Anybody have an Ancestry.com membership?

[RustyRelics]

I recently acquired an identified helmet belonging to Wilhelm Sasse, found in Konigsberg Russia. I know he was born on January 24th 1905, and went missing in action March 1st 1945. I do not know any other information on him. The only info I've found online, is on ancestry.com, with two documents about his death in plain site - behind a $39.00 a month subscription which is almost as much as my car insurance. I feel a bit rude for asking, but is there any way a member with a subscription could give the name a quick search? It would be much appreciated.

Thank you.

[RustyRelics]

[Gunny Hartmann]

Wish I could help but my membership only covers British records. If It's the same person Wilhelm Werner Sasse he was born in Berlin.

[Rakkasan187]

Rusty,

I have an international ancestry account and I found Sasse however the date of birth on his card is 1907..

I will do some more searching for you but the card says this particular Wilhelm Sasse was born May 30, 1907 in Hanbar and he was killed in action on March 6, 1945 in Okobol ..

Name: Wilhelm Sasse
Rank: Gefreiter
Birth Date: 30 Mai 1907 (30 May 1907)
Birth Place: Hanbar
Military Unit: 5/gren Rgt 613
Death Date: 6 Mrz 1945 (6 Mar 1945)
Death Place: Okoböl
Identification Number: G-A 142/0327

If this may be your person I will scan the document card for you

Smitty

[RustyRelics]

Rusty,

I have an international ancestry account and I found Sasse however the date of birth on his card is 1907..

I will do some more searching for you but the card says this particular Wilhelm Sasse was born May 30, 1907 in Hanbar and he was killed in action on March 6, 1945 in Okobol ..

Name: Wilhelm Sasse
Rank: Gefreiter
Birth Date: 30 Mai 1907 (30 May 1907)
Birth Place: Hanbar
Military Unit: 5/gren Rgt 613
Death Date: 6 Mrz 1945 (6 Mar 1945)
Death Place: Okoböl
Identification Number: G-A 142/0327

If this may be your person I will scan the document card for you

Smitty

The death date is pretty close, but the birth rate is wrong. It could still be him, because even in my family tree, birth dates are two to three years off. Where the heck is Okoböl? I can't seem to find it on any maps anywhere. I'll look up the unit and see if it was fighting near present day Kaliningrad (Past day Konigsberg). Thank you very much for searching!

[Rakkasan187]

Bol is a municipality on the south of the island of Brač in the Split-Dalmatia County of Croatia.

Smitty

[RustyRelics]

Bol is a municipality on the south of the island of Brač in the Split-Dalmatia County of Croatia.

Smitty

Thank you, I was being drive nuts by that.

My guy died near Konigsberg Russia, present day Kaliningrad. The Volksbund website says that he went missing at either Heiligenbeil, Kobbelbude, or Zinten.


5/gren Rgt. 613 would be the Viking division, wouldn't it?

[Rakkasan187]

Rusty,

I believe the unit formation is the 5th Kompanie (Company) of Grenadier Regiment 613. 5/ Gren Rgt. 613

If this is the correct unit identification the 613 Grenadier Regiment was part of the 203rd Infantry Division:

The 203. (Infantry) Infanterie-Division was formed in October 1944 near Łomża from 203. Sicherungs-(Division. (Loosely translated Sicherungs = "Reserve" Division) It was destroyed on the Vistula in March 1945.

Commanders
Generalleutnant Max Horn (21 Oct 1944 - 18 Nov 1944)
Generalleutnant Wilhelm Thomas (18 Nov 1944 - 26 Dec 1944)
Generalleutnant Fritz Gädicke (26 Dec 1944 - ? Mar 1945)

Operations Officers (Ia)
Major Gerhard Mischner (Oct 1944-Nov 1944)
Major Kurt Pahl (10 Nov 1944-Apr 1945)

Area of operations
Eastern front, central sector (Oct 1944 - Mar 1945)

Holders of high awards
Holders of the German Cross in Gold (1)
- Henke, Waldemar, 30.03.1945, Hauptmann d.R., I./Art.Rgt. 203

Order of battle
Grenadier-Regiment 608
Grenadier-Regiment 613
Grenadier-Regiment 930
Artillerie-Regiment 203
Füsilier-Bataillon 203
Panzerjäger-Kompanie 203
Pionier-Bataillon 203
Feldersatz-Bataillon 203
Versorgungs-Einheiten 203

Sources used
Georg Tessin - Verbände und Truppen der deutschen Wehrmacht 1933-1945

Smitty

[RustyRelics]

Rusty,

I believe the unit formation is the 5th Kompanie (Company) of Grenadier Regiment 613. 5/ Gren Rgt. 613

If this is the correct unit identification the 613 Grenadier Regiment was part of the 203rd Infantry Division:

The 203. (Infantry) Infanterie-Division was formed in October 1944 near Łomża from 203. Sicherungs-(Division. (Loosely translated Sicherungs = "Reserve" Division) It was destroyed on the Vistula in March 1945.

Commanders
Generalleutnant Max Horn (21 Oct 1944 - 18 Nov 1944)
Generalleutnant Wilhelm Thomas (18 Nov 1944 - 26 Dec 1944)
Generalleutnant Fritz Gädicke (26 Dec 1944 - ? Mar 1945)

Operations Officers (Ia)
Major Gerhard Mischner (Oct 1944-Nov 1944)
Major Kurt Pahl (10 Nov 1944-Apr 1945)

Area of operations
Eastern front, central sector (Oct 1944 - Mar 1945)

Holders of high awards
Holders of the German Cross in Gold (1)
- Henke, Waldemar, 30.03.1945, Hauptmann d.R., I./Art.Rgt. 203

Order of battle
Grenadier-Regiment 608
Grenadier-Regiment 613
Grenadier-Regiment 930
Artillerie-Regiment 203
Füsilier-Bataillon 203
Panzerjäger-Kompanie 203
Pionier-Bataillon 203
Feldersatz-Bataillon 203
Versorgungs-Einheiten 203

Sources used
Georg Tessin - Verbände und Truppen der deutschen Wehrmacht 1933-1945

Smitty

Maybe this is my guy after all. This unit was in the area for sure.

[Rakkasan187]

Rusty,

There are quite a few Wilhelm Sasses' listed in ancestry with dates of birth in the same general years 05, 07, and I found about 24 military records for Wilhelm or Willi Sasse, many of whom were killed in action..in World War 2.

I found another "Willi" short for Wilhelm Sasse who was also killed in action. He was a member of the 9th Kompanie, Infantry Regiment 96.

Smitty