PAB Documents to a Famous W-SS Tiger Unit

[Greg]

I was recently able to get a couple of PAB documents ... a PAB in silver award document, plus a list of the awardee's battles to qualify for the PAB. They're quite special to me because they were awarded to a soldier of a unit I've spent some time studying - the schwere SS-Panzer Abteilung 501, the Tiger battalion that was originally formed from the 1st SS Panzer Division's Tiger company.

The neat part about these documents is that with a little research you can trace the battles listed, and even show the tanks that the soldier served in during the battles.

Here's the Besitzzeugnis. It's signed by SS-Obersturmbannf******252;hrer Heinz von Westernhagen, the battalion commander. It was awarded on 30 Jan 1945, primarily for service during the Ardennes Offensive.

Best,
Greg

[Greg]

This is the list of engagement days for SS-Uscha. Belbe to qualify for the PAB. It's signed by SS-Obersturmführer Jürgen Wessel, the 1. Kompanie commander. Belbe apparently joined the unit during the battles in Normandy. In August 1944 the 1. Kompanie of the schwere SS-Panzer Abteilung (it was numbered 101 at that time) turned in its Tiger I tanks to the other companies of the battalion, and drew Tiger II tanks. By the time they reached the front in the latter part of August, the Germans were fighting to keep the Seine River crossings open. The dates listed of 29-30 August and 2 and 6 September 1944 were days that the 1. Kompanie was engaged in the area of Sailly and Magny-en-Vexin, northwest of Paris. The other dates are during the Ardennes Offensive.

[Greg]

SS-Uscha. Fritz Belbe was the radio operator on the tank of the 1. Kompanie commander, SS-Ostuf. J******252;rgen Wessel. During the Ardennes Offensive this was Tiger II number 105. During the afternoon of 18 December 1944 some 1. Kompanie tanks were passing through the city of Stavelot in the wake of Kampfgruppe Peiper. Wessel was leading in Tiger 105. The Americans still controlled much of the town, and stiff enemy fire forced the Tigers to detour from the main route that led toward the town market square. Wessel led his tanks up a steep narrow street called the Rue Haut Rivage. As he reached the top of the street and prepared to turn left on the main road to Trois Ponts, his tank was struck on the gun mantlet by American antitank fire. This may have been from a gun near the church, or from a bazooka in a house; Belbe reported after the war that he had seen a flash from a window. Wessel ordered his driver to reverse. The driver evidently lost control of his huge mount; at any rate, he sent it careening backwards into a house in the Rue Haut Rivage. The outer wall collapsed on the tank, immobilizing it. The crew escaped through the hull hatches. Wessel climbed into the next tank and continued toward Trois Ponts, arriving at La Gleize during the night.

Wessel and Belbe's tank is shown here after the battle, imbedded in the house in Stavelot (photo by M. Courtejoie).

[Greg]

Wessel probably took over his company headquarters squad leader tank, number 104, to continue the march. He apparently took the crew of 105 with him, and probably made the crew of 104 stay in Stavelot. It's common in the modern US Army for a tank commander to take his command crew with him when he has to "jump tanks," and I imagine that Wessel wanted to have his familiar crew with him. At least he took Belbe, as evidenced by the dates of 19-24 December listed as engagement days.

There was no tank with 1. Kompanie turret numbers left in La Gleize when the Germans pulled out on 24 December, but one tank left in the village had no turret number. I believe this was Wessel's tank, and was probably number 104. This was probably the tank that Fritz Belbe fought in at La Gleize. (The holes are from bazooka target practice that 82d Airborne Division soldiers did after the battle; the bazooka could not penetrate the Tiger's frontal armor.)

[Greg]

And here is Fritz Belbe himself. This photo was probably taken in the fall of 1944, before Belbe won the PAB. (Photo from Patrick Agte's book on Michael Wittmann.)

Best,
Greg

[WWIIBuff]

Excellent Group

Fantastic documents there Greg. The history behind it and being able to trace the battles makes it even better. Congratulations, I'm envious.

[PZIV]

Oh yeah, great docs, but I have to tell you...

...502 was better

[Hank C.]

Awesome. Great history, great docs, great photos.

best
Hank

[Greg]

Oh yeah, great docs, but I have to tell you...

...502 was better

I hear ya ... I just said the unit was famous; what SS-501 contributed to the Ardennes Offensive was almost nothing!

Best,
Greg

[PZIV]

I hear ya ... I just said the unit was famous; what SS-501 contributed to the Ardennes Offensive was almost nothing!

Best,
Greg

I have a great friend who was part of the 502. I'm mainly interested in the way they held off Soviet tanks near the Narva area. They had 5 tigers against 100's of soviet tanks, antiaircraft guns and anti tank guns.

Either way you still have a great piece of history. I like those pictures too.

[Chet Sowersby]

Hi Greg,
A very nice group. All the more better that you can follow this mans journey. BTW, was this your birthday present?

Chet

[Greg]

BTW, was this your birthday present?

Chet

Yep!

[schutze GEORG]

Mein Gott!
Beautiful ! Rare ! C o m p l i m e n t s !!!
Georg

[Nico C]

Magnificient group!!!

I can only envy you

If you ever want to sell, contact me


Best,

[peter u]

P