south-southeast of Trosna. In the early morning of 6 July, Resch shot down Leytnant Yevgeniy Stepanov from the 157 IAP (Fighter Aviation Regiment—Istrebitelny Aviatsionny Polk). On 8 July, the Gruppe flew multiple missions in support of the Army near Ponyri as well as escort missions for Ju 87 dive bombers from StG 1. In their defense, Resch shot down a Yak-1 fighter west of Livny and a La-5 fighter west of Maloarkhangelsk. The next day, the 9th Army was fighting near Olkhovatka and Ponyri. The Gruppe claimed 24 aerial victories, including a LaGG-3 fighter and an Il-2 ground attack aircraft by Resch. On 11 July, Resch claimed another Il-2 ground attack aircraft. He was then shot down and killed in action in his Fw 190 A-5 (Werknummer 7264) near Judinka, the combat area near Maloarkhangelsk. He was succeeded by Major Hans-Ekkehard Bob as commander of IV. Gruppe. Summary of career Aerial victory claims According to US historian David T. Zabecki, Resch was credited with 93 aerial victories during World War II. Spick lists Resch with 94 aerial victories claimed in an unknown number combat missions. This figure includes 93 aerial victories on the Eastern Front, and one further victory during the Spanish Civil War. Mathews and Foreman, authors of Luftwaffe Aces — Biographies and Victory Claims, researched the German Federal Archives and found documentation for 93 aerial victory claims. This number includes one claim during the Spanish Civil War and 65 on the Eastern Front. Victory claims were logged to a map-reference (PQ = Planquadrat), for example "PQ 44243". The Luftwaffe grid map () covered all of Europe, western Russia and North Africa and was composed of rectangles measuring 15 minutes of latitude by 30 minutes of longitude, an area of about . These sectors were then subdivided into 36 smaller units to give a location area 3 × 4 km in size. Awards Spanish Cross in Gold with Swords (14 April 1939) Honour Goblet of the Luftwaffe on 20 December 1941 as Hauptmann and Staffelkapitän German Cross in Gold on 27 July 1942 as Hauptmann in the 6./Jagdgeschwader 52 Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross on 6 September 1942 as Hauptmann and Staffelkapitän of the 5./Jagdgeschwader 52 Notes References Citations Bibliography External links Luftwaffe 1939–1945 History TracesOfWar.com 1914 births 1943 deaths People from Kamenz People from the Kingdom of Saxony Luftwaffe pilots German World War II flying aces German