pp enk om mande ur ▁of ▁II . ▁Gruppe ▁of ▁J G   2 6 ▁by ▁his ▁brother ▁General ▁der ▁Jag d fl ie ger ▁( General ▁of ▁the ▁F ighter ▁Arm ) ▁Adolf ▁Gall and . ▁General ▁Gall and ▁had ▁been ▁unh appy ▁for ▁some ▁time ▁about ▁the ▁J G   2 6 ' s ▁lack ▁of ▁success ▁against ▁the ▁USA AF ▁strateg ic ▁aer ial ▁bomb ard ment ▁campaign . ▁In ▁consequence , ▁the ▁former ▁Gru pp enk om mande ur ▁Meyer ▁was ▁transferred ▁to ▁a ▁training ▁unit ▁and ▁Wilhelm - F erd inand ▁appointed ▁his ▁successor . ▁Gall and ▁claimed ▁his ▁first ▁aer ial ▁victory ▁in ▁ 1 9 4 3 ▁over ▁a ▁Sp it fire ▁from ▁the ▁ 3 4 0 ▁( Free ▁French ) ▁Squadron ▁on ▁ 9 ▁January . ▁That ▁day , ▁the ▁R AF ▁target ed ▁the ▁Ab be ville - D ru cat ▁air field . ▁On ▁ 1 3 ▁January , ▁Gall and ▁mistaken ly ▁shot ▁down ▁and ▁killed ▁Unter off iz ier ▁Johann ▁Ir ling er ▁from ▁ 6 . ▁Staff el ▁over ▁the ▁Ab be ville ▁air field . ▁Gall and ▁had ▁mis ident ified ▁the ▁B f   1 0 9   G - 4 ▁as ▁s ▁Sp it fire . ▁On ▁ 2 2 ▁January , ▁Gall and ▁led ▁his ▁Gruppe ▁in ▁a ▁mission ▁against ▁an ▁R AF ▁" Circ us " ▁consisting ▁of ▁a ▁flight ▁of ▁Douglas ▁A - 2 0 ▁Hav oc ▁" B oston " ▁bom bers