Obgefr. Gustav Cimala
Obergefreiter Gustav Cimala was a member of the famed Fallschirmjäger Rgt. 3 where he fought in Italy. According to German accounts, Gustav and his 4th company were the first Germans to enter the destroyed abbey of Monte Cassino to take up defensive positions after the American bombing.
Gustav would end up fighting in the town of Cassino in March of 1944. It is evident from his awards that he was an active participant in the brutal house-to-house fight — where he earned the EKII for bravery and the Erdkampfabzeichen der Luftwaffe for at least three assault days.
This is considered a desirable Soldbuch, because it is a first-issue with his portrait photo attached. Many of these Soldbücher were destroyed due to the fighting and wet climate. Many of these paratroopers also had to swim across the Po River in 1945.
The water damage throughout Gustav’s Soldbuch is very common in the other examples that exist for this reason.
- 26.7.1943 - Date Opened (XI Flg.Korps.)
- 4.8.1943 - 8. / Fallschirmjäger Ausb. Btl.
- 8.11.1943 - 4. Komp. / Fallsch.Jg.Rgt. 3
- 28.1.1944 - Awarded Wound Badge in Black
- 9.3.1944 - Returns to unit after being wounded (31b)
- 1.3.1944 - Promotion to Gefreiter (4./FJR3)
- 1.4.1944 - Awarded Erdkampfabzeichen der Luftwaffe
- 16.4.1944 - Awarded EKII
- 9.6.1944 - Enters Lazarett after second wound (31b)
- 15.6.1944 - Führergeschenk
- 27.6.1944 - Returns to unit from Lazarett
- 1.11.1944 - Promotion to Fallsch.-Gefreiter (4./FJR3)
- 1.5.1945 - Promotion to Fallsch.-Obergefreiter (4./FJR3)
- Christensen, Ben. The 1st Fallschirmjäger Division in World War II, Volume Two: Years of Retreat. Atglen, PA: Schiffer Publishing.
- Peters, Klaus J. Fallschirm-Jäger Rgt. 3 – Eine Chronik in Bildern, Volume 2: The War Missions 1941-1945. San Jose, CA: R. James Bender Publishing.
- Online resource: Lexikon der Wehrmacht — Fallschirmjäger-Regiment 3
Fsch. M.G. Btl. 7 - Fallschirmjäger Rgt. 1, 4, & 28
Kreta, Sicily, & Italy
EKII, EKI, Ärmelband Kreta, & Erdkampfabzeichen der Luftwaffe