Paul R

Micha, Can you post one of your enameled pieces, for comparison?

I dont see any good conduct medals. Were the brothers officers?

Very sharp medal and ribbon!! I have not seen more than a couple in that condition. A top shelf item!

Greg, It looks as if Lady Luck has really smiled upon you! Magnificent jackets!

It is a really great set. I am glad that you like it.

This is a great find!! Congrats! How many does this make for you now?

Very nice!! The Ground Combat and Flak combo makes for a great combination.

Very nice!! How many more are there out there? DO you have them all?

I can see why you collect the head gear. Their beret embelms are very impressive. The Psych emblem is very unique compared with the others! Was this a psych warfare unit or medical unit?

I love all of the early LW photos!!

Back

It looked like it was a gold grade too... I posted the photo for future reference.

I dont know what you mean? You have listed off some really nice things. What I would not give for a Hero Star Just keep in mind that even the most common of awards has a story and significance. Someone actually dedicated a portion of their life to get that particular Red Banner of Labor that is now in your care. Even if it was awarded as a long service decoration, the medal serves as a testament to the recipients hard work and devotion to duty and country. Why not take some time and get the Hero researched? It will be exciting to see what comes back.

Thanks everyone!! I am very happy with it as well. Again, I have to thank NAXOS for supplying all of the information on this man's unit. Without his help, this would have been simply a named Flak tunic. Unfortunately, I have not hit the lottery nor has my wife suddenly allowed me to use our income to get these treasures. I have had to sell off some things that were not in my focus. But, the trade off was worth it!!

I have never seen this one before,either. Are there any more photos in the book? Looks like it could be a Air Traffic Control/ground crew booklet!

Very unique citation. I see that it was downgraded from a Bravery Medal. It always blows my mind how the Soviets could give their highest Orders for long service, yet be so stingy with something like a Bravery Medal.

WOW! Such rarities! Can you please post the back of the General's tabs?

Thanks for looking. Does anyone have a Vermisstenbildliste des Deutschen Roten Kreuzes (MIA picture registry of the German Red Cross) that includes the Flak-Regiment 49 ? We might be able to find Uffz Maier's photo!

It is here! http://gmic.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=23218&st=0

Now thanks to NAXOS(Harvy), I have the following data: Helmut Maier, 2. I. Fl.Rgt.49 belonged to the second Battery of the first Battalion of the Flak-Regiment 49 - in the summer of 1942 near Stalingrad the first battalion Fl.Rgt.49 was placed under the command of the Stab / Flak-Regiment 37. The first Battalion, Flak-Regiment 49 fought with distinction beside the 16.Panzer-Division at Stalingrad - there it was lost in the north sector of the Stalingrad cauldron (tractor factory Tschersinsky). Helmut Maier was born around 1917. The earliest he could have been a Kanonier in the 2. Batterie of Flak-Regiment 49 would have been in early 1938. The I. Abteilung Flak-Regiment 49 was established on Oct.01 1937 in Mannheim. The officer commanding the second battery was apparently a Knight's Cross bearer. He would have been an Unteroffizier in 1942. Assuming Maier remained in this unit, he probably left the above tunic at home when the I.Fl.Rgt.49 was transferred from France to the Ukraine. Maier ,if not KIA (and I couldn't find a Helmut Maier out of the 31 listed on Volksbund Website fitting the above), most likley went missing in Dec 42 or Jan 43. Paul, if you know someone with a Vermisstenbildliste des Deutschen Roten Kreuzes (MIA picture registry of the German Red Cross) that incl. Flak-Regiment 49 it might be possible to find Maier's picture. A lot of the Stalingrad MIAs found in the lists of the Red Cross are not listed with the Volksbund. The last commanding officer of I./49 (the first battalion of the Flak-Regiment 49 was by then part of Flak-Regiment 37) was Major Gaidu?. On Jan 29. 1943 the entire battalion consisted of only 26 men, according to the diary of a surviving member of I./Flak.Rgt.49 The diary (in German) can be found on line (very heart wrenching and graphic in detail). http://ol-sbg.at/DADBUCH2.HTM Here is a Knights Cross recipient of the first Battalion Flak.Rgt.49. He was flown out of Stalingrad in Jan. 1943 together with two other KC holders. He was awarded the KC for knocking out twenty-four T34 tanks in about 15 minutes with 27 rounds fired from a 8.8 cannon. http://www.das-ritterkreuz.de/index_search...chword=gem?nden Here is another of the three lucky men flown out of Stalingrad in the last days of January 1943. Notice that he belonged to the same Battery as Helmut Maier. http://www.das-ritterkreuz.de/index_search...amp;searchword= And here is the third, the commander of 2./I Fl.Rgt.49 Hauptmann Johann Dietrich http://www.das-ritterkreuz.de/index_search...amp;searchword= Josef Mairinger is still alive: http://ol-sbg.at/

Now, I know what you are thinking... So what gives this particular tunic a specific past life? Well here it is... The meat of the tunic!

Here is the lower LBA stamp. Again, I think that is says LBA(S) 35, but I am not sure. Any photoshop talent would be greatly appreciated!

Here are the depot markings. There are two LBA markings. The one in the size grid is clearly seen as LBA(S)38. The one on the liner pocket is not so clear. It looks to say, LBA(S) 35. If anyone has any talent, please help clarify this one!

Here is the trade badge...

Another sign of prolonged wear... It can been seen where the man added and removed gulls as he progressed toward his final rank of Uffz. Although it cannot be seen, from inside of the left sleeve, it can be felt where the stitching for the Grefeiter rank patch once was!