Sturzkampfgeschwader 77
Encyclopedia
Sturzkampfgeschwader 77 was a Luftwaffe
Dive bomber
-wing
of World War II
.
, Stab and II. Group in Breslau-Schöngarten (today Copernicus Airport Wrocław). The III. Group was formed from II. Group of Kampfgeschwader 76
on 9 July 1940.
in the west for the preparation of the invasion of France. From May 1940 StG 77 were heavily involved in tactical support of the land campaign as part of VIII. Fliegerkorps
. The unit was involved in the attack on Belgium and the Low Countries, commencing with a series of raids supporting the paratroop attack on the fortress at Eben Emael The unit also contributed to the Battle of Sedan
, which was critical in the fall of France in 1940. Often flying 6 or 7 missions a day, StG 77 flew a series of shuttle missions bombing fortifications, lines of communication, troop concentrations and defence works, rapidly moving from one airfield to another as the Army advanced through the Netherlands and Northern Belgium. Losses were relatively light, however Kommodore Oberst Günter Schwartzkopff
was killed by French AA fire on 15 May leading a bombing attack over Sedan. The latter part of May saw operations over France, with raids against Saint Quentin, Calais, and the Dunkirk perimeter. By 18 June StG 77 had supported the crossings at the rivers Marne, Seine and Loire.
Based in the Cherbourg
area, StG 77 then participated in early part of the Battle of Britain
, suffering high losses in machines and experienced leaders. Commencing with a raid on shipping on 9 July 1940, StG 77 lost I gruppe Gruppenkommandeur
Hpt. Fr. Daligk zu Lichtenfels to Spitfires of No 609 Squadron. Hpt. Waldemar Plewig was shot down and taken prisoner on 8 August, while on 18 August 1940
, 10 Stukas of I./ StG 77 were lost in an attack on Thorney Island, and a further 6 were damaged.
as part of II. Fliegerkorps
. Relocating into the Southern Front in November 1941, StG77 then flew supporting Army Group South. In December II. Gruppe was sent for refitting to Krakow. During 1942 StG77, as part of VIII. Fliegerkorps, supported ground actions on the at the Sevastopol front and later, units took part in the Second Battle of Kharkov
. By September 1942, III./StG 77 was subordinate to I./StG 1 on the northern front in support of Army Group North.
II./StG 77, under Major Kurt Huhn, was one of the main Stuka ground-attack units supporting the operations at Stalingrad. As the battle for the city intensified, so the unit moved ever closer to the city, reducing flight time and allowing more sorties every day.
II. Group was redesignated as III. Group, Schlachtgeschwader 10
on 18 October 1943, the remaining groups renamed to Schlachtgeschwader 77
the same day.
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....
Dive bomber
Dive bomber
A dive bomber is a bomber aircraft that dives directly at its targets in order to provide greater accuracy for the bomb it drops. Diving towards the target reduces the distance the bomb has to fall, which is the primary factor in determining the accuracy of the drop...
-wing
Wing (air force unit)
Wing is a term used by different military aviation forces for a unit of command. The terms wing, group or Staffel are used for different-sized units from one country or service to another....
of World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
.
History
Sturzkampfgeschwader 77 was formed on 1 May 1939, I. Group in BriegBrieg
Brieg may refer to:* Brzeg , in Silesia, Poland** Duchy of Brzeg, a duchy of Silesia from 1311 – 1675* Briec , a town in Brittany...
, Stab and II. Group in Breslau-Schöngarten (today Copernicus Airport Wrocław). The III. Group was formed from II. Group of Kampfgeschwader 76
Kampfgeschwader 76
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...
on 9 July 1940.
1939-40
Stab, I and II./StG 77 first saw action in the Polish campaign attacking enemy positions at Lublinitz and Wielun on the very first day. After the campaign ended The Geschwader transferred to the Luftflotte 3Luftflotte 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...
in the west for the preparation of the invasion of France. From May 1940 StG 77 were heavily involved in tactical support of the land campaign as part of VIII. Fliegerkorps
8th Air Corps (Germany)
VIII. FliegerkorpsFor more details see Luftwaffe Organization was formed 19 July 1939 in Oppeln as Fliegerführer z.b.V. The abbreviation z.b.V. is German and stands for zur besonderen Verwendung . Fliegerführer z.b.V was renamed to VIII. Fliegerkorps on 10 November 1939...
. The unit was involved in the attack on Belgium and the Low Countries, commencing with a series of raids supporting the paratroop attack on the fortress at Eben Emael The unit also contributed to the Battle of Sedan
Battle of Sedan (1940)
The Battle of Sedan or Second Battle of Sedan was a Second World War battle fought during the French Campaign. The battle was part of the German Wehrmacht's operational plan codenamed Fall Gelb , to encircle the Allied armies in Belgium and north-eastern France...
, which was critical in the fall of France in 1940. Often flying 6 or 7 missions a day, StG 77 flew a series of shuttle missions bombing fortifications, lines of communication, troop concentrations and defence works, rapidly moving from one airfield to another as the Army advanced through the Netherlands and Northern Belgium. Losses were relatively light, however Kommodore Oberst Günter Schwartzkopff
Günter Schwartzkopff
Günter Schwartzkopff was a highly decorated Generalmajor in the Luftwaffe during World War II. He was also a recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross. The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross was awarded to recognise extreme battlefield bravery or successful military leadership...
was killed by French AA fire on 15 May leading a bombing attack over Sedan. The latter part of May saw operations over France, with raids against Saint Quentin, Calais, and the Dunkirk perimeter. By 18 June StG 77 had supported the crossings at the rivers Marne, Seine and Loire.
Based in the Cherbourg
Cherbourg-Octeville
-Main sights:* La Glacerie has a race track.* The Cité de la Mer is a large museum devoted to scientific and historical aspects of maritime subjects.* Cherbourg Basilica* Jardin botanique de la Roche Fauconnière, a private botanical garden.* Le Trident theatre...
area, StG 77 then participated in early part of the Battle of Britain
Battle 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...
, suffering high losses in machines and experienced leaders. Commencing with a raid on shipping on 9 July 1940, StG 77 lost I gruppe Gruppenkommandeur
Gruppenkommandeur
Gruppenkommandeur is a Luftwaffe position , that is the equivalent of a commander of a group or wing in other air forces. Gruppenkommandeur usually has the rank of Hauptmann or Major, and commands a Gruppe, which is a sub-division of a Geschwader. A Gruppe usually consists of three or four...
Hpt. Fr. Daligk zu Lichtenfels to Spitfires of No 609 Squadron. Hpt. Waldemar Plewig was shot down and taken prisoner on 8 August, while on 18 August 1940
The Hardest Day
The Hardest Day was the name of a Second World War air battle fought during the Battle of Britain on 18 August 1940, by the Luftwaffe and British Royal Air Force . By June 1940 the Allies had been defeated in Western Europe and Scandinavia...
, 10 Stukas of I./ StG 77 were lost in an attack on Thorney Island, and a further 6 were damaged.
Soviet Operations 1941-43
After participation in the Balkans campaigns of spring 1941, StG 77 formed part of the attack against the Soviet Union in June 1941, and supported the Army Group CentreArmy 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...
as part of II. Fliegerkorps
2nd Air Corps (Germany)
II. FliegerkorpsFor more details see Luftwaffe Organization was formed 11 October 1939 in Frankfurt am Main from the 2. Flieger-Division. The Corps was relocated to the Mediterranean theatre of operations on 15 November 1941...
. Relocating into the Southern Front in November 1941, StG77 then flew supporting Army Group South. In December II. Gruppe was sent for refitting to Krakow. During 1942 StG77, as part of VIII. Fliegerkorps, supported ground actions on the at the Sevastopol front and later, units took part in the Second Battle of Kharkov
Second Battle of Kharkov
The Second Battle of Kharkov, so named by Wilhelm Keitel, was an Axis counter-offensive against the Red Army Izium bridgehead offensive conducted from 12 May to 28 May 1942, on the Eastern Front during World War II. Its objective was to eliminate the Izium bridgehead over Seversky Donets, or the...
. By September 1942, III./StG 77 was subordinate to I./StG 1 on the northern front in support of Army Group North.
II./StG 77, under Major Kurt Huhn, was one of the main Stuka ground-attack units supporting the operations at Stalingrad. As the battle for the city intensified, so the unit moved ever closer to the city, reducing flight time and allowing more sorties every day.
II. Group was redesignated as III. Group, Schlachtgeschwader 10
Schlachtgeschwader 10
Schlachtgeschwader 10 was a Luftwaffe Close air support–wing of World War II. The Geschwader was formed on 18 October 1943 in Berdychiv from the Stab of Schnellkampfgeschwader 10....
on 18 October 1943, the remaining groups renamed to Schlachtgeschwader 77
Schlachtgeschwader 77
Schlachtgeschwader 77 was a Luftwaffe close air support-wing of World War II.-History:Schlachtgeschwader 77 was formed on 18 October 1943 in Wassilkow from Stab/Sturzkampfgeschwader 77. With the exception of II. Group which was redesignated as III. Group, Schlachtgeschwader 10, the remaining...
the same day.
Kommodore
- Oberst Günter SchwartzkopffGünter SchwartzkopffGünter Schwartzkopff was a highly decorated Generalmajor in the Luftwaffe during World War II. He was also a recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross. The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross was awarded to recognise extreme battlefield bravery or successful military leadership...
, 1 May 1939 – 14 May 1940 - Major Graf Clemens von Schönborn-Wiesentheid, 15 May 1940 – 20 July 1942
- Major Alfons Orthofer, 25 July 1942 – 12 October 1942
- Major Walter EnneccerusWalter EnneccerusWalter Enneccerus was a highly decorated Oberst in the Luftwaffe during World War II and a recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross. The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross was awarded to recognise extreme battlefield bravery or successful military leadership. During his career he was...
, 13 October 1942 – 20 February 1943 - Major Helmut BruckHelmut BruckHelmut Bruck was a highly decorated Oberst 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 or...
, 20 February 1943 – 18 October 1943
I./StG 77
- Hauptmann Friedrich-Karl Freiherr von Dalwigk zu LichtenfelsFriedrich-Karl Freiherr von Dalwigk zu LichtenfelsFriedrich-Karl Freiherr von Dalwigk zu Lichtenfels was a highly decorated Major in the Luftwaffe during World War II, and a recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross. The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross was awarded to recognise extreme battlefield bravery or successful military leadership...
, 1 May 1939 – 13 July 1940 - Hauptmann Meisel, 14 July 1940 – 18 August 1940
- Hauptmann Helmut Bruck, 28 August 1940 – 19 February 1943
- Major Werner Roell, 20 February 1943 – 18 October 1943
II./StG 77
- Hauptmann Graf Clemens von Schönborn-Wiesentheid, 1 May 1939 – 15 May 1940
- Hauptmann Waldemar Plewig, 15 May 1940 – 8 August 1940
- Major Kurt Huhn, 1 July 1942 – 1 April 1943
- Hauptmann Helmut LeichtHelmut LeichtHelmut Leicht was a highly decorated Major 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 or...
, 1 April 1943 – 18 October 1943
III./StG 77
- Hauptmann Helmuth BodeHelmuth BodeHelmuth Bode was a German World War II bomber pilot. He was awarded the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross on October 10, 1941.-Biography:...
, 9 July 1940 – 25 August 1942 - Hauptmann Georg JakobGeorg JakobGeorg Jakob was a highly decorated Oberstleutnant 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...
, 26 August 1942 – 1 December 1942 - Hauptmann Franz KieslichFranz KieslichFranz Kieslich was a highly decorated Major in the Luftwaffe during World War II and recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves during World War II. The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross and its higher grade Oak Leaves was awarded to recognise extreme battlefield bravery or...
, 1 January 1943 – 18 October 1943