The Abbeville Boys

Chapter 13: The Fighting Begins

      Kurt flew to Leipzig and was welcomed as a conquering hero. He went to his parents’ house and they both hugged him and had the family cook fix the special meals he loved. Later in the afternoon he drove over to Gretchen’s house. The whole Bauer family was overjoyed to see him. There was more food and wine.

      Gretchen and Kurt retired to the parlor and began touching, hugging, and kissing. They both got aroused and ended up with their clothes off. Gretchen got on top of him, and they were in paradise. They couldn’t get enough of each other. Kurt never wanted to be apart from her again. Alas, it was time to leave. He kissed her goodbye and promised he’d be back soon. He went to his house and slept for a few hours. He got up early. He kissed and hugged his mom and dad as he headed to the airfield. He was upset that he didn’t get to check on Joseph. Kurt’s parents said they hadn’t heard anything from the Benowitz’s in weeks. Kurt’s mom said, “I’m guessing they left the country. Many of the Jewish families have.”

      Kurt took off from the airfield in Leipzig and flew towards Berlin. He flew through the clouds doing barrel roles. He loved flying. It felt so good to see the earth from the sky. This must be what God sees. He went back and forth flipping the plane upside down and diving through valleys. It was better than riding his horse in the meadows and he never thought there was anything greater than that.

      He finally landed at the Berlin airfield and walked to the barracks to check in. Jagdgeschwader 26 was made up of twenty five planes, pilots, and ground crews for service. As he arrived and checked in most of the pilots came up and welcomed him. He felt comfortable. There were a few veteran pilots who were upset that a newcomer was flying the newest version of the ME 109, the E model.

       Kurt went through the room making the rounds talking with everyone. The guys in the squadron were cordial when an Oberst (Colonel) walked up, “You Kurt Reichard?”

      “Yes sir.”

       “Follow me. I’ll show you your quarters.” He seemed all business and Kurt went to a barracks. There were rooms with two beds each. The Colonel said you’re assigned to flight two. It’s a flight of four, or a Schwarm. You’ll be a wingman to Richard Eberhart. You’ll train here until it’s time to go into combat. Welcome aboard.” He left and Kurt sat there wondering what was next. He had no clue what was about to happen.

      The fighter wing practiced every day, and the pilots quickly gained confidence in Kurt. The time was growing near when they would be in combat. It was the summer of 1939, and the training was intense. The rumors were flying. Germany was going to invade Poland. Kurt became friends with all the pilots in the squadron. He became close with the other three pilots in his Schwarm. There was Richard Eberhart, Marcel Mueller, and Hugo Gerhard. Kurt was roommates with Marcel. They flew training exercises several times every day. Kurt felt comfortable with the flight, and they with him.

      In September of 1939 the word came down. Germany was going into Poland, and the Luftwaffe would have a major role. The German army attacked with what was called blitzkrieg, the lightning war.

      Kurt sat on the taxi way waiting to takeoff. Plane after plane took off. Kurt was excited and nervous. His Schwarm was up next. Kurt pushed the throttle forward and the four planes headed down the runway rising into the air together. As they got airborne the planes formed a finger four formation. There were two leaders and two wing men. Kurt was the wingman for Eberhart. They had become good friends over the past weeks, and each felt comfortable with the flying capabilities of the other.

      They flew for about twenty minutes and came upon a polish airfield. The four planes separated into two groups. Eberhart dove down to the field as two outdated biplanes were trying to take off. Kurt was right with him. The Polish fighters didn’t have a chance. They barely got airborne and Eberhart took off after the first one with Kurt coming in fast. As he saw Eberhart shoot the plane down his adrenaline was through the roof. His thoughts were all over the place as he processed everything. He maintained control of his craft in the chaos. He saw the second Polish plane closing on Eberhart. The action was intense, but he felt in control. Kurt pushed the throttle forward and maneuvered his plane quickly behind the enemy to get close. His heart was throbbing, and he was sweating even though the air was cold. He was at ground level as the plane approached Eberhart. He had to be quick as the biplane tracked Eberhart. He pulled the trigger on his stick firing a short burst. He observed his bullets hit the enemy cockpit and could see blood from the pilot everywhere. Smoke came out of the biplane, and it swerved to the right plunging into the ground bursting into flames. The pilot couldn’t bail out. Kurt hesitated a second as he had just killed a human being. He was bothered by it but regained his composure. It was the enemy. If the other pilot had a chance, he would’ve killed him. He did good.

      Both 109s pulled up steep, soaring high and regrouped for another run at the field. There were Polish fighters still sitting on the runway. They both made low passes, machine gunning the planes as pilots were trying to get into them. The other Luftwaffe element had the same idea and were machine gunning the whole airfield. When the Schwarm was done the field was annihilated. They formed up and went back to their base. Kurt was on an amazing high. It was competition, a life and death competition. It upset him to kill a person, but it was literally kill or be killed. He landed and jumped out of the plane and the four guys in the Schwarm were cheering.

      Eberhart said, “That was good work. You were quick and precise; it was a hunters kill.”

      Kurt was smiling as he shook Eberhart’s hand. The men from the squadron met in a hanger and went over the mission. Kurt was credited with his first kill. The group retired to a makeshift bar and the drinks flowed.

      Over the next few days Kurt’s squadron supported the German Stuka dive bombers attacking Polish positions. The Polish airfields were mostly out of action and there were few enemy fighters in the air. If a Polish fighter did show up, he was taken out quickly.

      After a few days Britian and France declared war on Germany per a treaty with Poland. The Allies didn’t realize Hitler negotiated with Stalin for a joint takeover of Poland. The Poles never had a chance. The flights became routine after a few weeks as Poland crumbled in October of 1939.