WWII Pilot Combat Report - EDWARD KITLEY

EDWARD KITLEY

78th Fighter Group 06/17/1944

OFFICE OF THE INTELLIGENCE OFFICER 83rd FIGHTER SQUADRON INTELLIGENCE COMBAT REPORT REFERENCE F.C.F.O. NO. 394

Combat. 17 June 1944. 83rd Fighter Squadron, 78th Fighter Group. South of Laigle, France. 8-9/10 cloud, base at 3,000 feet. Good visibility. FW 190. 1 FW 190 destroyed. I was flying Blue three on a bomber escort mission on the 17th of June. Blue flight was letting down through the base of the clouds, when Blue two reported four FW 190's on the deck, passing under us. We broke down and chased them for three or four minutes. When I was almost in range, they entered the cloud. Just after they entered the cloud, I saw one between me and the sun coming toward me. I passed beneath him and came up from behind. As he let down out of the cloud, I fired a two second short burst from approximately 350 yards with 45 degrees deflection. He started back again for cloud cover, but I pulled more deflection, about 70 degrees, and from about 250 yards, fired just as he entered the cloud. I entered the cloud just after him but pulled right back down and saw the 190 going almost straight down. He jettisoned his canopy, I gave him another burst and then he hit the ground and exploded.

18 June 1944. EDWARD T. KITLEY 1st Lt., Air Corps, 83rd Fighter Squadron. Supporting Statement of Claim: I was flying Blue four and saw Lt. Kitley fire on a 190 just as it entered the cloud. The 190 came back out of the cloud in a dive. Lt. Kitley broke out right behind him, fired again on the e/a just before it hit the ground and exploded. 18 June 1944. KENNETH C. ALLSTAEDT 2nd Lt., Air Corps, 83rd Fighter Squadron

Official US Army Air Forces Combat Report by EDWARD KITLEY of the 78th Fighter Group. This material is a transcription of official reports-testimonials of EDWARD KITLEY's combat experience.

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