operational readiness and moved to Vannes Airfield. There, Huppertz claimed a Lockheed P-38 Lightning F-5 aerial reconnaissance aircraft shot down on 29 June. When Mayer was appointed Geschwaderkommodore (wing commander) of JG 2 on 25 June, Huppertz was again transferred. He took command of 12. Staffel from Oberleutnant Bruno Stolle on 1 July who replaced Mayer as commander of Gruppe. Three days later on 4 July, the United States Army Air Forces (USAAF) attacked the U-boat pens at La Pallice, Nantes and Le Mans. Defending against this attack, Huppertz shot down a Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress bomber. The next day, flying off of Brest, he claimed a RAF Armstrong Whitworth Whitley bomber shot down. On 3 August, RAF fighter-bombers attacked the Luftwaffe Brest-Guipavas Airfield. Defending against this attack, Huppertz shot down a Hawker Typhoon fighter-bomber north of Brest. On 27 August, Huppertz claimed a North American B-25 Mitchell bomber shot down. On 30 August, Huppertz shot down a RAF North American P-51 Mustang fighter on a "Rhubarb" mission. The next day, he claimed a Spitfire fighter. The Gruppe engaged in aerial combat with Martin B-26 Marauder bombers and their fighter escort heading for Rouen on 11 September. In this encounter, Huppertz claimed a Spitfire fighter shot down. Four days later, USAAF bombers headed for various industrial targets near Paris. That day, Huppertz shot down a B-17 bomber north of Saint-Germain-en-Laye. On 23 September, the USAAF VIII Bomber Command attacked Nantes, Vannes and Lorient. For the loss of four Fw 190 fighters, the Gruppe was credited with the destruction of two B-17 bombers, both of which attributed to Huppertz. The next day, Huppertz claimed a Spitfire destroyed. On 14 October 1943, during the second Schweinfurt raid, Huppertz shot down a B-17 bomber southeast of Verdun. III. Gruppe flew in Defense of the Reich on 1 December when the VIII Bomber Command attacked Solingen that day. The Gruppe intercepted the bombers over Belgium where for the loss of two Fw 190 fighters, one B-17 was shot down by Huppertz. Huppertz received the German Cross in Gold () on 26 December. Four days later, III. Gruppe intercepted VIII Bomber Command bombers on their bombing mission to Ludwigshafen. During this engagement, Huppertz claimed a Consolidated B-24 Liberator and a B-17 bomber shot down. The next day, the USAAF attacked various Luftwaffe airfields along the French Atlantic coast. That day, Huppertz was credited with a