Group pilot Transport-Geschwader 4 Russia Crete Africa Corps

(D21973)
Ewald Specht, Feldwebel Luftwaffe pilot transport squadron Africa Corps airlift plane pilot Crete

1) Merit service medal 4th class „Dienstauszeichnung IV.Klasse“ for four years loyal service, 30.10.38. Signed by the CO of flying schools and replacements units in Braunschweig, Oberst und Kommandeur der Fliegerschulen und Fliegerersatzabteilung 11, Friedrich Cranz.
2) Pilot badge „Abzeichen für Flugzeugführer“, 19.9.40. Signed by a Generalmajor of Luftwaffe upper command.
3) Postcard sized uniform photo.
4) „Flugbuch“ Luftwaffe flying log book, 1941-1942. Flights 553 to 1112.
5) „Flugbuch“ Luftwaffe flying log book, 1938-1944. Without cover. Training flights 1 till 115 and used later for entering flights till August 1944.

He served: 1938-1939 for pilot schooling at the Luftwaffe pilot school Grosse Kampffliegerschule in Fassberg; 1940 as Ju52 pilot at the Fallschirmschule in Wittstock training for dropping parachutists; 1941-1944 as Ju52 pilot with (field post number 35854) Stab Kampfgruppe z.b.V. 105, may 1943 redesignated to I./Transport-Geschwader 4. May 1941 a lot of flights entered in Greece dropping parachutists from bases Tanagra (Greece), Chania (Crete), Athen (Greece), Heraklion (Crete), Topolia (Crete) etc. including flights for dropping parachutists on Crete and several landings on Crete during the Opertion Mercury, the battle for Crete. 1941-1942 active at the Eastern Front (Orel, Minsk, Witebsk, Gomel, Taganrog, Smolensk, Juchnow, Brjansk, Rshew, Kursk, Charkow etc.) with a lot of front flights. Nov.42-1943 flying from Italy with a lot of enemy flights supplying the Africa Corps. Bases: Napels, Tunis, Palermo, Reggio, Foggia, Bizerte, Trapani, Castelvetrano, Sciacca Sicily etc. 1943-44 flying also in several other planes (Ju52, Fi156, He111, C445) from bases in Germany, Belgium and France. Last flight entered 10.8.44 from Nancy to Darmstadt in a Caudron C445 „Seagull“ six-seat twin-engine utility aircraft. I./TG4 was officially disbaned in October 1944.