Quince Brown

84th Fighter Squadron 1045 hours Near Coesfield, Germany Visibilty good at altitude. 6-7/10ths low and middle cloud ME 109 and FW 190 One (1) FW 190 destroyed One (1) FW 290 destroyed I was flying Bayland Blue Leader, with "A" Group. We passed in behind the first box of bombers, which were ar about 25,000 feet. There was one Fort that had straggled behind at about 18,000 feet. I saw three unidentified airplanes that looked like they were making a pass at the Fort. We bounced them and they turned out to be P-47's. After that we zoomed back up to about 24,000 feet, staying with the straggling Fort. About that time, Lt. Pompetti, who was flying my Number Four position, called off a bandit making a pass at the straggler, who was under me. I made a turn to the right and dived down to about 18,000 feet. At this time I reported about 12 plus aircraft, and called for help to come down with us. I closed in at about 300 MPH and opened up at a range of about 350 yards. I kept firing until within 50 yards of e/a. I first saw strikes along each wing root and a few on the tail. At this time, the e/a put his nose down and I saw lots of strikes on the belly of the e/a. He was very badly afire when I pulled over the top of him. My Number Two wingman said that he started spinning and smoking very badly. He was a FW 190, and could have been a FW 290, because a FW 290 was flying up ahead of him to the starboard side, he had a little yellow on the vertical stabilizer. About this time two ME 109's bounced us from about five o'clock. We broke into them and then broke and went down. I saw a FW 290 getting ready to bounce a flight of four P-47's at about 19,000 feet so I made a sharp turn to the right and closed in without any trouble with about 45 inches Hg. I shot at him with an angle off of about 30 degrees, and gave him little over one full ring. At first I didn't see hits, but I held what lead I had and saw hits on the cowling, right wing and cockpit. The airplane was smoking and I could see flames pouring from vicinity of wing roots as he pulled up and to the right. Then the e/a started spinning out of control, spinning badly. After this we were bounced by two ME 109's from about six o'clock. We broke left and the two ME 109's started to bounce us again out of a zoom. So we broke right and then pulled up. Then Lieut. Fleming's flight broke right and down into the two ME 109's, causing them to break off and head down. We started for home at about 20,000 feet shortly after, setting course at position of one o'clock on the bombers. We were bounced again from six o'clock, high, by rwo ME 109's. We started our break and the e/a turned and went back inland. We were now in vicinity S/W of Nijmegen, Holland. My first combat took place near Coesfield, Germany. We crossed the Coast of Holland on the way out at 18,000 feet, indicating 300 MPH, near Haamstede. I claim one (1) FW 190 destroyed, and one (1) FW 290 destroyed. QUINCE L. BROWN 1st Lieut. Air Corps STATEMENT OF LIEUT. NORBERT

G. LENTZ I was flying in "A" Group, Bayland Blue Three - Lieut. Brown leading. We went by the bombers (B-17's) and turned left and approached them from about seven o'clock (The "Big Friends" were reported late before we sighted them and when we reached them, the time was approximately 1028 hours). Captain Cheney, Blue Two, reported "Bogies" at four o'clock. Our flight then started down to the right when they were identified as P-47's. The right turn was continued as we climbed when Lt. Pompetti, Blue Four, called off a bandit below and ahead of Lt. Brown. We went down, closing fast on a FW with a belly tank. Lt. Brown fired, well within range, and I saw strikes on the left wing, and then on the engine and cockpit. The FW produced a lot of flame. At this time (1045 hours), at 20,000 feet, there was another e/a to the right of the FW upon which I was closing. At the same instand I looked off to my right and there was a flight of three or four FW's (190's or 290's) flying tight formation.