ROBERT THOMPSON

A . Combat B . July 19 , 194 4 C . 3 5 8 t h F i gh t e r Sq uadron , APO 637 D . 0945 E . Augsburg Area F . 3-5 /10th s Cum ulus at 5 ,000' ; slight haze to 22,000' . G . Me 109 H . One Me 109 destroyed I . On July 19, 1944 I was flying Green four position in Bentley Sqdn. which was high cover for our group, escorting bombers. On the way to the target Green Three had oxygen trouble and fell out of formation. I stayed with him, while he fixed it. But by then we were separated from the rest of our Squadron, so we joined Custard Squadron of our Group. When we got to the target E/A were reported; first we couldn't see them, then I saw 4 ships that looked like they were attacking the bombers. My element leader and I turned in that direction, leaving the rest of the Squadron to go help the bombers. While we were climbing towards the bombers and dropping tanks we got mixed in with a lot of other P-51's that were circling the area and consequently got separated. I called and told my element leader that I could join someone else. About this time I saw an Me 109 make a pass on a box of bombers getting hits on one of them. When he broke off his attack he passed me going in the opposite direction. I made a sharp turn getting behind him. He must not have seen me because he pulled up into a long shallow climb straight ahead parallel to the bombers. When he reached the top of his climb he started a shallow turn to the left. By this time I had closed within firing range (app. 300 yds) and started firing. I didn't observe any results at first then I saw a small amount of white smoke stream out. His ship wobbled a little, then the canopy came off and the pilot stood up in the cockpit . (I was still shooting; must have forgotten to let the trigger go in the excitement). I think he must have been hit because some red spray came off of him. By this time I had passed his ship; and as I looked back I saw him clear the ship and the chute open. The ship wasn't smoking but it had a small flame coming out the right side. I turned and went back past the parachute. The pilot looked kind a bloody and was hanging limp with his head and arms down. All this time I had been keeping one eye to the rear as I was by myself again; but as I went past the parachute several P-51's bounced me from above so I turned into them, pulled up, got some altitude, joined a lone red nose P-51. We escorted the bombers on home. I claim one Me 109 d estroy ed.