The Soldbuch of Oberfeldwebel Werner Kahnt; German Cross in Gold & Honour Goblet

Marked with the Luftwaffe eagle on the cover, inscribed "Soldbuch Personalausweis Luftwaffe" below, multiple entries and stamps throughout the book, glued in insert on the inside front cover but his black and white photograph has been previously removed, containing twenty-four pages printed in black ink, plus cover also printed in black ink, 100 mm x 142 mm, dual-staple bound, with undulation, creasing and light wear evident on the cover, light soiling evident on the inside pages, very fine.

Footnote: Third-issue Soldbuch of Oberfeldwebel (First Sergeant) Werner Kahnt. This Soldbuch was issued to Kahnt on November 14, 1944 by Feldpost Nummer 52371, which was assigned to the 6th Squadron of Kampfgeschwader 51 and signed by Hauptmann Ernst von Freistedt, who later died while flying an Me 262 on December 7, 1944 (three more of von Freistedt’s signatures appear in the Soldbuch). The photo of Kahnt was removed from the inside cover of the Soldbuch, most likely by Kahnt himself to use in a postwar identification. Kahnt was born on November 15, 1919 in Bad Blankenburg in Thüringen and his civilian occupation was Fleischer (Butcher). Because this is a third-issue Soldbuch, information about Kahnt’s service prior to this date are not entered in the Soldbuch, however, his awards page show that he earned the Bordfunkerabzeichen (Radioman’s Badge). Internet research shows that Kahnt served with at least three bomber wings, including Kampfgeschwader 2, 3, and 51. Kahnt was deployed during the Battle in the West in 1940, the Battle of Britain in 1940 and 1941, the Battle for Crete in 1941, the fighting in the East from 1941 to 1944, and home defense in 1944-1945. The 6th Squadron of Kampfgeschwader 51 operated Ju 88 As, Me 410 As, and Me 262 As. In March 1943, Kahnt was wounded in aerial combat. In the fall of 1944, Kahnt’s unit, the 6th Squadron of the 2nd Group of Bomber Wing 51, was equipped with the Me 262, a jet fighter. From October 13, 1944 to March 31, 1945, he was hospitalized in two Luftwaffe hospitals designated with wound code "34" (injuries sustained in a plane crash). Kahnt received a recuperation leave to Munich from March 30 to April 14, 1945. After returning to his unit, he may have flown operational missions in the Me 262 A. During Kahnt’s lengthy military service, he received the following awards: the Radioman’s Badge on August 8, 1940; the Iron Cross 2nd Class on May 27, 1940; the Iron Cross 1st Class on December 20, 1940; the Operational Flight Clasp for Bombers in Bronze on June 19, 1941; the Operational Flight Clasp for Bombers in Silver on July 23, 1941; the Operational Flight Clasp for Bombers in Gold on August 22, 1941 (Kahnt received this award while serving with the 1st Staffel of Kampfgeschwader 2, a Dornier 217 unit); the Honour Goblet for Special Achievements in the Air War on September 7, 1942; the German Cross in Gold on February 20, 1943; the Wound Badge in Black on March 28, 1943; the “Kreta” Cufftitle on June 1, 1943; and the Pendant for the Operational Flight Clasp for Bombers in Gold on November 14, 1944. This is a very nice Soldbuch for a highly decorated Luftwaffe bomber crew member.