Jagdgruppe Ost

[Chris Vais]

I am researching information about the circumstances surrounding the shoot down of my Uncle's B-24 on July 7, 1944. The target was the oil refinery at Blechammer, Germany. The aircraft was hit by flak as it came off the target, eventually dropping out of formation. Once separated from the formation and without the protection of fighter escorts, my Uncle's aircraft was attached by Bf-109s believed to have belonged to Jagdgruppe Ost.

I have some information from Luftwaffe archives that records the shot down of a B-24 north of Trencin, Slovakia at the approximate time and location the plane was lost. The records say that Ltn. Schaldt who was assigned to 2.Jagr. Ost.

I would like to know where this unit was based in July 1944 and I would like to get some idea of 2. Jadg. Ost markings so that I can build a model of a Jagr. Ost Bf-109 to display alongside the model of my Uncle's B-24. I have a nice collection of Luftwaffe camo and markings information, but Jgdr Ost isn't represented.

My Uncle and 5 others of the crew survived. He was an escapee/evadee who was eventually repatriated as part of an OSS resupply mission in support of the partisan group he was with at the time.

Slovak historian Peter Kassak has written a nice history of this episode "A One Crew War" that chronicles my Uncle's and his crew's shoot down, capture, escape and eventual repatriation.

Thanks in advance for your help.

I would also be interested in knowing a little about Ltn. Schaldt.