WWII Pilot Combat Report - GEORGE BOTELER

GEORGE BOTELER

78th Fighter Group 06/20/1944

OFFICE OF THE INTELLIGENCE OFFICER 83rd FIGHTER SQUADRON INTELLIGENCE COMBAT REPORT REFERENCE F.C.F.O. NO. 402.

Combat. 20 June 1944. 83rd Fighter Squadron, 78th Fighter Group. 0710 hours. Amiens, France. 5-7/10 cloud at 3,000 feet. Visibility good. Me 109. 1 Me 109 destroyed shared with Lt. Holden. I was flying Number Four position of White Flight on a mission employing type 16 Control. S/E E/A were located circling at 33,000 feet. Our squadron was at 14,000 feet and climbed to various levels between 23,000 to 31,000 feet, where upon the enemy fighters began to peel off in two's and four's and dive straight for the deck, apparently trying to avoid combat with our fighters. I followed one of the last two to go down, from 23,000 to around 2,000 feet, at which altitude it leveled off. This allowed me to close to 300 yards. I fired short bursts from this range down to about 50 yards. I observed scattered strikes, some of which probably hit in the engine as smoke began to pour out. Upon being fired on, the e/a dived for the deck, taking very slight evasive action, and headed for an airfield. Flying at about 150 feet off the ground, I gave one more burst, after which the e/a nosed down and exploded on what I believe was an airfield. Light flak was intense and prevented going back to take pictures of the wreckage.

21 June 1944. GEORGE G. BOTELER 2nd Lt., Air Corps, 83rd Fighter Squadron.

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

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