JOHANNES MÜHLENKAMP
Assigned to command the Aufklärungsabteilung (divisional reconnaissance detachment) of SS-Division “Das Reich” on December 1, 1940, Mühlenkamp began the second phase of his career that would make him among the most famous Waffen-SS commanders.
Badly wounded by artillery shell fragments in the head on October 15, 1941, near Jelna, he was succeeded by Wilhelm Kment and did not return to active duty until February 1942. During his recovery he was promoted to SS-Sturmbannführer on January 20, 1942, and warded the German Cross in Gold on January 2, as a result of the following recommendations submitted by the divisional commander Wilhelm Bittrich:
“The first day of action for the Reconnaissance Detachment on June 29, 1941, involved a hard infantry battle for the bridge of Losca. The opponent was thrown out by the motorcycle battalion, and was kept running through the daring actions and energetically led combat patrols. The bridge of Puchowise was taken by assault and, after a stubborn fight, defended with the suport of the 3.Krad-Schützen Kompanie. A temporarily cut off Krad-Schützen Züg was saved from a certain annihilation through the assault group of Mühlenkamp.
To relieve the left flak of the Division, which was attacking Jelnga with all the regiments, the detachment was assigned the task of taking Doregebusch in a sudden attack and to cut the Doregebusch-Wjasma road. Despite the tough enemy resistance and the difficult terrain conditions, SS-Hauptsturmführer Mühlenkamp tried to carry out successfully this assignment. After an infantry battalion attached for reinforcement was withdrawn, the detachment, standing alone in front of the enemy for two days, reached with patrols the Doregebusch-Wjasma road and with it fulfilled assignment.
After 400 kilometers long march carried out by day and night in two days, the detachment arrived in the battle area of Desna in the evening of the second day. Through the daring and skillful deployment of the patrols. The detachment achieved great successes with the patrol of SS-Untersturmführer Ruppert Dengl, that on September 6, 1941, took 500 prisoners near Walynka, among them three officers, and captured with the patrol of SS-Hauptscharführer Ritt:eight guns (7.62cm)
three heavy grenade launchers (10.5cm)
one light grenade launcher
six heavy machine guns
15 light machine guns
hundreds of small arms
200 horses with wagons full of ammunitionOn September 7, 1941, SS-Hauptsturmführer Mühlenkamp was lightly wounded during a personal reconnaissance in the Desna area.
In the battle area of Moscow, the detachment was deployed from Juchnow to Ghasatk. After a hard patrol and spearheading a fight, the detachment, by means
of successful steady attacks that again were led by Mühlenkamp, reached Maschina. Then the detachment obtained important results from the reconnaissance that influenced decisively the ensuing actions of the Division.
Besides having excellent knowledge and experience as a troop leader, SS-Hauptsturmführer Mühlenkamp displays an unheard-of personal bravery that he passes on to his subordinates in every phase of the fight, encouraging them to the greatest feats. Without consideration to his own person, he holds firm and ruthless to the assigned task and his personally engineered decisions, sparing no effort and sacrifice to carry them out. The high accomplishments of the reconnaissance Detachment must be attributed mostly to the continually proven personal bravery and hardness of the commander.”