Jagdstaffel 17 Royal Prussian Jagdstaffel 17 was a World War I " hunting group " ( i . e . , fighter squadron ) of the " Luftstreitkräfte " , which was the forerunner to the Luftwaffe . As one of the original German fighter squadrons , the unit would score 101 aerial victories ( including fourteen wins over enemy observation balloons ) during the war , with another 22 of the squadron ' s claims going unconfirmed . The " jasta " paid a price of ten killed in action , two lost in flying accidents , six wounded in action , and three injured in accidents . History . Royal Prussian Jagdstaffel 17 was formed at Army Flugpark 5 on 23 October 1916 . It absorbed the pre - existing ad hoc KEK Metz . In August 1917 , they became part of Jagdgruppe Nord along with Kest 8 , Jasta 2 , Jasta 20 , and Jasta 28 . In March 1918 , it was collated with Jasta 22 and Jasta 63 into Jagdgruppe II ; their former commander , Rittmeister von Brederlow succeeded to its command a bit later . By Summer 1918 , Jasta 17 anchored JGr II , while the other squadrons in the group became Jasta 48 , Jasta 53 , and Jasta 61 . Jasta 17 fought until war ' s end . Two days later , they relocated to FEA 5 , Hannover . On 7 December 1918 , they disbanded . " Staffelführer s " ( Commanding officers ) . 1 Heinz von Brederlow : 11 November 1916 - 10 May 1917 2 Eberhard von Seel : 10 May 1917 - KIA 12 June 1917 3 Ernst Wendler : 19 June 1917 - WIA 1 October 1917 4 Rudolf von Esebeck : 4 October 1917 - KIA 27 May 1918 5 Hermann Pritsch ( Acting CO ) : 29 May 1918 - 12 June 1918 6 Günther Schuster : 12 June 1918 - WIA 1 August 1918 7 Julius Buckler : 1 August 1918 - 11 November 1918 Aerodromes . 1 Metz - Frescaty : 11 November 1916 – early March 1917 2 St . Quentin - le - Petit : Early March 1917 – 24 June 1917 3 Ghistelles , Belgium : 24 June 1917 – August 1917 4 Wasquehal , France : August 1917 – November 1917 5 Eringhem , Belgium : November 1917 – December 1917 6 Neuvilly , France : December 1917 – 28 December 1917 7 Retheuil , France : 28 December 1917 – Unknown 8 Douilly , France 9 Balâtre , France 10 Erchau 11 Mars - sous - Bourcq , France 12 Vivaise , France 13 Chuffilly - Roche , France 14 Malmy - Chéméry 15 St . Medard , Neufchâteau : Unknown – 13 November 1918 Notable members . Julius Buckler was the predominant ace of Jasta 17 . He entered the unit as an enlisted man , scored its first victory on 17 December 1916 , won the Military Merit Cross , rose through the ranks to be commissioned an officer , and became not only its leading ace but one of the leading German aces over all . To top it off , he won the Pour le Merite , was probably the only German ace to be wounded seriously enough times to receive the Golden Wound Badge , and became the squadron ' s final " Staffelführer " . Not that he was the only notable among the unit ' s eight aces . There were Gustav Schneidewind and Christian Donhauser with a Military Merit Cross and an Iron Cross apiece . The squadron ' s other aces were Georg Strasser , Karl Bohny , Alfred Fleischer , Otto Fitzner , and Günther Schuster Aircraft . The new " jasta " was equipped with Albatros D . III s at inception . Later equipment is unknown at this time . Operations . Jasta 17 originated on the front of the 5th Armee . On 11 November 1916 , it became operational to the " Armee - Abteilung " A Sector . It switched to support of 7th Armee in early March 1917 , then onward to support 1st Armee . After its move northward on 24 June 1917 to Ghistelle , it supported 4th Armee . By the end of 1917 , the squadron was operating on 2nd Armee ' s front . References . " Above the Lines : The Aces and Fighter Units of the German Air Service , Naval Air Service and Flanders Marine Corps , 1914 - 1918 " . Norman L . R . Franks , Frank W . Bailey , Russell Guest . Grub Street , 1993 . ISBN 0 - 948817 - 73 - 9 , ISBN 978 - 0 - 948817 - 73 - 1 .