Don Goodfleisch

a . Combat b . 4 Octo ber 1943 c . 63 rd Fighter Squadron, 56 th Fighter Group . d . 1132 - 1140 hours e . E ast of Duren f . Clear over combat area g . Me 110 h . 1 Me 110 destroyed i . I was flying number 1 in Postgate yellow flight, Capt. Goodfleisch, Lts. Reed, Brown and Peppers. As we made rendezvous with the bombers , Lt. Vogt, Postgate Blue 3, broke from his flight and attacked a Me 110 while Blue 1 and 2, Capt. Mahurin and F/O Cavallo, covered him. My flight acted as top cover. Lt. Vogt defin a tely des troyed the enemy ship he attacked, as his right engine was on fire and he was last seen spiraling down. Then Blue 1, Capt. Mahurin, attacked another Me 110 that came thru us. Still acting as top cover I saw the ship's engine catch afire and go down. As I completed my orbit I saw two more 110's – the one on the right being attacked by two 47's. I closed in on the one on the left as he broke left. I fired, but think I had insufficient deflection. (See statement of Lt. Brown, Postgate yellow 3). I broke up and came out on the tail of another Me 110 flying straight at the bombers. I closed to 150 yards and opened fire. I saw many strikes and pieces came off the ship. I had to pull up to avoid a collision and ducked instinctively because of the flying pieces from the enemy ship. As I pulled up I noticed dark smoke pouring from the right side of my engine and my windshield became covered with oil. I thought that I'd been fired on, but I found upon landing, that pieces of the enemy had pierced my engine cowling and broken a push rod. (I also found two pieces of the enemy ship inside my engine cowling upon landing). I called my flight for escort home and had to fly on my Number 2, Lt. Reed, as my windshield was so covered with oil I could no longer see ahead. I received perfect escort and cover from my flight, and Lt. Reed deserves much cred it in enabling me to land the ship, as I probably would have had to bail out. I claim one Me 110 destroyed and make no claim on the first attack - - pending assessment of film .