G.M. TURLEY

A . Type of Action C ombat B . Date 20 February 1944 C . Unit 82nd Fighter Squadron D . Time of Attack 1 45 0 hours E . Place of Attack Koblentz A rea F . Weather 10/10 low cloud G . Type of Target FW-190 H . Enemy Casualties One FW-190 d estroyed . I . Account of Combat: I was flying Churchtime White 3. After R/V with bombers at 1430 hrs. and escorting them for about 20 minutes, 6 or 8 FW-190 ' s attacked bombers head-on and went thru the formation. I saw no bombers go down. We were flying top cover at 20,000 ft, so couldn't reach the E/A until they had made their attack. I was on the left so took the rear E/A on the left hand side. They were in a 45 degree dive and I went down after him-indicating 450-500 MPH-to 9,000 ft. and still not closing too rapidly. I opened up at 350 yds. and fired a three second burst seeing strikes all over the left wing. I then closed to 150 yds. and fired until I had to skid to the left to keep from hitting him. My right bank of guns were hitting him from 100 yds. on in, all over the plane and cockpit. I could see smoke and flame on the belly and right wing root. The E/A rolled over and went straight down into the overcast at 6,000 ft. pouring smoke. I tried to follow him down to see him crash, but the overcast was 10/10 starting at 6,000 ft. I went down into the overcast about 1,000 ft. and didn't come out, so pulled back up and joined a flight and came home. Just before the E/A I was shooting at entered the cloud, I saw a P-47 firing at another 190 with the right landing gear down. This E/A started smoking and seemed to be out of control as he approached the cloud layer. I lost sight of him as I went into the cloud. The P-47 was piloted by Colonel Stone.