Kampfgeschwader 53

Geschwaderkommodore:

Ob Philipp Zoch, 1.5.39 – 31.7.39
Ob Erich Stahl, 1.8.39 – 12.40
Ob Paul Weitkus, 15.12.40 – 31.10.42
Ob Karl-Eduard Wilke, 1.11.42 – 31.3.43
ObLt Fritz O. Pockrandt, 14.4.43 – 4.45

Stab:

Formed 1.5.39 in Ansbach from Stab/KG355. Disbanded 15.3.45.

Bases
1.5.39 – 3.2.40	Ansbach	He 111
3.2.40 – 1.5.40	Schwäbisch-Hall	He 111
1.5.40 – 18.5.40	Roth	He 111
18.5.40 – 25.5.40	Wiesbaden-Erbenheim	He 111
25.5.40 – 18.6.41	Lille-Nord	He 111
18.6.41 – 9.7.41	Radom	He 111
9.7.41 – 4.8.41	Minsk-Dubinskaya	He 111
4.8.41 – 1.10.41	Orscha	He 111
1.10.41 – 10.6.42	Schatalowka-Ost	He 111
10.6.42 – 5.8.42	Korowje-Selo	He 111
5.8.42 – 8.42	Smolensk-Nord	He 111
8.42 – 9.9.42	Seschtschinskaya	He 111
9.9.42 – 2.43	Korowje-Selo	He 111
2.43 – 4.43	Pleskau	He 111
4.43 – 7.43	Korowje-Selo	He 111
7.43 – 10.9.43	Olsufjewo	He 111
10.9.43 – 24.9.43	Gomel-Süd	He 111
24.9.43 – 24.10.43	Bobruisk	He 111
24.10.43 – 22.11.43	Rotmistrowka	He 111
22.11.43 – 5.12.43	Winnitsa	He 111
5.12.43 – 16.1.44	Rauchowka	He 111
16.1.44 – 12.2.44	Schaulen	He 111
12.2.44 – 22.2.44	Proskurow	He 111
22.2.44 – 1.5.44	Kowno	He 111
1.5.44 – 25.7.44	Radom	He 111
25.7.44 – 17.8.44	Jesau	He 111
17.8.44 – 27.8.44	Toul	He 111
27.8.44 – 5.9.44	Lachen-Speyersdorf	He 111
5.9.44 – 10.44	Reppen	He 111
10.44 – 3.45	Bad Zwischenahn	He 111

I. Gruppe:

Gruppenkommandeure:

ObLt Karl Mehnert, 1.5.39 – 10.5.40
ObLt Erich Kaufmann, 16.5.40 – 12.41
Maj Joachim Wienholtz, 12.41 – 30.3.42
Maj Fritz O. Pockrandt, 11.4.42 – 13.4.43
Maj Karl Rauer, 17.4.43 – 9.44
Maj Martin Vetter, 15.10.44 – 3.45

Formed 1.5.39 in Ansbach from I./KG355. Disbanded 9.9.44.

Reformed 9.9.44 in Varelbusch from III./KG3 for airborne V1 launchings.Disbanded 15.3.45.

Bases
1.5.39 – 8.39	Ansbach	He 111
8.39 – 8.9.39	Schönfeld	He 111
8.9.39 – 9.9.39	Neudorf	He 111
9.9.39 – 15.9.39	Giessen	He 111
15.9.39 – 6.2.40	Ansbach	He 111
6.2.40 – 10.5.40	Roth-Kiliansdorf	He 111
10.5.40 – 18.5.40	Gelchsheim	He 111
18.5.40 – 21.6.40	Gross-Ostheim	He 111
21.6.40 – 9.7.40	Evreux-le-Courdray	He 111
9.7.40 – 12.7.40	Wevelghem	He 111
12.7.40 – 18.6.41	Vitry-en-Artois	He 111
18.6.41 – 29.6.41	Grojek	He 111
29.6.41 – 2.7.41	Rogoznica	He 111
2.7.41 – 9.7.41	Miedzyrzee	He 111
9.7.41 – 4.8.41	Minsk-Dubinskaya	He 111
4.8.41 – 1.10.41	Orscha	He 111
1.10.41 – 12.41	Schatalowka-Ost	He 111
12.41 – 1.42	Ansbach	He 111
1.42 – 3.42	Riga	He 111
3.42 – 6.42	Korowje-Selo	He 111
6.42 – 8.42	Gostkino	He 111
8.42 – 12.42	Seschtschinskaya	He 111
12.42 – 2.43	Korowje-Selo	He 111
2.43 – 3.43	Pleskau-Süd	He 111
3.43 – 4.43	Gablingen	He 111
4.43 – 7.43	Korowje-Selo	He 111
1.7.43 – 9.43	Olsufjewo	He 111
9.43 – 12.43	Kowno	He 111
12.43 – 22.2.44	Proskurow	He 111
22.2.44 – 1.5.44	Kowno	He 111
1.5.44 – 25.7.44	Radom	He 111
25.7.44 – 21.8.44	Heiligenbeil	He 111
21.8.44 – 9.44	Nancy	He 111
9.44 – 9.9.44	Neubrandenberg	He 111
9.44 – 12.44	Varelbusch*	He 111
12.44 – 3.45	Leck**	He 111

* 1./KG53 at Varelbusch, 2./KG53 at Ahlhorn, 3./KG53 atVechta.

** detachment at Husum

II. Gruppe:

Gruppenkommandeure:

ObLt Kohlbach, 1.5.39 – 7.40
Maj Reinhold Tamm, 23.7.40 – 18.8.40
Maj Hans Steinweg, 18.9.40 – 7.41
ObLt Hans Bader, 25.7.41 – (?)5.42
ObLt Schulz-Müllensiefen, 5.42 – 14.4.43
Maj Herbert Wittmann, 25.5.43 – 3.45

Formed 1.5.39 in Schwäbisch-Hall from II./KG355. Began airborneV1 launchings in 10.44. Disbanded 15.3.45.

Bases
1.5.39 – 8.39	Schwäbisch-Hall	He 111
8.39 – 3.2.40	Roth	He 111
3.2.40 – 1.5.40	Manching	He 111
1.5.40 – 18.5.40	Oedheim	He 111
18.5.40 – 22.6.40	Zellhausen	He 111
22.6.40 – 12.7.40	Schallhausen	He 111
12.7.40 – 18.6.41	Lille-Nord	He 111
18.6.41 – 9.7.41	Radom	He 111
9.7.41 – 4.8.41	Minsk-Dubinskaya	He 111
4.8.41 – 1.10.41	Orscha	He 111
1.10.41 – 10.6.42	Schatalowka-Ost	He 111
10.6.42 – 5.8.42	Korowje-Selo	He 111
5.8.42 – 8.42	Smolensk-Nord	He 111
8.42 – 9.9.42	Seschtschinskaya	He 111
9.9.42 – 12.42	Korowje-Selo	He 111
12.42 – 12.1.43	Greifswald	He 111
12.1.43 – 6.2.43	Voroschilovgrad	He 111
6.2.43 – 15.2.43	Stalino	He 111
15.2.43 – 24.2.43	Dnjepropetrovsk	He 111
24.2.43 – 8.3.43	Kirovograd	He 111
8.3.43 – 19.3.43	Dnjepropetrovsk	He 111
19.3.43 – 4.43	Pleskau	He 111
4.43 – 15.7.43	Gablingen	He 111
15.7.43 – 10.9.43	Olsufjewo	He 111
10.9.43 – 24.9.43	Gomel-Süd	He 111
24.9.43 – 24.10.43	Bobruisk	He 111
24.10.43 – 22.11.43	Rotmistrowka	He 111
22.11.43 – 5.12.43	Winnitsa	He 111
5.12.43 – 16.1.44	Rauchowka	He 111
16.1.44 – 12.2.44	Schaulen	He 111
12.2.44 – 20.2.44	Proskurow	He 111
20.2.44 – 1.6.44	Schaulen	He 111
1.6.44 – 25.7.44	Piastow	He 111
25.7.44 – 17.8.44	Jesau	He 111
17.8.44 – 8.44	Le Bourget, Verdun	He 111
8.44 – 4.9.44	Babenhausen	He 111
4.9.44 – 10.44	Reppen	He 111
10.44 – 3.45	Bad Zwischenahn*	He 111

* 4./KG53 at Bad Zwischenahn, 5./KG53 at Jever, 6./KG53at Wittmund.

III. Gruppe:

Gruppenkommandeure:

Maj Friedrich Edler von Braun, 1.5.39 – (?)3.40
Maj Willi Rohrbacher, (?)3.40 – 2.41
Maj Richard Fabian, 2.41 – 4.42
Maj Walter Brautkuhl, 4.42 – 5.8.42
Maj Hans Waldforst, 17.8.42 – 13.9.42
Maj Hubert Mönch, 21.10.43 – 27.5.43
Maj Emil Allmendinger, 24.6.43 – 18.3.45

Formed 1.5.39 in Giebelstadt from III./KG355. Began airborne V1 launchingsin 10.44. Disbanded 21.3.45.

Bases
1.5.39 – 8.39	Giebelstadt	He 111
8.39 – 1.10.39	Gross-Ostheim	He 111
1.10.39 – 3.2.40	Giebelstadt	He 111
3.2.40 – 1.5.40	Schwäbisch-Hall	He 111
1.5.40 – 12.7.40	Frankfurt/Rhein-Main	He 111
12.7.40 – 12.40	Lille-Mouvaux	He 111
12.40 – 18.6.41	Lübe*	He 111
18.6.41 – 9.7.41	Radzyn	He 111
9.7.41 – 4.8.41	Minsk-Dubinskaya	He 111
4.8.41 – 1.10.41	Orscha	He 111
1.10.41 – 1.42	Schatalowka-Ost	He 111
1.42 – 15.7.42	Ansbach	He 111
15.7.42 – 16.8.42	Chartres	He 111
16.8.42 – 1.9.42	Smolensk-Nord	He 111
1.9.42 – 20.10.42	Gostkino	He 111
20.10.42 – 4.43	Dno	He 111
4.43 – 1.7.43	Pleskau	He 111
1.7.43 – 19.7.43	Osulfjewo	He 111
19.7.43 – 5.12.43	Gablingen	He 111
5.12.43 – 25.1.44	Puchwitschi	He 111
25.1.44 – 31.1.44	Kowno	He 111
31.1.44 – 9.2.44	Schaulen	He 111
9.2.44 – 21.2.44	Uman	He 111
21.2.44 – 30.3.44	Schaulen	He 111
30.3.44 – 30.4.44	Mielec	He 111
30.4.44 – 9.7.44	Radom	He 111
9.7.44 – 25.7.44	Grojek	He 111
25.7.44 – 17.8.44	Jesau	He 111
17.8.44 – 27.8.44	Toul	He 111
27.8.44 – 6.9.44	Lachen-Speyersdorf	He 111
6.9.44 – 10.44	Nieder-Seyfersdorf	He 111
10.44 – 17.2.45	Schleswig*	He 111
17.2.45 – 3.45	Greifswald**	He 111

* 8./KG53 at Liegnitz, 9./KG53 at Freiwaldau

* 7./KG53 at Leck, 8./KG53 at Schleswig, 9./KG53 at Eggebeck

** 7./KG53 at Alt-Lönnewitz

IV. Gruppe:

Gruppenkommandeure:

Maj Joachim Wienholtz, 4.41 – 12.41
Maj Andreas Zahn, 4.12.41 – 4.43
Maj Ludwig Grözinger, 4.43 – 20.8.44

Formed 26.3.41 in Lille-Vembrechis. Disbanded 7.44.

Bases
3.41 – 1.43	Lille-Vembrechis	He 111
1.43 – 2.44	Orleans-Bricy	He 111
2.44 – 7.44	Szolnok	He 111

15.(kroat.)/KG53:

Staffelkapitän:

Maj Gerhard Joachim, 12.42 – 6.44

Formed 7.42 in Agram from 10.(kroat.)/KG3. Disbanded 6.44.

Bases
7.42 – 7.42	Agram	Do 17Z
7.42 – 8.42	Korowje-Selo?	Do 17Z
8.42 – 9.42	Seschtschinskaya?	Do 17Z
9.42 – 12.42	Korowje-Selo?	Do 17Z
12.42 – 6.44	Agram*	Do 17Z

* Sarajevo-Butmir was also used.