Klaus heisler
Klaus Heisler joined the Luftwaffe in 1942 with high hopes of becoming the next Adolf Galland or Hans-Joachim Marseilles. He had long dreamed of becoming a great fighter ace like his father had been in the First War. Unfortunately for Klaus, he washed out of flight school as he learned a little bit too late in the game that he was deathly afraid of heights. While the Luftwaffe was in high demand for fighter pilots, they were in even higher demand of truck drivers, so that is where Klaus ended up, driving munitions trucks as a part of a Luftwaffe Feld-Division. He spent many long days behind the wheel of his Opel Blitz imagining it were the cockpit of a Messerschmitt or Focke-Wulf.
In late 1942, Klaus lost his job as a truck driver and was deployed as a combatant on the Ostfront. In the footsteps of Napoleon, Klaus and his unit staggered through the bitter Soviet winter. Many men went mad- many men perished to the elements- many men were lost in combat.
Though he saw some of the most bitter combat of the war, his light hearted nature kept him and his Kameraden in high spirits. He was nicknamed "Sniper bait" because of his pearlescent, bright white teeth that showed when he smiled- which he did a lot of.
In late 1943, after catching a piece of Soviet lead in his calf, Klaus was transferred to France where he lived a relatively peaceful, warm, seaside existence as a crew member on a 20mm FlaK 38.
When the Feld Divisions folded shortly after the Allied invasion of Normandy, Klaus was transferred into the Heer, reequipped, and found himself in the ranks of Erste Gruppe. He served with the 275th until they were destroyed, being transferred again into the 344. Infanterie, and then in February of '45, into the newly formed 275.VGD. At some point in mid February, Klaus is captured by Soviets in the Halbe pocket while trying to escape to the American lines. He is pulled away from the others, and loaded onto a train.
A funeral is held for Klaus on May 29th, 1945.
After hearing of her husband's demise, Michaela Heisler re-marries in 1947 and has two children with a United States Army Air Force captain. The boys are given American names- Henry and Jimmy.
On June 17th, 1957, a gaunt, bearded, emaciated Klaus returns home to a shattered and divided Fatherland- a home that quickly forgot him, and a nation that blames him for their defeat.
Klaus emigrated to Ontario, Canada in the late 1980s.
In late 1942, Klaus lost his job as a truck driver and was deployed as a combatant on the Ostfront. In the footsteps of Napoleon, Klaus and his unit staggered through the bitter Soviet winter. Many men went mad- many men perished to the elements- many men were lost in combat.
Though he saw some of the most bitter combat of the war, his light hearted nature kept him and his Kameraden in high spirits. He was nicknamed "Sniper bait" because of his pearlescent, bright white teeth that showed when he smiled- which he did a lot of.
In late 1943, after catching a piece of Soviet lead in his calf, Klaus was transferred to France where he lived a relatively peaceful, warm, seaside existence as a crew member on a 20mm FlaK 38.
When the Feld Divisions folded shortly after the Allied invasion of Normandy, Klaus was transferred into the Heer, reequipped, and found himself in the ranks of Erste Gruppe. He served with the 275th until they were destroyed, being transferred again into the 344. Infanterie, and then in February of '45, into the newly formed 275.VGD. At some point in mid February, Klaus is captured by Soviets in the Halbe pocket while trying to escape to the American lines. He is pulled away from the others, and loaded onto a train.
A funeral is held for Klaus on May 29th, 1945.
After hearing of her husband's demise, Michaela Heisler re-marries in 1947 and has two children with a United States Army Air Force captain. The boys are given American names- Henry and Jimmy.
On June 17th, 1957, a gaunt, bearded, emaciated Klaus returns home to a shattered and divided Fatherland- a home that quickly forgot him, and a nation that blames him for their defeat.
Klaus emigrated to Ontario, Canada in the late 1980s.
