LW Ober Feldwebel's name in pistol holster

[Alan Smith]

I recently picked up a super nice Luftwaffe "dropping" pattern holster for the 1922 Browning pistol. The holster is LW proofed, maker marked "hck" over "42", and has the "nur fur lange Browning Pistol Kal. 7,65" ink stamped on the underside of the flap.

Located above the maker marks/holster designation is what I believe to be the name of a Luftwaffe Oberfeldwebel to whom the pistol was issued during WWII.
The name "Schmetzer" is written in black ink over "Ob. Feldw."

Is there any way to try to locate information pertaining to Herr "Schmetzer"? Based on the holster, I am assuming that he was a Luftwaffe enlisted man who held rank of Ober Feldwebel as of 1942 (or at some time thereafter).

Any research help/advice would be greatly appreciated.

[Tim Calvert]

Hi Alan,

Could it be????

http://hem.passagen.se/galland/p05.html

If so, he had 33 kills and the EK I. Looks like he was KIA 7, May '44.

[Alan Smith]

Number of Ofw. Schmetzer's in LW?

Tim,

Thanks for the great reply. Wow - what a possibility. Unfortunately, the holster only has the owner's last name and rank: no other identifying marks are present.

Actually it's funny that you posted about this pilot, as on the way home from the gunshow where I acquired the pistol I seemed to remember that, in the Luftwaffe, enlisted ranks such as Oberfeldwebel served as pilots.

No history with the gun or holster, as it has been passed around between various collectors over the years. Thus, the only thing I think we can fairly safely assume is that it is likely a war trophy that a U.S. soldier brought home from somewhere in the ETO. If it was Ofw. Reinhold Schmetzer's pistol, then I guess he must have left it on the ground the day of his final mission?

Seriously, I wonder if there is any way to see how many Ofw. Schmetzer's served in the Luftwaffe? Maybe this would narrow down the possibilities?

Does anyone know if "Schmetzer" was a common German last name during the relevant time frame?