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21.04.1943 3/NJG2 Junkers Ju 88C-6 Wnr.360279 Oblt. Castaldo Location: In sea off Sicily, Italy.
Mission: Night Defence.

Date: 21st April 1943

Unit: 3 Staffel/Nachtjagdgeschwader 2

Type: Junkers Ju 88C-6

Werke/Nr.360279

Code: 4R +

Location: In the sea off Sicily, Italy.

Pilot: Oberleutnant. Max Castaldo (63626/2)
Born. 31.10.1919 in Untersiebenbrunn - Killed.

Radio/Op: Feldwebel. Gregor Hofmeister (63626/10)
Born. 22.10.1921 in Gross-Gerau - Killed.

Gunner: Gefreiter. Hans-Joachim Korsch (60803/19)
Born. 07.10.1922 in Preussisch-Holland, Ostpr. - Killed.

REASON FOR LOSS:

This aircraft took off at 0300 hours, at 0400 hours the crew reported that they were being attacked by a fighter.
At 0410 hours a message was recieved from a coastal anti-aircraft battery, that an aircraft was observed falling
in flames and crash into the sea off Sicily.

1 Gregor Hofmeister ccc 2 Return of Wehrpass document
Radio/Op; Gregor Hofmeister. (Hall/Brownless Confirmation document of the return of Gregor's Wehrpass.

3 Letter from Staffelkapitaen
Letter from Staffelkapitaen to the father of Gregor notifying of his sons death. (Hall/Brownless)

Translation of the above document;

Certified Correspondence
Schulz- Captain
Command Post, 28.4.43
Squadron Commander (Postal Code 07594)

Dear Esteemed Mr Hofmeister!

As the squadron Commander of your son Georg, I must communicate to you that your son failed to return from a combat mission
on 21.4.43. On the morning of 21.4 at about 3 am he took off with his pilot 1st Lieutenant Costaldo and gunner Pte Korsch.
At about 4 am he reported engaging in combat with an enemy aircraft. At 4.08 am our aircrew (aircrew Costaldo) reported for
the last time with a short communications check.

During that very night I was also on operations. At 4.08 am anti-aircraft elements on the coast reported the crash of a burning
aircraft on the surface of the ocean. At first we assumed our aircrew (aircrew Costaldo) had shot an enemy aircraft down but
unfortunately we waited in vain for a further report and their landing. During the aerial combat the enemy (opponent) must have
been able to hit our aircraft that caused the crash. Our hopes of a parachute jump were not confirmed.
The aircrew, in true fulfillment of duty found a heroís death.

On behalf of the squadron I convey my condolences. In proud sorrow the squadron remembers your son. May it be a comfort to you,
that your son fell in combat for Germany. His grave is far from home in the sea, close to the tip of the southwestern coast of
Sicily.

In deepest Sympathy of this heavy loss

Your devote

(Signed) Schulz

P.S. Your sonís personal belongings will be returned to you as soon as possible.

The aforementioned correspondence for Mr Hofmeister is hereby certified authentic
Gross Gerau, 17 May 43
Mayor of Gross Gerau
(Signed)

Burial detail:

None found - All crew lost at sea.

Researched by Melvin Brownless & Steven Hall with thanks to Dave Kirby for help with translations. (March 2013)

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