LEROY SCHREIBER

Combat . 2 4 Nov. , 194 3. 6 2nd Fighter Squadron . 1 430 hours . Just south of Oldenburg . From middle of channel to target, 10 /10 cloud, visibility fair. ME 210 O ne ME 210 destroyed . Narrative: I was flying White Three on F.O. 19 2 , behind Woodfire Leader. I broke my element into a bogey diving on us, which then went down into the clouds. Unable to rejoin my flight leader, I escorted the bombers and started an attack with my wingman, Lt. Prudent, on two FW 190s which came through the box of B-17s. We were cut off by a flight of P-47s and I started back to the rear of the bombers at 27,000'. About 4,000' feet below I saw a twin-engine aircraft and swung around behind him for an attack, calling my wingman to draw up abreast of me and not to open fire until we were positive it was an enemy aircraft. The enemy aircraft broke down and took vigorous evasive action. I fired intermittently at extreme range and finally closed to about 200 yards, observing many hits on both wings and engines with several pieces coming off. Both engines were smoking badly and the enemy aircraft started to go down. Just then it struck me funny as my wingman, Lt. Pruden, yelled on the R/T to me, "Leave something for me!" I broke off the attack to let him shoot, circling above while he fired. I claim one ME 210 destroyed , sharing it with Lt. Pruden. J. I was flying White Four on F.O. 192, escorting B-17s when I saw an ME 210 flying 90 o from them about 2/3,000' below . M y element leader, Capt. Schreiber, called for an attack and we went down. I was above Capt. Schreiber, covering him while he fired. As he did I could see strikes on both engines and fuselage. Pieces flew off and both engines were smoking badly. Capt. Schreiber broke off at 200 yards and I went in for my attack. I opened fire at 300 yards, and closed to 100, observing strikes on both engines, fuselage , and canopy. The latter was either shot off or jettisoned. As it flew back a chute opened and swept past my plane but there was nobody in it. I passed the enemy aircraft and saw the pilot slumped forward over the stick. The plane was burning badly and went into a vertical dive. I then climbed for altitude and rejoined my element leader at 22,000' and we escorted B-17s until escort was called off.