John Thornell

B . 30 January 1944 C . 328th F i gh t e r Sq uadron D . Approximately 1 3 00 E . Area of Ruhlertwist F . 10 /10 at 4000 G . Me 109 H . 1 Me 109 D ESTROYED 1 Me 109 DAMAGED I . I was flying in Yellow 4 in Turndown Squadron. When we met the Bombers at approximately 1300 at 27000 ft I called in bandits low at 9 o'clock and we went down. Lt Schwenke was following a Me 109 and I saw it flaming as it entered the overcast. I pulled up and joined Turndown Yellow Leader, Lt Col Clark. He then went after an E/a which he destroyed. We were both in compressibility and then we pulled up. When we were at about 8000 ft I saw 10 Me 109s at 6000 ft right under me. I called Yellow Leader and told him to cover me as I was going to break up the 10 ships. We both went down and were joined by two other P-47s from another Group. In the dog-fight I was hit in a head-on pass by an Me 109s machine-gun. I then spotted an Me 109 on a P-47s tail so I went after him. He saw me and broke; I followed him down and gained on him. At about 5000 ft I fired and observed hits on his left wing root. I stopped firing and he rolled over and bailed out. He disappeared in the overcast and his chute was not open. After this combat I found myself alone with three Me 109s upsun at 7 o'clock to me so I went into the overcast. When I came out there were no ships around so I started home at 7500 ft alone. I then spotted an Me 109 breaking through down-sun from me. I rolled over and went down to 4-5000 ft and fired. I closed very fast and just saw a few strikes when I over ran him passing about 15 ft below him. I looked back and he dove for the clouds just a slight trail of smoke behind him. Then I climbed to 10000 ft and came home alone. I c laim 1 Me 109 D ESTROYED , and 1 Me 109 DAMAGED .