Don Gentile

A. Engagement

B. 15 January 1944

C. 386 Fighter Squadron

D. 1500-1630 Hours

E. Compiegne Woods- 18,000 (First) Zero Feet (Second).

F. Clean- Many on Deck.

G. 8 FW 190's

H. 8 FW 190's Destroyed.

I. Narrative: I was flying Blue one (1) in Squirtblue Squadron. I saw add enemy aircraft and we immediately attacked. We were flying south. I took a section down-consisting of myself and Capt. (?) Worley (1) Capt. Jex (2) Al Jonson was at 8000 feet as we went down the 190's split into two groups. I picked up stragglers flying north and climbed at 8 o'clock the a/c, which were in a ninety degree dive. I closed in to about 300 yards and fired a long burst at the number two and-observed strikes around the left side of the cockpit, which, I saw some more come out. He rolled over (at 4,500 feet) very open country, near woods. Lt. Carlen Red (1), and 3/O Richards confirmed this. I slid over immediately back of the number one 190 and closed in to about 200 yards and started firing, closing to about 150 yards. We were in a very shallow dive from 4,500 feet. I observed strikes around the cockpit and engine. As I was trying to follow him away his wingsman go another shot, he hit the woods and I pulled out just missing the woods myself. The prop ran away and the gun really started. The number one 190 man so close to me that I that I heard his guns, and then he hit me. I broke and the first 190 went over me. I stayed in a port turn because she number two was still coming in, but he kept firing. In the meantime the number one had pulled up sharply to reming himself, pop number attack, but I quickly swung to windward and nailed him with two, when I never saw again. All this action took place over woods. I at west too much deflection; as his tracer was going in front of me, I next the tail of ammo ( except as his tail) nosed in the last burst at the number two 190. I were trying to outburn him, but he stayed inside me. I suddenly dived and shut mixed myself out of the trees. Recovering, I reversed my turn to misround, and there he was, still inside me and whith his like hell. I see on turning and skidding-all I could do. He still poured on overhead, and I reversed again root. He net kept trying to get on me, and never ceased having best reversing burns from head-on attacks, trying to get on each other wing. The last time he came in from a fairly close up he must have been out of ammunition. He then left and I felt like getting out and doing the bumps. All my temperamores were in the red; so I finished up-simply and came home. A claim on (?) FW 190's Destroyed. I do not know what happened to the third one I fired at, so I made no claim on him.