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During Operation Bodenplatte, the massed attack on Allied airfields on 01-01-1945, Jagdschwader 3 was one of the few German fighter units to carry out their operations successfully despite fielding the smallest German force that day. The 22 Fw 190s committed destroyed 43 Typhoons and Spitfires and damaged 60 more in a 20-minute attack on the 2nd TAF airfield at Eindhoven (JG 3 claimed 116 destroyed). However the loss of 16 pilots was a serious blow to the unit. Six were captured, 6 were killed while four were posted as missing. Six pilots returned, three of them were wounded. Some flying aces of the JG3 are Horst Brock Brock was shot down and killed in Bf 109 G-5 (W.Nr. 26 113) “Yellow 5”. His body washed ashore on 03-11-1944 and Hauptmann (later Generaloberst) Bruno Loerzer.
22 victories, Pour le Mérite.
Death and burial ground of Beyer, Franz.



