Oskar Josef Bschließmayer: Pacifist in the Wehrmacht

Oskar (left) with actor Wilfried Seyferth in the 1951 film Decision Before Dawn.

    In December of 1941, Oskar Josef Bschließmayer was drafted into the Wehrmacht and was sent for training as a cannonier and that it was hoped he would soon rise to become an officer. Bschließmayer, however, was a pacifist and had no love for the ideology of National Socialism. Knowing that the war on the East Front would only continue to worsen, Bschließmayer set out to ensure that he would amount to nothing in the eyes of his superiors. During training, he would purposely fail at horsemanship (at the time, much of the Wehrmacht’s artillery still relied on horses for mobility) and during artillery training, he would intentionally misread and make mistakes with the range finders. His ability to play the part of an incompetent was no doubt due to his skill as an actor for which he was prior to being drafted. Eventually, his efforts paid off and Bschließmayer was expelled from training school. Nevertheless, he was still sent to an artillery regiment reserve unit in Vienna where he was a cook and janitor. 

     In 1944, while still deployed in Vienna, he married actress Elisabeth Kallina in secret. This was because Kallina was half-Jewish. Soon after, they had a daughter, Eleanore. On December 8, 1944, Bschließmayer and his family deserted from the regiment and hid inside a dilapidated shack within the Wienerwald (Vienna Wood). On April 2, 1945, the Soviet 2nd. and 3rd. Ukrainian Fronts launched their attack on Vienna which forced them to abandon their hiding place and flee in the face of the Soviet forces. They ran right into Bschließmayer’s regiment but in the chaos, they were able to escape unnoticed out of Vienna and once more enter into hiding. 

     Following the war, Bschließmayer would return to acting, assuming once more his stage name of Oskar Werner. His first Hollywood film appearance was as ex-POW Karl “Happy” Maurer in the 1951 war film “Decision Before Dawn” and the photograph is a still from the movie showing Werner in the disguise of a Luftwaffe Feldwebel (equivalent to a U.S. Staff Sergeant) medic. Barely visible is the white armband with the Red Cross on it and on his lower right sleeve is the Luftwaffe Sanitätspersonal (medical personnel) trade/proficiency badge. Historically, the badge was worn on the left lower sleeve. He is shown speaking with SS-Schütze Heinz Scholtz (played by Wilfried Seyferth) who was portraying a dispatch rider in the film. Werner would continue to feature in European films and a handful of U.S. movies, notably as Guy Montag in the 1966 film version of Ray Bradbury’s critically acclaimed novel “Fahrenheit 451.” 

     Werner died on October 23, 1984 from a heart attack. 

Flieger: Latvian Youth Organization

      A member of the Latvju Jaunatnes Organizacija (LJO), or Latvian Youth Organization. The LJO, under direction of German leadership, was formed in April 1943. While nominally voluntary, by July 1944, boys and girls were being conscripted into the LJO. The LJO had two functions. One was to provide Landdienst (Land Service) workers and the other Luftwaffe Helfer (Helpers). 

     Although there was a regulation uniform and special insignia for the LJO, in practice, it was rarely followed and there was much variation in the uniforms as well as insignia worn. LJO members were to wear a LJO brassard but more often than not, they were not well constructed and fell apart. In their place, some LJO youth wore the same Latvian sleeve shield as issued to Latvian volunteers in the German Heer (Army) and Luftwaffe. 

     This Flieger (Private) likely shed his brassard and replaced it with the Luftwaffe pattern Latvian sleeve shield and he wears full Luftwaffe rank and insignia rather than the LJO accouterments. The uniform itself is Luftwaffe though his shirt is non-Luftwaffe, being a light gray rather than blue. The color of the collartabs was likely red as worn by Luftwaffe artillery personnel. 

     The majority of the LJO Luftwaffe Helfer served under Luftflotte 1, the boys (and girls as well) commanded by Hauptmann Edgars Rempe and Leutnant Indulis Kažocinš.

The M-1978 Koksan: North Korea's 170mm Self-Propelled Gun

A former Iranian M-1978 captured by Iraq during the Iran-Iraq War being towed away by U.S. Marines.

     The M-1978 “Koksan” is a rather unusual self-propelled gun (SPG) in a number of aspects. Built by the Second Machine Industry Bureau of North Korea, the SPG uses the chassis of the Chinese built and supplied Type 59 main battle tank (itself a Chinese version of the Russian T-54A tank) and mates it with a 170mm gun. The gun itself is a bit of a mystery given the caliber. Some sources say it was derived from a Russian naval gun except that the Russians never used any such caliber. The closest is the 180mm M1931/M1932 pattern naval gun. Other sources say the gun is some form of copy or version of the World War 2 German 170mm Kanone 18 or at least designed to fire captured stocks of 170mm ammunition supplied by Russia (which doesn’t seem completely plausible). 

     However the North Korean military arrived at the 170mm, the SPG first appeared to Western eyes in a military parade in 1978 held in Koksan County, located in North Hwanghae Province. Since the actual designation for the SPG is not known, Western intelligence analysts gave it the name M-1978 Koksan after the year and place it was first seen. The Koksan was one of the first weapon systems North Korea exported and the only foreign buyer was Iran who purchased a number of them in 1987 and they saw action during the Iran-Iraq War (September 22, 1980 to August 20, 1988), shelling Kuwaiti oil fields using rocket-assisted rounds which made them immune from Iraqi counter-battery fire. During the war, Iraqi forces captured several of the M-1978 and emplaced them as war trophies. 

     The one in the image was located near the University of Anbar in Ramadi, Anbar, Iraq and is seen being towed away by U.S. Marines in 2008. The M-1978 remains in North Korean service and some sources say surviving Iranian M-1978s also remain in service with Iranian artillery forces.

Sergeant Stanley Martin Lieber: 1st. Motion Picture Unit

     Because of the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor in December 1941, early in 1942, Stanley Martin Lieber enlisted in the U.S. Army and entered the Signal Corps as a lineman. Posted stateside, Lieber maintained and serviced communication equipment and effected repairs to damaged telegraph/telephone lines and poles. Later, Lieber would transfer to the 18th. Army Air Forces Base Unit, better known as the 1st. Motion Picture Unit (FMPU) which was housed in Culver City, California. 

     The FMPU’s mission was to produce propaganda films, create training films and documentation, and also serve as the sole training provider for combat photographers and cameramen who would be deployed to the frontlines. Training, to include regular infantry combat instruction, for these men was conducted at Page Military Academy which was in nearby Los Angeles, California. Lieber was tasked with the writing of military manuals, scripting for training films, and illustrating. Lieber received the MOS (Military Occupational Specialty) of 288 (Playwright) though other sources list his MOS as 286 (Motion Picture Production Technician). Lieber would be discharged from the Army in late 1945 and with the war over, the FMPU was disbanded in December 1945. By the time of his discharge, Lieber had achieved the rank of sergeant and was decorated with the World War II Victory Medal and the American Campaign Medal. He also earned the right to wear the Honorable Service Lapel Button which was given to honorably discharged servicemen. It was better known as the “Ruptured Duck” due to the appearance of the oft said poorly rendered eagle which made up the button or pin. 

     Because of his service and significant post-war contributions, Lieber was inducted into the Signal Corps Regimental Association and made an honorary member of the 2nd. Battalion, 3rd. Infantry Regiment in June 2017. The 3rd. Regiment, nicknamed the “Old Guard”, is the oldest active duty unit in the Army, having been formed in 1784. Lieber would pass away in November 2018. 

     Stanley Lieber is much better known to us as comic creator Stan Lee.

SA-Sturmmann: SA-Standarte Feldherrnhalle

(Author's Collection)

     Formed in 1935, SA-Standarte Feldherrnhalle was one of the elite units within the Sturmabteilung (SA). The unit derived its name from the Feldherrnhalle, or Field Marshall's Hall, that had been erected in Munich, Germany by King Ludwig I of Bavaria to honor the Bavarian Army. Commissioned in 1841, the Feldherrnhalle was completed in 1844 and is situated on the Odeonsplatz in Munich. It features the statues of two famous Bavarian military leaders: Johann Tserclaes, Count of Tilly who commanded the Catholic League's military forces during the Thirty Years' War (1618-1648) and Karl Philipp von Wrede who went against Napoleon Bonaparte at the Battle of Leipzig in October 1813. A third statue was added in 1892 that commemorates the Franco-Prussian War of 1870. The monument became associated with the Nationalsozialistische Deutsche Arbeiterpartei (NSDAP; National Socialist German Workers' Party) when, on November 9, 1923, NSDAP marchers clashed with Bavarian State Police following the coup d'état attempt by NSDAP leader Adolf Hitler and some 600 SA men. Hitler and his SA troops surrounded the Bürgerbräukeller beer hall where Gustav Ritter von Kahr, the Bavarian state commissioner, was holding a speech. It was here Hitler sought to gain governmental support for the putsche (violent overthrow of a government) and while he stirred up the people in the hall with his rhetoric and tacitly had Kahr's support, the putsche was escalating within Munich with buildings being seized and sporadic firefights between Reichswehr troops and state police. It came to a head on November 9 when, the putsche petering out, the SA men marched in the streets and decided to head for the Bavarian Defense Ministry building. They were met in front of the Feldherrnhalle by 130 men under the command of State Police Senior Lieutenant Michael von Godin. Shots rang out and four policemen and sixteen SA men were dead and with them, the Beer Hall Putsche was over.

     SA-Standarte Feldherrnhalle was headquartered in Berlin with, at its maximum strength, nine battalions (Wachsturmbann) spread across Germany with the tenth battalion, X. Wachsturmbann, stationed in Warsaw, Poland. The primary mission of SA-Standarte Feldherrnhalle was to provide security for SA, state, and NSDAP offices. By February 1939, much of the manpower of SA-Standarte Feldherrnhalle was absorbed into the Luftwaffe to fill out fallschirmjäger (paratrooper) units while another portion became Infanterie-Regiment 271 under the 93. Infanterie-Division. What was left of SA-Standarte Feldherrnhalle continued to operate in a lessened capacity until the close of the war. In 1942, Infanterie-Regiment 271 was renamed Infanterie-Regiment “Feldherrnhalle” in honor of the original SA-Standarte Feldherrnhalle. The unit was withdrawn from the East Front in the spring of 1943 and was used to form 60. Panzer-Division (later renamed Panzergrenadier-Division “Feldherrnhalle”) which was subsequently crushed by the Soviets during fighting along the Dnieper River in 1944. Several other units carried the “Feldherrnhalle” honorific, including Panzer-Brigade 106 and 110 “Feldherrnhalle”. Panzer-Brigade 110 was absorbed into 13. Panzer-Division which was then renamed Panzer-Division “Feldherrnhalle”. The latter division along with Panzergrenadier-Division “Feldherrnhalle” were combined to form Panzer-Korps “Feldherrnhalle” that saw combat in Hungary, Czechoslovakia, and finally Austria.

     The photograph shows a SA-Sturmmann of SA-Standarte Feldherrnhalle. The unit had its own unique collar tab color, being carmine (a deep red color) with silver threaded borders. On the right collar tab was the “Kampfrune” (literally, “Fighting Rune”) with the circular portion of the Kampfrune consisting of the emblem of the SA. The left collar tab denoted his rank. Not visible was the “Feldherrnhalle” cuff title which was a 27mm wide brown band with either silver threading or gray cotton borders with “Feldherrnhalle” written in Sütterlinschrift (Sütterlin Script) using silver-aluminum thread. The cuff title was worn on the lower left sleeve of the uniform. In some cases, the SA man could request the wearing of a dark green oval with the “Kampfrune” centered on it in place of the cuff title as it was worn in the same location. The shoulder boards appear to be the second style which was brown with white stitching and if so, that dates the photograph to at least 1938. Men of the SA-Standarte Feldherrnhalle had their own special decals for the stahlhelm (steel helmet) which consisted of a white shield bordered in black with a white circle bordered with red within which was a black swastika on the right side of the helmet and on the left, a red shield bordered in white with a simplified front face of the Feldherrnhalle monument in white with three black arches to highlight the statues and underneath it was a Wolfsangel rune in white.

     In the German Heer (Army), the units derived from SA-Standarte Feldherrnhalle were allowed to continue to wear the SA cuff title but sometime in 1943, a machine-woven variant was produced and issued, likely as stocks of the original SA cuff title had dwindled. The Kampfrune emblem continued to be worn but in a modified form that consisted of three horizontal Wolfsangel runes superimposed over the single vertical Kampfrune with the SA emblem in the center. This was worn as a metal cipher on the shoulder boards. Also in contrast to the Heer, the SA standard bearer gorget was worn and in parades and other formal occasions, the standard was the same as that used by SA-Standarte Feldherrnhalle which consisted of the “Deutschland Erwache” vexillum standard with a rectangular plaque reading “Feldherrnhalle” above the standard and below the metal eagle and wreathed swastika.

 

Ilio Capozzi: Frogmen Commando Corps

(Photograph by Life Magazine)

     When civil war broke out in the Dominican Republic on April 24, 1965, one of the more interesting personages fighting on the side of the Constitutionalist faction was the Italian, Ilio Capozzi (sometimes written as Cappoci). Capozzi's background is hazy but the consensus is that during World War Two, he served with Decima Flottiglia Motoscafi Armati Siluranti (Decima Flottiglia MAS) which was an elite unit of the Regia Marina (Italian Royal Navy) consisting of highly trained commando frogmen and naval personnel. Following the war, Capozzi is said to have joined the French Foreign Legion (FFL) and during his time with the FFL, saw action in the First Indochina War (1946-1954) and later in the Algerian War which ran from 1954 to 1962. Capozzi, in 1956, answered a call by the dictator of the Dominican Republic, Rafael Leónidas Trujillo Molina, seeking experienced soldiers to provide instruction to a new unit Trujillo wanted to create, the Cuerpo de Comandos de Hombres Ranas (Frogmen Commando Corps) as part of the Dominican Republic Navy. Capozzi was not the only Italian enticed and other former Decima Flottiglia MAS veterans such as Victorio Tudesco and Enzo Lobasto joined Capozzi. Many other experienced and decorated Italian veteran commandos and instructors would assemble at the naval base located in Las Calderas. Once the cadre was in place, the first selections of personnel for the unit commenced in August 1957. The training was extensive, dangerous, and rigorous. A modern day analogy would be the United States Navy Sea, Air, and Land (SEAL) Teams. Instruction included demolition (sea and land), small unit operations (for example, intelligence gathering), sabotage techniques, establishment of beachheads, survival in all climates, and being able to operate on little to no support. About 2,000 men were selected for the training but in the end, only 108 of them made it through, forming four platoons. The unit was commanded by Vice Admiral Manuel Ramón Montes Arache.

     When the civil war erupted, the Cuerpo de Comandos de Hombres Ranas joined the Constitutionalist faction that supported the deposed Juan Emilio Bosch Gaviño. Situated in Santo Domingo, the Cuerpo de Comandos de Hombres Ranas established a hasty training facility to rapidly instruct civilian Constitutionalist faction rebels in urban guerrilla combat techniques. The forces of the Constitutionalists outnumbered the Loyalist faction's troops that supported acting President Donald Reid Cabral though the latter enjoyed more armored support and air power. At 10:30am on April 25, Constitutionalist forces, including elements of the Cuerpo de Comandos de Hombres Ranas, stormed the presidential palace in Santo Domingo, arresting Reid. This assault, though, was the last battle for Capozzi as he was killed during the attack. It was the U.S. intervention that commenced on April 30 that saw the end of the Constitutionalist uprising which had been on the verge of victory. The arrival of U.S. Army and U.S. Marine forces would see a ceasefire go into effect that very night. Some sources state Capozzi died on May 19, 1965, also while attacking the presidential palace. I was not able to find a definitive accounting of the combat that took place commencing on May 13 when Loyalist forces broke the ceasefire to attack Constitutionalist forces within the Santo Domingo area. It is possible that the Constitutionalists sought to retake the palace which was within the demilitarized zone that divided the two factions.

     The photograph is one of many featuring Capozzi. His rank is unknown, sources citing he was a Captain while others state he was a Colonel. He is wearing French battle dress made with the U.S. M1942 “Frog Skin” camouflage pattern which was widely utilized by the U.S. Marines during World War Two and for a short period of time by the U.S. Army in the European Theater before its use was discontinued. Following World War Two, the U.S. sold the camouflage pattern to the French who utilized it in their uniforms through the 1950s with much of the production going to the French Foreign Legion, specifically the 1st. Foreign Parachute Regiment and 2nd. Foreign Parachute Regiment that saw combat in the First Indochina War. The helmet he wears is the U.S. M1 “steel pot” but it has been refitted with the French TAP/EO system as used by French parachutists. While not definitive evidence, the fact he has such equipment suggests Capozzi may have served in one of the two regiments. His web gear is a mixture though the majority is U.S. Army issue. Of note is his rifle, a 7.62mmX51mm ArmaLite AR-10. Numerous Central American countries purchased the AR-10, including Guatemala and Nicaragua. Capozzi, however, is said to have used a Cuban AR-10, Cuba having been another buyer. The grenade on his belt appears to be a U.S. M26 fragmentation grenade. Capozzi also carried a pistol sidearm and the brown leather magazine pouch is visible on his left hip along with a fighting knife. Behind the magazine pouch is the U.S. issue pouch (he had two) that he carried his extra AR-10 magazines in. The civilian rebel he is chatting with is armed with a .30cal. Cristobal M2 carbine.

 

Private Lemuel Engle: Company K, 148th. Indiana Regiment (Infantry)

(Photograph taken by the author)

     The Civil War isn't my specialty but on a recent business trip, a cemetery was visited which resulted in a few interesting soldier graves. I won't divulge the location as many of the headstones have been vandalized and even outright stolen. This marker is for Private Lemuel Engle who served in Company K, 148th. Indiana Regiment (Infantry). He mustered into the unit on February 23, 1865 at the age of 24. Much of the men taken into the regiment came from the 6th. Congressional District of Indiana and the regiment was formed in Indianapolis and was fully mustered on February 25, 1865 with a strength of 1,027 men. The unit was considered a "One Year Regiment." Within three days, the regiment was dispatched to Nashville, Tennessee. Bear in mind that by this time, the Confederacy was all but pushed out of the area following the Union victories during the Franklin–Nashville Campaign which ended in December 1864. Thus, when the 148th. Indiana Regiment arrived, it served as a garrison force in the central Tennessee area under the overall command and control of the Army of the Cumberland which was, at this time, commanded by Major General George H. Thomas. 

     The 148th. Indiana Regiment ceased to be on September 5, 1865 when it was stood down. PVT Engle was released from duty on that day. For the just over 6 months of the unit's existence, it had 75 desertions of which Company K accounted for ten of those men. The unit had 36 fatalities of which Company K accounted for two of the deaths. Both men, PVT William Harper and PVT John Henderson, died on July 22 and August 16, 1865 respectively in Pulaski, Tennessee. Pulaski, about 73 miles south of Nashville, was the site of Fort Hill though some current historians don't think such a fort existed. However, records show that at least by 1862, some sort of fortified position was established by Union troops in Pulaski and given the name Fort Hill. It is possible that unit(s) of XIV Corps, who encamped in Pulaski for some months in 1862, could have erected the fortified position upon the hilltop. Pulaski, however, was also the site of several Union hospitals and according to records, 34 of the 36 deaths from the 148th. Indiana Regiment were due to illness of some form. 

     Interestingly, Engle was mentioned in Volume E of the 1912 U.S. Senate Reports where he was requesting an increase in his pension from $12 (granted in 1907) to $24 due to deteriorated health. By this time, he was 71. He would die in 1921 at the age of 80.

Soviet T-35 Heavy Tank: Abandoned in Gorodok

     Photographed by a kriegsberichter (war correspondent) attached to the 257. Infanterie-Division, a T-35 (chassis 744-62) belonging to the Soviet 67th. Tank Regiment sits abandoned in the village of Gorodok along the T1425 road. On June 26, 1941, the tank was reported as broken down due to its clutch friction discs having burnt out. It was intended that the tank be towed away for repairs and tow ropes were deployed (not visible in this photograph) but the tank was abandoned instead, apparently in haste as only one of the two ropes was attached to the hull front’s two rings. Still, the crew stripped the tank of its machineguns before departing the area between June 27-30, 1941. This hasty departure was perhaps due to the continued advance of Army Group South (which contained the 257th.) through the region. 

     This T-35 is notable as being one of the last six T-35 tanks built in 1939 before production ceased. It features the final modifications to the design, the most obvious being the conical shaped turrets which afforded better protection due to its sloped armor. 

     After sitting in the road for months, by February 1942, the derelict tank had been pushed off the road where it continued to attract the photographer’s eye. Photographs of the T-35 in the summer of 1942 show the tank missing all of its tracks (possibly taken by tank and assault gun troops to affix to their vehicles for added armor). The ultimate fate of this tank is unknown but presumably it was scrapped.

Jagdtiger "332": Thunderbolt Victim near Forstheim

(U.S. Army Signal Corps)

     Jagdtiger “332” of 3rd. Kompanie, Schwere Panzerjäger Abteilung 653 (3/s.Pz.Jg.Abt.653). 3rd. Kompanie, commanded by Knight’s Cross holder Oberleutnant Franz Kretschmer, on March 14, 1945, were positioned some 12 kilometers away from the U.S. bridgehead over the Moder River. That night and into the early morning hours of March 15, 3rd. Kompanie engaged U.S. M4 Sherman tanks who were caught moving in a column formation. The front and rear Shermans were knocked out by the Jagdtigers who then continued the attack, focusing on the remainder of the Shermans which were trying to get off the road. U.S. artillery was called in to pound the Jagdtigers but the veteran Kretschmer had already ordered the Kompanie to withdraw. Later in the morning of March 15, U.S. forces resumed the attack, pushing towards the town of Morsbronn. Again, they met 3rd. Kompanie who inflicted severe damage to the advancing troops. In the afternoon on March 15, 3rd. Kompanie received orders to go on the offensive and push U.S. troops off a ridge near Forstheim. 

     No doubt Kretschmer thought the orders unwise at best as the Jagdtiger was not a vehicle designed for offensive operations and the attack was in daylight, no less. Nevertheless, he followed orders and after covering less than 2 miles, U.S. Army Air Force P-47 Thunderbolts arrived and unleashed rockets upon the advancing Jagdtigers. “332” was struck on the right side, damaging the running gear and the crew abandoned the vehicle. Overall, s.Pz.Jg.Abt.653 was able to hold the U.S. troops at bay until the unit was withdrawn from the area on March 17, 1945. This time allowed the crew of “332” to return to their stricken vehicle, set demolition charges, and blow the Jagdtiger up as recovery was not possible.

     During the combat, Kretschmer was wounded by artillery fire on March 16 while commanding Jagdtiger “301”. So severe was the concussion suffered that Kretschmer was no longer able to command the unit and was relieved by Leutnant Herman Knack. Kretschmer would survive the war, spending a brief time as a POW. He would pass away on May 28, 1987, survived at the time by his wife and three children.

The Vought F4U: Corsairs in the RNZAF

Men of RNZAF Base Depot Workshop Unit 60 on Espiritu Santo island prepare a newly arrived shipment of Corsairs for disbursement to RNZAF units.

     There are few who would argue against the Vought F4U Corsair being one of the premiere carrier fighters of World War Two. The distinctive gull wings were required to permit clearance for the propeller attached to the powerful 2,000hp Pratt & Whitney R-2800-8 radial piston engine which moved the Corsair through the air at a maximum speed of 417mph. Development of the Corsair began at Chance-Vought in June 1938 when the company signed a contract with the U.S. Navy to produce a single-engine fighter based on their specifications. By May 29, 1940, the XF4U-1 prototype had taken its first maiden flight. Impressed with the results, the U.S. Navy issued a purchase order on April 2, 1941 and the first unit to receive the new fighter was VF-12 in October 1942. The first unit to take the Corsair into action was VMF-124 of the U.S. Marine Corps where it provided air support for the battles in Bougainville starting in February 1943. For armament, the Corsair was equipped with six 12.7mm machine-guns, three in each wing. For ground support missions, it could carry 4,000lbs. of bombs and/or eight 5” air-to-ground rockets. In aerial combat, the Corsair was well able to deal with the best of Japanese fighters, such as the Mitsubishi A6M Reisen (better known as the “Zero”). The only time the Reisen could best the Corsair was in low speed dog fighting and so Corsair pilots sought to not engage in such battle since doing so played to the Reisen's strengths. All told, the Corsair racked up an impressive 11 to 1 kill ratio against Japanese aircraft during World War Two. The U.S. was not the only user of the Corsair as both the British Royal Navy Fleet Arm Arm operated some 2,012 Corsairs of various makes, the Royal Netherlands Navy flew 35 Corsairs, and the Royal New Zealand Air Force (RNZAF) equipped thirteen squadrons with the Corsair.

     The photograph shows a line-up of F4U-1 Corsairs on the island of Espiritu Santo which is part of the nation of Vanuatu which is 1,090 miles east of northern Australia. During World War Two, the island was used by the U.S. Army Air Force and the U.S. Navy as a supply and support base, harbor, and airfield. The Corsairs shown here were shipped from the U.S. on May 14, 1944 aboard the freighter USS Steamer Bay. The ship arrived at Espiritu Santo on June 2, 1944 where RNZAF Base Depot Workshop Unit 60 began the assembly of the aircraft. After assembly, the aircraft were test flown before being dispersed to units. Visible in the photograph is a F4U-1 with the code “50” on the cowling and underneath it is the inscription “Struggle Buggy”. This particular Corsair had the U.S. Navy serial 49960 and the RZNAF code NZ5350 and was initially issued to No.31 Squadron RZNAF on September 3, 1944 though why this was so is unclear given the unit was primarily a torpedo bomber squadron equipped with Grumman TBF Avengers and sometime in August 1944, the unit was deactivated. By December 1944, “Struggle Buggy” was allocated to No.14 Squadron RZNAF for a brief period before it was directed to No.21 Squadron RZNAF on December 18, 1944. At this time, the unit was commanded by Squadron Leader L.R. Bush who led the unit through the Guadalcanal and Bougainville campaigns. In March 1945, the squadron received a new commander, Squadron Leader W.J. MacLeod who remained with the unit until its disbandment in September 1945. Following the war, this Corsair was returned to New Zealand and on March 2, 1948, it was sold to one J. Larson who lived in Palmerston North, New Zealand. It is unknown if this Corsair remains today. 

The 8.8cm Flak 41 (Sf) mit Panther I Bauteile: Drawing Board Flakpanzer

Armin Hage's excellent model of the proposed 8.8cm Flak 41 (Sf) mit Panther I Bauteile.

     If one examines the many German self-propelled anti-aircraft guns (SPAAGs) produced or designed during World War Two, two of the production medium tank chassis were utilized for mounting anti-aircraft guns and these were the Panzerkampfwagen PzKpfw IV, and not surprisingly, the PzKpfw V Panther. Of the two, the PzKpfw IV had the only SPAAG variants that saw production and combat use and these included the Möbelwagen (single 3.7cm FlaK 43), Wirbelwind (four barrel 2cm Flakvierling), and the Ostwind (single 3.7cm FlaK 43). Several experimental designs emerged as well, to include the Gerät 556 (Kugelblitz) armed with twin 3cm MK 108 cannons, a variant of the Möbelwagen mounting the same 2cm Flakvierling as the Wirbelwind, the Ostwind II equipped with two 3.7cm FlaK 43 guns, and the Flakpanzer IV (Zerstörer 45) armed with the four barrel 3cm Flakvierling 103/38. All of the experimental PzKpfw IV SPAAG designs made it to at least a single working prototype. The same cannot be said at all for the SPAAG variants of the Panther.

     The image shown here displays a nicely done “what if” model by Armin Hage of the first of what would become several Panther based SPAAG designs. The vehicle had the very long name of 8.8cm Flak 41 (Sf) mit Panther I Bauteile which translated as 8.8cm Flak 41, Self-Propelled, with Panther I Components. The designer was Rheinmetall-Borsig and the first draft of the new SPAAG was completed by October 24, 1943. As the name suggested, the basis of the vehicle was the Panther already in production. Thus, it kept much the same components to include the suspension, drive train, driver controls, AK 7-200 transmission, and the Maybach HL 230 engine. There was one major change and that was a lengthening of the chassis due to the expansion of the wheelbase to 13.2 feet. The standard Panther had a wheelbase of approximately 12.9 feet. The draft drawings showed that the on each side of the hull were two outriggers so that once the SPAAG was in position, all four outriggers would be deployed to provide for the stability of the gun platform. In addition, Rheinmetall-Borsig envisioned that the Flak 41 gun could be removed from the turret and placed onto the ground and utilized in the more traditional manner. This had some precedent as Rheinmetall-Borsig had an experimental design using the PzKpfw IV chassis which was fitted with a 10.5cm leFH 18/40 field gun mounted in a rotating turret in which the gun could be dismounted. In fact, the trailing arms and the wheels for the field gun were carried on the rear of the hull.

     Rheinmetall-Borsig struggled with the turret design and a report dated January 13, 1944 showed they still had not satisfactorily come up with a workable turret. In any case, it was the end of the 8.8cm Flak 41 SPAAG as on that same day, German military planners decided that the idea of mobile heavy anti-aircraft guns accompanying tanks was flawed. The main flaw was that heavy guns like the Flak 41 were designed to combat high flying aircraft, not low flying fighters or fighter-bombers seeking to attack tank columns. Such guns simply did not have the rapid fire capability nor the ability to quickly track fast moving targets. In addition, it was surmised that regular flak batteries would be able to handle the high flying bombers while smaller caliber cannon would be better suited against low flying aircraft. This, then, was the emphasis for the PzKpfw IV SPAAG developments and the Panther chassis was to be the backup if the PzKpfw IV was not viable. As discussed earlier, three models of SPAAGs derived from the PzKpfw IV were put into production and issued to panzer divisions as part of their anti-aircraft unit composition. Various designs were put forward using the Panther chassis, armed with varied turrets and weapon fits as small as the 2cm MG 151/20 autocannon up to the 5.5cm Gerät 58 gun. Only one design, the Gerät 554, better known as the Flakpanzer “Coelian”, advanced to a mock-up stage when the 1:1 scale wooden mock-up of the Flakpanzer 314 turret with twin wooden 3.7cm gun barrels was fitted to a Panther Ausf D chassis. As for the 8.8cm Flak 41 (Sf) mit Panther I Bauteile, all that that we know of it comes from the existence of single wooden model that was constructed by Rheinmetall-Borsig during the design phase.

     There are no known specifications for the 8.8cm Flak 41 (Sf) mit Panther I Bauteile such as dimensions, performance, and the like. Assumptions can be made but they would be merely that, guesswork. We do know the performance of the Flak 41, which, in its towed form, used a horizontal semi-automatic sliding block with rounds being electrically fired. The gun's elevation was 90 degrees with a maximum gun depression of 3 degrees. With a muzzle velocity of 3,281 feet per second, the maximum ceiling was 9.3 miles, an effective ceiling of 6.6 miles, and maximum horizontal range of 12.2 miles.

Virginia E. "Ginny" Kirsch: Justice Still Not Received

     Virginia E. Kirsch, best known by her nickname Ginny, graduated from Brookfield High School in Brookfield Township, Ohio in 1966. That same year, Kirsch enrolled in Miami of Ohio college in Oxford, Ohio where she joined the Alpha Chi Omega sorority and became a cheerleader. A good student, Kirsch graduated in 1970 at the age of 21 but rather than enter into the workforce, she decided to join the American Red Cross (ARC) and chose to serve in the ARC's Supplemental Recreational Activities Overseas (SRAO) program. Women in the SRAO program were known by U.S. troops as Donut Dollies.

     The SRAO program traced its roots back to the ARC's Clubmobile Service which began in late 1942. A clubmobile was a converted bus or GMC truck that contained a doughnut maker and primus stove with the kitchen side of the bus opening outward for serving food and drinks. In the rear of the clubmobile was a lounge with bench seating (that doubled as beds), a Victrola record player, speakers, a record collection, books, snacks (such as candy and gum), and cigarettes. Each clubmobile had a British driver and was manned by three ARC women. By June 1944, some 100 clubmobiles were in the European theater following the invasion and traveled within the rear area of each U.S. Army Corps. Clubmobiles remained in service until 1946. The SRAO program itself began in 1953. While the ARC had clubs within Korea during the war, they were not mobile which meant soldiers in posts outside of divisional and corps areas could not partake of the clubs that troops in those areas enjoyed. Following the armistice in July 1953, the SRAO revived clubmobiles with the first clubmobile arriving in South Korea on October 3, 1953 and commencing operations near Inchon as part of ASCOM (Army Support Command) though the majority of SRAO operations finally wound down by 1960 although some services remained open. In May 1965, the U.S. Army officially called on the ARC to provide recreational support to U.S. forces in Vietnam as, at that time, only two USO clubs were operating (one in Saigon, the other in Danang) and the U.S. Army's Special Services (sports, film exchange, and mobile library) were mainly confined to the Saigon region. By September 1965, the first clubmobile was set up in Danang, a second operating at Bien Hoa by October 1965, and a third clubmobile unit in Nha Trang by December 1965. As more U.S. troops poured into Vietnam, the SRAO stood up more and more clubmobile operations to support them. By the time 1970 came, the women had to contend with poor morale in the men they served and not only did they have to maintain their own cheerfulness in order to help improve the mood of the soldiers they interacted with, but also to keep up their own morale.

     After receiving her training, Kirsch was deployed to Vietnam for her one year hitch, arriving in-country on August 2, 1970. Her clubmobile unit was based at Cu Chi, the home of the 25th. Infantry Division. Cu Chi was sixteen miles to the northwest of Saigon. Kirsch quickly took to her mission and adjusted to the environmental conditions of the region, to include enemy fire. Kirsch and her fellow Donut Dollies often flew in helicopters to firebases and outposts which the clubmobiles couldn't reach, bringing with them refreshments, doughnuts, recreational materials, and their smiling selves to lift up the spirits of the men manning those posts. Except, it wouldn't be enemy fire that took Kirsch's life on August 16, 1970.

     At 1:45am, Kirsch retired to her room. At 3:30am, one of the other women in the billet had been unable to sleep and was washing dishes when she heard a commotion. As she went down a hall to investigate, a man in civilian clothes exited Kirsch's room, ran past her and out the door behind her. The woman looked into Kirsch's room and found Kirsch dead, covered in blood, a knife on the floor near her. Military Police (MP) and U.S. Army medics soon arrived and while the medics fought to save Kirsch's life, she was pronounced dead at the base's hospital, the cause of death being hemorrhage caused by the multiple stab wounds. MPs, had, in fact, seen the man running from the billet at 3:40am but could not catch him. The MPs locked Cu Chi down and the ARC evacuated all of their women personnel from the base. Two suspects were questioned. One was caught with property stolen from one of the ARC women though he denied killing Kirsch. The other suspect claimed that, while under the influence of heroin, he stabbed someone in a dark room and with this confession, the soldier was charged on November 6, 1970 with unpremeditated murder under the USMJ (Uniform Code of Military Justice) and was shipped back to the United States to stand trial. Unfortunately, the case was dismissed in 1971 for insufficient evidence as the man could not be identified in a line-up by one of the eyewitnesses.

     The first suspect was investigated by military authorities for larceny for the stolen property but nothing came of these charges as the man was declared unfit for duty (mental disability) and was discharged from the U.S. Army. Returned to his home state of Wisconsin, the man was charged with murder of another man and while in custody, confessed to having killed Kirsch. The U.S. Army CIC (Criminal Investigation Command) sent an agent to Wisconsin and took a statement from the man on June 22, 1972. However, on September 6, 1972, the authorities holding the man were informed the U.S. Army had already closed the Kirsch case as the man had been discharged. The man was eventually found not guilty of murder by reason of insanity and was committed to a mental institution. To this day, Virginia Kirsch has not received any justice for her murder.

     The photograph shows Kirsch (on the left as you look at the picture) and a fellow Donut Dolly on a M48 Patton main battle tank, likely belonging to the 1st. Battalion, 69th. Armor which was under the 25th. Infantry Division. She is wearing the usual ARC in-country uniform which consisted of a pale blue short-sleeved dress. On her left collar is a red enameled cross while on the right would be a pin with the letters A.R.C. There does seem to be something above the A.R.C. pin but what it is cannot be determined. On the left sleeve of the dress is the round ARC patch which was white with a red border, a centered red cross with American Red Cross in red around it. On Kirsch's right sleeve is the “Tropic Lightning” unit patch of the 25th. Infantry Division. The name plate was standard U.S. Army, being black with the last name in white with a white border. Footwear was typically sneakers, tennis shoes, or in some cases, casual loafers. Kirsch's companion is wearing the ARC boonie hat, also in pale blue to match the uniform. The dress uniform was a pale blue two-pocket, button-down blouse and skirt, black low-heeled pumps, and a pale blue cap.

Oberleutnant der Reserve Karl Buckel: Sturmgeschütz-Brigade 277

     Born on June 12, 1920 in the Mörzheim district of Landau in der Pfalz in the Rhineland, Karl Buckel first entered service with the Reichsarbeitsdienst (RAD; Reich Labor Service) in 1939. He was assigned to the 4th. Kompanie, 84th. Bataillon (RAD.-Abteilung 4/84) from the VIII Brandenburg-Ost District and held the rank of Arbeitsmann. His unit was involved in the construction of fortifications along Germany's western borders, known as the Westwall (or the Siegfried Line to the Allies), and for this, he was awarded the Deutsches Schutzwall-Ehrenzeichen (West Wall Medal) on March 15, 1940. Sometime in 1941, Buckel was called up for military duty in the Heer (Army). His first posting was with 2.Bttr./Stu.Gesch.Abt.189 (2. Batterie, Sturmgeschütz-Abteilung 189), the unit having been formed on July 10, 1941 at the Jüterbog Truppenübungsplatz (Jüterbog Military Training Ground) in the south of Berlin. Following training, the unit deployed for the Eastern Front on August 5, 1941 where it was initially part of IX. Armeekorps, 9. Armee, Heeresgruppe Mitte but within five days, it was shifted to XXXX. Armeekorps (mot.), 9. Armee where it remained, seeing combat between August 10 through September 2, 1941. On November 19, 1941, Buckel's unit, 2.Bttr./Stu.Gesch.Abt.189, was ordered to detach and report to XXVII. Armeekorps, where it continued to see action. It was during this time that Buckel, now holding the rank of Unteroffizier (equivalent to Corporal in the U.S. Army), earned the Eisernes Kreuz 2. Klasse (Iron Cross, 2nd. Class) on December 16, 1941. Beginning on January 3, 1942, 2.Bttr./Stu.Gesch.Abt.189 was placed under 9. Armee (Reserve) along with the headquarters unit of Stu.Gesch.Abt.189 and both remained there until Januay 11, 1942 when the entire unit reformed at Olenino, Tver Oblast, Russia. Through January 22, 1942, the unit engaged in operations around the Olenino area but on February 18, 1942, 2.Bttr./Stu.Gesch.Abt.189 was again detached and subordinated to another unit, this time VI. Armeekorps. It was during this period that Buckel was awarded the Allgemeines Sturmabzeichen (General Assault Badge) on January 20, 1942. This decoration was usually awarded to non-infantry units that participated in or supported infantry or mechanized infantry assaults on three different occasions. 2.Bttr./Stu.Gesch.Abt.189 was transferred to the 6. Infanterie-Division, VI. Armeekorps on August 24, 1942 and the rest of the unit soon joined it on August 26, being deployed along the Rzhev Salient. From late August to October 19, 1942, Buckel saw further combat before the unit was shifted to XXVIII. Armeekorps, 9. Armee. It was during these engagements that Buckel earned the Eisernes Kreuz 1. Klasse (Iron Cross 1st. Class), being officially awarded on October 15, 1942. At some point in 1942, Buckel became a Fahnenjunker-Unteroffizier (Officer Candidate) though his rank remained Unteroffizier. 

     Given there is a bit of a gap in Buckel's decorations, it could be surmised that sometime in 1943 he attended officer candidate school (Kriegsschule; Military School) that encompassed eight weeks of intensive training. After his graduation, he then went to one of the Truppenschule (Branch of Service School) for continued training, this time as an assault gun (Sturmgeschütz) unit leader. Perhaps a validation of this was that on December 27, 1943, Buckel was awarded the Ehrenblattspange (Honor Roll Clasp) which was received for further distinguishing acts in combat. At the time of this award, he now held the rank of Leutnant (2nd. Lieutenant). Buckel was assigned to a new unit, Sturmgeschütz-Brigade 277, which had been formed on February 11, 1944. Specifically, Buckel was with the 1st. Battery (1.Bttr). Buckel's ability as a soldier and officer saw him quickly promoted to Oberleutnant der Reserve (1st. Lieutenant of Reserves). The unit was assigned to 6. Armee (Reserve), Heeresgruppe A and spent several months being refitted and crews trained. In June 1944, the unit was sent to the Cholm region of operations on the Eastern Front under 4. Panzerarmee, Heeresgruppe Nordukraine. On March 21, 1944, Buckel received further accolades by being decorated with the Nahkampfspange (Close Combat Bar or Clasp) in Bronze and the Allgemeines Sturmabzeichen III.Stufe (Grade III; meaning, he had engaged in at least 50 assaults with or in support of infantry). On July 2, 1944, he received the Deutsches Kreuz in Gold (German Cross) for repeated acts of bravery or outstanding achievements. Buckel was made the commander of the 3rd. Battery (3.Bttr) and on July 15, 1944, Buckel earned the Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes (Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross) for actions in support of the 212. Infanterie-Division. The division was positioned near Lepel along with Buckel's unit when it came under attack by Soviet forces who broke through near the village of Durilowitschi, the main area of operations for the division. Buckel's 3rd. Battery deployed and succeeded in destroying several Soviet tanks that stalled the Soviet advance. After rallying German forces nearby, Buckel was able to initiate a counterattack which ousted the Soviets from Durilowitschi. Further actions saw Buckel earn the Allgemeines Sturmabzeichen IV.Stufe (for participating in at least 75 assaults total) on October 31, 1944. By this date, the unit was under the XXVI. Armeekorps and in December 1944, the unit was renamed Heeres-Sturmartillerie-Brigade 277. Buckel was also decorated with two Panzervernichtungsabzeichen (Tank Destruction Badge) though the exact dates of when they were earned and how is not known. He was also awarded the Medaille Winterschlacht im Osten 1941/42 (Winter Battle in the East 1941–42 Medal), better known as the Ostmedaille (Eastern Medal), for his service on the Eastern Front. 

     As for Heeres-Sturmartillerie-Brigade 277, it remained with Heeresgruppe Mitte until the end of the war when the general surrender of Heeresgruppe Mitte forces was issued on May 8, 1945. Buckel was taken prisoner by French forces but he would later escape from the POW encampment and was never recaptured. In time, Buckel returned to military service, this time with the West German Bundeswehr which was formed on November 12, 1955. He would retire from the Bundeswehr in 1976, having attained the rank of Oberstleutnant (Lieutenant-Colonel). Buckel passed away on September 2, 1997 at the age of 77.

     The photograph of Buckel shows him with the majority of his awards and it also shows him with the rank of Oberleutnant der Reserve. The ciphers on his schulterstücke (shoulderboards) are difficult to identify but may be the unit number of 277. Given he is wearing the Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes around his throat, the photograph can be dated on or sometime after July 15, 1944. The two tank destruction badges can be seen on his right sleeve, the Deutsches Kreuz is on the upper, right pocket, and through the buttonhole on his feldbluse is the ribbon for the Eisernes Kreuz 2. Klasse and beneath it, the ribbon for the Ostmedaille. Above the left pocket of his feldbluse is the Nahkampfspange and above that can be seen two stitched thread loops, often used to secure a ribbon bar which he is not wearing. Typically, this is where he would have worn the ribbon for the Deutsches Schutzwall-Ehrenzeichen. Beneath the Nahkampfspange is his Eisernes Kreuz 1. Klasse, Allgemeines Sturmabzeichen, and another unidentified medal. Not seen is the Ehrenblattspange which would normally have been pinned through the ribbon for the Eisernes Kreuz 2. Klasse. This was because the actual clasp was not produced until after January 30, 1944. Before that date, it was only a paper award and noted in the soldier's soldbuch. At the time the photograph was taken, Buckel may not have had the opportunity to obtain the clasp.