ENCOUNTER REPORT A . C OMBAT B . 24 April, 194 4 . C . 3 5 4 th F i gh t e r Sq dn . , 355 th Fighter Group , AAF station F-122, A. P. O. 637, U. S. Army.
D . 1 350 E . Munich Area F . CAVU G . C ombat with t hree ME 109 s . H . One ME 109 – DESTROYED One ME 109 – DESTROYED – shared with Lt. Boulet. One ME 109 - DAMAGED I . I was flying Falcon Yellow #3 in Capt. Woody's Flight. We had just made R/V with the bombers when I noticed one smaller box of B-17's, to the south of the main formation, being hit hard by fighters. I reported this to Yellow leader and just then Yellow #2, who had been on "C" channel, reported those same bombers "screaming for help." As we turned toward the bombers, to our right, I saw five ME 109's flying line abreast swing around in front of us for an attack on the bomber formation. This put Yellow leader on the tail of the last E/A on the right, with the rest of Yellow flight in string behind him. He opened fire and I saw strikes immediately; the E /A spun down, smoking badly. Yellow Leader then slid over to the next E/A on his left, opened fire, with the same results. He hit all five of these Me 109's hard and they all went spinning down smoking badly. I was kept pretty busy dodging burning planes and pieces of planes! All this happened very quickly and that was the nicest shooting I'd ever seen . Some of the bombers had been shooting at us, but when they saw the first E/A go down they stopped. Not one of the E/A got into effective range of the bombers. Yellow Leader then spotted an ME 109 at nine o'clock to us and started down after him. This Heinie was really racking his plane around the sky but Capt. Woody got many hits on the wing roots and around the canopy – more good shooting. Yellow Leader then pulled up, started a turn to the left and told me to take over the Flight because he was out of ammunition. I couldn't see this last E/A and still don't know what happened to him. I made a few turns, gaining altitude, then I spotted a lone ME 109 below me on the deck so I peeled off, got on his tail, waited till I got pretty close and opened fire. I observed many hits and he began smoking. I over ran him and Yellow 2, Lt. Boulet, got on his tail and got more hits on him. He over ran him also, and I got back on the 109's tail at close range and again opened fire. He jettisioned his canopy, looked around, (I was close enough to see the pilot clearly) pulled up to about 500 feet, rolled the plane over and tried to bail out. H is chute didn't open in time and he hit the ground close to where his plane crashed. I CLAIM THIS ME 109 – DESTROYED – shared with Lt. Boulet. We then started to climb back up. At about 8,000 feet I saw another ME 109 stooging around on the deck, so I went after this one. I closed to about 300 yards. He started to turn towards me; then I opened fire and got a few hits. He straightened out and I climbed right up his butt, shooting. As I pulled up to avoid hitting him he hit the ground and burne . I CLAIM THIS ME 109 – DESTROYED - 2 - Lt. Fortier I looked around and found that I was alone, but just then Capt . Woody called in another 109 (they really had them that day) circling the burning wreck of one of his buddies, so, thinking that Capt. Woody was with me, I bounced him. He was in a tight turn when I bounced and opened fire. I observed hits around the wing roots, then over ran him. I pulled up looked behind me and there was an ME 109 sitting on my tail, shooting away. I tightened the turn, but the 109 wouldn't fight. He dove away, and realizing I was low on gas and ammunition, and alone, I let him go and headed out. I CLAIM THIS ME 109 AS DAMAGED. I saw at least five small fires – burning planes – as I left.
NORMAN J. FORTIER , 1st Lt, A ir C orps . SUPPORTING STATEMENT "I was flying Falcon Yellow 4 when Lt Fortier called in an e/a at three o'clock low. The e/a broke for the deck upon seeing us and we followed him on down. Falcon Yellow Leader, Capt Woody, was out of ammunition having just destroyed five e/ a and Yellow 2, Lt Boulet, was leading . We followed the e/a down on the deck with Lt Fortier, Yello w 3, getting strikes on the e/a all the while. Lt Fortier then pulled up and Yellow 2, Lt Boulet, got a shot at the 109 . I again observed strikes on the e/a when he finally laid up on one wing. I wasn't in a position to observe where the e/a crashed. RICHARD G. CROSS, JR., 2nd Lt, Air Corps.
Official US Army Air Forces Combat Report by NORMAN FORTIER of the 355th Fighter Group. This material is a transcription of official reports-testimonials of NORMAN FORTIER's combat experience.
