Intercepted by the 339th and 55th Fighter Groups JG 4 was severely mauled, and lost 21 pilots killed and 9 more were seriously injured during the mission.

In October 1944 IV./JG 4 was formed from elements of II./JG 5 in Finsterwalde, equipped with the Messerschmitt Bf-109G and K. On 2 November the Sturmgruppe, in conjunction with IV./JG 3, intercepted American bomber formations in the Leipzig area.

II./JG 4 attacked the 457th Bombardment Group and destroyed nine B-17s, although the Gruppe lost 16 Fw 190s out of 22 committed to the massed US fighter escorts.

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 during the month inevitably emasculated the unit, with some 57 aircraft lost, with 26 pilots killed or missing and 14 wounded.

Elements of JG 4 flew their last sorties against the Soviet armies and air forces around Berlin and in late April 1945 the unit withdrew to the Schleswig-Holstein area and disbanded on 8 May 1945.

Some JG 4 aircraft displayed on the engine cowling the Geschwaderzeichen, a blue escutcheon with a grey or silver knight’s helmet with a red (red-white) plume.