Documents Luftwaffe, Radio Operator Flight Log, Stalingrad

[Bernhard H.Holst]

Hello readers:

I am posting a few pictures and portions of a flight log kept by Unteroffizier Heinz Schoenherr, radio operator of a He 111 deployed mainly on the Eastern Front on bombing and supply duty. Missions included Cholm, Demjansk and Stalingrad. The latter missions involved supply flights with landing , unloading and take-offs In Stalingrad as well as supply drops. The log ends with date of 28 November 1943 for unknown reason and gives a rundown on total flights with Uffz. Schoenher's pilot Oberfeldwebel Hannes Leutl.I believe that Uffz. Schoenherr survived the war, he was decorated with the German Cross i.Gold in late 1944 as shown by a newspaper clipping and a congratulating letter but no entry in any current reference books.

Here is a photo of the crew :

with Uffz. Schoenherr at left then the pilot Ofw. Leutl, observer Ofw. Bonte and mechanic Uffz. Schaarschmidt.

Uffz Schoenherr's plane belly landed after fighter attack with fatal losses on board while on shuttle flight from Stalingrad.

Extract from flight log with entry of Uffz.Schoenherr's 491 and 492 total flights todate from Nowotscherkask to Pitomnik ( Stalingrad) with a takeoff two hours later apparently with army personnel on board. Attacked by four fighters and received three hits by AA. Starbord engine hit. Belly landing with air gunner Haas killed as well as two passengers with two others wounded.

Log entry of 1 and 2 February 1943 showing supply flights from Stalino to Stalingrad and back with the

2 February flight noted as the one before last plane to drop supply load.

The summary gives 40147 minutes flight time with Ofw.Leutl as pilot, 201000 km distance, 433 take offs and landings, hit 45 times by fighters and AA, attacked 21 times by fighters. With Leutl as pilot Schoenherr flew 189 combat missions and 29 other non-combat transport missions. He states five times around the globe!

Bernhard H. Holst

Edited August 14, 2013 by Bernhard H.Holst

[Guest Rick Research]

I wonder-- would he have gotten the BOMBER flying clasp, or the TRANSPORT one?

[Bernhard H.Holst]

I wonder-- would he have gotten the BOMBER flying clasp, or the TRANSPORT one?

Hello Rick:

The estate contains the three documents pertaining to the bronze, silver and gold clasps of which the bronze is for transport and the silver and gold for bomber.

B.T.W.: recommendation for the I.C.2nd cl. lists 20 missions to Cholm, 1 to Demjamsk and 1 Malgorbi. . The doc. for it is dated 3 June 1942. Honor Goblet dated 27 October 1943.

Bernhard H. Holst

[IrishGunner]

Serious business. I find these type documents immensely more interesting than a medal with unknown provenance.