WWII Pilot Combat Report - Jesse Gonnam

Jesse Gonnam

353rd Fighter Group 09/22/1943

ENCOUNTER REPORT Combat . 22 Sept 194 3 . 35 2 nd Fighter Squadron . 1 215-1220 . Vicinity of Schoonhaven. C lear , low cumulus clouds. ME 109 . One ME 109 d estroyed.

Narrative: I was flying Wakeford White 3. I saw bogeys at 4 o'clock and called them in. White Leader mad e a right break and we followed around. After the turn I came out on the tail of an ME 109. He was in a left turn and I closed to 275 yards estimated range and fired a short burst with 1 ½ rings deflection. The e/a half-rolled to the right and I let him roll through. As he straightened out I dropped my nose and allowed about 2 rings, firing a long burst at 100 yards. I saw strikes on the engine, cowl, cockpit and both wings close to the fuselage, and fire and black smoke from the engine. My wingman had followed me through all this action. After a left turn to clear our tails I saw the ship I had shot spinning violently and headed straight down. We had lost about 20,000 feet altitude and was then about 8,000 feet above the ground, black and white smoke was still trailing. My wingman, Lt Stiff (statement attached) who was able to see the plane after I lost sight of him, reported the plane to be spinning earthward, trailing flame and smoke. On the basis of all the foregoing evidence I claim one ME 109 destroyed.

J ESSE W. GONNAM , 1 st Lt, AC , 352 nd F Sq.

Official US Army Air Forces Combat Report by Jesse Gonnam of the 353rd Fighter Group. This material is a transcription of official reports-testimonials of Jesse Gonnam's combat experience.

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