Jagdgeschwader 1 (World War II)

Jagdgeschwader 1
Emblem of the unit
Active	1939–1945
Disbanded	4 May 1945
Country	Nazi Germany
Branch	Luftwaffe
Type	Fighter Aircraft
Role	Air superiority Offensive counter air
Size	Air Force Wing
Nickname(s)	Oesau
Patron	Walter Oesau
Fighter Aircraft	Messerschmitt Bf 109 Focke-Wulf Fw 190 Heinkel He 162
Engagements	World War II
Commanders
Notable commanders	Hans Philipp Hermann Graf Walter Oesau Heinz Bär Herbert Ihlefeld

Jagdgeschwader 1 (JG 1) "Oesau" was a German World War II fighter wing created in 1939. Between 1940 and 1942, JG 1 operated primarily over the Western Front and northern occupied Europe. During the initial days of the war, JG 1 faced little resistance, apart from occasional Royal Air Force (RAF) excursions. The unit was rarely engaged in large-scale confrontations during this time.

From late 1942 onwards it was tasked with Defence of the Reich (German: Reichsverteidigung) operations. After D-Day, elements of JG 1 were moved to France and were tasked with air support to the German Army (Heer) along with their air defence role. JG 1 suffered heavy losses over France and had to be rebuilt.

The wing fought in the Battle of Bulge and Operation Bodenplatte which severely reduced it. In the last days of the war, it became the only unit to be equipped with the Heinkel He 162 jet fighter.

JG 1 suffered 464 killed in action, 174 wounded in action, 94 killed in accidents, and 16 prisoners of war.^[1]