18. Flak-Division

Kommandeure:

• Gen Richard Reimann, 10 Apr 1942 - 9 Mar 1943
• GenLt Prinz Heinrich Reuss XXXVII, 10 Mar 1943 - 31 Jan 1944
• GenMaj Adolf Wolf, 1 Feb 1944 - 1 Oct 1944
• GenMaj Günther Sachs, 2 Oct 1944 - 8 May 1945

Ia:

• ObLt Claus-Peter Jebens, Apr 1942 - ?
• Maj Beetz, ? - Jul 1944
• ObLt Hornig, 3 Aug 1944 - 1944
• Olt Ernst-Joachim Heisig, 1944 - Feb 1945
• Hptm Hans Gebauer, Mar 1945 - May 1945

Formed 10 Apr 1942 in Smolensk from Stab/II. Flakkorps, covering the entire area of Heeresgruppe Mitte. In May 1942 the 12th Flak-Division arrived, and took control of the southern half of Heeresgruppe Mitte. The 18th Flak-Division moved to Lipitzy (covering the northern half of Heeresgruppe Mitte, supporting the 9th Armee and the 3rd Panzer-Armee) with:

• Stab/Flak-Regiment 6 as Flakgruppe Smolensk
• Stab/Flak-Regiment 10
• Stab/Flak-Regiment 125
• Stab/Flak-Regiment 133
• Luftnachrichten-Abteilung 138

Mar 1943 HQ at Krasny-Bor, near Smolensk, but in Jun 1943 moved to Orscha, Sep 1943 to Vitebsk.

Organisation 1 Nov 1943:

• https://asisbiz.com/Luftwaffe/10flabrg.html" title="Luftwaffe unit history" class="link-sw">Stab/10. Flak-Brigade (mot.)
• Luftnachrichten-Betriebs-Kompanie 138

https://asisbiz.com/Luftwaffe/10flabrg.html" title="Luftwaffe unit history" class="link-sw">10. Flak-Brigade (mot.) left for the 12. Flak-Division in Feb 1944.

Organisation 1 Mar 1944 (HQ Vitebsk):

• Stab/Flak-Regiment 6 (mot.) in Smolensk(?)
• Stab/Flak-Regiment 10 (mot.) in Orscha
• Stab/Flak-Regiment 35 (mot.)
• Luftnachrichten-Betriebs-Kompanie 138

Stab/Flak-Regiment 10 (mot.) and Stab/Flak-Regiment 35 (mot.) left the division in Aug 1944, and was replaced by Stab/Flak-Regiment 34 (v) and Stab/Flak-Regiment 125 (mot.).

Heavy losses Jun 1944, and withdrew to East Prussia (supporting the 4th Armee and the 3rd Panzer-Armee).

Stab/Flak-Regiment 6 (mot.) left in Oct 1944, and was replaced by Stab/Flak-Regiment 116 (mot.) and Stab/Flak-Regiment 136 (v); Stab/Flak-Regiment 6 (mot.) returned Nov 1944.

1 Dec 1944 with:

• Stab/Flak-Regiment 6 (mot.) at Frauenburg/Courland
• Stab/Flak-Regiment 34 (v) at Tauroggen-Insterburg
• Stab/Flak-Regiment 116 (mot.) at (?, supporting the 4th Armee)
• Stab/Flak-Regiment 125 (mot.) at Wilkowischken
• Stab/Flak-Regiment 136 (v) as Flakgruppe Insterburg
• https://asisbiz.com/Luftwaffe/16flabrg.html" title="Luftwaffe unit history" class="link-sw">Stab/16. Flak-Brigade in Goldap(?)
• Luftnachrichten-Betriebs-Kompanie 138

On 21 Jan 1945 took control of all Flak units in East Prussia and in the Heiligenbeil pocket (HQ Konigsberg) with:

• https://asisbiz.com/Luftwaffe/16flabrg.html" title="Luftwaffe unit history" class="link-sw">Stab/16. Flak-Brigade in Goldap(?) (Mar 1945 to Reich)
• Stab/Flak-Regiment 87 as Flakgruppe Konigsberg
• Stab/Flak-Regiment 116 in Heiligenbeil, later Samland
• Stab/Flak-Regiment 125 in Heiligenbeil, Mar 1945 to Reich
• Luftnachrichten-Betriebs-Kompanie 138

1 Mar 1945 at Stuthenen under Luftwaffenkommando Ostpreussen.

On 10 Apr 1945 took control of Stab/Flak-Regimenter 77,136 and Gürke (later became Flakführer Hela). 3 May 1945 on Hela, 10 May 1945 in Schleswig.

Subordinated to Luftwaffenkommando Ost, May 1943 Luftflotte 6, 13 Nov 1943 II. Flakkorps and from 21 Jan 1945 Luftwaffenkommando Ostpreussen.