WWII Pilot Combat Report - CYRIL JONES

CYRIL JONES

359th Fighter Group 08/09/1944

ENCOUNTER REPORT LT CYRIL W. JONES, JR

A. Combat

B. 09 August 1944

C. 3 70 th Fighter Squadron

D. 11 1 5 to 1130 hours

E. Vicinity of Gunzburg

F. Fair

G. M e 109

H. One (1) M e 109 destroyed in air One (1) Me 109 damaged in air

I. I was flying White 2. White Leader, Lt Col Murphy, called in E/A at 1200 high and told flight to drop wing tanks. My left tank would not release but I tried to stay with him. White Leader got on the tail of a Me 109 and fired. I saw pieces of the canopy and wing fly off. The E/A started to burn and went down spinning. Another Me 109 came in on the tail of White Leader and I gave it a 3 second burst about 40° 300 yards and saw strikes aft of the canopy. I overshot the E/A and lost White Leader also. Looking for my Leader, I saw Blue Leader on the tail of a Me 109 with another Me 109 on his tail. I got on the tail of the last E/A and he broke off his attack on Blue Leader. I followed him down firing short bursts with no effect. Finally I got in proper range at 7,000 feet and fired a 2 second burst. Pieces of the canopy flew off and then the pilot bailed out. I was smoke coming from the woods where the E/A that Blue Leader shot down had crashed. Looking around I saw a chute floating over the woods which I believe came from the E/A he destroyed. I claim one (1) M e 109 destroyed in air and one (1) Me 109 damaged in air . J. Ser No of A/C: 3 529 A/C M arkings: C S-D Ammunition e xpended: 794 r d s of API .

CYRIL W. JONES, JR 2nd Lt, Air Corps , 359th Ftr Gp. JOHN M. BENTON, 1st Lt, Air Corps, Int elligence Officer. I also saw Lt Jones who was flying White Two hit a Me 109 and it started to smoke. He said, "The pilot had already bailed out." ELBERT W. TILTON, 2nd Lt, Air Corps, 350th Ftr Gp.

Official US Army Air Forces Combat Report by CYRIL JONES of the 359th Fighter Group. This material is a transcription of official reports-testimonials of CYRIL JONES's combat experience.

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