The 3rd
Luftwaffe Field Division, one of several
such divisions of the
Luftwaffe (German Air Force), was formed on 19 September 1942 at the Gross-Born Troop Maneuver Area in Pomerania, under the command of
Generalmajor Robert Pistorious. Intended to serve as infantry, its personnel were largely drawn from surplus
Luftwaffe ground crew. Towards the end of 1942, the division was assigned to
Army Group Centre on the
Eastern Front and fought in the
Battle of Nevel in 1943 as part of the
II Luftwaffe Field Corps under the command of
Alfred Schlemm. The division had the task of securing the connection between
Army Groups North and Centre and defended this sector against Soviet operations. Responsibility for the division was transferred to the
Army on 1 November 1943 and it was designated
3rd Field Division (L). Later that month, it participated in actions at Vitebsk against the Soviet Army and remained on the front lines until January 1944. Shortly afterwards, after suffering heavy losses in the fighting at Vitebsk, the division was disbanded. Surviving personnel were absorbed by the
4th and
6th Luftwaffe Field Divisions. ==Commanders==