DON GENTILE

A. Combat

B. 29 March, 1944

C. 336 Fighter Squadron

D. 1330 Hours

E. Target Area-Brunswick

F. 7-8/10 Low Cloud.

G. 2 FW190's and 1Me109

H. 2 FW 190's and 1 Me109 Destroyed.

I. Narrative: I was flying Blue 1 in Shirtless Squadron at 27,000 feet. I bounced a couple of FW 190's underneath the bombardiers at 9,000 feet. When they saw us they went down in a spiral dive. I bounced the #4 150, (they were flying line astern), closed to 300 yards, fired, and saw strikes around the cockpit. He rolled over in a port turn slowly, and went vertically down. By this time I was at 5-6,000 feet indicating close to 500 moving over 400 mph. I dived level but below cloud at 10-12,000 feet hold me to break because there were 2 behind me. One of them was firing. I broke and evaded them. I made a tight port orbit-blacking cut. When I recovered there was an FW190 on the port side so I closed to about 300 yards and fired. I saw smoke come out and a few pieces come off. Then the pilot bailed out at 1-2,00 feet. I made a turn, right climbing spiral and climbed to 10,000 feet thru a hole in the cloud. I told another Mustang to join up, and we started towards the bombers again. The Mustang with me was attacked by 2 Me109's. I told him to break, that apparently he did not hear me for he continued to fly straight and level. I broke into the 109's-which half-rolled and went into cloud. The Mustang no longer in sight, but I heard him talk and I found out later that he got home OK. I was bounced by another 109 and broke port into him. Just as he started to disappear behind me I reversed my turn to the starboard and fall astern of him.When I crossed fire rival started streaming out, and the pilot tailed out. Altitude was 7-8,000 foot and range about 300 yards. I dived the bombers alone, later finding some Mustangs and came home. (I claim 2 FW190's and 1 Me109 Destroyed.)