Peter Pompetti

84 th Fighter Squadron 1020 hours Near Didam, Holland Clear – visibility unlimited FW 190 and ME 109 (1) ME 109 destroyed. (1) ME 109 probably destroyed, pending film assessment I was flying Bayland Blue Three, leading Second Element in Lieut. Silsby's flight. We followed course well beyond R/V point. We saw Bombers on our left, about nine o'clock, at approximately 24,000'. We were at 28,000', indicating 220 MPH. We made a turn to the left behind the Bombers, sticking with eight ship flights close together. After making several turns behind the Bombers, Lieut. Silsby made a pass at two below. This was in neighborhood of Varseveld, Holland, at about 25,000' down to 18,000'. He took the one on the left, and I took the one on the right; both were ME 109's. We came down and in trail. They saw us and broke sharp left and toward us. I took down a short burst at mine to distract him. I don't think I had enough deflection. Lieut. Silsby was also firing. They then turned over and went down. We got in string again and gained some altitude. While climbing to about 23,000', a FW 190, with underside all Canary Yellow, came up vertically between Lieut. Hunt and myself. Lt. Hunt was Number 2 man to Lieut. Silsby. I called for them to break. They did. The FW 190 did a flip-over and started down after I committed myself for attack. I called my wingman to follow him, and he did. I fell in behind to act as cover. When the FW got too low, I called my wingman to break up, and get altitude. He did this and I then took over lead. We had gotten down to 15,000', regaining altitude to 21,000'. Lieut. Silsby and his Wingman were nowhere in sight. I started to climb with my Wingman. I missed my Wingman and called him – no answer. I continued to climb and found three ME 109's in vee formation at 25,000'. At their altitude I levelled off and gained on them. I started firing at the leader and the one on right wing broke and went down. After firing several bursts, he turned over on his back and I continued firing. He seemed to just hang there. I then broke in behind the third, who was much closer, and fired several short bursts in trail. His left wing then dropped. I continued closing up in trail, firing continuously until at approximately 50 yards range. I observed smoke pouring out of his right side, and wing root and pieces flying off. I believe the pilot was dead because he took no evasive action at all. I then broke up to avoid collision and started to climb for altitude. This part of the engagement must have taken place over , or near Didam, Holland. Knowing that I was alone, I figured this to be my best bet. I started from 20,000' and got up to 32,000' full power, climbing at 190 MPH, about 1500 to 2,000' climb per minute. All this time I was behind the Bombers. I now decided to pass them on the left. While climbing to left of the Bombers I could see plenty of FW 190's around me, lining up for passes at the Forts. Believing that I was out of ammunition, I called the FW 190's to my Squadron, Leader and continued climbing. The FW 190's around me did not make a pass. I levelled off at 32,000', pulled back RPM and manifold pressure and headed west. I was still deep in Holland. I continued at 32,000' on a westerly course and came out over Schouwen Island. After crossing the Dutch Coast, I lost altitude at 500' per minute. About 15 miles off the Coast at about 28,000' I saw four to six bogies in a Luffberry to the left. North of me and about West of Overflaake Island. They pointed their noses at me some distance off. I believed them to be FW 190's looking for stragglers. I then dropped my nose and easily out-distanced them. They turned inland. I continued on my way home, nothing else coming up. The e/a seemed to be flying in pairs and fours straggling all over the sky. As we made the turn to pick up the Bombers, I observed a straggler being attacked by several e/a. The Bomber peeled off and went down with about six parachutes opening up. Later on, along the route another Bomber was seen to break away from their formation and go down. No parachutes were observed. All along the route in and out there was flak, accurate for altitude but not position. Flak was heaviest over Germany. Some of the FW 190's had Yellow Tails as well as Yellow Undersides. The ME 109's had gun bulges outboard of propeller arc. Four of my guns had stoppage after first bursts. The other four guns fired all ammunition. I claim (1) ME 109 Destroyed and (1) ME 109 probably destroyed, pending film assessment.