The Second Raid on Schweinfurt in October 1943 was a victory for the defending Luftwaffe. The cost of this victory remained high in fighters and pilots. II. "Gruppe" fought against the US escorts, and III. "Gruppe" was held in reserve at Lille, but was unable to intercept the returning disorganised bomber stream because it was not given the location of it. JG 2 was able to claim only nine bombers over the Somme, the other B-17s escaped in the growing cumulus. The victory ended deep American raids until February 1944. The Eighth targeted installations along the German coast in the intervening period with an average strength of 380 heavy bombers and eight fighter groups; on 6 November 1943 the Lockheed P-38 Lightning US 55th Fighter Group and seven other US fighter groups supported a raid on Wilhelmshaven. II./JG 3 and III./JG 1 broke up one group of P-47s, but others completed the defence of the bombers. III. "Gruppe", JG 26, loaned JG 3 experienced Bf 109 pilots to fill its ranks because of losses.