The German collapse in France and Belgium resulted in a rapid Allied advance into western Netherlands and to the German border. Logistics slowed the Allied forces and their advanced stalled as German resistance stiffened and the German army began to recover from the defeat at Falaise. In September 1944, JG 26 lost two experienced group commanders, Klaus Mietusch and Emil Lang on 3rd and 17th. On the last date, British, Canadian, Polish and American forces began Operation Market Garden under the command of Bernard Law Montgomery. JG 26 was the nearest positioned German fighter wing and responded to the paratrooper landings. The German pilots could not reach the transports for they were protected by powerful formations of Allied fighters, mainly by the US Ninth Air Force. Mietusch was killed on this first day of the operation. German forces were unable to prevent Allied forces from penetrating into Germany. On 12 October 1944, JG 26 flew against the Eighth Air Force alone as weather grounded the remainder of the Luftwaffe. Priller led 57 Fw 190s into action. Allied radio interceptors listened as he cursed his pilots for not forming up correctly. II. and III. "Gruppen" pulled ahead of Stab and I. "Gruppe". They were attacked from above by US fighters from the 56th and 78th Fighter Groups losing three pilots while Priller claimed his 101st victory over an isolated 357th Fighter Group P-51. The name of the pilot appeared on Priller's claim documents. The American was easy to identify for he was the only US aircraft shot down over Germany that day. The rest broke through to the bomber stream only for the US 364th Fighter Group to pounce on them. The inexperienced Fw 190 pilots lost five of their number before escaping. III. "Gruppe" flew further west of Hamburg, but ran into P-51s losing another five fighters, two killed and one wounded. Their attackers were from the US 363d Fighter Squadron, 357th Fighter Group led by Chuck Yeager. ULTRA followed JG 26s movements. Their analysts remarked that the tactical fighters—fighters for frontline patrol—were inexperienced in making effective time in assembly and attacking escorted US heavy bomber formations. It regarded the German effort on this occasion as "poor." The Luftwaffe did not attempt to intercept a single Eighth Air Force raid again for the duration of October 1944.