ber , ▁both ▁claimed ▁over ▁or ▁near ▁the ▁Som me ▁Est u ary . ▁On ▁ 3 0 ▁July ▁ 1 9 4 3 , ▁the ▁day ▁marked ▁the ▁end ▁of ▁" Bl itz ▁Week ", ▁the ▁USA AF ▁target ed ▁the ▁F ies eler ▁aircraft ▁manufact uring ▁fact ories ▁located ▁in ▁K ass el . ▁To ▁counter ▁this ▁attack , ▁Luft fl otte ▁ 3 ▁( 3 rd ▁Air ▁Fle et ) ▁dispatch ed ▁eleven ▁f ighter ▁groups , ▁among ▁them ▁II . ▁Gruppe ▁of ▁J G   2 6 ▁lead ▁by ▁Gall and . ▁On ▁this ▁mission , ▁Gall and ▁claimed ▁a ▁B - 1 7 ▁bom ber ▁shot ▁down ▁east ▁of ▁Ap el do orn . ▁On ▁ 1 2 ▁August , ▁the ▁USA AF ▁fle w ▁bomb ing ▁miss ions ▁against ▁the ▁Ru hr ▁and ▁R he ine ▁area . ▁In ▁defense ▁of ▁this ▁attack , ▁Gall and ▁claimed ▁his ▁last ▁aer ial ▁victory , ▁a ▁B - 1 7 ▁bom ber . ▁This ▁claim ▁in ▁the ▁vic inity ▁of ▁Sieg burg ▁was ▁in ▁fact ▁an ▁Her aus sch uss ▁( separ ation ▁shot ) — a ▁sever ely ▁dam aged ▁heavy ▁bom ber ▁forced ▁to ▁separate ▁from ▁his ▁combat ▁box ▁which ▁was ▁counted ▁as ▁an ▁aer ial ▁victory . ▁ ▁Gall and ▁was ▁killed ▁in ▁action ▁on ▁ 1 7 ▁August ▁ 1 9 4 3 ▁during ▁the ▁Schwe inf urt - Reg ens burg ▁mission , ▁shot ▁down ▁in ▁his ▁F w   1 9 0  