was assigned to ground attack duties. Finding no worthwhile ground targets, the German fliers engaged enemy aircraft instead. By the 17th, ground combat was stalemated. As Allied aircraft struck the bridges over the Marne River, French aircraft waged a huge air battle against the German pilots. The following day, the counter-attack began. By now, JG II was supporting three German Armees—the 1st Armee, the 3d Armee, and the 7th Armee. On 20 July, the wing responded with a record 100 combat sorties flown. However, by 22 July, the last German offensive was finished; the Germans withdrew from the Marne. French air tactics changed. Their Breguet 14 B2 bombers were now shepherded by Caudron R.11 gunships; a screen of SPAD fighters would rove outside the formation to meet German attacks. The shift began on 22 July, when 30 Germans, including Jasta 19, attacked a French formation of 50. On 24 July, JG II moved to Chéry-lès-Pouilly to support 9th Armee. They received several modified Siemens-Schuckert D.IIIs and Siemens-Schuckert D.IVs. As Berthold scored his 40th victory, JG II began to face fresh American fliers newly committed to combat. Berthold's departure On 8 August 1918, the Allies launched the Amiens offensive, which included a massive effort by the Royal Air Force. On the 9th, JG II shifted to support 18th Armee. The following day, when 12 British DeHavillands bombed railway logistics at Equancourt and Perrone at 1220 hours, the German aerial force that attacked them included JG II. In turn, Bristol F.2 Fighters from No. 48 Squadron RAF and two flights from No. 56 Squadron RAF counter-attacked. In the turmoil of combat, Rudolf Berthold shot down two British aircraft before being himself downed. He survived the crash, but his right arm was again smashed. German infantry evacuated him to hospital. On 11 August, Jasta 19 intercepted a huge force of about 100 Breguet bombers flying in formations of eight to ten planes. In the fighting, JG II lost its leading surviving ace when Leutnant Hans Martin Pippart fell. On the 12th, Berthold unexpectedly returned from hospital and insubordinately regained command. He then fell into sickbed with a fever. On 13 August, he was relieved of his command and ordered back to hospital by Kaiser Wilhelm II, never to return to combat. On 23 August, JG II's war diary gave a breakdown of aerial victories between 21 March and 21 August 1918. Jasta 12