Jagdgeschwader 4

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Jagdgeschwader 4 (JG 4) was a Luftwaffe fighter-wing of World War II. JG 4 was formed as a full Geschwader on June 15, 1944 in Ansbach from Stab/Jagdgeschwader z.b.V. and its first Geschwaderkommodore was Major Gerhard Schöpfel.

I./JG 4 was formed earlier in August 7, 1942 in Mizil, Romania from the Ölschutzstaffel/JG 77, with 2./JG 4 formed December 1, 1942. Stab I, 3. and 4./JG 4 were formed on January 10, 1943 at Mizil, and the I Gruppe was now complete. II. Gruppe was formed in July 1944 at Salzwedel from I./ZG1 and partially from Sturmstaffel 1. III. Gruppe was formed in July 1944 at Rotenburg from III./ZG1. IV./JG 4 was formed on October 20, 1944 at Finsterwalde from II./JG 5.

I./JG 4 was assigned in early 1943 as defensive protection of the Mizil and Ploesti Oil complexes in Romania, and saw action against the USAAF 15th Air Force heavy bombers flying from bases in North Africa and Italy. The unit was later deployed to the defence of Rome and northern Italy.

4./JG 4 was the Rumanian Staffel Escadrilla 53, which left again in December 1943. A new 4./JG 4 was formed in June 1944. In September 1944 2./JG 4 and 8./JG 53 exchanged designations. I./JG 4 was disbanded on March 19 1945.

[edit] Sturmgruppen 1944

Jagdgeschwader 4 became one of only three Luftwaffe geschwader to operate the specialised 'bomber-killer' gruppen designated "Sturmgruppe". II./JG 4 "Sturmgruppe" was formed on July 12, 1944 at Salzwedel from I./ZG 1 and from elements of Major Günter von Kornatzki's "Sturmstaffel 1". The gruppe was equipped with the modified and heavily armoured FW 190A-8/R2. While the heavily armoured fighters proved effective against the heavy bombers of the USAAF, they proved vulnerable to the numerous escort fighters and hence suffered heavy losses.

In common with other fighter units engaged in "Reichsverteidigung" operations the Geschwader were sported unique coloured markings in mid 1944. JG 4's marking was a black-white-black band on the rear fuselage.

On 11th September 1944 II.(Sturm) and III. Gruppen intercepted a USAAF bombing raid near Chemnitz. Attacking the 100th and 95th Bomb Groups the geschwader claimed some 13 destroyed bombers. Intercepted by the 339th and 55th Fighter Groups JG 4 was severely mauled, and lost 21 pilots killed during the mission.

From November 1944 onwards the Geschwader, operating from Frankfurt took heavy losses flying against the Allied air offensive.

During Operation Bodenplatte on 1 January 1945 JG 4, along with all other units taking part, again took very heavy losses. By late January 1945 JG 4 was deployed in Guben-Jüterbog until the end of the war in May.

On 21 January 1945 the four gruppen of JG 4 were switched to Luftlotte 6 on the Eastern Front and pitchforked wholesale into ground-attack missions, for which the unit was ill-equipped and pilots untrained. Although nearly 400 vehicles were claimed destroyed, losses for the month inevitably esculated to some 57 aircraft lost, with 26 pilots killed or missing and 14 wounded.^[1]

[edit] Commanding officers

[edit] Geschwaderkommodore

• Major Gerhard Schöpfel, 15 June 1944 – 6 August 44
• Oberstleutnant Gerhard Michalski, 7 August 1944 – 8 May 1945

[edit] Gruppenkommandeure

[edit] I./JG 4

• Hauptmann Franz Hahn, 10 January 1943 – 22 January 1944
• Hauptmann Wilhelm Steinmann, 23January 1944 – 14 February 1944
• Hauptmann Walter Hoeckner, 15 February 1944 – 25 August 1944
• Hauptmann Wilhelm Steinmann, 26 August 1944 – March 1945

[edit] II./JG 4

• Oberleutnantt Hans-Günther von Kornatzki, 12 July 1944 – 12 September 1944
• Major Rudolf Schröder, 13 September 1944 – March 1945
• Major Wilhelm Moritz, March 1945 – 8 May 1945

[edit] III./JG 4

• Hauptmann Friedrich Eberle, 12 July 1944 – 8 January 1945
• Hauptmann Gerhard Strasen, 9 January 1945 – 8 May 1945

[edit] IV./JG 4

• Hauptmann Franz Wienhusen, 20 October 1944 – 3 December 1944
• Hauptmann Ernst Laube, 19 December 1944 – 3 April 1945

[edit] See also

Organization of the Luftwaffe during World War II

[edit] References

1. ^ The Last Year fo the Luftwaffe, Alfred Price, page 142

[edit] External links

• JG 4 @ Lexikon der Wehrmacht

v • d • e Jagdgeschwader of the Luftwaffe (Wehrmacht) Named Jagdgeschwader Jagdgeschwader 1 "Oesau" • Jagdgeschwader 2 "Richthofen" • Jagdgeschwader 3 "Udet" • Jagdgeschwader 5 "Eismeer" • Jagdgeschwader 6 "Horst Wessel" • Jagdgeschwader 7 "Nowotny" • Jagdgeschwader 26 "Schlageter" • Jagdgeschwader 27 "Afrika" • Jagdgeschwader 51 "Mölders" • Jagdgeschwader 53 "Pik As" • Jagdgeschwader 54 "Grünherz" • Jagdgeschwader 77 "Herz As" • Jagdgeschwader 134 "Horst Wessel" • Jagdgeschwader 142 "Horst Wessel" • Jagdgeschwader 234 "Schlageter" Numbered Jagdgeschwader Jagdgeschwader 4 • Jagdgeschwader 11 • Jagdgeschwader 20 • Jagdgeschwader 21 • Jagdgeschwader 25 • Jagdgeschwader 28 • Jagdgeschwader 50 • Jagdgeschwader 52 • Jagdgeschwader 70 • Jagdgeschwader 71 • Jagdgeschwader 72 • Jagdgeschwader 76 • Jagdgeschwader 80 • Jagdgeschwader 130 • Jagdgeschwader 131 • Jagdgeschwader 132 • Jagdgeschwader 133 • Jagdgeschwader 135 • Jagdgeschwader 136 • Jagdgeschwader 137 • Jagdgeschwader 138 • Jagdgeschwader 141 • Jagdgeschwader 143 • Jagdgeschwader 144 • Jagdgeschwader 231 • Jagdgeschwader 232 • Jagdgeschwader 233 • Jagdgeschwader 300 • Jagdgeschwader 301 • Jagdgeschwader 302 • Jagdgeschwader 331 • Jagdgeschwader 333 • Jagdgeschwader 334 • Jagdgeschwader 400 • Jagdgeschwader 433 Training Jagdgeschwader Jagdgeschwader 101 • Jagdgeschwader 102 • Jagdgeschwader 103 • Jagdgeschwader 104 • Jagdgeschwader 105 • Jagdgeschwader 106 • Jagdgeschwader 107 • Jagdgeschwader 108 • Jagdgeschwader 109 • Jagdgeschwader 110 • Jagdgeschwader 111 • Jagdgeschwader 112 • Jagdgeschwader 113 • Jagdgeschwader 114 • Jagdgeschwader 115 • Jagdgeschwader 116 • Jagdgeschwader 117 Special Jagdgeschwader Jagdgeschwader z.b.V.