Stab./FAGr 3
Fernaufklärungsgruppe 3
Code: (B5 + )
Formation. (Aug 44 - Sep 44)
Ordered formed 20 August 1944 (FpN assigned 20 September 1944). Place of formation unknown, but probably at Stubendorf in Silesia. Several sources have incorrectly given 20 August 1943 as the date of formation, but there is no evidence to support this earlier date. The 20 August 1944 OKL Org.Abt. formation order can be found in BA-MA RL 2 III/59 at Freiburg. The third week of August 1944 was a time of critical events and major decisions for the Wehrmacht. Orders were given to withdraw from France and Belgium, the Soviet offensive into Romania drove a wedge between Luftflotte 6 and Luftflotte 4 and major decisions were about to be taken concerning the Balkans. These decisions and the resulting territorial realignments produced a need for an additional Stab to control long-range reconnaissance over western Ukraine and southern Poland under Luftflotte 6.[1]
Eastern Germany. (Sep 44 - May 45)
9.44: Stab at Stubendorf/20 km SE of Oppeln in Silesia under Luftflotte 6 - OB: 2.(F)/100 and 4.(F)/121.
1.12.44: Stab reported 1 x Ju 88 T-1 and 3 x Me 410 A-3 on strength.
1.45: Stab withdrew from Stubendorf to Sprottau/Silesia, around 210 km NW of Stubendorf, during mid-January as the massive Soviet winter offensive broke out along the Vistula and drove German forces out of most of western Poland and Silesia.
1.2.45: Stab at Sprottau, still under Luftflotte 6.
10.2.45: transferred to Alt-Lönnewitz on or about this date.
25.2.45: Me 410 A-3 assigned to the Stab failed to return from an operational sortie, 100%, 2 KIA.
21.3.45: man belonging to the Stab reported WIA during low-level Russian air attack on Alt-Lönnewitz airfield.
26.3.45: Stab still at Alt-Lönnewitz under VIII. Fliegerkorps/Luftflotte 6 - OB: 2.(F)/100 and 4.(F)/121.
9.4.45: Alt-Lönnewitz - OB: 2.(F)/100, 4.(F)/121, 1.(F)/122, 5.(F)/122 and 4.(F)/Nacht; Stab had 2(2) Me 410s assigned.
3.5.45: Stab now at Königgrätz (Hradec Kralove) under Gefechtsverband Rudel/Lw.-Kdo. 8 (formerly VIII. Fliegerkorps) - OB: 2.(F)/100 at Königgrätz, 1.(F)/121 at Hohenmauth (Vysoke Myto), 4.(F)/121 at Königgrätz and 4.(F)/Nacht at Hohenmauth with a detachment at Prague-Ruzyne.
FpN:Stab/FAG 3 (L 63004).
Kommandeur:
Maj. Fieher (?) (20 Aug 44 - c.Oct 44)2
Maj. Emil Badorrek (c.Oct 44 - 26 Dec 44) KIA
Maj./Obstlt. Ludwig Wagenfeld (31 Dec 44 - 8 May 45)
Also see:
REINARDY, Josef, Lt.
SCHUMANN, Helmut, Fl.Obernautiker
© by Henry L. deZeng IV (Work in Progress).
(1st Draft 2022)
References
- ↑ G.Tessin - Verbände und Truppen der deutschen Wehrmacht und Waffen-SS im Zweiten Weltkrieg 1939-1945, 16+ Bde., Teil 14: Die Luftstreitkräfte (Osnabrück, 1980); W.Dierich - Die Verbände der Luftwaffe 1935-1945: Gliederungen und Kurzchroniken – Eine Dokumentation, p.157; N.Kannapin - Die deutsche Feldpostübersicht 1939-1945; M.Rauchensteiner - Der Krieg in Österreich, 1945. (Wien, 1984), p.360; NARA WashDC: RG 242 (T-321 roll 50/876); BA-MA Freiburg: Signatur RL 40/Kart; BA-MA Freiburg: RL 2 III Meldungen über Flugzeugunfälle…..(Loss Reports – LRs); Archiv Gruppe 66 no.7/v.2, p.23. Maj. “Fieher” is a typographical error and may actually be Maj. Fischer (Hermann, Karl-Heinrich or possibly Erwin).