Croatian Air Force Legion

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Badge of the Croatian Air Force Legion

The Croatian Air Force Legion ( Croatian Hrvatska zrakoplovna legija ) was a volunteer unit within the German Air Force during the Second World War . She was part of the so-called Croatian Legion of Croatia, which was allied with the German Empire . The main area of ​​operation was the Eastern Front in the Soviet Union .

history

The Croatian Defense Minister Ante Vokić visited the volunteers in Stockerau in 1944

The Croatian Air Force Legion emerged from the Croatian Air Force, which was founded on April 12, 1941 and consisted mainly of a fighter and a bomber squadron . From July 1941 the Air Force Legion was used in the Russian campaign.

The fighter squadron was assigned as the 15th squadron to the Jagdgeschwader 52 (III./JG 52) of the German Wehrmacht. Until her repatriation in July 1944, she counted 263 kills over the Ukraine .

The bomber squadron was assigned as 10th, later 15th squadron, to Kampfgeschwader 53 of the German Wehrmacht and deployed over Leningrad . They were repatriated in December 1942.

On January 6, 1942, the Wehrmacht report reported : “In the context of combat operations from the air, a Croatian task force distinguished itself through boldly conducted deep attacks!” Up to the repatriation, 33 men of the Croatian Air Force Legion received the Iron Cross 1st class, including as first Croatian soldier, Lieutenant Miroschekitsch.

Uniformity

The uniforms were based on the uniforms of the German Air Force . In use, German, Italian and royal Yugoslav uniform parts were applied.

Special badges

Special badge of the "Croatian Air Force Legion"

The badge of the “Croatian Air Force Legion” (Znak Hrvatske zrakoplovne legije) showed the coat of arms of the Independent State of Croatia with three-spring wings stretched horizontally on both sides. All members of the Air Force Legion (Croats and foreigners) had the right to wear. It was worn either in metal or as a colored embroidered fabric version. The metal badge was worn on the right breast pocket of the field blouse; fastened with a horizontal fibula. The cloth badge was worn on the left upper arm of the field blouse. The manufacturers were Braća Knaus and Me-Ba in Zagreb and Juncker in Berlin.

Sleeve stripes

The members of the Luftwaffe Legion wore a dark blue sleeve strip 2 cm wide, 10 cm from the left edge of the sleeve , with the silver-embroidered inscription of their respective unit:

  • LOVCI – IZTOČNO BOJIŠTE (HUNTER - EAST FRONT)
  • BOMBARDERI – IZT. BOJIŠTE (BOMBER - EAST FRONT)
  • ZRAKOPLOVNI SAT – IZT. BOJIŠTE (FLYING UNIT - EAST FRONT)
  • SKUPINA DŽAL (DŽAL GROUP)

All members of the Air Force Legion in the service of the unit named with the label had the right to wear.

Combat and achievement badges

Members of the Legion could also wear the following badges of the regular Croatian armed forces:

  • Air Force Badge (Aviator Clasp)
  • Pilot badge
  • Gunner's badge
  • Radio operator badge
  • Paratrooper badge.

Flak

In autumn 1943 a "Croatian Flak Legion" (Protuzrakoplovna legija) was set up in the service of the German Air Force. It was assigned to the 22nd Flak Division (7 / s. Flaka Department 463- (0), 22nd Flak Div.) And was used on the territory of the German Reich as "Heimatflak".

literature

  • Krunoslav Mikulan, Siniša Pogačić: Hrvatske oružane snage: 1941. – 1945. PC grafičke usluge, Zagreb 1999, ISBN 953-97564-2-1 , p. 99-103 .
  • Nigel Thomas, Krunoslav Mikulan: Axis Forces in Yugoslavia, 1941–45 . Osprey Publishing, 1995, ISBN 978-1-85532-473-2 .

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ N. Thomas, K. Mikulan: Axis forces in Yugoslavia 1941-5. Osprey publishing, Oxford 1995, ISBN 1-85532-473-3 , pp. 18 .
  2. ↑ Gerhard Rauch weather: "U" on the Eastern Front: The German war correspondent during a combat pilot Association of Croatian Legion . Europa-Verlag, Zagreb 1943, p. 78.
  3. ↑ Gerhard Rauch weather: "U" on the Eastern Front: The German war correspondent during a combat pilot Association of Croatian Legion . Europa-Verlag, Zagreb 1943, p. 85.
  4. ↑ Borna Barac, Siniša Pogačić: Odlikovanja i znakovlje Nezavisne Države Hrvatske 1941–1945. Verlag Obol, Zagreb 1998, ISBN 953-6388-02-2 , p. 111 u. 113.
  5. ↑ Borna Barac, Siniša Pogačić: Odlikovanja i znakovlje Nezavisne Države Hrvatske 1941–1945. Obol Verlag, Zagreb 1998, ISBN 953-6388-02-2 , p. 117.
  6. ↑ Borna Barac, Siniša Pogačić: Odlikovanja i znakovlje Nezavisne Države Hrvatske 1941-1945. Obol Verlag, Zagreb 1998, ISBN 953-6388-02-2 , p. 102.