WWII Pilot Combat Report - John Thornell

John Thornell

352nd Fighter Group 04/10/1944

ENCOUNTER REPORT L T JOHN F. THORNELL , JR A .

Combat B . 1 0 April 1944 C . 328th F / S D . 092 0 E . Dormans F . Visibility unlimited, broken clouds at 500 ft. G . FW 190 H . 1 FW 190 D estroyed I . I was flying Red 2. We were at 26, 000 ft and had just met the second wing of B-17s when I observed many FW 190s attacking the bombers from below; the bombers being at about 23,000 ft in the area of E pernay. I spotted 3 FW 190s very low climbing up. I called my flight leader to cover me as I was going down. At about 200 ft I picked out one FW 190 and the other E/A left it. At this time I found myself alone. However Lt And erson of the 486th F/S, 352nd F/G followed me, unknown to me. I started firing at about 500 yds with no results. The E/A was taking violent evasive action. I held my fire until I closed to 300 yds when the E/A was making a turn to the right; then I observed hits in his left wing root and engine. He disapp eared in the clouds. I pulled up to about 2,000 ft and then Lt Anderson said that the Pilot of the E/A had bailed out and that the E/A had crashed . I went back down under the clouds to the deck and took a picture of the burning wreckage. Lt Anderson did not fire at the E/A. The German Pilot was sitting on the ground about 100 yds from his A/C with his chute around him on the ground. Lt Anderson left me and I went back to join Blue Flight and came home with them. I c laim 1 FW 190 D estroyed . J . Ser No of A/ C : 4 2 - 2474 A/ C Markings : PE- I Amm o Expended: 1 6 00 rds .

/s/ John F. Thornell , Jr JOHN F. THORNELL , JR 1s t Lt , A ir C orps, 328th Fighter Sq. /s/ Otto A. Ziebell OTTO A. Z IEBELL, Cap t , A ir C orps, S-2 Officer. A TRUE COPY : GERALD F. COSTELLO , Capt ain , A ir C orps , Ass ' t A-2 , 67 FW . (D- 12 )

Official US Army Air Forces Combat Report by John Thornell of the 352nd Fighter Group. This material is a transcription of official reports-testimonials of John Thornell's combat experience.

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