WWII Pilot Combat Report - Donald Bryan

Donald Bryan

352nd Fighter Group 01/30/1944

ENCOUNTER REPORT L T . DONALD S. BRYAN A . Combat

B . 30 January 1944 C . 328th F i gh t e r Sq uadron D . Approximately 1 325 E . Area of Emmen F . 10 /10 at approximately 4000 ft G . FW 190 H . 1 FW 190 D ESTROYED I . I was flying Blue One in Turndown Sq uadron . Shortly after R /V I saw two ships firing on a lone Fort. I called them in and began my attack. I called my No 3 man to take the one on the left and I took the one on the right. Upon closing I saw they were both FW 190s with belly tanks. I closed to about 250 or 300 yds and took a 20 o deflection shot at him. I saw I wasn't hitting him so I closed to dead astern and at about 200 yds opened up again. I saw many strikes and set the belly tank afire. I was closing very fast so I then cut back on everything. I closed to abo ut 50 ft but was yet able to keep behind him, and kept firing. I blew his canopy off and got many strikes all over him. While still shooting I ran out of ammunition. He was smoking very badly but I hadn't set him on fire. As I pulled away from him I saw that the Pilot's head was hanging over the side of the ship. He was quite dead. My Nos 2 and 3 men attacked the other ship but I didn't see any of the Combat. Seeing that the Fort was in no immediate danger, I was joined by my No 2 man, and we returned home. I c laim 1 FW 190 D ESTROYED .

J . Ser No of A/ c : 4 2 - 8 381 A/ c Markings : PE- B Amm unition Expended: 1 410 rds. /s/ Donald S. Bryan DONALD S. BR Y AN, O727398, 1s t L ieu t , A ir C orps, 328th Fighter Sq uadron . /s/ Otto A. Ziebell OTTO A. ZIEBELL, Cap t, A ir C orps, S-2 Officer. A TRUE COPY : GERALD F. COSTELLO , Capt ain , A ir C orps , Ass't A-2 , 67 FW . (D- 3 )

Official US Army Air Forces Combat Report by Donald Bryan of the 352nd Fighter Group. This material is a transcription of official reports-testimonials of Donald Bryan's combat experience.

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