Kampfgeschwader 55

Kampfgeschwader 55
Active	1 May 1939 – c. 27 April 1945
Country	Nazi Germany
Branch	Luftwaffe
Type	Air Force wing
Role	Air interdiction close air support Offensive counter air Maritime interdiction Strategic bombing
Size	Air Force Wing
Nickname(s)	Greif
Engagements	Polish Campaign Battle of Belgium Battle of France Battle of Britain The Blitz Eastern Front
Commanders
Notable commanders	Alois Stoeckl
Insignia
Identification symbol	Geschwaderkennung of G1

Kampfgeschwader 55 "Greif" (KG 55 or Battle Wing 55) was a Luftwaffe bomber unit during World War II. KG 55 was one of the longest serving and well-known in the Luftwaffe. The wing operated the Heinkel He 111 exclusively until 1943, when only two staffeln of its four Gruppen (Groups) used the Junkers Ju 88C.

Founded in May 1939, the Geschwader (Wing) was a product of a late surge in expanding the size of the Luftwaffe medium bomber forces. The formation of the wing began on 1 May 1939 with the creation of the command (Stab) Gruppe (Group) and I. and II./KG 55 (first and second groups). III./KG 55 was formed on 1 November 1939 two months after the outbreak of war in Europe. IV.(Erg.)/KG 55 was formed on 1 August 1940 to train new crews sent to the Geschwader. The formation's first Geschwaderkommodore was Wilhelm Süssmann.

KG 55 first saw action in the German invasion of Poland in September 1939. During the Phoney War—September 1939–April 1940—the bomber wing flew armed reconnaissance missions over France. In May 1940 KG 55 participated in the Battle of Belgium and Battle of France through to the end of the campaigns in June 1940.

In July 1940 KG 55 took part in the Battle of Britain but suffered significant losses in the battle. On 14 August KG 55 lost Geschwaderkommodore Alois Stoeckl killed over England. It continued operations over the British Isles during The Blitz until June 1941. KG 55 attacked targets over Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales.

In June 1941 the unit's Gruppen participated in Operation Barbarossa and spent the next years on the Eastern front. KG 55 flew most of its operations on the southern sector in support of Army Group South, a front-level battle group of the German Army. KG 55's groups participated in the early successes which included the large battles of encirclements at Kiev and First Battle of Kharkov. The command also took part in the Battle of Moscow and bombed the city.

In 1942 KG 55 participated in the Second Battle of Kharkov and the Battle of the Caucasus and Battle of Stalingrad. KG 55 continued to operate as a bomber unit and air supply unit to support the German Army and also undertook some strategic bombing operations in 1943 and 1944. In the aftermath of the Battle of Kursk the unit was increasingly forced to fly at night owing to the Soviet Air Force achieving air superiority. In 1944 it carried out counter-air operations against United States Army Air Force (USAAF) forces based in the Soviet Union.

In October 1944 I., II., and III., were re-designated KG(J) to convert to fighter aircraft for the Defence of the Reich operations. The Gruppen remained active until the last day of the war. IV.(Erg.)/KG 55 was disbanded on 21 November 1944. The independent 14.(Eis)/KG 55 on 27 April 1945.

For the duration of the war, KG 55 flew 54,272 combat operations, dropped 60,938 metric tons of bombs, carried 7,514 metric tons of supplies from 1 September 1939 to 1 October 1944. The Geschwader lost 710 men killed in action and 747 missing.^[1]