Henry Lederer
361st Fighter Group 01/30/1944
F. O. # 227 C . 374th Fighter Squadron . D . 1 13 0 - 1145 E . Rheine Area . F . Light overcast 1/10,000 ft and 2 9 ,000 ft . G . ME 109 G H . 1 ME 109 G Probable D estroyed , shared with LT. HASTIN. I . I was flying No. 2 position in the Red Flight. We orbited right above overcast at 25,000 ft in search of bombers. I saw contrails above and recognized about 25 ME 109 G's at 30,000 ft who attacked from out of the sun coming in from all sides. We turned in to meet the E/A and I covered my flight leader (CAPT. SEDMAN) in his attacks on two of the E/A at 22,000 ft at approximately 1135/1140. Immediately following these attacks another ME 109 G was observed off my left wing. I called CAPT. SEDMAN on the R/T and asked him to cover my tail, and I went in on the E/A's tail at about 6,000 indicating 550 m.p.h. At the same time LT. HASTIN was approaching the same E/A from the right and above. LT. HASTIN, Red Four, was a few feet above me on my right and slightly behind. I opened fire on the E/A at about 150 yds observing strikes on the left wing root and left side of the fuselage. LT. HASTIN was firing at the same time. Pieces of the E/A fell off and hit my right wing, ring cowling, propeller, and smashed the right side of my windshield. The E/A was observed to go into a diving turn to the left and I last saw him in a vertical dive going into the overcast. I claim this ME 109G as a Probable Destroyed, shared with LT. HASTIN. J. Approximately 114 rounds ammunition expended.
Official US Army Air Forces Combat Report by Henry Lederer of the 361st Fighter Group. This material is a transcription of official reports-testimonials of Henry Lederer's combat experience.
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