Paratrooper Document Grouping to Gefreiter (Private First Class) Wilhelm Reida-Includes the following documents:
1) 14 July 1942 dated document showing that Reida registered at the Police Headquarters of Gelsenkirchen, allowing for the creation of his military service record;
2) Reichsarbeitsdienst (National Labor Service), or RAD, discharge certificate dated 16 June 1943 stating that he served in the Labor Service from 28 January to 16 June 1943. Reida served with RAD-Abteilung 7/162 (RAD Battalion 7/162) in Bösingfeld in the municipality of Lippe;
3) small document showing that Reida was examined for his fitness to become a flying personnel member on 19 August 1943. He was found unfit to be a paratrooper due to his weight (apparently, he was underweight or overweight);
4) preliminary document for the Fallschirmschützenabzeichen in Stoff (Paratrooper Badge in Cloth) issued on 13 March 1944 at Fallschirmschule I (Paratrooper School I) in Dreux, France (this school was formed in Dreux from Fallschirmschule;
4). Document is signed by Oberstleutnant (Lieutenant Colonel) Walter Primus, the commander of the school;
5) award document for the Fallschirmschützenabzeichen (Paratrooper Badge) dated 15 May 1944, having a facsimile signature of Generaloberst Bruno Loerzer (Pour le Mérite and Knight's Cross). Reida obviously reached the weight requirement to become a paratrooper, either losing weight or gaining it;
6) award document dated 14 September 1944 for the Verwundetenabzeichen in Schwarz (Wound Badge in Black) for suffering a wound on 21 August 1944. Fortunately, Reida's Feldpostnummer (Military Mail Number) appears on the document, that is, L 49014, which was assigned to Fallschirm-Nachrichten-Abteilung 12 (Paratrooper Signal Battalion); 12), which was part of the Il. Fallschirmkorps (lInd Paratrooper Corps), which was engaged in Normandy, including St. Lô. The document is signed by an Oberleutnant (1st Lieutenant) who served as the temporary commander of the battalion;
7) typed career summary covering Reida's service from 28 January 1943 through the end of the war. Document lists the exact locations of Reida's deployments from 29 March 1944, and reveals that he was wounded in St. Lô on 21 August 1944 - 20+ locations are noted. His unit surrendered in Brekendorf in Schleswig-Holstein, and Reida subsequently was interned as a POW in Friedrichskoog near Warne;
8) small document dated 11 June 1945 giving his POW unit assignment;
9) document dated 10 July 1945 regarding soap issuance while serving with the 3rd Company of Battalion 406 b;
10) small document written in pencil by Reida covering his POW captivity from 10 July 1945 to 22 July 1945 (it appears Reida was released on this date).