WWII Pilot Combat Report - JOHN MEDEIROS

JOHN MEDEIROS

357th Fighter Group 02/22/1944

36 4 TH FIGHTER SQUADRON 357TH FIGHTER GROUP, ARMY AIR FORCES APO 637 U. S. ARMY 23 FEBRUARY 1944 ENCOUNTER REPORT

A. COMBAT

B. 22 FEBRUARY 1944

C. 364TH FIGHTER SQUADRON

D. 1430

E. TARGET AREA (BERNB E RG)

F. HIGH SCATTERED (12000 FT)

G. ME 109 F

H. DESTROYED I . E/A TRIED TO GET AT BOMBERS WHICH WERE AT 22,000 TO 23,000 FT. WE WERE 4,000 FT ABOVE AND SPLIT "S"ED ON HIS TAIL. E/A TRIED SKIDDING AND SMALL TURNS. I HELD MY FIRE TO AROUND 200 YDS OR LESS. WHEN HE QUIT SKIDDING, I GAVE HIM A BURST AND OBSERVED STRIKES ON THE LEFT WING ROOT . NEXT BURST WAS SHORT AND THE THIRD SHORT BURST HIT HIM SQUARE ON THE TAIL. I HAD TO PULL UP TO A V OID RUNNING INTO THE DEBRIS. HE LEFT SMOKE AND THEN A FLASH OF FLAME AND MORE SMOKE. THIS CLAIM IS CONFIRMED BY LT. R.

A. PETERSON WHO WAS COVERING ME AT THE TIME. J. 110 ROUNDS OF AMMUNITION WAS USED.

JOHN L. MEDEIROS , CAPT., AIR CORPS, PILOT. CONFIRMATION I SPLIT "S"ED WITH CAPTAIN MEDEIROS AND FOLLOWED HIM DOWN APPROXIMATELY 50 YDS BACK AND ABOVE AND TO THE OUTSIDE GIVING TAIL PROTECTION. CAPTAIN MEDEIROS OPENED FIRE AT APPROXIMATELY 150 YDS. WITH A SHORT BURST THAT STRUCK THE LEFT WING ROOT. THE NEXT BURST WAS SHORT AND ST R UCK THE RIGHT WING ROOT. THE THIRD BURST WAS LONGER AND STRUCK THE ENGINE. PIECES FLEW OFF THE E/A AND CAPTAIN MEDEIROS BROKE OFF AT APPROXIMATELY 50 YDS. TO AVOID FLYING THROUGH THE DEBRIS. I HELD MY POSITION FOR A SHORT TIME LATER AND AS CAPT MEDEIROS BROKE AWAY THE PLANE BLEW UP INTO A BALL OF RED FIRE AND SMOKE. RICHARD A. PETERSON 1ST LT., AIR CORPS, PILOT.

Official US Army Air Forces Combat Report by JOHN MEDEIROS of the 357th Fighter Group. This material is a transcription of official reports-testimonials of JOHN MEDEIROS's combat experience.

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