FRENCH LANGUAGE Book. Kampfgeschwader 54, the Totenkopfgeschwader, is a unit well-known to fans of World War II air warfare, given its skull and crossbones insignia inherited from the hussar squadrons. But, above all, KG 54 distinguished itself as one of the few Luftwaffe squadrons to have fought from the first to the last day of the conflict—albeit in various forms and with often varying numbers. Originating from KG 254, KG 54 began modestly with a single Gruppe deployed in September 1939 in Poland. In April 1940, its second Gruppe, established during the Phoney War, took part in the fighting in Scandinavia. Then, the following month, the squadron, increased to three Gruppe, was launched into the Westfeldzug: the Great Campaign in the West. Having lost its third Gruppe, which had been disbanded after suffering greatly throughout the May/June engagements, KG 54 fought in the Battle of Britain, continuing its missions over England during the Night Blitz. In June 1941, the two Gruppe called to the USSR during Barbarossa fought vigorously, carrying out numerous missions but suffering such heavy losses that they were recalled to the Reich at the end of the year. However, the military situation had become such that the Totenkopf was forced to disperse its forces by this time, with I./KG 54 heading for the Mediterranean while II./KG 54 returned to the USSR (while spending a brief period in France). During the fighting on Malta, I./KG 54 operated jointly with K.Gr. 806, then renamed III./KG 54. These two Gruppe supported Field Marshal Rommel's Afrika Korps before being joined in 1943 in Sicily by II./KG 54, the squadron taking part in the last battles in Africa (Tunisia).

Now fully equipped, the 54th Squadron faced the Allied landings in Sicily before experiencing various withdrawals to mainland Italy. Totenkopf finally left the Mediterranean sector at the end of 1943 to return to the west. However, this was to operate over England as part of the bloody Operation Steinbock. Losses there were so high that II./KG 54 was disbanded in April 1944. And two months later, it was a squadron once again reduced to two Gruppe that faced the Allied landings in Normandy in missions that were just as costly in terms of men and equipment. Fighting tooth and nail, KG 54 returned to the Reich where, in September 1944, it became a fighter unit, receiving the famous Me 262 jet aircraft. However, the aircraft still suffered from serious 'teething problems', and KG (J) 54 (despite having been reinforced by a second Gruppe) was unable to distinguish itself against the vastly superior Allied air forces and was decimated. On 8 May 1945, the surviving personnel of the death's head squadron capitulated, its personnel being then mainly dispersed in Austria and Czechoslovakia.