Harry Lay

Pilot: Captain Harry T. Lay

A. Combat

B. 82 nd Fighter Squadron

C. 6 July 1944

D. 0640 hours

E. N/W of Paris

F. CAVU

G. FW 190

H. One (1) FW 190 destroyed

I. I was flying Shampoo Red Three. A few miles N/W of Paris, at approximately 0630 hours, two e/a were observed at 10 o'clock low on my flight, about a mile distant. My flight jettisoned bombs and started down after them. The two e/a led us down onto the deck and tried to draw us between two flax towers at the edge of Paris. We broke off the attack and climbed up. At 3,000 feet we spotted 10-15 FW 190's circling above Paris at 8-9,000 feet. We climbed "balls out" to get some altitude on them. We lost sight of them during the climb, but at about 7,000 feet we saw them coming back over Paris, headed for us. The three of us bounced them. I got on the tail of one of the last, and after following him through violent evasive maneuvers, I got a burst at 15,000 feet altitude, which hit the fuselage forward of the cockpit. He bailed out at 800 feet and I saw his chute open. The 190 blew up when it crashed. I immediately found another FW190 heading for the deck, clamped on his tail and attempted to close. He hit the deck and started east, wide open. I chased him for ten minutes, but was unable to close to firing range. On the way back I damaged three locomotives somewhere in the vicinity of Reins. When just south of Paris, flying at 3,000 feet at approximately 0715 hours, I bounced four more ME 109's heading south on the deck. My first burst of about one second finished up my ammo, which was a surprise to me. I broke off the attack and headed west wide open, out running the ME 109's. I was vectored in the beach head where I refueled and returned home I claim one (1) FW 190 destroyed