Clifford Ashby

356th Fighter Group 01/18/1945

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361^st FIGHTER SQUADRON

Office of the Intelligence Officer

APO 557        AAF Station 369

 

18 January 1945.

 

PERSONAL COMBAT REPORT

FIELD ORDER 1515A

 

CLIFFORD T. ASHBY, 1^st Lt., ASN 0-762201                                  CHINWAG 51

 

a.       Combat.

b.       14 January 1945.

c.       361^st Fighter Squadron, 356^th Fighter Group.

d.       1410 to 1430 hours.

e.       Area Southwest of DUMMER LAKE

f.        Visibility excellent horizontally and vertically.  No clouds in area.

g.       15 to 20 FW 190s.

h.      TWO FW 190s DESTROYED.

          One FW 190 DESTROYED, shared with 1^st Lt. Walter N. Baskin.

i.        I was leading CHINWAG WHITE FLIGHT on the bomber escort mission of 14 January 1945.  NUTHOUSE called in bandits in the DUMMER LAKE Lufberry from 10,000 to 14,000 feet, Southwest of DUMMER LAKE.  Before entering combat I sent WHITE 2 home on account of a rough engine and WHITE 4 to escort him.  WHITE 3, Lt. Burdick, and I entered the fray together.  We bounced some FW’s[PW1]  in the Lufberry and I singled one out to attack.  Closing fast, I held fire until within 250 yards’ range and then gave him a short burst at 30 degrees deflection.  I observed strikes on the left wing and engine.  The pilot broke away and bailed out.  I did not see his chute open.

 

I claim ONE FW 190 DESTROYED.

 

I then turned right and flew on the wing of my wingman who was firing on a FW 190 in a right turn.  I observed him getting strikes on the E/A and saw the pilot of the FW 190 jettison his canopy and bail out.  At this time I noticed another E/A attempting a head-on pass on Lt. Burdick.  I took after this E/A and opened fire at 350 yards, closing to about 200 yards.  I fired two long bursts, 20 degrees deflection, and observed many strikes on the right wing, canopy and engine.  This FW-190 rolled over into a split-S at 3,000 feet and dove straight into the ground.

 

I claim ONE FW 190 DESTROYED.

 

I broke away and took pictures of a pilot bailing out of a FW 190 shot down by a member of this squadron.  I could not identify the particular pilot who destroyed this FW 190, but I saw the blue tail identifying our squadron.

 

After scouting around for a few minutes I rejoined my wingman.  We spotted a FW 190 on the deck and let down to position ourselves for the attack.  Lt. Baskin, CHINWAG PURPLE 2, cut in front of us firing at the E/A.  I observed many strikes on the left wing.  He overshot and the FW pulled in behind him and started firing.  I then opened fire on the Jerry from 40 degrees deflection on the deck and observed strikes in the engine section.  The E/A broke away to the left and put down flaps in an attempt to force land in a grass field.  He overshot the grass field and hit a line of fence posts and a small tree.  He cartwheeled and lost a wing, then disintegrated into many small pieces.

 

I claim ONE FW 190 DESTROYED, shared with 1^st Lt. Walter M. BASKIN.

 

My claims are:  TWO FW 190’s DESTROYED; one FW 190 DESTROYED, shared with 1^st Lt. Walter N. Baskin.  (All of these claims are confirmed by Lt. Burdick; see Personal Combat Report by 2^nd Lt. Clinton D. Burdick, 16 January 1945.

 

j.        729 rounds fired, API.

 

CLIFFORD T. ASHBY,

1^st Lieutenant, Air Corps.

 

 

 

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Official US Army Air Forces Combat Report by Clifford Ashby of the 356th Fighter Group. This material is a transcription of official reports-testimonials of Clifford Ashby's combat experience.

See More

Clifford Ashby: Personnel File

Combat Reports

Clifford Ashby's official WW2 combat report of 12/05/1944

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  356th Fighter Group