Francis Gabreski

A. Combat.

b. 3 September 1943

c. 61st Fighter Squadron, 56 th Group.

d. 0 900 hours.

e. St. Germain, France

f. Visibility Fair, 1/10 Low cloud.

g. FW - 190.

h. Pilot believe d killed. i . Leading Keyworth White Flight, I made landfall in over St. Valery and proceeded to. Hornoy , where we met the bombers at 27,000 feet at 0 825 o'clock. Upon rendezvousing with big friends, I spotted a large formation of fighters a great distance away from us at about 10 o'clock. Immediately I s hoved everything forward. Climbing to meet the oncoming fighters with a little altitude to our advantage. We managed to get to 36,000 feet. Upon investigating the huge force of fighters, we found that the fourth group intends to escort bombers by flying 10,000 feet above them. Not being derogatory, I would suggest that we be constructive s o that we're never caught short chasing each other over the sky, thus losing our support for our bombers. After about a fifteen minute goose chase, we were once more alongside the big friends approaching Paris. Just at that moment, ten FW -190's were spotted above and at about 10 o'clock t o the Bombers, quite a distance away. Once more we started climbing well above 30,000 foot ., while at 32,000 f eet we found ourselves at the same altitude with the Jerries. Still well out ahead of us, the 190 's started diving for a head on attack on the bombers. Being directly in between the bombers and the attacking fighters, White Flight dove head on i nto them. I fired 2 long bursts at two individual ships. Scared the hell out of them, but didn't hit them. Thus, about eight of them broke off their attack. Making one large sweep around the Bombers, I picked up a lone FW - 190 flying below and to the left of the Bombers, preparing to make another run at the Bombers. I directed the flight i nto a shallow turn to the right and fell directly behind the lone ranger. Dove 4000 feet, close d to 400 yards, I opened up firing till I close d to about 50 feet . Pieces from the wings, fuselage and canopy were seen flying off. I pulled up circling . The 190 went into a spin , m y wingman and I watched the plane spin and hit the ground. No parachute was observed. I claim one FW 190 destroyed.