July 1944. The gruppen were created from Zerstörergeschwader 26 (Heavy Fighter Wing 26) which had flown the Messerschmitt Bf 110 and Messerschmitt Me 410, then hopelessly vulnerable types in the era of long-range and numerous American fighter escorts. This reclassification ended the Zerstörergeschwader. Stab, I and II Gruppen ZG 26 became Stab, I and II Gruppen JG 6. Oberstleutnant Johann Kogler was appointed Geschwaderkommodore. I and III/JG 6 were formed in October and November 1944 leaving I Gruppe and Stabstaffel the only units available in August 1944. Hauptmann Willi Elstermann commanded II Gruppe. This gruppe converted to the Fw 190A-8 at Königsberg–Neumark. World War II II Gruppe replaced some of the depleted German fighter units from Normandy. General der Jagdflieger Adolf Galland strongly objected to the move, which ultimately cost the gruppe 19 killed in action and four wounded in action in a short time. On 23 August 1944, it was ordered to Herpy near Reims. According to one member of the unit, Feldwebel Fritz Bucholz, who arrived with 11 hours of experience on single-engine fighters and no dogfighting experience, the airfield was nothing more than flat ground surrounded by trees to hide their aircraft. Tents were provided for shelter, and much attention was paid to camouflage. The gruppe used nearby cattle to roam the airfield while no flights were ongoing to obscure the tracks made by the landing gear and deceive Allied reconnaissance aircraft. The Normandy campaign was coming to an end, two days after their arrival Paris was liberated. Hauptmann Willi Elstermann led the gruppe in action towards the battle zone near St Quentin that day, 25 August. Near Clastres, they observed Lockheed P-38 Lightnings from the US 394th Fighter Squadron strafing the airbase. In their first action, they shot down six of the P-38s. Distress calls summoned the P-38s from the 367th Fighter Group which lost one further P-38 but accounted for 16 of the gruppe fighters destroyed plus several more damaged. The two formations were numerically even, and the Focke-Wulf Fw 190 was more than a match for the P-38, but the Germans had little dogfighting experience. During the disastrous action, which cost the Gruppe half its strength, Leutnant Rudi Dassow, a 22-victory ace on the Bf 110 and Me 410, was killed. The following day the gruppe was in action again over the Seine area, and Fritz Bucholz was shot down. He was picked up