Kampfgeschwader 76
Encyclopedia
Kampfgeschwader 76 was a Luftwaffe
bomber
Group
during World War II .
Its units participated on all of the fronts
in the European Theatre throughout the conflict, and served until the last day of the war. It operated all three of the major German bomber types; the Dornier Do 17
, Heinkel He 111
and the Junkers Ju 88
, and also made use of the first-ever operational jet bomber design, the Arado Ar 234
.
in Austria with Stab./KG 76 and I Gruppe. III Gruppe at Wels on the same date with the Do 17E, while II./KG 76 was not formed until September 1939, again in Wels, Northern Austria.
While training in the summer of 1939 the Geschwader "worked up" on the Dornier Do 17Z and He 111.
II./KG 76 did not become operational until June 1940 and consequently missed the Polish Campaign and the Norwegian Campaign
.
. The unit participated in the Battle of Bzura, and carried out raids in the areas of Galicia, Radom
, Kielce
and Warsaw
against rail, airfield and troop targets. The Geschwader ceased attacks on 22 September and were ordered to western Germany to face a possible Allied attack. KG 76 was then assigned to Luftflotte 3
.
but instead spent the spring training and resting in preparation for the decisive western offensive in 1940.
KG 76 began the campaign in the west with a strength of 89 Do 17s, He 111s and Ju 88s, with 89 serviceable on 10 May 1940.. KG 76 supported the offensive through the Ardennes and Belgium, later bombed the Allied ports Ostend
and Dunkirk, during the Allied evacuation
.
I./KG 76 supported the crucial breakthrough at Sedan
. Other elements supported the drive to the Swiss
border, encircling the French forces on the Maginot Line
. Attacked several airfields around Laon
, and flew sorties against the Maginot Line. The Geschwader took part in Operation Paula
, a concentrated attack on airfields around Paris, which began on 3 June. What remained of Allied Airpower was destroyed in this assault. operated I./KG 76 moved to Beavues-Tille. Following the French campaign, II./KG 76 was disbanded and merged into III./KG 28 on 9 July 1940. However, oddly, the Gruppe was reformed on the very same day, as it was decided to rename III./KG 28 back to II./KG 76. The unit also converted to the Ju 88 at this time.
For operations over Britain II./KG 76 was moved to airfields at Creil
and Cormeilles-en-Vexin in France.
. I./KG 76 was reduced to 19 out of 29 serviceable machines by 18 August 1940. The units continued to attack targets into the Blitz
campaign. It raided London on 7 September and 15 September, and took part in attacks on London on 18/19 March and Glasgow
on 7/8 April 1941. The unit also attacked Coventry
on 8/9 April and Birmingham
on 9/10 and 10/11 April. Belfast
and Portland
were attacked on 15/16 April, while Liverpool
was bombed on 26/27 April, 3/4, 4/5 and 7/8 May. Hull
, Nottingham
and Sheffield
were attacked on the night of 8/9 May. It began moving to East Prussia
on 7 June 1941, for the coming Operation Barbarossa
. The rest of the Gruppen attacked the same targets at various periods during the campaign. II./KG 76 recorded 36 Ju 88s and 28 serviceable machines on 13 August. By 6 September than had shrunk to 27 and 21 respectively.. III./KG 76 seems to have been the hardest hit. It had 32 Do 17s of which 19 were airworthy on 13 August. By 7 September it had just 17 airworthy Dorniers left, out of a total of 24 machines. The Geschwader was withdrawn to East Prussia on 7 June 1941. It appears its last sortie as on 30 May 1941, an attack on shipping in the Humber
Estuary.
KG 76 was equipped with 90 aircraft of which 69 were serviceable, in Stab, I, II and III./KG 76.
KG 76 supported the German advance through the Baltic states
. During this time KG 76 helped sever the rail links between Leningrad
and Moscow. KG 76 then shifted its support to Army Group Centre
during Operation Typhoon that led to the Battle of Moscow
. I./KG 76 bombed Moscow several times, from 10 November 1941 onwards. I./KG 76 was put under the command of Nahkampfführer 2/VIII.Fl.Korps, and then withdrawn for re-equipment in January 1942. KG 76's losses during Barbarossa were light for II./KG 76 (reformed in July 1940 after being dissolved and absorbed by III./KG 28 on 9 July 1940). II./KG 76 losses amounted to just 2 per week, including damaged machines.
III./KG 76 took part in conventional mission, but in March 1942 the unit took part in anti-partisan operations behind German lines.
Later in 1942 the unit took part in the Battle of Stalingrad
and saw heavy action in the Caucasus
. KG 76 attacked Soviet shipping along the Volga River
and around the Crimean peninsula .
, Greece. Missions were flown against Allied shipping off Tobruk
and Benghazi
. Raids were also carried out on Algiers
and Tripoli
on the 2 and 5 March 1943. I./KG 76 was withdrawn to Ansbach
, Germany for rest and refit. II./KG 76 was withdrawn on 26 April 1943. III./KG 76 took part in the Kampfgeschwader's most significant action. On 16-17 May KG 76 took part in raids on Allied airfields in Corsica
. At Poretta airfield destroyed 25 Spitfires
. An attack on Alesan airfield destroyed 30 B-25s and damaged another 45. The unit was withdrawn on 16 July 1943. I./KG 76 returned to the theatre later in the year and continued operations during the Italian Campaign
until December 1943. During this time it also struck at the Allied landings in Sicily
. I./KG 76 had 32 Ju 88 A-4s on strength by the time of withdrawal. II./KG 76 moved into bases in Southern France in December 1943. It flew bombing missions against the Anzio
beachhead during the Allied Operation Shingle
. The unit continued these missions until 10 July 1944, when it handed all its Ju 88s to I./LG 1.
. The Gruppe had 33 Ju 88s with 31 serviceable on 21 January 1944. Some elements of the Gruppe left for the Mediterranean to start operations over Anzio. The element in Mediterranean left for Linz
, Austria to convert to the Junkers Ju 188
and Messerschmitt Me 410
. It was later decided to convert the unit to the Arado Ar 234
on 7 June. However this was never carried out, and I./KG 76 was disbanded in July 1944.
, Belgium. Troop concentrations were attacked around Liège
and Bastogne
on 26 and 31 December respectively, in support of German forces during the Battle of the Bulge
. The unit also flew reconnaissance missions over Antwerp's docks and airfields on 1 January 1945 during Operation Bodenplatte
. On 20 January 1945 Ar 234s struck the docks at Antwerp, and struck again on 24 January 1945, which was the wing's last independent mission.
Missions were flown against rail targets in the Brussels
area on 8 February, and attacked Allied fores around Eindhoven on 21 February. On 24 February, one of the Ar 234s force landed at Selgersdorf near Aachen
, and was captured intact. During the 22-28 February period the unit flew a minimum of 20 and maximum of 37 sorties a day.
The unit also attacked the Ludendorf Bridge at Remagen
from 9-13 March. KG 76 reported high losses during this period. On 21 March their base at Achmer was bombed. 10 Ar 234s were lost and a further 8 damaged. By 1 April 1945 the group had just 11 machines on strength, with seven serviceable and 27 pilots of which 16 were ready for action. III./KG 76 received five Ar 234s on 10 April.
Records indicate that on 12 April strength was 15 aircraft of which 10 were serviceable and 31 (18 ready for action) pilots. The Gruppe spent most of April attacking targets on German soil, against the advancing Allied forces. On 20 April 1945 Ar 234s of III./KG 76 struck at Soviet targets in the Berlin area. 8 Staffel of III./KG 76 flew the Kampfgeschwader's last sortie of the war on 3 May 1945.
III./KG 76 also participated in the last battles of the war. The unit had not fully converted to the Ar 234, and still flew the He 111. A mixed group of these aircraft struck at Soviet forces in the Kürstin area. Most of the unit was moved to confront the Western Allies in Western Germany. Targets included marshalling yards, airfields bridges and ground forces. Based at Hesepe, the airfield was attacked on 21 March, killed 11 and wounding 10 of the units personnel. II./KG 76 continued to resist British armoured advances until the 15 April. With just 18 pilots left the Gruppe handed over its remaining aircraft to III./KG 76 and all remaining personnel joined the Geschwaderstab/KG 76. No further missions were flown by the Gruppe after this date. The Gruppe surrendered to Royal Air Force
personnel at Schleswig
airfield on 8 May 1945.
Luftwaffe
Luftwaffe is a generic German term for an air force. It is also the official name for two of the four historic German air forces, the Wehrmacht air arm founded in 1935 and disbanded in 1946; and the current Bundeswehr air arm founded in 1956....
bomber
Bomber
A bomber is a military aircraft designed to attack ground and sea targets, by dropping bombs on them, or – in recent years – by launching cruise missiles at them.-Classifications of bombers:...
Group
Group (air force)
A group is a military aviation unit, a component of military organization and a military formation. Usage of the terms group and wing differ from one country to another, as well as different branches of a defence force, in some cases...
during World War II .
Its units participated on all of the fronts
Front (military)
A military front or battlefront is a contested armed frontier between opposing forces. This can be a local or tactical front, or it can range to a theater...
in the European Theatre throughout the conflict, and served until the last day of the war. It operated all three of the major German bomber types; the Dornier Do 17
Dornier Do 17
The Dornier Do 17, sometimes referred to as the Fliegender Bleistift , was a World War II German light bomber produced by Claudius Dornier's company, Dornier Flugzeugwerke...
, Heinkel He 111
Heinkel He 111
The Heinkel He 111 was a German aircraft designed by Siegfried and Walter Günter in the early 1930s in violation of the Treaty of Versailles. Often described as a "Wolf in sheep's clothing", it masqueraded as a transport aircraft, but its purpose was to provide the Luftwaffe with a fast medium...
and the Junkers Ju 88
Junkers Ju 88
The Junkers Ju 88 was a World War II German Luftwaffe twin-engine, multi-role aircraft. Designed by Hugo Junkers' company through the services of two American aviation engineers in the mid-1930s, it suffered from a number of technical problems during the later stages of its development and early...
, and also made use of the first-ever operational jet bomber design, the Arado Ar 234
Arado Ar 234
The Arado Ar 234 was the world's first operational jet-powered bomber, built by the German Arado company in the closing stages of World War II. Produced in very limited numbers, it was used almost entirely in the reconnaissance role, but in its few uses as a bomber it proved to be nearly impossible...
.
History
Kampfgeschwader 76 was formed on 1 May 1939 at Wiener NeustadtWiener Neustadt
-Main sights:* The Late-Romanesque Dom, consecrated in 1279 and cathedral from 1469 to 1785. The choir and transept, in Gothic style, are from the 14th century. In the late 15th century 12 statues of the Apostles were added in the apse, while the bust of Cardinal Melchior Klesl is attributed to...
in Austria with Stab./KG 76 and I Gruppe. III Gruppe at Wels on the same date with the Do 17E, while II./KG 76 was not formed until September 1939, again in Wels, Northern Austria.
While training in the summer of 1939 the Geschwader "worked up" on the Dornier Do 17Z and He 111.
II./KG 76 did not become operational until June 1940 and consequently missed the Polish Campaign and the Norwegian Campaign
Norwegian Campaign
The Norwegian Campaign was a military campaign that was fought in Norway during the Second World War between the Allies and Germany, after the latter's invasion of the country. In April 1940, the United Kingdom and France came to Norway's aid with an expeditionary force...
.
Polish Campaign
During the Polish Campaign I. and III. Gruppen of KG 76 took part in combat operations. Operating from Breslau-Schöngarten (today Copernicus Airport Wrocław), I./KG 76 committed 36 Dorniers (all serviceable) under Luftflotte 4Luftflotte 4
Luftflotte 4 was one of the primary divisions of the German Luftwaffe in World War II. It was formed on March 18, 1939 from Luftwaffenkommando Österreich in Vienna. The Luftflotte was redesignated on April 21, 1945 to Luftwaffenkommando 4, and became subordinated to Luftflotte 6. It was the...
. The unit participated in the Battle of Bzura, and carried out raids in the areas of Galicia, Radom
Radom
Radom is a city in central Poland with 223,397 inhabitants . It is located on the Mleczna River in the Masovian Voivodeship , having previously been the capital of Radom Voivodeship ; 100 km south of Poland's capital, Warsaw.It is home to the biennial Radom Air Show, the largest and...
, Kielce
Kielce
Kielce ) is a city in central Poland with 204,891 inhabitants . It is also the capital city of the Świętokrzyskie Voivodeship since 1999, previously in Kielce Voivodeship...
and Warsaw
Warsaw
Warsaw is the capital and largest city of Poland. It is located on the Vistula River, roughly from the Baltic Sea and from the Carpathian Mountains. Its population in 2010 was estimated at 1,716,855 residents with a greater metropolitan area of 2,631,902 residents, making Warsaw the 10th most...
against rail, airfield and troop targets. The Geschwader ceased attacks on 22 September and were ordered to western Germany to face a possible Allied attack. KG 76 was then assigned to Luftflotte 3
Luftflotte 3
Luftflotte 3 was one of the primary divisions of the German Luftwaffe in World War II. It was formed on February 1, 1939 from Luftwaffengruppenkommando 3 in Munich and redesignated Luftwaffenkommando West on September 26, 1944...
.
Denmark and Norway
The unit did not participate in Operation WeserübungOperation Weserübung
Operation Weserübung was the code name for Germany's assault on Denmark and Norway during the Second World War and the opening operation of the Norwegian Campaign...
but instead spent the spring training and resting in preparation for the decisive western offensive in 1940.
Battle of France and the Low Countries
During the Battle of FranceBattle of France
In the Second World War, the Battle of France was the German invasion of France and the Low Countries, beginning on 10 May 1940, which ended the Phoney War. The battle consisted of two main operations. In the first, Fall Gelb , German armoured units pushed through the Ardennes, to cut off and...
KG 76 began the campaign in the west with a strength of 89 Do 17s, He 111s and Ju 88s, with 89 serviceable on 10 May 1940.. KG 76 supported the offensive through the Ardennes and Belgium, later bombed the Allied ports Ostend
Ostend
Ostend is a Belgian city and municipality located in the Flemish province of West Flanders. It comprises the boroughs of Mariakerke , Stene and Zandvoorde, and the city of Ostend proper – the largest on the Belgian coast....
and Dunkirk, during the Allied evacuation
Battle of Dunkirk
The Battle of Dunkirk was a battle in the Second World War between the Allies and Germany. A part of the Battle of France on the Western Front, the Battle of Dunkirk was the defence and evacuation of British and allied forces in Europe from 26 May–4 June 1940.After the Phoney War, the Battle of...
.
I./KG 76 supported the crucial breakthrough at Sedan
Sedan, France
Sedan is a commune in France, a sub-prefecture of the Ardennes department in northern France.-Geography:The historic centre is built on a peninsula formed by an arc of the Meuse River. It is around from the Belgian border.-History:...
. Other elements supported the drive to the Swiss
Switzerland
Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....
border, encircling the French forces on the Maginot Line
Maginot Line
The Maginot Line , named after the French Minister of War André Maginot, was a line of concrete fortifications, tank obstacles, artillery casemates, machine gun posts, and other defences, which France constructed along its borders with Germany and Italy, in light of its experience in World War I,...
. Attacked several airfields around Laon
Laon
Laon is the capital city of the Aisne department in Picardy in northern France.-History:The hilly district of Laon, which rises a hundred metres above the otherwise flat Picardy plain, has always held strategic importance...
, and flew sorties against the Maginot Line. The Geschwader took part in Operation Paula
Operation Paula
Unternehmen Paula is the German codename given for the Second World War Luftwaffe offensive operation to destroy the remaining units of the Armée de l'Air , or French Air Force during the Battle of France in 1940. On 10 May the German armed forces began its invasion of Western Europe...
, a concentrated attack on airfields around Paris, which began on 3 June. What remained of Allied Airpower was destroyed in this assault. operated I./KG 76 moved to Beavues-Tille. Following the French campaign, II./KG 76 was disbanded and merged into III./KG 28 on 9 July 1940. However, oddly, the Gruppe was reformed on the very same day, as it was decided to rename III./KG 28 back to II./KG 76. The unit also converted to the Ju 88 at this time.
For operations over Britain II./KG 76 was moved to airfields at Creil
Creil
Creil is a large town in northern France. It is designated municipally as a commune within the département of Oise.-History:Archaeological remains in the area include a Neolithic site, as well as a late Iron Age necropolis, perhaps belonging to a Gaulish fortress or protected camp.The city itself...
and Cormeilles-en-Vexin in France.
Battle of Britain and Channel Front: 1940 - 1941
The unit was heavily involved in the Battle of BritainBattle of Britain
The Battle of Britain is the name given to the World War II air campaign waged by the German Air Force against the United Kingdom during the summer and autumn of 1940...
. I./KG 76 was reduced to 19 out of 29 serviceable machines by 18 August 1940. The units continued to attack targets into the Blitz
The Blitz
The Blitz was the sustained strategic bombing of Britain by Nazi Germany between 7 September 1940 and 10 May 1941, during the Second World War. The city of London was bombed by the Luftwaffe for 76 consecutive nights and many towns and cities across the country followed...
campaign. It raided London on 7 September and 15 September, and took part in attacks on London on 18/19 March and Glasgow
Glasgow
Glasgow is the largest city in Scotland and third most populous in the United Kingdom. The city is situated on the River Clyde in the country's west central lowlands...
on 7/8 April 1941. The unit also attacked Coventry
Coventry
Coventry is a city and metropolitan borough in the county of West Midlands in England. Coventry is the 9th largest city in England and the 11th largest in the United Kingdom. It is also the second largest city in the English Midlands, after Birmingham, with a population of 300,848, although...
on 8/9 April and Birmingham
Birmingham
Birmingham is a city and metropolitan borough in the West Midlands of England. It is the most populous British city outside the capital London, with a population of 1,036,900 , and lies at the heart of the West Midlands conurbation, the second most populous urban area in the United Kingdom with a...
on 9/10 and 10/11 April. Belfast
Belfast
Belfast is the capital of and largest city in Northern Ireland. By population, it is the 14th biggest city in the United Kingdom and second biggest on the island of Ireland . It is the seat of the devolved government and legislative Northern Ireland Assembly...
and Portland
Isle of Portland
The Isle of Portland is a limestone tied island, long by wide, in the English Channel. Portland is south of the resort of Weymouth, forming the southernmost point of the county of Dorset, England. A tombolo over which runs the A354 road connects it to Chesil Beach and the mainland. Portland and...
were attacked on 15/16 April, while Liverpool
Liverpool
Liverpool is a city and metropolitan borough of Merseyside, England, along the eastern side of the Mersey Estuary. It was founded as a borough in 1207 and was granted city status in 1880...
was bombed on 26/27 April, 3/4, 4/5 and 7/8 May. Hull
Kingston upon Hull
Kingston upon Hull , usually referred to as Hull, is a city and unitary authority area in the ceremonial county of the East Riding of Yorkshire, England. It stands on the River Hull at its junction with the Humber estuary, 25 miles inland from the North Sea. Hull has a resident population of...
, Nottingham
Nottingham
Nottingham is a city and unitary authority in the East Midlands of England. It is located in the ceremonial county of Nottinghamshire and represents one of eight members of the English Core Cities Group...
and Sheffield
Sheffield
Sheffield is a city and metropolitan borough of South Yorkshire, England. Its name derives from the River Sheaf, which runs through the city. Historically a part of the West Riding of Yorkshire, and with some of its southern suburbs annexed from Derbyshire, the city has grown from its largely...
were attacked on the night of 8/9 May. It began moving to East Prussia
Prussia
Prussia was a German kingdom and historic state originating out of the Duchy of Prussia and the Margraviate of Brandenburg. For centuries, the House of Hohenzollern ruled Prussia, successfully expanding its size by way of an unusually well-organized and effective army. Prussia shaped the history...
on 7 June 1941, for the coming Operation Barbarossa
Operation Barbarossa
Operation Barbarossa was the code name for Germany's invasion of the Soviet Union during World War II that began on 22 June 1941. Over 4.5 million troops of the Axis powers invaded the USSR along a front., the largest invasion in the history of warfare...
. The rest of the Gruppen attacked the same targets at various periods during the campaign. II./KG 76 recorded 36 Ju 88s and 28 serviceable machines on 13 August. By 6 September than had shrunk to 27 and 21 respectively.. III./KG 76 seems to have been the hardest hit. It had 32 Do 17s of which 19 were airworthy on 13 August. By 7 September it had just 17 airworthy Dorniers left, out of a total of 24 machines. The Geschwader was withdrawn to East Prussia on 7 June 1941. It appears its last sortie as on 30 May 1941, an attack on shipping in the Humber
Humber
The Humber is a large tidal estuary on the east coast of Northern England. It is formed at Trent Falls, Faxfleet, by the confluence of the tidal River Ouse and the tidal River Trent. From here to the North Sea, it forms part of the boundary between the East Riding of Yorkshire on the north bank...
Estuary.
Eastern Front
During the initial phase of the war on the Eastern FrontEastern Front (World War II)
The Eastern Front of World War II was a theatre of World War II between the European Axis powers and co-belligerent Finland against the Soviet Union, Poland, and some other Allies which encompassed Northern, Southern and Eastern Europe from 22 June 1941 to 9 May 1945...
KG 76 was equipped with 90 aircraft of which 69 were serviceable, in Stab, I, II and III./KG 76.
KG 76 supported the German advance through the Baltic states
Baltic states
The term Baltic states refers to the Baltic territories which gained independence from the Russian Empire in the wake of World War I: primarily the contiguous trio of Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania ; Finland also fell within the scope of the term after initially gaining independence in the 1920s.The...
. During this time KG 76 helped sever the rail links between Leningrad
Leningrad
Leningrad is the former name of Saint Petersburg, Russia.Leningrad may also refer to:- Places :* Leningrad Oblast, a federal subject of Russia, around Saint Petersburg* Leningrad, Tajikistan, capital of Muminobod district in Khatlon Province...
and Moscow. KG 76 then shifted its support to Army Group Centre
Army Group Centre
Army Group Centre was the name of two distinct German strategic army groups that fought on the Eastern Front in World War II. The first Army Group Centre was created on 22 June 1941, as one of three German Army formations assigned to the invasion of the Soviet Union...
during Operation Typhoon that led to the Battle of Moscow
Battle of Moscow
The Battle of Moscow is the name given by Soviet historians to two periods of strategically significant fighting on a sector of the Eastern Front during World War II. It took place between October 1941 and January 1942. The Soviet defensive effort frustrated Hitler's attack on Moscow, capital of...
. I./KG 76 bombed Moscow several times, from 10 November 1941 onwards. I./KG 76 was put under the command of Nahkampfführer 2/VIII.Fl.Korps, and then withdrawn for re-equipment in January 1942. KG 76's losses during Barbarossa were light for II./KG 76 (reformed in July 1940 after being dissolved and absorbed by III./KG 28 on 9 July 1940). II./KG 76 losses amounted to just 2 per week, including damaged machines.
III./KG 76 took part in conventional mission, but in March 1942 the unit took part in anti-partisan operations behind German lines.
Later in 1942 the unit took part in the Battle of Stalingrad
Battle of Stalingrad
The Battle of Stalingrad was a major battle of World War II in which Nazi Germany and its allies fought the Soviet Union for control of the city of Stalingrad in southwestern Russia. The battle took place between 23 August 1942 and 2 February 1943...
and saw heavy action in the Caucasus
Caucasus
The Caucasus, also Caucas or Caucasia , is a geopolitical region at the border of Europe and Asia, and situated between the Black and the Caspian sea...
. KG 76 attacked Soviet shipping along the Volga River
Volga River
The Volga is the largest river in Europe in terms of length, discharge, and watershed. It flows through central Russia, and is widely viewed as the national river of Russia. Out of the twenty largest cities of Russia, eleven, including the capital Moscow, are situated in the Volga's drainage...
and around the Crimean peninsula .
Mediterranean, Middle East and African theatres
The Geschwader took part in the Mediterranean, Middle East and African theatres. In November 1942 I., II., and III./KG 76 were transferred to AthensAthens
Athens , is the capital and largest city of Greece. Athens dominates the Attica region and is one of the world's oldest cities, as its recorded history spans around 3,400 years. Classical Athens was a powerful city-state...
, Greece. Missions were flown against Allied shipping off Tobruk
Tobruk
Tobruk or Tubruq is a city, seaport, and peninsula on Libya's eastern Mediterranean coast, near the border with Egypt. It is the capital of the Butnan District and has a population of 120,000 ....
and Benghazi
Benghazi
Benghazi is the second largest city in Libya, the main city of the Cyrenaica region , and the former provisional capital of the National Transitional Council. The wider metropolitan area is also a district of Libya...
. Raids were also carried out on Algiers
Algiers
' is the capital and largest city of Algeria. According to the 1998 census, the population of the city proper was 1,519,570 and that of the urban agglomeration was 2,135,630. In 2009, the population was about 3,500,000...
and Tripoli
Tripoli
Tripoli is the capital and largest city in Libya. It is also known as Western Tripoli , to distinguish it from Tripoli, Lebanon. It is affectionately called The Mermaid of the Mediterranean , describing its turquoise waters and its whitewashed buildings. Tripoli is a Greek name that means "Three...
on the 2 and 5 March 1943. I./KG 76 was withdrawn to Ansbach
Ansbach
Ansbach, originally Onolzbach, is a town in Bavaria, Germany. It is the capital of the administrative region of Middle Franconia. Ansbach is situated southwest of Nuremberg and north of Munich, on the Fränkische Rezat, a tributary of the Main river. As of 2004, its population was 40,723.Ansbach...
, Germany for rest and refit. II./KG 76 was withdrawn on 26 April 1943. III./KG 76 took part in the Kampfgeschwader's most significant action. On 16-17 May KG 76 took part in raids on Allied airfields in Corsica
Corsica
Corsica is an island in the Mediterranean Sea. It is located west of Italy, southeast of the French mainland, and north of the island of Sardinia....
. At Poretta airfield destroyed 25 Spitfires
Supermarine Spitfire
The Supermarine Spitfire is a British single-seat fighter aircraft that was used by the Royal Air Force and many other Allied countries throughout the Second World War. The Spitfire continued to be used as a front line fighter and in secondary roles into the 1950s...
. An attack on Alesan airfield destroyed 30 B-25s and damaged another 45. The unit was withdrawn on 16 July 1943. I./KG 76 returned to the theatre later in the year and continued operations during the Italian Campaign
Italian Campaign (World War II)
The Italian Campaign of World War II was the name of Allied operations in and around Italy, from 1943 to the end of the war in Europe. Joint Allied Forces Headquarters AFHQ was operationally responsible for all Allied land forces in the Mediterranean theatre, and it planned and commanded the...
until December 1943. During this time it also struck at the Allied landings in Sicily
Allied invasion of Sicily
The Allied invasion of Sicily, codenamed Operation Husky, was a major World War II campaign, in which the Allies took Sicily from the Axis . It was a large scale amphibious and airborne operation, followed by six weeks of land combat. It launched the Italian Campaign.Husky began on the night of...
. I./KG 76 had 32 Ju 88 A-4s on strength by the time of withdrawal. II./KG 76 moved into bases in Southern France in December 1943. It flew bombing missions against the Anzio
Anzio
Anzio is a city and comune on the coast of the Lazio region of Italy, about south of Rome.Well known for its seaside harbour setting, it is a fishing port and a departure point for ferries and hydroplanes to the Pontine Islands of Ponza, Palmarola and Ventotene...
beachhead during the Allied Operation Shingle
Operation Shingle
Operation Shingle , during the Italian Campaign of World War II, was an Allied amphibious landing against Axis forces in the area of Anzio and Nettuno, Italy. The operation was commanded by Major General John P. Lucas and was intended to outflank German forces of the Winter Line and enable an...
. The unit continued these missions until 10 July 1944, when it handed all its Ju 88s to I./LG 1.
Return to British skies
I./KG 76 participated in night raids over Great Britain during Operation SteinbockOperation Steinbock
Operation Steinbock was the nocturnal Second World War Luftwaffe offensive operation to destroy British military and civilian targets in southern England, between January and May 1944. The attacks were mainly in and around the Greater London area...
. The Gruppe had 33 Ju 88s with 31 serviceable on 21 January 1944. Some elements of the Gruppe left for the Mediterranean to start operations over Anzio. The element in Mediterranean left for Linz
Linz
Linz is the third-largest city of Austria and capital of the state of Upper Austria . It is located in the north centre of Austria, approximately south of the Czech border, on both sides of the river Danube. The population of the city is , and that of the Greater Linz conurbation is about...
, Austria to convert to the Junkers Ju 188
Junkers Ju 188
The Junkers Ju 188 was a German Luftwaffe high-performance medium bomber built during World War II, the planned follow-on to the famed Ju 88 with better performance and payload...
and Messerschmitt Me 410
Messerschmitt Me 410
The Messerschmitt Me 410 Hornisse was a German heavy fighter and Schnellbomber used by Luftwaffe during World War II. Though essentially a straightforward modification of the Me 210, it was designated the Me 410 to avoid association with its notoriously flawed predecessor.-Design and...
. It was later decided to convert the unit to the Arado Ar 234
Arado Ar 234
The Arado Ar 234 was the world's first operational jet-powered bomber, built by the German Arado company in the closing stages of World War II. Produced in very limited numbers, it was used almost entirely in the reconnaissance role, but in its few uses as a bomber it proved to be nearly impossible...
on 7 June. However this was never carried out, and I./KG 76 was disbanded in July 1944.
Western Front 1944-1945
The Kampfgeschwader began conversion to the Ar 234 in June 1944. III./KG was the first unit to receive the Ar 234, and received the first two on 26 August. By 1 December 1944 it had 51 of these machines on strength. III./KG 76 operated over France and the Low Countries until the end of the war. It flew some of the first jet bomber missions in history on 24 December 1944 against rail targets in NamurNamur (city)
Namur is a city and municipality in Wallonia, in southern Belgium. It is both the capital of the province of Namur and of Wallonia....
, Belgium. Troop concentrations were attacked around Liège
Liège
Liège is a major city and municipality of Belgium located in the province of Liège, of which it is the economic capital, in Wallonia, the French-speaking region of Belgium....
and Bastogne
Bastogne
Bastogne Luxembourgish: Baaschtnech) is a Walloon municipality of Belgium located in the province of Luxembourg in the Ardennes. The municipality of Bastogne includes the old communes of Longvilly, Noville, Villers-la-Bonne-Eau, and Wardin...
on 26 and 31 December respectively, in support of German forces during the Battle of the Bulge
Battle of the Bulge
The Battle of the Bulge was a major German offensive , launched toward the end of World War II through the densely forested Ardennes mountain region of Wallonia in Belgium, hence its French name , and France and...
. The unit also flew reconnaissance missions over Antwerp's docks and airfields on 1 January 1945 during Operation Bodenplatte
Operation Bodenplatte
Operation Bodenplatte launched on 1 January 1945, was an attempt by the Luftwaffe to cripple Allied air forces in the Low Countries during the Second World War. The goal of Bodenplatte was to gain air superiority during the stagnant stage of the Battle of the Bulge, to allow the German Army and...
. On 20 January 1945 Ar 234s struck the docks at Antwerp, and struck again on 24 January 1945, which was the wing's last independent mission.
Missions were flown against rail targets in the Brussels
Brussels
Brussels , officially the Brussels Region or Brussels-Capital Region , is the capital of Belgium and the de facto capital of the European Union...
area on 8 February, and attacked Allied fores around Eindhoven on 21 February. On 24 February, one of the Ar 234s force landed at Selgersdorf near Aachen
Aachen
Aachen has historically been a spa town in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. Aachen was a favoured residence of Charlemagne, and the place of coronation of the Kings of Germany. Geographically, Aachen is the westernmost town of Germany, located along its borders with Belgium and the Netherlands, ...
, and was captured intact. During the 22-28 February period the unit flew a minimum of 20 and maximum of 37 sorties a day.
The unit also attacked the Ludendorf Bridge at Remagen
Remagen
Remagen is a town in Germany in Rhineland-Palatinate, in the district of Ahrweiler. It is about a one hour drive from Cologne , just south of Bonn, the former West German capital. It is situated on the River Rhine. There is a ferry across the Rhine from Remagen every 10–15 minutes in the summer...
from 9-13 March. KG 76 reported high losses during this period. On 21 March their base at Achmer was bombed. 10 Ar 234s were lost and a further 8 damaged. By 1 April 1945 the group had just 11 machines on strength, with seven serviceable and 27 pilots of which 16 were ready for action. III./KG 76 received five Ar 234s on 10 April.
Records indicate that on 12 April strength was 15 aircraft of which 10 were serviceable and 31 (18 ready for action) pilots. The Gruppe spent most of April attacking targets on German soil, against the advancing Allied forces. On 20 April 1945 Ar 234s of III./KG 76 struck at Soviet targets in the Berlin area. 8 Staffel of III./KG 76 flew the Kampfgeschwader's last sortie of the war on 3 May 1945.
III./KG 76 also participated in the last battles of the war. The unit had not fully converted to the Ar 234, and still flew the He 111. A mixed group of these aircraft struck at Soviet forces in the Kürstin area. Most of the unit was moved to confront the Western Allies in Western Germany. Targets included marshalling yards, airfields bridges and ground forces. Based at Hesepe, the airfield was attacked on 21 March, killed 11 and wounding 10 of the units personnel. II./KG 76 continued to resist British armoured advances until the 15 April. With just 18 pilots left the Gruppe handed over its remaining aircraft to III./KG 76 and all remaining personnel joined the Geschwaderstab/KG 76. No further missions were flown by the Gruppe after this date. The Gruppe surrendered to Royal Air Force
Royal Air Force
The Royal Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Formed on 1 April 1918, it is the oldest independent air force in the world...
personnel at Schleswig
Schleswig
Schleswig or South Jutland is a region covering the area about 60 km north and 70 km south of the border between Germany and Denmark; the territory has been divided between the two countries since 1920, with Northern Schleswig in Denmark and Southern Schleswig in Germany...
airfield on 8 May 1945.
Geschwaderkommodore
- OberstColonelColonel , abbreviated Col or COL, is a military rank of a senior commissioned officer. It or a corresponding rank exists in most armies and in many air forces; the naval equivalent rank is generally "Captain". It is also used in some police forces and other paramilitary rank structures...
Paul Schultheiss, 1 May 1939 – 15 November 1939 - Oberst Stefan FröhlichStefan FröhlichStefan Fröhlich was a highly decorated General der Flieger in the Luftwaffe during World War II. He was also a recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross...
, 17 November 1939 – 26 February 1941 - Oberst Dr. Ing. Ernst BormannErnst BormannDr.-Ing. Ernst BormannIn German a Doctorate in engineering is abbreviated as Dr.-Ing. . was a German World War I Luftstreitkräfte flying ace and a Generalmajor of the Luftwaffe during World War II. He was also a recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves...
, 26 February 1941 – 7 January 1943 - Major Wilhelm von Friedburg, January 1943 (acting)
- OberstleutnantLieutenant colonelLieutenant colonel is a rank of commissioned officer in the armies and most marine forces and some air forces of the world, typically ranking above a major and below a colonel. The rank of lieutenant colonel is often shortened to simply "colonel" in conversation and in unofficial correspondence...
Rudolf Hallensleben, January 1943 – 31 May 1944 - Oberst Walter StorpWalter StorpWalter Storp was a German World War II Luftwaffe bomber pilot and commander of various bomber wings. Walter Storp was the twenty-second recipient of the Knight's Cross with Oak Leaves on 14 July 1941...
, 1 June 1944 – 30 September 1944 - Oberstleutnant Robert Kowalewski, November 1944 – 8 May 1945
I./KG 76
- Oberst Stefan FröhlichStefan FröhlichStefan Fröhlich was a highly decorated General der Flieger in the Luftwaffe during World War II. He was also a recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross...
, 1 May 1939 – 14 November 1939 - Major Ludwig SchulzLudwig SchulzLudwig Schulz was a highly decorated Generalmajor in the Luftwaffe during World War II, and one of only 882 recipients of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves. The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross and its higher grade Oak Leaves was awarded to recognise extreme battlefield bravery...
, November 1939 – 2 June 1940 - Hauptmann Alois LindmayrAlois LindmayrAlois Lindmayr was a highly decorated Oberst in the Luftwaffe during World War II. He was also a recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross...
, June 1940 – - Hauptmann Walter Herbold
- Hauptmann Robert von Sichart, 1941 – 23 June 1941
- Hauptmann Hanns Heise, 1942