WWII Pilot Combat Report - Quince Brown

Quince Brown

78th Fighter Group 01/05/1944

84th FIGHTER SQUADRON 78th FIGHTER GROUP U.S. Field Order No. 213

Pilot: Lieut. Q. L. Brown Combat 5 January 1944 84th Fighter Squadron 1017 hours Near La Rochelle Clear, with slight ground haze ME 109 F/G One (1) ME 109 F/G destroyed I was leading Clinton Black Five Flight at 22,000 feet, escorting the bombers near La Rochelle. I saw two bandits at 15,000 feet, climbing toward the bombers. I made a 180 degree turn to the left and when about half way down, I saw two more e/a up ahead. They were ME 109's. When we were about half way to them, the leader of the e/a made about a 40 degree turn into us. And just before we were in range, both flights of the two broke left into us. I pulled deflection on the first e/a and gave him about a two-second burst. My range was about 350-200 yards with an angle off of about 40 degrees, with an indicated airspeed of about 350 MPH. These e/a were at 14,000-16,000 feet. I saw hits and flames all over the e/a. He flipped over to the left, out of control. While I was firing, the second e/a flew through my field of fire. I don't know whether I hit him or not. After the bounce, my flight headed for home together. Just about 25 miles northeast of Nantes, while I was flying at 18,000 feet, I saw a flight of about five to seven P-47's get bounced by e/a. One P-47 received hits. Most of the P-47's broke left, but one broke right and about four-five e/a followed him down, firing all the way down to the deck. The rest of the airplanes hit the deck. This was all that happened until we got to the coast where one e/a tried to bounce us from up sun. We dived for the clouds over the water at about 450 MPH, and he gave it up. I claim one (1) ME 109 destroyed.

QUINCE L. BROWN 1st Lieut. Air Corps.

Official US Army Air Forces Combat Report by Quince Brown of the 78th Fighter Group. This material is a transcription of official reports-testimonials of Quince Brown's combat experience.

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