Ritterkreuz Verleihung (Knight's Cross award 'ceremony') of Helmut Bruck, Knight's Cross on 4 September 1941 as Hauptmann and Staffelkapitän of 1./Sturzkampfgeschwader 77. Later Kommandeur I./ StG77 and Kommodore the day after the award of the Eichenlaub on 19 February 1943. Oberstleutnant in November 1943, he flew his 800th sortie on 10 January 1944 and on 15 February 1945 he handed over the Geschwader to Oberstleutnant Mößinger on being posted as CO of Schulgeschwader 151
After participation in the Balkans campaigns of spring 1941, StG 77 formed part of the attack against the Soviet Union in June 1941, and supported Army Group Centre as part of II. Fliegerkorps. Relocating to the Southern Front in November 1941, StG77 then flew in support of Army Group South. In December II. Gruppe was sent for refitting to Kraków. During 1942 StG77, as part of VIII. Fliegerkorps supported ground actions on the Sevastopol front and later units took part in the Second Battle of Kharkov. By September 1942, III./StG 77 was subordinate to I./StG 1 on the northern front in support of Army Group North. II./StG 77, under Major Kurt Huhn, was one of the main Stuka ground-attack units supporting operations at Stalingrad. II. Gruppe was redesignated as III./Schlachtgeschwader 10 on 18 October 1943, the remaining Gruppen becoming Schlachtgeschwader 77
Selection of StG 77 images currently on offer here
