ROBERT CHERRY

A. Combat.

b. 27 June 1944.

c. 62nd Fighter Squadron.

d. Approximately 2030 hours.

e. Vicinity La Perth e

f. 7/10 cloud at 7000 feet.

g. M e 109's .

h. One M e 109 claimed destroyed, and two Me 109's claimed damaged pending assessment. i . " On June 27th I was leading Red Flight on a dive bombing mission to La Perth e . As the first Squadron was bombing they were bounced by several M e 109's and Platform Leader went to help them. I started giving him cover but we were also hit by 15 plus 109's . We broke into them and I lost my number two man in the clouds. I fired at one but did not observe any strikes and he also got into the clouds. Just as we got away from them, eight more bounced us from the sun and we had to break again. I got on another but my element leader called for help and I left the Jerry and went to help him. As I got into position, one of the 109's broke off and the other followed. We made a few turns looking for some more business but couldn't find any until I spotted an e/a trying to get some altitude so I went after him. I out climbed and out turned him but he couldn't fire because of my low airspeed a nd he did a split - S. I followed him down and he tried to lose me by pulling up into the clouds, but I came out t he top going straight up with him in front of me. The range must have been about 500 yards but it was my only chance to fire so I took it. Again I observed no strikes and I fired until my air speed got down to 170 and then just followed him up. I got so close that I could see the pilot watching me but couldn't do anything about it. Just as I was about to stall out, the pilot bailed out and almost hit my plane as he went by. His plane dropped off and started down and I followed t o destroy it, but it disappeared so I pulled up and my flight joined me and we started home. I don't know how many I fired at but I am also c laiming 2 damage d pending assessment of the film. Lieutenant Van Noy also saw the pilot bailout . My No. 3 man did a very commendable job and was with me at all times . I claim one Me 109 destroyed; also two Me 109's damaged pending assessment of the combat film."