May, Johann

Date of birth:: May 1st, 1918 (Kroisbach, Austria)
Date of death:: September 5th, 1943 (Makejevka/Donetsk Oblast, Soviet Union)
Nationality:: Austrian

Biography

Johann May was posthumously promoted to Major.

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Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes

Period:: Second World War (1939-1945)
Rank:: Oberleutnant (1st Lieutenant)
Unit:: Führer, III. Bataillon, Gebirgsjäger-Regiment 138, 3. Gebirgs-Division, Heer
Awarded on:: January 25th, 1943

Awarded for his role on the southern sector of the Eastern front following the encirclement of the 6. Armee. In December 1942 Oberleutnant May, commanding the Jagdkommando of the 3. Gebirgs-Division, captured the village of Tarassowka (south of Millerowo).

May’s Bataillon was then deployed as the reserve of Gruppe Kreysing, and constantly deployed to the hotspots of the crisis-filled frontline. In this time Oberleutnant May especially distinguished himself and mastered many difficult situations. A particularly noteworthy action commenced on the 15.01.1943, when the Regimentstruppe Wagner (Bataillon May, III./Gebirgsjäger-Regiment 144, Bataillon Holzrichter) began an attack from Millerowo towards the SW, in order to relieve the encircled Luftwaffen-Feldbataillon z.b.V. 100 at the village of Donzkoi. In this operation May and his Bataillon were the lead unit and were the first to break the encirclement ring on the eastern edge of Donzkoi.