Jagdgeschwader II
By 12 September, the balance of power had so shifted that the Imperial German Air Service could only muster about 70 fighters at Saint Mihiel to oppose almost 1,500 Allied aircraft.
Although the wing fought on, and sometimes had its highest scoring days during September 1918, the scale of the Allied air effort rendered these successes negligible.
[5] Jagdstaffel 13 (Fighter Squadron 13, or Jasta 13) led JG II into combat, scoring the new wing's first victory on 17 February 1918.
[6] Nevertheless, during the runup to the German spring offensive, JG II continued to score as its commander led from the front.
The battered and narcotic-dependent hero was still recovering from his latest wound and his second near-death hospitalization; his paralyzed infected right arm was in a sling.
[note 3] Although he could not fly because his recuperation was incomplete, he had talked a doctor into returning him to his dual command of Jagdstaffel 18 (Jasta 18) and Jagdgruppe 7 (Hunting Group 7) on 1 March 1918.
A grieving, ill, and addicted grounded pilot was appointed to command of a wing of fliers on the eve of a huge offensive.
[13] Preliminary orders for JG II charged them with gaining aerial dominance on the left flank of the scheduled attack.
When Berthold returned to his command on 23 March, a victory-less JG II was being ordered to "deploy all available forces immediately".
As the ground attack sputtered into a stalemate, JG II moved forward 40 miles (64 km) after eight days to occupy the former British airfield of Balâtre.
As a French artillery spotter circled overhead calling the shots, the men of JG II sought cover in bunkers and slit trenches.
The Jagdgruppe, consisting of several squadrons temporarily grouped together, concentrated its efforts on shielding nearby German reconnaissance and artillery direction two-seaters from Allied attacks.
Berthold proposed having air defense officers trail along with the front-line infantry to report incoming enemy aircraft to JG II.
He also asked for, and received, sufficient motor transport for JG II to quickly shift bases as it followed the ground fighting.
Their departure left the already understocked wing very short of serviceable aircraft, but the Siemens-Schuckert D.IIIs were experiencing engine failures in as little as seven hours running.
[21] On 27 May, the depleted JG II was detailed to cover the start of the Aisne Offensive with high altitude patrols against invasive Allied aircraft, ending in trench strafing.
[22] Despite JG II's boost in morale at Berthold's return, the increasingly hot summer weather degraded aircraft readiness.
Flying in agony as his wounded arm deteriorated, using only one hand, he was still an effective air fighter, but he welcomed rainy day groundings as a chance to recoup.
On 14 July 1918, JG II received 20 new Fokker D.VIIs; once these were parceled out, the wing was finally equipped with a single type of fighter.
[28] As German troops moved into their assault on 15 July 1918, JG II was assigned to ground attack duties.
Their Breguet 14 B2 bombers were now shepherded by Caudron R.11 gunships; a screen of SPAD fighters would rove outside the formation to meet German attacks.
As Berthold scored his 40th victory, JG II began to face fresh American fliers newly committed to combat.
The following day, when 12 British DeHavillands bombed railway logistics at Equancourt and Perrone at 1220 hours, the German aerial force that attacked them included JG II.
In the fighting, JG II lost its leading surviving ace when Leutnant Hans Martin Pippart fell.
[34] On 31 August 1918, JG II received a new commander, 21 victory ace Oberleutnant Oskar Freiherr von Boenigk.
After the wing moved three times in quick succession, it settled in near the front lines at Giraumont and Doncourt by early September.
On 14 September, JG II had a record day—19 aerial victories, with only a single German pilot lost to captivity.
The battle-hardened pilots of Jadgdeschwader II extracted a high blood cost from the American rookies in September 1918, to no real effect.
[43] The overwhelming weight of enemy numbers, plus the dwindling supply of essential fuel, lubricants and aircraft engines, was grinding the wing down.
On 13 November, stragglers from JG II gathered at Halle an de Salle to be officially demobilized as the wing was dissolved.
