Fifteenth Air Force attacked this day by 191 "Fortresses" from 5.BW Oil refinery at Blechhammer-Nordh, Blechhammer-Süd attacked 105 B-24 "Liberator" from 55. BW and Odertal visited 231 B-24 "Liberator" from 49. and 304. BW. So total power of 527 four engine bombers. Naturally fighter cover was made by 93 P-38 "Lightning" from 305. FW and 207 P-51 "Mustang" from 306. FW.
Over Reich area was that day bad weather. That was one thing, which played for 15.AF. But HQ of 15.AF didn't know, that defence of Reich area was hold by JG 300 and JG 301 (other units were in Ardennes as support forces for ground offensive), which were also known as "Schlechtwettergeschwadern" (bad weather units). Their pilots had special training from times, when they flew in nights only by gear.
So when radiolocators Freya detected bombers, forming into big formation, German fighters were alarmed. At 10.45 took off from Jüteborg airfield Stab and III. Gruppe, from Borkheide airfield took off I. Gruppe, from Löbnitz started II. Sturmgruppe and from Reinzdorf was alerted IV. Gruppe JG 300. Stab and II. Gruppe flew FW 190 A-7 and A-8, other three units were as cover on Bf 109 G-10 and G-14. Together took off about 100 aircrafts.
German fighters, covered by clouds, approach the bombers. American fighters were delayed, so Germans attacked. At 11.50 began combat. It was over Czech in area of Olomouc and Přerov. First victims were "Liberators" from 49. BW. Germans dropped their additional fuel tanks. As first opened fire pilots of Sturmgruppe. These pilots claimed between 11.53 and 12.03 22 "Liberators". Some of them scored twice. Those were Fw. Zwesken and Maj. Lindenberger. It the case of second named, it was great success, because he was veteran from WWI with 12 victories. On this day he claimed 2 US bombers but ended WWII with 4 victories. Pilots of III./ JG 300 were also successfull. Between 11.53 and 12.20 claimed ten bombers. Hptm. Peter Jenne shot down two of them.
Lt. Kraft, pilot of a messerschmitt from III./ JG 300 shot down "Liberator" B-24J 42-51835 "red 38", from 825.squadron, 484. BG. But Krafts messerschmitt was also hit and had to leave is plan by parachute. After landing German citizens took him off their shoulders and take him to village as hero.
Uffz. Maier from IV./ JG 300 claimed one B-17 in area East of village Kozlí. That was sole success for IV. Gruppe in the battle with bombers. Together claimed JG 300 pilots 33 bombers. But American losses were made by "only" 25 machines.
This massacra was stoped by fighters, which came to help their "Big friends". They shown, who was in that time boss in the air over Europe. American fighters claimed 23-3-6. German losses were higher. JG 300 lost 43 aircraft. 36 of them by fighters and 7 by technical failures.
Stab lost one, I./ JG 300 also one, II./ JG 300 and IV. / JG 300 lost every 14 machines and III./ JG 300 lost 13 fighter planes.
But also American fighters had losses. Three Focke Wulfs chased and shot down P-38J 42-68073 (black 20) "Coon Dog III" of 2/Lt. David R. Miles. Right engine caught fire, and pilot bailed out. It was over village Vinary, CZ. Most probably it was pilot of II./ JG 300, Fw. Dohms, who shot him down. Second lost "Lightning" over Czech was P-38L 44-24666 "Melancholy Babe". Its pilot 2/Lt. Ernest V. Rountree probably fall victim to Lt. Pipke from IV./ JG 300, who claimed P-38 shot down in area of Nisa. Together fighter cover lost in this battle 4 P-38 and 2 Mustangs. One P-51 claimed Lt. Köhler and another Obgefr. Golja, but "their" "Mustangs" didn't crash in area of Czech. Other American losses caused Flak.
Also JG 301 joined action against "viermots". "Alarmstart" for their Gruppen came at 10.55. All planes took course toward Soutwest heading to the area of Hannover. In this area they met small box of "Liberators" and their figter cover made by P-47(!). I. and II. Gruppe attacked fighters, III. Gruppe, which flew lower than other two, attacked bombers. For the III. Gruppe scored Fw. Willi Reschke (9.staffel), who claimed one B-24 and one P-51 in area of Göttingen, and Ofw. Hans Todt (8.staffel) who shot down one P-47 in that same area. Also Uffz. Helmut Brenner from 6.staffel II. Gruppe shot down one B-24 in area between Hannover and Kassel.
Also losses were on German side. Lt. Walter Tauscher from 11. staffel was wounded in combat. He flew Fw 190 A/8 "yellow 10" (W.Nr.682001). Also Uffz. Walter Döbele from 8. staffel was lost. But we don't know cause. Probably due hits in combat he crashed in area of Sachau.
Opponents of JG 301 are unknown. 15.AF probably didn't fly so far (but it is possible), and cover of P-47 could come from 9.AF, which made over 1000 starts that day.