Lawrence Robinson

20th Fighter Group 09/28/1944


PILOTS PERSONAL ENCOUNTER REPORT

1st Lt. Lawrence J. Robertson

 

A. COMBAT.

B.  28 SEPTEMBER 1944.

C.  77TH FIGHTER SQUADRON, 20TH FIGHTER GROUP.

D.  1135 to 1140.

E.  VICINITY OF ASCHERSLEBEN, GERMANY.

F.  8/10 OVERCAST AT 2000 TO 5000 FEET.

G.  FW 190S.

H.  2 FW 190S DESTROYED.

I.   “I was flying Blue No. 2 and at about 1125 I called in 2 contrails to my flight leader which were at 3 o’clock to us.  These were at our level which was 27000 feet.  Upon investigating same we discovered they were P-51s.  However in this area 2000 feet below us we saw 2 large gaggles of enemy fighters, a total of approximately 75 FW 190s and Me 109s.  We immediately turned into the last gaggle to attack.  The 1st gaggle thereupon turned into us and a large luftberry ensued.  We kept slightly above them, turning with them in order to break them up.  As a result the enemy aircraft would split-ess out of the luftberry 2 or 3 at a time.  My flight leader followed one of these and soon after I took off after another.  I followed him and got in range just above the cloud deck at 5000 feet.  I let him have a burst then and was able to give him another 3-4 second burst in the clouds, observing strikes on both wings.  I was within 75 yards of him then and was firing from dead astern.  I then saw him pop out below the clouds and let him have 2 more short bursts from about 75 yards and from dead astern again.  This time I saw hits all over his plane and he jettisoned his canopy as he pulled up into the clouds.  I followed him into the clouds but they were too thick for me to keep him in sight.  As I came down out of the clouds I saw chute and pilot and took a picture of him with my gun camera.

Soon after while flying at 1000 feet in search of a friendly plane to join up with I saw what appeared to be a FW 190 on the tail of a P-51.  I made a sharp turn and broke into the FW 190 noticing then that it was flying with a Me 109 which turned into me as I attacked the 190.  I gave the FW 190 a long burst from a range less than 50 yards from dead astern.  I saw hits all over his wings and in an effort to evade he rolled over on his back and split-essed but was at such a low altitude that he crashed straight into the ground.  I then went after the Me 109 and started making climbing turns with him which brought us into the clouds where I lost him.”

I claim:  2 FW 190s destroyed.

J.  1st Lt. Lawrence J. Robertson   44-14136   LC-J  1052 rds 50 Caliber.

 

LAWRENCE J. ROBERTSON,

1st Lieut., Air Corps.

 

JOSEPH R. GENEST,

1st Lieut., Air Corps,

Intelligence Officer.

 

 

 


Official US Army Air Forces Combat Report by Lawrence Robinson of the 20th Fighter Group. This material is a transcription of official reports-testimonials of Lawrence Robinson's combat experience.


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