G.M. TURLEY

A. Type of Action Combat

B. Date 10 February 1944

C. Unit 82nd Fighter Squadron

D. Time of Attack 1100 hours

E. Place of Attack Osnabruck Area

F. Weather Good visibility - - ground haze.

G. Type of Target Two ME-109's

H. Enemy Casualties Two ME-109's destroyed.

I. Account of Combat: I was flying Stedman Red 3 in Lt. Wesson's flight. We had just R/V with the bombers at 1100 hrs. and at 26,000 ft., when two ME-109's with red noses bounced the flight. I broke right into them and they made a climbing turn to the left. I opened everything up and cut them off on their turn; but when I got astern I could not seem to close. The range was around 700 yds., when I fired a short burst seeing strikes on the canopy of the lead E/A. He did a split-ess and I did the same and started closing. I fired short bursts while he was taking evasive action; going down. I saw numerous strikes. He finally leveled out at 200 ft. and I closed to about 100 yds. and fired a two second burst. I saw many strikes in the cockpit and left wing root. His right wheel came down and he rolled over and went straight in, blowing up with a huge flash of flame as he hit the deck. I pulled up to 1,000 ft. and saw the second ME-109 off to my left on the deck. I turned into him and managed to get behind him and about 700 ft. above him, slightly on the left, and fired a short burst from about 300 yds., seeing strikes on the left side of the fuselage. I overshot him slightly, so essed over him a couple of times, came down dead astern of him and shot my remaining rounds. The ship started to burn and smoke and crashed into a field. While I was after the plane, I occasionally noticed another P-47 whom I thought was my wingman. Later I identified him as CR-F. We came from east of the Zuider Zee to halfway across the channel - -on the deck. I noticed numerous fishing boats in the Zuider Zee and sailboats in the North Sea. I claim two ME-109's destroyed.