Fred Christensen

A. Combat

b. 26 Nov., 1943

c. 62nd Fighter Squadron

d. 1 215 hours

e. Vicinity Papenburg

f. 3 /10 clouds, tops approx. 18,000', visibility Excellent.

g. Me 110

h. One Me 110 claimed destroyed.

i. "I was flying in Yellow Two position. We approached the B-17's, which were slightly below us (30,000' ) up-sun. We noticed a few scattered enemy twin engined fighters. Queued up behind the last box of B-17's were twenty-five plus twin engined enemy aircraft and ten plus single engined fighters. The two lower flights bounced, then red flight, and we immediately followed down. I called in a single Me 110 directly below us to Yellow Leader. We pulled up into the sun and bounced the Me 110. It had yellow prop spinners and carried two wing rockets. My dive carried me past Yellow Leader and I found myself about 350 yards behind the enemy aircraft. I waited until I was about two hundred and fifty yards, I then opened fire and fired until I was about twenty five feet from his tail. I noticed strikes on both engines, canopy and tail section. Pieces were continually flying back. I veered sharply to the right of the enemy aircraft to avoid a collision. He rolled over on his back, and I watched him spiral down, while smoke poured out and pieces kept flying off. Then the left half of the tail fell off and he went into a tight spin. After two turns the right wing tore loose from the wing root and the ship hit the ground and blew up. Capt. Johnson (Yellow Leader) opened fire on a second Me 110 and I noted strikes all over the enemy aircraft and he went down. As I climbed up to join my flight leader, another Me 110 passed over the top of me. I saw my flight leader was on his tail so I fell into a position slightly above and behind him. He fired from about five hundred yards, closing all the time. I saw many strikes around the fuselage then the Me 110 went into a steep dive and went straight down. He never pulled out. I claim one Me 110 destroyed." FRED J. CHRISTENSEN , JR. 2nd Lt., Air Corps. ARMAMENT REPORT Lt. Fred J. Christensen , Jr. 4 1-6193 393 rounds AP I &T "I was leading Yellow Flight and we had made Rendezvous with the bombers at 30,000' and to their rear. We turned left and came out about 5 miles behind them and Yellow Three reported Me 110's and Me 210's below at 23,000'. I took the flight down and picked out a lone Me 110. Throttling back on the way down I saw a P-47 firing at the enemy aircraft. This was Yellow Two (Lt. Christensen). There were strikes all over the Jerry's fuselage and his engine was burning badly as he went straight down." RALPH

A. JOHNSON, Capt., Air Corps.