Luftwaffen Legion - Lettland Liepāja-Grobiņa, Latvia
Under an OKL order of August 11, 1944 the Latvian Flying Units were combined into the Luftwaffen-Legion Lettland. The training centre at Liepāja-Grobiņa became Erg. Flg.Gr. Lettland (Latvian Replacement Training Group) Obstl. Jānis Rucels (a Latvian) was appointed commander of the Luftwaffen-Legion Lettland. 80% of the Latvian flying personnel had been decorated with the Iron Cross. Lt. Teodors Abrams was the most combat-experienced Latvian Airman. He was recommended for the German Cross in Gold (DKG). An order was made for disbandment of this group as there were (unfounded) fears the Latvian Airmen could abscond to Sweden.
Fw Zanis Tamsons of 1./NSGr.12(lett)the most decorated Latvian night harassment (Bomber Group) October 8, 1944 made his way to Gotland with an Henschel Hs 126 (6A+NL) taking his Mechanic with him.
A new Fighter Group was organized of two groups of 5 Latvian Airmen. These were:
| JUNE 1944 | JULY 1944 |
|---|---|
| Oblt. Eduards Millers | Uffz. Vītolds Berķis |
| Lt. Arnolds Mencis | Uffz. Valdemārs Līvmanis |
| Lt. Jānis Lecis | Uffz. Jūlijs Stars |
| Uffz. Haralds Makars | Flg. Roberts Dumpis |
| Uffz. Harijs Klints | Flg. Edgars Lazdiņš |
The first group were sent to the Jagdfliegervorschule in Parow (near Stralsund) afterwards the five Airmen were posted to Plathe, Lignitz and Sagan (now Żagań, Poland) for training on the Focke-Wulf Fw 190As. The second group were mainly assigned to low level ground support tasks.
(Source: Alex Vanags-Baginskis, who was there)