American fighter escorts in February 1944, signalled an increase in losses for the Zerstörergeschwader. On 16 March 1944, 26 of 43 Bf 110s sent by ZG 76 into battle were shot down; a devastating loss rate. By August 1944, the German front in Normandy was on the verge of collapse at Falaise. The battles in Normandy had left the German fighter forces spread thinly; the resulting attrition having taken a toll of fighter units. II./ZG 76 was reforming and recuperating alone at Prague. Stab and I./ZG 76 were still operational but had to be used with extreme caution. They were based in Vienna under the command of the 8. Jagddivision with II./ZG 1. Only I. Gruppe of Jagdgeschwader 302 (JG 302—302nd Fighter Wing) was assigned to the division with single-engine fighters. II./ZG 26 remained isolated in East Prussia. In the south ZG 76 formed the defences against the US Fifteenth Air Force. On 16 June 1944 the Americans attacked Vienna and Bratislava. I. Gruppe of Jagdgeschwader 300 (JG 300—300th Fighter Wing), I./JG 302, II./ZG 1 and I./ZG 76 flew interceptions. 20 Consolidated B-24 Liberator bombers were claimed along with one Lockheed P-38 Lightning and two North American P-51 Mustangs. American losses totalled nine B-24s, two B-17s, seven P-38s and one P-51s. The majority of the P-38s fell to Hungarian-flown Bf 109s. US fighter pilot claimed 40; at least 16 Axis fighters were shot down. On 20 June, the Eighth Air Force sent 1,378 bombers to targets in Hamburg, Bremen and Hannover. The only interception attempted by ZG 76 was against the 492nd Bombardment Group as the Germans flew north from Prague. They were hit by P-51s before they reached the bombers and lost three Me 410s and their crews. An attack by 667 bombers of the US Fifteenth against Vienna unfolded on the 26 June 1944. I./ZG 76 claimed three B-24s but lost eight Bf 110s. On 27 June the Fifteenth attacked Budapest. Over Lake Balaton, II./ZG 1 and I./ZG 76 took advantage of cloud cover to shoot down four B-24s from the 460th Bombardment Group. On 2 July the Americans struck at the city again. I./ZG 76 committed 20 Me 410s. I./ZG 76 reported to have found a gap in the escort and claimed 13 bombers for one Me 410. Only four bombers failed to return, however. Disbandment ZG 76 was disbanded and its personnel went to the reformation