Robert Church
4th Fighter Group 03/29/1944
HEADQUARTERS
FOURTH FIGHTER GROUP
A.P.O. 637 U.S. ARMY
PILOTS PERSONAL COMBAT REPORT
VIII Fighter Command F.O. 284
A. Combat
B. 29 March, 1944
C. 335th Fighter Squadron
D. Approx. 1410 to 1420 hours
E. 15 Miles N.E. of Gifhorn, Germany
F. 6/10 cloud at 15,000 feet
G. Me-109
H. One Me-109 Destroyed
I. I was flying as Greenbelt Blue 3 giving support to the last box of the first task force when our section spotted 8-10 Me-109’s at 26,000 feet working into position, about 3,000 feet above, to attack the rear of the rear box. We turned into them and jettisoned our tanks. We were still turning when an Me-109 broke through in front of me and headed for the bottom section and the last B-17 on the starboard side. I broke into him but he was about 1000 yds. in front of me. I opened up everything and slowly closed on him. When I was about 700 yards behind him, he started evasive action by going up and down. I gave a few squirts of about one half second as he started up or down. When he got within range of the B-17, he leveled out and fired. I then began firing again and observed strikes and fire around the wing roots. He then pulled up and I got strikes on the fuselage near the cockpit. I think I killed the pilot as his nose dropped sharply and he dove straight down, pouring smoke and was on fire. Capt. Hively of 334th observed this combat.
A/C Used: P-51B 7NA 43-6784
Ammunition used: 530 rnds. 50 Cal. A.P.I. & T.
ROBERT C. CHURCH,
1ST Lt., Air Corps
Official US Army Air Forces Combat Report by Robert Church of the 4th Fighter Group. This material is a transcription of official reports-testimonials of Robert Church's combat experience.
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