Glenn Duncan

A . Combat . B . 24 January , 1944 . C . 350th Fighter Squadron . D . Approximately 1240 . 5,000 feet on down below tree tops. E . Vicinity of Tirlemont . F . 8/10 to 10/10 patchy cirrostratus base 19,000 feet . Visability 3-4 miles on the deck. G . ME 110's . H . 2 ME 110 's destroyed . I . F.O. 222 on Area Support for Heavy Bombers in area near Ans, Germany. I was leading the Group flying with Pipeful Squadron. We had been patrolling our designated area with the lead Squadron at 22,000 feet, the second Squadron, Roughman as high cover at 33,000 and the third Squadron, Wakeford at 25,000 acting as a bouncing Squadron. At 1215 Recall was given and I began a slow decent in order to fly under a layer of cirrus. At about 1235 hours the lead Squadron was at 15,000 feet in good combat formation and under a thick layer of cirrus. Wakeford Squadron was to my right at about 16,000 feet. Roughman Squadron was above the cloud at about 26,000 feet. I was just getting the R.A. at having flown another milk run mission when I saw two airplanes off to my left and low. They were easily recognised as twin engines and as we closed were definately identified as ME 110. By this time I was down under a lower layer of scattered cumulus at about 7 ,000 feet and could then see four ME 110's flying a swept back-line abreast formation. They were flying at about 5,000 feet on a heading of approximately 230 degrees. I had pulled my hand full of throttle, turbo, and prop levers all back in order to slow down but I was still closing too fast. I made a sharp left turn then swung around so as to come in behind the last ME 110. Still I was closing too fast, so I threw in a few good hearted skids and then at the last moment as I would have over shot and messed up a good shot I barrel rolled and came in position on the Hun's tail. I closed up to about 250 yards, centered the needle and ball, put the pip on the top of the cockpit, then squeezed in a nice long burst. The ME 110 immediately began losing excess parts and flamed up. (They burn nicely.) I must have killed the rear gunner in the first few rounds because he was not shooting. This ME 110 veared off to the left and down, then crashed. During this time the other ME 110's had made a sweeping turn to the right and now in line astern formation . Incidentally three were black and one was all white. I pulled over the ME 110 that I had just shot down and came in behind the #3 or next in line. This rear gunner was really excited and shooting like mad. They must be very poor gunners because I held my fire until I pulled up to about 250 or 300 yards then gave him a good long squeeze. (I found later that I picked up one .303 slug in the right side of my engine from this gunner.) He immediately burst into flames and pieces flew every where, those eight fifties sure pack a wallop. This ME 110 went into a sharp spiral and crashed into a woods causing the entire area to be enveloped in a blazing inferno. Neither the pilot nor the gunner was able to get out of this ship as I saw the gunner burning nicely as he tried to get out but couldn't and the pilot wasn't fast enough before the ship crashed. By this time I was up on the white ME 110 who had gone down to tree top level and heading towards the Vaterland . The ME 110's didn't know which way to turn as two flights of P-47's were in there by now and would not let them go. I chased this white fellow across two hills and saw strikes on the rear and right wing tip but this was my last few rounds of ammunition. I was firing with empty guns for about ten seconds before I finally realized that it was not my poor shooting but because the guns were empty that he was not going down. I cursed furiously for a few seconds on the radio and called for some one to come get the Bas ---. I had no sooner pulled away from behind the ME when Capt. Newhart opened fire and the ME 110 crashed in a woods. By this time all of the ME 110's had been shot down and the various P-47's had gathered together as much as possible and headed home. As I turned to go home I had two more P-47's with me, Capt. Newhart and Lt. Zolner. They knew that I was out of ammunition so one flew on each side and line abreast. We pulled up to about 5,000 feet heading 316 o so that I could get a recognizable landmark and I saw that we were Southeast of Brussels. About this time we came on a nice airdrome near Tirlemont , Belgium when we saw an E/A landing. Gosh, what I wouldn't have given for a bit of ammunition and another tank of gas. Capt. Newhart seeing a ME 109 landing went down and shot him up . I will confirm a destroyed for him. It was nice shooting. At the same time that Capt. Newhart went down I saw three FW 190's circling to the West of the drome at about 2,000 feet. As Lt. Zolner and I turned I called Zolner and Newhart to come on and we would be getting out. I watched in the mirror for possible pursuit of the FW's and finally saw one chasing Newhart. I called for full throttle and a dive to the deck. The FW was firing explosive ammunition but he was out of range and they were bursting about 300 yards to the rear of Newhart. It is interesting to note that we three were pulling "balls out" and indicating about 350 mph and easily out distanced the FW. As soon as I thought that we had lost him completely I called for Zolner and Newhart to pull down to 2000 revs and 35 inches of Mercury. We went along this way for about five minutes and were just beginning to pass over a town when the FW caught up with us and began shooting at me this time. I took immediate violent evasive action. Lt. Zolner being on my left at this time turned into the FW and shot. The FW turned to the left and Zolner came out on his tail. Lt. Zolner managed to damage the FW then came on with Newhart and me. By this time the gas problem was really getting touchy. All that combat and chasing was no help in the conservation of gas. We were now pulling 30 inches of Mercury and 1400 rpm and below the trees. In fact Lt. Zolner took the side branches of one tree without much damage to the ship. We knew that this low flying was a breach of flying regulations and also we were tied down by orders not to shoot at anything in occupied territory, even flak towers. So this was our only hope against the flak that was kicking up dust all around us. We went across the center of Brussels, Ghent and Ostend as the turning away from our course to go around the towns meant using more gas. We finally came out of enemy territory at Ostend and they do have lots of very good flak gunners. They even shot heavy stuff at us. It looked like a ship going into the water every time one of them hit. Well we evaded the stuff successfully and took up a heading to Manston . I received a very good and efficient homing from Bluefrock and came into Manston after three hours and forty five minutes in the air. Newhart and Zolner with me. I claim 2 ME 110's destroyed and confirm 1 ME 110 and 1 ME 109 for Capt. Newhart .