Pilot search

[BlondKnight]

Hi,

I have a nice LW Soldbuch of a pilot. The strange thing is that its ending in the year 1942. No more entries.

His name was Josef Grüner Fw.
He was part of the Wettererkundungsstaffel 2 ob der LAuer.
Is there any chance to know about the fate of this soldier? Did he die or what?
Thanks

[hucks216]

It does look like he did. Here is his entry in the Kracker Archive...

Gruner, Josef Fw
Wekusta 2
Ju 88D-1 Werk # 1695 "4U + BH"
(lost 2/18/42)
Meteorological Operational Clasp
This Ju 88 crashed 18 February, 1942, pilot and crew disposition not given.

There is also an entry in the Volksbund for someone with this name stating he is MIA since 01/01/42 (which could just be a generic date). No rank is given but you should be able to confirm if it is him by comparing the Date Of Birth in the Soldbuch (providing the VB has got that entered correctly.)

Nach den uns vorliegenden Informationen ist Josef Grüner seit 01.01.1942 vermisst.

Nachname: Grüner
Vorname: Josef
Geburtsdatum: 13.12.1922
Todes-/Vermisstendatum: 01.01.1942
Todes-/Vermisstenort: Ladoga See Raum

[BlondKnight]

Hi hucks,

vielen vielen Dank
He was born in 1918. So he actually died (poor chap)
Is there any information about where he crashed (sea?)
Where was this unit operational?

But he got a lot more medals!
So here the question: Did the pilots leave their Soldbuch in the bases after the leaved for missions? February 1942 is in fact the last notification in the SB,

Medals
Erinnerung am 1.10
EKII, EKI Flugzeugführerabzeichen, Flugspange in bronze later in silver.

Originally Posted by hucks216

It does look like he did. Here is his entry in the Kracker Archive...

Gruner, Josef Fw
Wekusta 2
Ju 88D-1 Werk # 1695 "4U + BH"
(lost 2/18/42)
Meteorological Operational Clasp
This Ju 88 crashed 18 February, 1942, pilot and crew disposition not given.

There is also an entry in the Volksbund for someone with this name stating he is MIA since 01/01/42 (which could just be a generic date). No rank is given but you should be able to confirm if it is him by comparing the Date Of Birth in the Soldbuch (providing the VB has got that entered correctly.)

Nach den uns vorliegenden Informationen ist Josef Grüner seit 01.01.1942 vermisst.

Nachname: Grüner
Vorname: Josef
Geburtsdatum: 13.12.1922
Todes-/Vermisstendatum: 01.01.1942
Todes-/Vermisstenort: Ladoga See Raum

[hucks216]

Ladoga See is the large expanse of water near Leningrad which was used as a Russian supply route during the siege, so he was operating in the area of Army Group North at the time of his death.

With regards to your other question, yes aircrew left their Soldbuch behind when they flew on sorties (or were meant to anyway) as a security measure otherwise if caught with it then the enemy would be able to tell what unit he flew with amongst other details.

There is a book about these units that might be of help to you. It is supposed to be good but I don't own a copy so can't say either way. It is called... Wekusta: Luftwaffe Weather Reconnaissance Units In World War 2 by John Kington & Franz Selinger (ISBN: 978-0954560584).

[BlondKnight]

That guy listed in the Volksbund was born in 1922, "my" guy in 1918. I don`t think he crashed in the Ladoga Sea....

Originally Posted by hucks216

Ladoga See is the large expanse of water near Leningrad which was used as a Russian supply route during the siege, so he was operating in the area of Army Group North at the time of his death.

With regards to your other question, yes aircrew left their Soldbuch behind when they flew on sorties (or were meant to anyway) as a security measure otherwise if caught with it then the enemy would be able to tell what unit he flew with amongst other details.

There is a book about these units that might be of help to you. It is supposed to be good but I don't own a copy so can't say either way. It is called... Wekusta: Luftwaffe Weather Reconnaissance Units In World War 2 by John Kington & Franz Selinger (ISBN: 978-0954560584).

[Ian Jewison]

Here is what I found however the date and aircraft is different to Kev's info!? So it must be a different guy from the same unit with the same name!?!?!

Location: "Port Goulphar" Belle Ille, France
Date: 4.10.1942
A/C: Ju 88 D-1 D7 + FK (WNr. 1141). Wekusta 2

(FF) Fw. Grüner Josef, born 15.04.1918. Row 1 Grave 48. Mont-de-Huisnes.
(BO) Met. Reg.Rat. Hanst Friedrich, born 02.04.1911 in Darmstadt. Row 3 Grave 158. Mont-de-Huisnes.
(BF) Uffz. Hubert Zander.
(BS) Uffz. Erich Liersch.

Soldbücher were not carried in the air by aircrew. They were left on the ground at their take off airfield.

/Ian

[Ian Jewison]

Some more information:

W.Nr. 0881141 Ju 88 D-1 Wekústa 2 (Luftflotte 3)
OPS (F) struck ground, crashed and burned (100%) at Goulpher Belle-Ile 04.10.1942 (F Fw. Josef Gruner killed, B Reg.Rat. Friedrich Hanst, BF Uffz. Hubert Zander and BS Uffz. Erich Liersch mis/rep killed in LWFLV losses u/16.10.42)

/Ian

[Ian Jewison]

Originally Posted by hucks216

There is a book about these units that might be of help to you. It is supposed to be good but I don't own a copy so can't say either way. It is called... Wekusta: Luftwaffe Weather Reconnaissance Units In World War 2 by John Kington & Franz Selinger (ISBN: 978-0954560584).

There is no mention of Grüner, his crew or this aircraft in the book....it is a good book on these types of unit however!

/Ian

[BlondKnight]

Originally Posted by Ian Jewison

There is no mention of Grüner, his crew or this aircraft in the book....it is a good book on these types of unit however!

/Ian

Hi,

yes its him!! Born April 1918!!
Thank you very much! Now I have a real story behind the Soldbuch itself!
How did you get all this precious informations?
Can you say which function he had as a crew member?
Oh well, Flugzeugführer
Kind regards,
Erich

[Ian Jewison]

To be honest I "Googled" it....... Google

/Ian