Gerald Johnson

( a ) 26 -6-43 ( b ) 61st Fighter Squadron, 56 th Group ( c ) P-47- D1 ( d ) 1 9 1 0 hrs . ( e ) 10 miles north of Dieppe ( f ) 4/10 at 8,000 ft. Vis: good ( g ) One ( h ) FW-190 ( i ) 2 2 ,000 ft. (j) One FW-190 destroyed (k) Nil . (l) Nil . (m) Nil . (n ) I was leading the second flight of the second section of our squadron, Shaker Yellow 1. We met the bombers just north of Forges and our section was making a slight turn left over the bombers to position our section on the right of the bombers. Approximately 12 E/A were sighted at our level flying in the opposite direction to us and about 2,000 yards to the right of the bombers. When they were well in front of the bombers they made a 180 degree turn left. As they closed in, about half of the E/A went down to make a head-on attack on the bombers while the other half made an astern attack on our section. When I thought the E/A were just about in firing range I called by R/T for my flight to break left. Four of these E/A which were FW - 190's, followed us through about 180 degrees of this climbing turn before breaking away. I then began circling and looking for the rest of my flight but could neither find the rest of my flight nor the other flight of our section led by Captain Eby . I then started back toward the coast at about 24,000 feet looking for some one to join. I observed four airplanes about a thousand yards S . W. of me flying north and about 1,000 feet above. When I started climbing and crossed over them, the leading plane rocked his wings and I recognized it as a P-47. As I crossed over I saw that the second plane was a FW-190 who almost immediately opened fire on the P-47 in front. He got in only a short burst before seeing me at which time he ceased firing and broke up to the right. I opened fire at approximately 200 yards, observing strikes from the engine cowling to behind the canopy, and continued to fire until the enemy aircraft burst into flame and started spinning down. It continued burning until it hit the water. I then turned back to find the P-47 that had been attacked by the FW-190. After looking for him for several minutes without success, I started home alone. I claim one F W -190 d estroyed .