John Bertrand

Pilot Lieut. John R. Bertrand Combat 30 July 1943 84th Fighter Squadron 1020 hours Winterswijk, Holland Clear-visibility unlimited FW 190 and ME 109 One FW 190 destroyed I was flying Bayland Yellow Two position. We were flying at about 28,000 feet. Bombers were sighted at 22,000 feet off to our left. As we picked up the bombers, they were being attacked from twelve and six o'clock. Bayland first section went in to help a straggler from the first formation, which was being attacked, and our section - the second section of the 84th Squadron- went in to bounce the e/a attacking the bombers from the rear. We maneuvered around above and behind the e/a, and bounced from up sun. There were at least seven e/a- four were flying line abreast, and three others flying slightly to the rear, all at 24,000 feet. They were FW 190's. Captain Price, the section leader, who was also Yellow Leader, fired at one of the last three e/a's from astern. I saw hits on the fuselage and wings, and pieces flew off. The propeller appeared to slack up as if to stop turning. E/A then blew up. We pulled up about 500 feet into the sun, then came back down to attack the other two of the three e/a's. They were still flying straight. Yellow Leader started firing at one just before I started firing at the other. I observed strikes on the e/a he was firing on but saw no more of his target due to the fact that I had started firing myself. I saw hits on the left wing and the fuselage of the e/a I fired on. As I pulled up to the left, the e/a seemed to explode and large flames and smoke billowed out all over it. We pulled up to about 25,000 feet, and two ME 109's tried to get on our tail. We turned with them for awhile. Thyey then gave up and went down. We were some 20 miles behind and to port side of bombers. We then climbed to about 24,000 or 25,000 feet, and headed towards the bombers again. We passed the bombers on their port side about 3,000 yards out. As we were even with the front of the bomber formation, who were slightly above, two FW 190's came into us from ahead. I fired at the lead ship, but observed no hits. Toastrack Squadron, who were slightly above, were firing at the e/a also.They half-rolled and headed straight down.They did not fire at me. We then headed for home. Flak was fired at us just before we hit the English coast-apparently from boats. We were at about 11,000 feet. The flak was to our left and slightly to the rear, but at our altitude. There must have been at least 150 + e/a in the vicinity of bombers while we were there. The FW 190 had large bulges under their wings and were painted with slate gray. The one I fired on had a red nose. The blackcrosses stood out with their white outlines. I saw three straggling bombers, but did not see any go down. Saw two parachutes open up about 10,000 below my altitude and toward and behind the bombers, in vicinity south of Arnheim. I claim (1) FW 109 as destroyed.