Peter Pompetti

Pilot: F/O Peter

E. Pompetti Combat 27 September 1943 84 th Fighter Squadron 1015 hours N-N/W of Emden, Germany, extending north of Frisian Islands Visibility good – some low cloud ME 109 and ME 110 One (1) ME 109 destroyed – One (1) ME 110 destroyed I was flying Bayland Blue Two on Captain Stump's wing. We made r/v with the bombers at 30,000 feet over the target. E/a were lining up and attacking the bombers from all directions. Captain followed the leading flights around for a while before sighting a ME 109 at nine o'clock at 26,000 feet. We dove to attack. I was behind and slightly to the left of Captain Stump. We closed rapidly, and Captain Stump fired at a range of 50-100 yards. He was getting strikes on the left wing but he over ran before he could make the kill and had to pull up. I was in good position for a shot with about 5-15 degree deflection at 150 yards range. I fired and saw strikes on the left wing, the cockpit and engine. The engine caught fire and was smoking heavily. The canopy and pieces from the top and bottom of the fuselage came off. I broke up and rejoined Captain Stump at 28,000 feet. While our Flight was regaining altitude an ME 109 bounced us from down sun, singling out Captain Stump. He broke left and I took a squirt at the e/a as he went in front of me. It was a 60-70 degree deflection shot and I observed nothing. The e/a broke away and down. We reassembled our Flight. Captain Stump then sighted another ME 109 at 24,000 feet and twelve o'clock on us. We dove, coming in behind and slightly below this e/a. The e/a didn't see us coming. Captain Stump pulled up and opened fire at 250 yards. I saw him getting strikes across the left wing, cockpit and engine. Fire and smoke broke out, and the e/a blew up around the cockpit and engine. Our Flight then pulled up. At 25,000 feet a ME 109 made a bounce on Captain Stump from four o'locl. We broke left and the e/a immediately dove to the deck. A little later another ME 109 bounced me from three o'clock high. I was flying on Captain Stump's left wing. I broke sharply left and called to Captain Stump to get on the e/a's tail, while I led him in a Luffberry. We were now at 20,000 feet. I was indicating 180 MPH. in the turn and the Hun was firing even though he was not able to turn tight enough to get proper deflection. Meanwhile Lieut. Dougherty, flying No. 4 position, cut in front of the e/a and made a quartering pass on him. After three of four 360 degree turn, the e/a broke down with Lieut. Dougherty following him. We were down to about 16,000 feet by this time so we pulled up. Lt. Dougherty was no longer with us. While climbing and heading for home, six ME 109's passed over Captain Stump. The last e/a saw Captain Stump and got on his tail at 20,000 feet. Captain Stump broke sharply left, half rolled and went straight down. I gave the e/a several squirts at a wide deflection with plenty of lead. He immediately half rolled and then rolled back one quarter of a turn and followed Captain Stump straight down. I followed the e/a down. Capt. Stump broke up at 15,000 feet, but the ea kept going down. I was forced to follow him a little lower because I couldn't pull out right away. I pulled up at about 12,000 feet. I formed up with Captain Stump and his No. 3 man in a Vee and headed for home. We saw the bombers in front of us at 16,000-17,000 feet. One was straggling and behind him was a ME 110. Captain Stump fell in behind e/a at 1,500 yards. The e/a turned slightly right and Captain Stump started to cut him off. The e/a then turned left, and I was now in a good position for a shot. The e/a then turned left, and I was now in a good position for a shot. Captain Stump called for me to take him while he and the No. 3 man covered me. I cut off the e/a in the left turn, and when he straightened out, I was slightly below with 15 degree deflection. I gave him several bursts and saw strikes on the left engine and cockpit. He was burning and smoking and pieces were falling off. I was very close. I cut my throttle and pulled above and slightly to the right of him. I could see everything very clearly because I was about 25 feet away. In the back cockpit I could see two light machine guns on a swivel. I saw a yellow back cushion. There was no one in the cockpit, unless he was on the floor. I could see the pilot. He was hunched over the stick. I could see only his back and his head, indicating that he was probably dead. He had on a "Mae West" similar to the type worn by English pilots, and a black helmet. The e/a was headed down and making no attempt to evade or get back to land. Our three-ship Flight then headed for home, landing at Coltishall. Most of the e/a encountered were ME 109's, but we did see a ME 110,mone FW 190 and some JU 88's. Some of the ME 109's had bulges under the wings. Nothing new in camouflage or markings were seen. The enemy fighters numbered about 100, and were persistent in their attacks on both the bombers and our fighters. I saw two B-17's go down in the target area when we first r/v'd with them. After we had r/v'd with bombers they left the target area in a n-n/w direction going out to sea. All our combats took place in the general area between Emden and area north of the Frisian Islands. I claim one ME 109 and one ME 110 destroyed.