JG 1 with JG 3 intercepted B-24s of the 467th Bombardment Group high over the Ardennes and succeeded in destroying a number of them before P-51s arrived. The 479th Fighter Group arrived. The initial clash resulted in six German fighters destroyed, though the American group claimed 17 in total—14 of these are verified via German records. JG 1 suffered eight casualties including the leader of 10 "staffel". P-51s of the 352d Fighter Group were probably responsible for some of the losses; Major George Preddy claimed several German fighters was killed by US forces in error later that day. JG 1 flew cover for the army over the Siege of Bastogne battlefield on 26 December and lost another eight pilots—three from 8. "Staffel" were killed; these men were experienced pilots. The Luftwaffe sent strong forces into action on 27 December. 337 were sent on fighter-bomber hunt missions, 78 on ground-attack operations. US airmen claimed 86. JG 1 tried to cover the spearhead. Hans Ehlers took 18 Fw 190s at the head of I. "Gruppe" near Dinant. P-51s of the 364th Fighter Group destroyed six of them including Ehler's, whose death was a heavy blow. JG 1 lost 14 pilots killed in total, missing or wounded; at least seven died. I. "Gruppe" suffered losses because the III./JG 3 Bf 109 escort it was to receive turned back owing to barrage balloons over the lines, leaving the Fw 190s vulnerable at an altitude of . Gerhard Stiemer, a survivor of the operation, found that only he and one other of the 18 pilots on the mission returned to JG 1.