Joe Icard

a . Combat b . 11 Feb. , 1944 c . 6 2nd Fighter Squadron d . Approx. 1055 hours e . Vicinity Bierset f . 2 /10 cloud s with big breaks . Tops 1,500/2,000 ft. Horizontal visibility excellent. g . Me 109 h . One Me 109 claimed d estroyed . I . " I was flying White Three at 23,000 ' when 4 Me 109's came head on and a little below our Squadron. I rolled over and came out on one Me 109's tail. I followed him down to about 8,000', turning all the time. I fired several short bursts while turning. At about 8,000' he straightened out and I closed to about 100 yds. dead astern before firing again. I saw many pieces fly off the e/a then a big flame around the root of his right wing and he started smoking very badly. When I last saw this 109 it was in a violent uncontrolled spin as it hit the overcast which was at about 1,500 ft. I am firmly convinced that even had the pilot been alive he could not have pulled out of the spin. When I landed back at an advanced base, I had oil from the 109 all over my plane. I claim o ne Me 109 d estroyed. " JOE W. ICARD 2 nd Lt., Air Corps . " I was flying Woodfire White Four on a Bomber escort mission, F.O. 240. We had the Bombers in sight and were approaching them from 6 O'clock . There were 4 Me 109's flying line abrest coming from the bombers approaching us head-on and below. When they were directly underneath us, Lt. Icard, White Three, rolled over and followed one down. The 109 stayed in a steep spiral turn going down and Lt. Icard kept following to about 8,000' when the e/a straightened out and immed iately went into a tight turn to the right. I cut in the inside and the e/a straightened out. Lt Icard was about 100 yds. behind the e/a when he opened fire. There were hits all over the fuselage and one radiator blew off. The e/a started smoking badly and went into a very vicious uncontrolled spin. We were at 8,000' and the tops of the clouds were about 1,500'. He was still spinning and smoking when he went into the clouds. I do not think the pilot was alive and if he was, he cou ld not have brought it out of this vicious spin. " IRVIN

E. VALENTA , 2nd Lt ., Air Corps.