The bitter Russian winter of 1943/44 was matched by some of the toughest fighting of the ground war. Between the Carpathian Mountains and the Dneiper River elements of the 1st SS Panzer Division Leibstandarte SS Adolf Hitler reinforced their fearsome reputation. Panthers of SS Pz.Rgt. 1 move forward to engage Soviet armour, passing a Tiger of the 13th Heavy Company LAH. Overhead, Fw190A's of Hptm Erich Rudorffer's II/JG54 lend support by hunting for Soviet ground attack aircraft ahead of the panzer spearhead.
The Signatures:
Signed by JG54 pilots; Erich Rudorffer, Hans-Ekkehard Bob, Hugo Broch.
S.S. Tank commanders; Fritz Darges, Gerhard Fischer, Walther Girg, Otto Kumm, Karl-Heinz Lichte, Richard Rudolf, all Knights Cross recipients.
_________________________________________________________
