Robert Woody

355th Fighter Group 04/24/1944


ENCOUNTER REPORT

  1. COMBAT

  2. 24 April, 1944

  3. 354th Fighter Squadron, 355 Fighter Group, AAF Station F-122, APO 637, U.S. Army

  4. About 1345

  5. Southeast of Munich near Rogoersdorf.

  6. CAVU

  7. Combat with 6 ME 109’s

  8. 4 ME 109s – DESTROYED; 1 ME 109 DESTROYED (shared with Lt. Boulet); 1 ME 109 – DAMAGED.

        I was leading Falcon Yellow Flight. We made R/V with the bombers at about 1335 and were flying at about 23,000 feet with the main box of B/F. About 10 minutes later Yellow 2 received a call from a box of bombers and reported that they were screaming for help. Yellow 3 then called and said that a small box of B/F was being attacked about 3 o’clock to us. We immediately turned toward this box under attack.

        While we were still some distance from the bombers I saw one of them explode and go down so I gave my ship full throttle and in the process of catching up with the bombers I looked around to size up the situation. I observed 15 or 20 contrails at about 28,000 feet, 5,000 feet above us and I also saw approximately 8 e/a going through the bomber formation. As we were drawing closer I saw a second bombor (sic) go spiraling down with about 4 or 5 chutes popping out behind him. I was getting mad as hell at the Jerries by this time.

        We were approaching the bombers from about 9 o’clock at their level and were just about 3,000 yards away from them when I saw one lone e/a playing around near or the rear of the bombers. I also saw five more e/a which I identify as Me 109s at 1 o’clock to me making a pass from 8 o’clock to the bombers in line abreast formation with the leader evidently slightly ahead and to the left so I made a slight left turn and came out behind the “tail end Charlie” who was furthest on the right. I waited until I was about 300 yards dead astern of him before I opened fire. I gave hm a good burst and saw my strikes immediately all over his fuselage and wing root. The e/a began pouring out black smoke, shuddered as he was hit by the concentration of my fire and fell off on his left wing going almost straight down and burning.

        I had expected the other four e/a to break as soon as I shot their “tail end Charlie” down but they evidently were intent on getting the bombers and didn’t notice my attack so I moved up on the next e/a. We were now about 1200 yards from the bombers and I knew the bombers could shoot at me if I followed the e/a through their formation but that was a chance I had to take. I quickly squared away dead astern of him about 275 yards away and gave him a good burst. My hits around the fuselage and wing roots just about tore the e/a apart. He too shook violently then began pouring dense black smoke and the a/c lazily fell off on its left wing and slowly fell off going into a spin.  There was no question in my mind but that my guns were well bore-sighted and that I was hitting with all four guns. It may be boastful to say but I honestly believe that this pilot was definitely killed instantly as was the one I mentioned above and the others to follow.

        I lined up on the third e/a. By this time I had gradually closed to about 250 yards and my burst, again from dead astern hit in exactly the same spots as the two prior e/a. I saw a lot of small pieces fall off the e/a from around his cockpit and it began spewing coolant and the black smoke again began to pour both from the cockpit and all around the fuselage. He fell off and went spinning down.

        By this time we were only about 800 yards from the bombers and the high contrails had disappeared so I began to worry a little. I quickly slid in behind No. 4 and opened up on him from dead astern and a range of approximately 225 yards. This one also lit up like a Christmas tree with parts flying off. His coolant shot back all around me and in the midst of it I could see the dense black smoke. He went spinning down also.

        I pulled up about 200 yards behind the sole remaining e/a, again got the bead on him and observed strikes concentrated in the fuselage and wing roots. Black smoke, oil and coolant poured out, his oil covering my windscreen and canopy. The e/a went straight down and undoubtedly the pilot never knew what happened to him. Before I had fired at this e/a Lt. Boulet, my wingman, had lined him up and according to his own report had given it a good burst.**

        After shooting down these five e/a I made a turn to get away from the bombers and I then spotted a lone ME 109 coming in from about 10 o’clock at the same level. I turned into him and he started down in a spiral. I turned on the inside of him and gave him a short burst with good deflection, seeing my hits strike on his wings and fuselage but I ran out of ammunition, Damnit. The e/a then rolled over and hit for the deck.

         I pulled up to reform my flight, calling my No. 3 man, Lt. Fortier, to take over. He took over the flight and I fell into No. 4 position. I saw him go after an ME 109 on the deck firing at it from about 300 yards. I saw this ME 109 crash in flames.

        Several other 109s appeared but as I was out of ammunition I felt I would be more of a liability than an asset to the flight—all I did was keep turning into the e/a and causing them to break and hit the deck.

        I have done a lot of skeet shooting but never did I see clay pigeons put on a better exhibition than these 109s.

ROBERT E. WOODY              

Capt, Air Corps.

 


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


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