Harold Stump

Pilot: Captain Harold

E. Stump a . Combat b . 27 September 1943 c . 84th Fighter Squadron d . 1 0 1 5 hours e . Area N-N/W of Emden, Germany, extending north of the Frisian Islands f . V isibility good – some low cloud g . Two ME 109's h . One (1) ME 109 d estroyed – One (1) ME 109 shared with F/O Pompetti, pending film assessment i . I was lead ing B ayland Blue Flight in the second squadron on a Bomber Escort Mission to Emden 27 September 1943. We met the bombers as the last box was passing over the target, and observed quite a number of e/a making attacks on the last box. As the bombers turned out to sea the Group started down in a spiral turn to engage the e/a. I sighted one ME 109 that was flying toward the rear of the bombers, and made an attack from above and behind. As I approached the 109, he started into a gentle turn to the left, and I opened fire at about 250 or 300 yards with about 10-15 degrees deflection, closing fairly rapidly. I fired short bursts until l was within about 75 yards, observing some strikes on the wings of the e/a. I was closing a little too fast and had to pull up over him, and as I did this I noticed fire break out in the engine from my wingman's (F/O Pompetti) fire. This took place at about 25,000 feet and we were indicating 260-270 MPH. We then reformed the flight of four and regained altitude to about 27,000 feet. Just as we levelled out another e/a bounced us. My Number Three man, Lieut. Belliveau, called me to break, and as I broke into him, the e/a half rolled and went down. After reforming again, I sighted another 109 at 12 o'clock below me and started an attack. I dove down and came up underneath him, opening fire at 24,000', indicating 250 MPH, at about 300 yards, and fired two short bursts. On the second burst I observed strikes on the left wing root and cockpit and the e/a seemed to stop in mid-air. As I pulled up over him, I saw him explode. We then pulled up again and another e/a bounced us. I broke the flight into him before he got in range and he broke away. About this time Colonel Dayhuff called for everyone out so we set course for home. As we levelled out on course, another e/a bounced my wingman, so we broke into him. As we broke into him, my Number Four man, (1,) Lt. Dougherty, was able to get a shot and he engaged the e/a. A few seconds later he called and said he was going home on the deck, and was Okeh. We just got started home again and I was bounced again. This time when I broke I stalled, and fell into a half roll and went down to about 16,000 feet before recovering. The e/a was still following me so I pulled up into a steep climbing turn with full throttle and the e/a broke away. By this time the bombers were well ahead of us so we set course again in their direction. As we approached the last box I observed a straggler at about 15,000 feet with a ME 110 following. I dove to attack, but as I approached the e/a, he turned away from me and lined himself up in front of my wingman, so I told him to get the e/a while my Number Three and I covered, since there were still e/a in the area. He fired a short burst with some deflection, and I observed strikes on the left engine and cockpit. I turned to follow the e/a after F/O Pompetti pulled up, and saw him going down toward the water in a left turn, with the left engine smoking badly. He made no attempt to recover, and I last saw him about 1,000-1,500 feet above the water, still going down. Since we were getting low on gas by this time, we lost altitude gradually and headed home, landing at Coltishall to refuel, without further incident. Out of the four or more times that the Flight was bounced by e/a, three times the e/a flew into the Flight and concentrated on the leader. However, it was comparatively easy to shake them off since when I broke, either my wingman or Number Three could fire a squirt and force them to break off. I found that I could beat the 109 into a turn every time I broke, and with the four – later three-ship Flight sticking together, we could quite easily force them to break off combat. During the flight approximately 100 e/a were observed, mostly ME 109's. We observed one FW 190, a ME 110 and either a JU 88 or ME 210, which was too far away to identify. All e/a I observed were the usual slate-grey with only the crosses as markings. I c laim o ne (1) ME 109 d estroyed , and also claim a share of the ME 109 destroyed by F/O Pompetti, pending film assessment .