James Carter

Captain James R. Carter, Halstead Red Three

a. Combat.

b. 30 January 1944.

c. 61st Fighter Squadron, 56th Group.

d. 1335 hours.

e. Near . Leeuwen , Holland

f. Scattered cirrus at 20,000, strato - cumulus about 1500 to 3000, 8/10.

g. FW-190.

h. One FW-190 destroyed. i . Lieutenant Foster, Halstead Red Leader, aborted at the Dutch coast and I assume d command of the flight. In the vicinity of Lingen, Asha lnd . Halstead White leader started a bounce from the sun and 6 o'clock above a dozen twin engine e/a which were flying northwest to intercept the bombers. Northgrove Squadron crossed over Halstead and made an attack on the same dozen or so e/a from about 4 o'clock . The e/a broke from this la tt er attack and dove into the clouds. My wingman, Lieutenant Funcheon called in four bogeys coming in from 8 o'clock to Halstead. We turned into these which proved to be P-47's. Halstead Red Flight escorted on the left side of the bomber formations and went in the vicinity of Le e uwen a t 1330, Major Craig called to my two wingmen to break left as they were being attacked. I turned over to them and came out on the tail of two FW -190's . A P - 47, piloted by Colonel Schilling was ahead of me and firing on the rear FW. I gave full power using water injection and drew 60 inches f rom 20,000 down to 4000, finally catching up with the last FW - 190. Colonel Schilling had broken off his attack at about 12,000 feet. I fired several bursts from about 700 yards down to about 300 yards observing many hits on the fuselage and wings at the shorter ranges. Glycol or smoke streamed out of and the engine caught fire. The. e /a r olled half over and disappeared into the cloud upside down at 3000 feet or less. I pulled o ut in the cloud indicating 450 mph , zoomed to 10,000 feet and climbed up to 18,000 feet. I crossed the coast at Nordwijerhout after joining up with a flight of the 63rd Squadron. It is my belief that this e/a was one of the new in - line FW's because I had altitude on the e/ a and use d maximum power to catch him. I thought at the time the FW w as hit that I saw glycol pouring out, but it may have been white smoke. I claim one FW 190 destroyed.