Robert Murrell

20th Fighter Group 12/02/1944

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PILOT’S PERSONAL ENCOUNTER REPORT

1st Lt. Robert E. Murrell

 

A. Combat.

B. 2 December 1944.

C. 77th Fighter Squadron, 20th Fighter Group.

D. 1250.

E. Vicinity of Koblenz.

F. Solid overcast – multi-layer of clouds.

G. FW-190.

H. One (1) FW-190 destroyed.

I.

“I, Lt. Robert E. Murrell, was flying the

position of #3 man in the leading flight.  At approximately 1250 hours, two gaggles of enemy fighters were sighted in area of Koblenz flying about 180° to our course and almost directly beneath us.  We dropped tanks and peeled off to attack them from six o’clock.  I met an element of two enemy FW-190s in a headon attack. They must have reversed their turn upon passing me because I next sighted them opposite me in a tight bank.  I turned inside them without any trouble and the wingman snapped out of control.  I stayed with the leader as he pulled streamers, rolled, looped, snapped, and tried to out turn my P-51.  He invariably snapped out of control every time he really tightened his turns up.  I fired two bursts at him from about 60° deflection but the effect of the G’s we were pulling must have thrown the shots behind him although I held a four radii lead for an estimated 400 MPH target.  Finally he pulled streamers at the bottom of an elongated loop and seemed to straightened out a little going up.  I think he must have blacked out right then and I scored many hits in his cockpit and just forward of the firewall into the engine as I fired long bursts from 200 yards at 20° deflection.  The ship began to flame immediately.  We were hanging by the propellors now and he fell off on his left wing going straight down.  I fired another long burst from 200 yards at 0° deflection into the flaming 190 and scored more hits.  He began smoking then and continued straight down out of control.  I think I must have shot the pilot because the canopy never opened and he didn’t try to leave the ship.  When I scored the hits I was holding about one and a half radii lead with a 100 mil sight.  Our altitude ranged from 20,000 feet to 10,000 feet and I trailed him down to about 5,000 feet before I left him.”

I Claim:  One (1) FW-190 destroyed.

              J.

1st Lt. Robert E. Murrell   44-11354   Lc-H    1244 rds 50 Caliber.

 

                                           ROBERT E. MURRELL,

                                           1st Lt., Air Corps.

 

                                                                                                                   JOSEPH R. GENEST,                                                       1st Lt., Air Corps,

Intelligence Officer.

 

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Official US Army Air Forces Combat Report by Robert Murrell of the 20th Fighter Group. This material is a transcription of official reports-testimonials of Robert Murrell's combat experience.

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  20th Fighter Group