Fallschirmjäger - Western Front - December 1944

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cwbuff
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Fallschirmjäger - Western Front - December 1944

#1

Post by cwbuff » 22 Jan 2013, 02:42

I am trying to learn more about a family member's unit and action. We know that in December 1944, he was on the western front on a Kampfeinsatz (combat mission) and was reported missing. The family assumed he was dead. His home town had services for him and put a marker in the church graveyard with his name on it. In 1946 the family got the first letter from him that he was a POW in France. He returned home in 1947.

My first thoughts were that he was in the Ardennes or in Nordwind. Any ideas on what unit/action he may have been involved in?

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dgfred
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Re: Fallschirmjäger - Western Front - December 1944

#2

Post by dgfred » 23 Jan 2013, 17:48

I believe there were FJ with Peiper... at least to begin with.


cwbuff
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Re: Fallschirmjäger - Western Front - December 1944

#3

Post by cwbuff » 23 Jan 2013, 18:43

Any idea what units?

Dunnigan
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Re: Fallschirmjäger - Western Front - December 1944

#4

Post by Dunnigan » 23 Jan 2013, 19:55

Two major Fallschirmjager units fought in the Ardennes in 1944-45, these were the 3rd and 5th Fallschirmjager Divisions composed of the 5th, 8th, and 9th FsJ Regt's in the former and the 13th, 14th, and 15th FsJ Regt's in the latter. Note that there were many subunits as well as the 11th FsJ Sturmgeschutz Brigade attached to the 5th FsJ Div.

The Fallschirmjager with Peiper were from a battalion of the 9th FsJ Regiment of the 3rd Fsj Div. Peiper pretty much attached them to his command and these were the troops you famously see riding a King Tiger tank through the forest. They were with Peiper, but not necessarily under him the whole time. The 3rd and 5th FsJ Div's fought under their own command for the most part.

There was also von der Heydte's specially formed unit that parachuted into the Ardennes. Most misdropped or were not able to drop and many were captured (including von der Heydte). This was a specially picked unit.

The information you provide is scant, as there were many Fallschirmjager also fighting on the western front and not necessarily in the Ardennes, like the remnants of the 2nd, 6th, and 7th FsJ Div's and various training Fallschirmjager battalions scattered throughout. There were tens of thousands of Fallschirmjager troops on the western front and pinpointing the unit would be difficult.

Is there any additional information you can provide? Such as where he was captured, where his home station may have been, when he was captured, etc.

cwbuff
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Re: Fallschirmjäger - Western Front - December 1944

#5

Post by cwbuff » 23 Jan 2013, 20:52

I don't know if this will help or not. He was born in 1927. He was from Hohenkirchen, Bavaria, Germany (near Munich).


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