having around 5,000 personnel. Some 5,000 reinforcements made it into Sevastopol in May 1942. However, Petrov's army lacked tanks and anti-aircraft guns. The garrison also lacked food supplies and mortar ammunition, which would severely sap Soviet strength. Poor communications between headquarters and the front lines were also an issue. Petrov found it difficult to respond to Axis attacks quickly. Red Army: Coastal Batteries 12 battalions 3 batteries Defence Sector I 109th Rifle Division 388th Rifle Division Defence Sector II 386th Rifle Division 7th Naval Infantry Brigade Defence Sector III 25th Rifle Division 345th Rifle Division 8th Naval Infantry Brigade 79th Naval Infantry Brigade Defence Sector IV 95th Rifle Division 172nd Rifle Division Red Air Force and Soviet Naval Aviation: 3rd Special Aviation Group 6th Guards Naval Fighter Regiment 9th Naval Fighter Regiment 247th Fighter Regiment 18th Ground Attack Regiment 23rd Aviation Regiment 32nd Guards Fighter Regiment 116th Maritime Reconnaissance Regiment Soviet Black Sea Fleet: One battleship Two heavy cruisers One Light Cruiser Two Flotilla Leaders Six Destroyers Nine Minesweepers One Guardship 24 Submarines First Axis offensive The German 11th Army's first task was to break through into the Crimea. The cities of Perekop and Ishun guarded the narrow corridor of land which linked the Crimea to the bulk of Ukraine. Erick-Oskar Hansen's LIV Corps, with its 45th and 73rd Infantry Divisions, broke through at Perekop at the cost of 2,641 casualties in six days of fighting. The Soviet forces launched a counteroffensive against the 11th Army's flank at Melitopol. Manstein withdrew his other corps in order to deal with it. The resulting battle ended with the destruction of two attacking Soviet Armies. By the time that this threat had been dealt with, the Stavka had rushed in reinforcements and established another defence line at Ishun. Ordered to concentrate on the Crimea once more, Manstein launched his LIV Corps, this time with the support of the German 22nd Infantry Division, into the assault. The Soviet forces enjoyed local air superiority and armored reserves. They also outnumbered the attacking Wehrmacht. In spite of this, the defending Soviet 51st Army was pushed back. The Wehrmacht suffered 5,376 casualties in 12 days of combat, and the Red Army many more. By the end of October, the 51st Army was crushed and in full retreat into the Crimea. The situation in the air also changed. Arriving Jagdgeschwader (Fighter Wings) won air superiority for the Axis.