Raymond Campbell

356th Fighter Group 12/05/1944


361st FIGHTER SQUADRON

OFFICE OF THE INTELLIGENCE OFFICER

APO 557                         AAF STATION 369

                                                                    7 December 1944

PERSONAL COMBAT REPORT

FIELD ORDER 1374A

RAYMOND H. CAMPBELL, 2nd Lt., ASN 0-716056                  CHINWAG 65

a.       Combat.

b.       5 December 1944.

c.       361st Fighter Squadron, 356th Fighter Group.

d.       Approximately 1105 to 1120 hours.

e.       Northeast of BERLIN, EBERSWALDE area.

f.        Thin high cirrus at 27,000 feet, lower broken strato cumulus, 7/10ths, at about 18,000 feet.  Visibility horizontally excellent in combat area.

g.       75 FW 190s.

h.      Two FW 190s DESTROYED.

i.        I was flying CHINWAG WHITE 3 on the mission of 5 December 1944.  We sighted approximately 75 FW 190s northeast of BERLIN.  We went in on a bounce from out of the sun, I followed WHITE LEADER into the general melee and picked out a 190 for attack.  I came in at 10º deflection closing until I was dead astern and almost on top of him.  I observed many strikes on the fuselage and wing roots.  Smoke and fire belched forth from the E/A and rolling over it started down burning.  The last I saw of this FW 190, it was in a dive and burning furiously.

I claim ONE FW 190 DESTROYED.  (See Combat Report by Lt. Burdick, 7 December 1944, for confirmation of claim.

Then I saw cannon fire bursting alongside my fuselage and my wingman, Lt. Burdick, called me to break left.  I broke upwards and looking back again, only saw my wingman, Lt. Burdick.  I then made a pass on two FW 190s but lost them and my wingman in the clouds.  I fired at both but make no claim pending assessment of my combat film.

As I pulled out of the clouds, I sighted a P-51 being chased by a FW 190.  I started a pass on this FW but before reading firing range a second FW pulled up on his wing.  At slight deflection I opened fire on this zero range, about 25 yards, and let him have a burst.  This FW caught on fire and headed straight down.  I did a semi split-S to follow but broke off when he entered the clouds, still burning.  Just before the FW entered the clouds he jettisoned his canopy.

I claim ONE FW 190 DESTROYED.

I could not avoid the clouds and after a few hectic minutes I broke out at 200 feet.  I climbed back up to 20,000 feet and joined up with three P-51s of the 364th Group.  One of the other pilots developed oxygen trouble so we let down to the deck.  We were fired on by flak from several unidentified places but sustained no damage.  We landed at A-92, refueled and then came back to England.

My claims are:  TWO FW 190s DESTROYED.

j.        1340 rounds fired, API.

                                                          RAYMOND H. CAMPBELL,

                                                          2nd Lt., Air Corps.


Official US Army Air Forces Combat Report by Raymond Campbell of the 356th Fighter Group. This material is a transcription of official reports-testimonials of Raymond Campbell's combat experience.

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Raymond Campbell: Personnel File

Combat Reports

Raymond Campbell's official WW2 combat report of 12/05/1944

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