Robert Kurtz

355th Fighter Group 04/08/1944

C O N F I D E N T I A L C O N F I D E N T I A L THREE HUNDRED FIFTY FOURTH FIGHTER SQUADRON THREE HUNDRED FIFTY FIFTH FIGHTER GROUP AAF STATION F-122, APO 637 * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * ENCOUNTER REPORT * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

A. Combat

B. 8 April, 1944.

C. 354 th Fighter Squadron, 355 th Fighter Group

D. 1405 hours.

E. Sachau A/D – Gardeleger

F. CAVU, slight ground haze.

G. ME 109 – COMBAT

H. One ME 109 – DESTROYED - Shared with Lt.

H. W. Brown.

I. I was leading Haywood Green Flight on the Mission of April 8 th . Soon after we made R/V with our bombers north east of Hanover, I saw several fighters diving through the rear of the bombers. I was about to take my Flight over to that point, but just at that moment a very large formation of E/A's was reported to be ahead of us, headed for the bombers and the Group Leader called for Haywood Squadron to continue with him intact, to engage this force. Right after that Lt. Brown, my No. 3 man, called and told me to break right. His message was badly garbled and I broke left, not hearing the "right". As soon as I broke I saw an ME 109 with belly tank about 1000 yards to my rear, break simultaneously with me and head for the deck – this was at an altitude of 20,000 feet. This maneuver of his put m e on his tail, and I chased him, out of range but closing all the time, to 5,000 ft. where he suddenly appeared to decelerate his speed very rapidly, much more so then I could. I over ran him then and could just give him a short squirt as I went by. I then put down 10 degrees of flaps and got into a left hand Luftberry, losing altitude slightly all the time. I had no trouble out-turning this ship and gave him several bursts at quite a deflection. Lt. Brown came up and joined the fight from my left and underneath and fired a burst, which exploded the ME 109's belly tank, after that the ME 109 straightened out and headed down at a shallow angle. I pulled in dead astern of him and fired a very long burst, closing to about 50 yards. During this time, Lt. Brown was evidently directly underneath me, also firing. While we were both firing, I saw pieces fly off the 109 and it began smoking badly and went straight into the ground at a steep angle. CLAIM: One ME 109 – DESTROYED – shared with Lt. Brown

ROBERT G. KURTZ, Captain, Air Corps.

Official US Army Air Forces Combat Report by Robert Kurtz of the 355th Fighter Group. This material is a transcription of official reports-testimonials of Robert Kurtz's combat experience.

Robert Kurtz

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