78 bombers—from I./KG 76, 1./KG 100, and 40 Ju 87s from StG 77, escorted by 40 Messerschmitt Bf 109s. For the loss of only one bomber, the Tashkent, and the transports Ukrania, Proletariy and Elbrus were sunk. The salvage vessel Chernomor, the schooner Dnestr, two torpedo boats and a patrol boat. In addition the destroyers Soobrazitelny and Nezamozhnik, patrol vessels Shkval and Shtorm, one gunboat, one torpedo boat, two transports, and a floating dock sustained various degrees of damage. On 2 July it sank the Soviet Navy destroyer Bditelny and damaged the Soviet cruiser Komintern. It was assisted by III Gruppe. It patrolled the Black Sea and bombed Novorossisk from 1–27 June. The Red Air Force responded with night attacks on German airfields. 76 suffered "continuous aircraft losses." KG 76 supported Case Blue, which began on 28 June. On 9 July KG 76 carried out successful bombing operations against Yelets and the rail yards at Tambov and Povorino. III. Gruppe supported the drive to Voronezh from the beginning of the offensive to 16 July. From 17 July it flew bombing operations supporting the advance to the Don river and Kalach. II. Gruppe opened the offensive based at Kursk. It is known to have attack targets in and around Lipetsk on 7 July. From 9 July it may have supported the bombing raids on Yelets and rail junctions at Tambov and Povorino in support of the 4th Panzer Army. It moved to Belyy Kolodez and onto Tatsinskaya Airfield on 8/9 August 1942. From here it took part in the Battle of Stalingrad and the advance to the Caucasus. It also attacked Soviet shipping along the Volga River. It flew operations as far eastward as Astrakhan and Grozny from 10 August to mid-November. Operating east of Stalingrad on 21 August, KG 76 (probably II Gruppe) attacked and destroyed two Red Army reserve divisions caught in the open. Richthofen wrote in his diary "blood flowed!". The wing was present during the opening carpet bombing attacks against the city on 23 August. After the fall of Voronezh KG 76 provided effective support for the 2nd Army by flying sorties against Soviet airfields. After the 9 July, to the end of the battle on 24 July, KG 76, KG 27 and II./JG 77 were the only air units left to support Axis forces. The assortment of groups were renamed Gefechtsverband Nord and placed under the