20th Fighter Group 11/02/1944
ENCOUNTER REPORT
1st LT. ROBERT L. PUBENTZ
a. Combat
b. 2 November 1944
c. 79th Fighter Squadron, 20th Fighter Group
d. 1255
e. S.S.W. Merseburg
f. 6/10 overcast
g. Me 109
h. 1 Me 109 Destroyed
i.
I was flying Yellow 3 when one of the other squadrons called that they were heavily engaged with 109s at rear of bomber formation. We turned to overtake the last box of bombers and in so doing climbed to 29,000 feet. I lost Yellow 1 and 2 when I went through bomber contrails, but saw 8 109s, 500 feet below me coming in at 11 o’clock some distance away as I broke out. As I turned headon into these one made a left turn directly across my path as I turned right. He broke right and then left to hide in the contrails. I stalled momentarily and my wingman fired on him just as he went into contrails – no strikes. I broke down 1,000 feet and came out of these thin contrails right on the tail of the 109 who was in a 60° dive. I opened fire at 800 yards and closed to 150 where I gave him a 3 second burst. Saw strikes on his wings and fuselage. Smoke poured out of him as did an apparent stream of coolant. I had to throttle back to keep behind him. At 14,000 E/A pulled up and to the left. At 100 yards I let him have a 2 second burst 10° deflection. Saw strikes on cockpit and canopy. Black smoke poured from E/A as the nose fell through and he went into an uncontrollable spin. I last saw him out of control at about 5,000 feet. My belief is that the pilot was killed.
I claim 1 Me 109 destroyed.
j. Ser. no of A/C: 44-14349
A/C Marking: MC-H
Ammunition Expended: 671 rds. 50 cal.
ROBERT L. PUBENTZ,
1st Lt., Air Corps.
CONFIRMATION OF CLAIM
Flying Yellow 2, I saw Yellow 3 on the tail of a 109. At 13,000 feet E/A pulled out of a steep dive and Lt. Pubentz fired on him from very close in. A large piece fell off E/A and smoke was emitted as E/A went into an uncontrollable spin. The pilot was undoubtedly killed as the plane was without control.
ELMER H. COUGHRAN,
1st Lt., Air Corps.
Flying Yellow 4, I saw Lt. Pubentz on the tail of a 109, both in a rather steep dive when E/A pulled up at 13,000 feet. Lt. Pubentz got strikes on fuselage and cockpit of E/A and it went into a combination tumble and spin, obviously out of control. It is likely that the pilot had been killed.
Official US Army Air Forces Combat Report by Robert Pubentz of the 20th Fighter Group. This material is a transcription of official reports-testimonials of Robert Pubentz's combat experience.
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