355th Fighter Group 02/20/1944
HEADQUARTERS
355TH FIGHTER GROUP
A.P.O. 637 U.S. ARMY
Pilot’s Personal Encounter Report
A. TYPE OF ACTION: Combat
B. DATE: February 20, 1944
C. UNIT: 357th Fighter Squadron
D. TIME ATTACK MADE: 1420
E. GEOGRAPHICAL LOCATION OF ATTACK: Siegen
F. WEATHER: 10/10s cumulus at 4,000ft, slight haze at 15,000ft
G. TYPE OF ENEMY AIRCRAFT: ME-109
H. ENEMY CASUALTIES; (Pilot’s Claim): 1 ME-109 destroyed
I. ACCOUNT OF COMBAT:
I was flying Blowball yellow 3, when we made Rv with the bombers. At Rv we saw approximately 10 e/a making beam passes thru the bombers at 22,000 feet. My flight immediately engaged two of the e/a; these e/a had passed thru the bombers and were diving toward the overcast, and we made a diving attack on them from 22,000ft. We were unable to close near enough to fire before they went into the overcast. When the e/a went into the overcast Capt Olson, yellow 1, and myself pulled up and started to regain altitude.
At approximately 20,000 feet I saw a ME-109 5,000 feet below me. I attacked the e/a from out of the sun, and closed to 250 yards from dead astern. Closing still further to 150 yards I opened fire and immediately observed strikes and an explosion in the left wing. The e/a then headed down at a sharp angle, and I fired again observing more strikes and pieces falling from the left wing. By this time the e/a was very near the overcast which was at approximately 4,000 feet. I continued firing, closing to 50 yards, and going into the overcast. The e/a flicked violently over on it’s left side and fell out of control into the overcast. I then pulled straight ahead and broke out of the overcast and rejoined Capt Olson.
BEN D. JOHNSTON,
1st Lt, AC.
Official US Army Air Forces Combat Report by Ben Johnston of the 355th Fighter Group. This material is a transcription of official reports-testimonials of Ben Johnston's combat experience.
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