesetzbuch (Criminal Code), Section § 86a in the 1950s.