Fallschirmjäger-Lehrkompanie
Normandie 1944

Gefreiter der Fallschirmtruppe
Karl Gelbke

Karl applied for the Luftwaffe in June 1943 at age 16. In August he was accepted into flight training, with his parent's permission. He had to be 17 to join along with graduating from Trade School before being called for active duty. In June 1944 he was drafted into the RAD. He completed his RAD service in September 1944 and reported to the Luftwaffe glider school Alt Glietze near Berlin.

In December, the school was closed and all trainees had to report to the Fallschirmschule Gardelengen near Stendal. He was made an MG gunner because of his high marksmanship marks in the HJ and RAD. Training only lasted until the end of February, when his unit was shipped out via freight car to western Germany. From there they were sent to a city called Dokkum in Holland. Here they were given 2 weeks additional training.

In March 1945 his battalion was sent to join the 7. FJD near the Dutch - German border and combat with the British ensued on a regular basis until the end of the war. He was awarded the Iron Cross Second Class, the Luftwaffe Ground Assault Badge and promoted to Gefreiter before being taken into British custody on May 26th (the Battalion was still fully armed, but with no ammo) as they were loaded on to British trucks and transported to a POW camp where they turned in their weapons. He was released in September 1945.

Having lost all their family property to the Russians, Karl emigrated to the USA in 1959 where he started a family and a successful life in the Auto Industry near Detroit.

We are honored to have him as a guest.