walfisch

If you have memorabilia in your collection that once belonged to a pilot, observer or ground officer of the 99th Aero Sqd., I would like to know about it. I am considering a book on the 99th. I have completed the backgrounds on every officer. Where possible, I have contacted families (grandchildren) with a 30% success rate. Of those, a few have a photo or two, some an album, and in rare instances, a full archive of letters. Two even had unpublished manuscripts for books that were never published. One of those manuscripts written by 99th pilot Miner C. Markham, form the basis of an exciting story that will appear in an upcoming issue of Over The Front. Markham survived the sinking of the Tuscania and flew at least 30 missions in the Vosges (Frapelle), St. Mihiel and Argonne drives. I was lucky to know both Markham and fellow pilot Frank Llewellyn. What do you have? I would very much like to have high resolution scans of photos, documents, medals, uniforms, letters and related memorabilia with full credit to those who contribute.

Hi Gunnar, Many thanks again! I sincerely appreciate your research and these links! Best! Walfisch

Hi GreyC, Many thanks for this link! Also see: http://www.buddecke.de/faa240.htm Best! Walfisch

Gunnar! Once again you have provided a wealth of details!! Many thanks for your valued information. I will check out ancestry.de for his personal history. Kindly tell me what sources you used for his military history. A distant relative only recalled Stajenda stating that he was shot down four times but never was injured/wounded. So much for family lore! Thank you very much! Walfisch

Greetings. I am looking for any details on this pilot beyond the few stated here. Uffz. Josef Stajenda, born 11/19/1897 in Zabrze, (East) Germany. Entered military service at age 16. Served with I.R. 28, possibly into 1917. Sometime in 1917, he transfers to aviation and attends a flight school. Sometime in 1917, he is assigned to Flieger Abteilung (A) 240 on the Western front where he serves as a two-seater pilot. He survives the war and moves to the USA (via Argentina) in February of 1928. He dies 11/5/67 in New York. He earned the Iron Cross 2nd Class and 1st Class along with a pilot badge. Can anyone provide more service details of his WW1 career? Flight school(s), transfer dates, Armeeflugpark(s), etc. etc.? Many thanks! R

Gunnar! Many thanks for your two posts on Boehmer! I do hope to do an article of FAA 240 at some point and appreciate your research! R

Thanks to Dave Danner and Gunnar Soderbaum's corrections on another thread re: Hptm. Böhmer of FA(A) 213, I would like to know more about this Boehmer who I believe served as CO of FA(A) 240 in 1918. Please help if you can. All much appreciated. Walfisch (From Dave Danner) Plato Boehmer served in IR 93 from 1901-11. He was in IR 21 when the war started and later went to the Fliegertruppe. Despite the IR 93 connection (he also retired with the uniform of that regiment), he did not receive the Friedrichkreuz during the war. Plato Boehmer's HOH3X was gazetted in the Militär-Wochenblatt on 12.6.1917. The delay from award to publication in the MWB could be from a matter of weeks to 1 to 2 months. These tidbits come from Rick Duivan and Dr. Dieter Groschel and are thought by G. Soderbaum to apply to Boehmer...... 08/09/17 - to FAA 221 - to 21 Aug 17 08/22/17 - AFP 4 or 2 ? This link provides a pretty comprehensive photo/roster of FAA 240 personnel including Boehmer: http://www.buddecke.de/faa240roster.htm

Hi Dave, THANK YOU for following up on Gunnar's correction regarding the confusion of the two similar sounding names: Böhmer vs Boehmer. I am glad you told me the full name of Boehmer! I must now start a new thread thanks to your contribution.....

Gunnar! No wonder the confusion! THANK YOU for sorting out the TWO! I am glad you add the speculation about the possible Marine Air Force connection. It all helps! I note the Neal O'Connor could not ID the award date of Bohmer's Hohenzollern either. At least you can state 1917. Best! Rob

Gunnar! Thank you! Great new bits about Hptm. Böhmer....birth date, Juterbog and awards. Glad to add this. Speculation about FAA 284 is interesting. Sure wish we knew for sure what he did after leaving 213. Here's some current speculation..... 08/09/17 - FA A221 - to 21 Aug 17. OR to FA(A) 221 on 8/9/17 08/22/17 - AFP 4 or (AFP 2??) GreyC - Thanks for specifics on Hptm v.B and his exact 1926 posting! Rob

Hi Gunnar, Thanks again for the Kasta 13 ID for Hptm v. B! Very helpful!!! Would you mind reviewing my outline for the first CO of 213, Hptm. Ernst Böhmer. My older records show he was with 213 from 1/16/16 thru 8/9/17. Thanks to your confirmation, I now know that v.B became CO 1/16/17. Rob

GreyC - THANK you again for confirming Irminbert as a Hptm a.D. in 1926. Davd D - This is terrific! So glad you could clearly identify the cousins which only appear confusing without your careful separation of who is who! Gunnar - Fabulous additional data too!! I am very glad you could clear up just who and why all the additional stvs that appeared to overlap with von B's service time at 213! Now it makes sense! Gunnar - Do you know which Kasta von B commanded and when? Kasta 17 WAS stationed with 213 at Anneux from early Oct 1916 through @12-31-16. I wonder if von B. was its CO??? Thank you all for this terrific information! Rob

GreyC and Andy!!! Gents, I can't thank you enough for taking the time to dig through your resources to provide a lot of very interesting data on von Biedermann. I do believe my original first name of Ferdinand is now not correct. I believe you have zeroed in correctly on the right von B. I am happy to add this to my bio of von B for an upcoming article in Over The Front here in the US. My only concern lies with some conflicts with his late 1917 and 1918 postings. I have von B on leave from 213 (8/9 to 8/29/17). Then it gets murky. Here's what I have including your additions from 8/9/17 forward...... 08-09-17 – vB on leave thru 8/29/17 (DG) 08-30-17 – vB.at 213 (DG) 11-08-17 – vB departs for AFP 4 thru 1/17/18 (DG) 12-30-18 – vB leaves FAA 213 (Andy GMIC) ???? 12-31-18 – vB joins Inspektion d. Fliegertruppen (Andy-GMIC) ??? 07-15-19 – vB joins Schutzen R. 108 through 3-31-20 (Andy-GMIC) 1926 – Ehrenrangliste SSR 108 vB still in service (GreyC-GMIC) And, Here's the cast of characters that appear as COs from 8/29/17 forward..... Biedermann 01-17-17 thru 08-09-17 (Leave 8-9 to 29-17) Biedermann 08-30-17 thru 11-08-17 to AFP 4 Post 08-29-17 thru 09-17-17 Pretzel 09-17-17 thru 09-23-17 Plaeschke 01-17-18 thru 02-10-18 Usbeck __-__-18 thru 08-29-18 Vissing 08-29-18 thru 11-21-18 No need to make this your project. I just wanted to show you where I was thanks in large part to your terrific data and research. THANK YOU ONCE AGAIN! Rob

Gents, I'm looking for ANY possible detail as to the: birth, death and service history of Hauptmann Frhr. Ferdinand Irminbert von Biedermann, one-time C.O. of Flieger Abteilung (A) 213. Various sources state that he arrives from KG3 (Kagohl) where he served as an aerial observer to FAA 213 on 1/16 or 17/17. I know he was at FAA 213 on: 4/19 (wrote medal recommendation for pilot Braun), 8/4 (wrote obituary at death of observer Lt. Weil) 8/9, then on leave 8/29/17. Back: 11/6-8/17, to AFP 4 on 1/17/18. Can anyone corroborate, correct or add to these facts? I would be most grateful.

Hi Dave! I cannot thank you enough for this trove of very interesting data on Weill. None of these facts appear at all in the sizable Weill photo/document archive now at the University of Texas, Dallas (Tx.). I am pleased to be able to add this to my research and will also pass along to the UTD library. Thank you again for your valuable contribution! Rob