Light anti-aircraft division 76 (mot) was launched on November 15, 1938 in Hamburg-Altona from the II./ Flak-Regiment 6 with three batteries set up. Until the beginning of the war, the department was under the control of Air Defense Command 6 and from September 1939 the Koluft (Kommandeur der Luftstreitkräfte - Air Force commander attached to an Army unit) of the 10th Army to secure the 1st Light Division in the Polish campaign. During the French campaign, the division was under the 6th Panzer-Division.
In April 1941, the battalion was assigned to the 2nd Panzer Division, and from June to the Koluft of PanzerGroup 4, to the 2nd Division of Panzer Group 4. On 1 January 1942, the 4th Panzer Group was redesignated 4th Panzer Army. The 4th Panzer Army held defensive positions in the spring of 1942 and then was reinforced, re-fit and transferred to Army Group South for Case Blue, its offensive in Southern Russia. Hitler divided Army Group South into two army groups. Army Group A which was composed of the German 17th Army and 1st Panzer Army and Army Group B which was composed of 6th Army and the 4th Panzer Army. The 4th Panzer Army guarded the outside perimeter of Stalingrad while the 6th Army was engaged in the battle to capture the city.
This tag was found in Pitomnik, the site of the primary airfield of the German military during the Stalingrad Campaign. Pitomnik was captured by the German 6th Army when it linked up there with the 4th Panzer Army on 3 September 1942. The airfield at Pitomnik was one of seven airfields within the Stalingrad Pocket after the 6th Army was encircled and the only one properly equipped to handle large amounts of air traffic.
While the damage to it could have resulted from an explosion, it could also be attributed to being subjected to 70+ years of freezing and thawing while buried in the Russian ground.
Hope you like it!
In April 1941, the battalion was assigned to the 2nd Panzer Division, and from June to the Koluft of PanzerGroup 4, to the 2nd Division of Panzer Group 4. On 1 January 1942, the 4th Panzer Group was redesignated 4th Panzer Army. The 4th Panzer Army held defensive positions in the spring of 1942 and then was reinforced, re-fit and transferred to Army Group South for Case Blue, its offensive in Southern Russia. Hitler divided Army Group South into two army groups. Army Group A which was composed of the German 17th Army and 1st Panzer Army and Army Group B which was composed of 6th Army and the 4th Panzer Army. The 4th Panzer Army guarded the outside perimeter of Stalingrad while the 6th Army was engaged in the battle to capture the city.
This tag was found in Pitomnik, the site of the primary airfield of the German military during the Stalingrad Campaign. Pitomnik was captured by the German 6th Army when it linked up there with the 4th Panzer Army on 3 September 1942. The airfield at Pitomnik was one of seven airfields within the Stalingrad Pocket after the 6th Army was encircled and the only one properly equipped to handle large amounts of air traffic.
While the damage to it could have resulted from an explosion, it could also be attributed to being subjected to 70+ years of freezing and thawing while buried in the Russian ground.
Hope you like it!
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