Stuart Getz
56th Fighter Group 09/21/1944
HEADQUARTERS SIXTY FIRST FIGHTER SQUADRON
AAF STATION F-150, APO 558
U. S. ARMY
ENCOUNTER REPORT
VIII Fighter Command F.O. No. 582
1st Lt. Stuart H. Getz
Whippet White Three
a. Combat (air)
b. 21 September, 1944
c. 61st Fighter Squadron, 56th Fighter Group
d. 1515 hours
e. 10 miles East of Deventer, Holland
f. Ground haze, broken overcast 5,000 ft. in vicinity
g. FW-190’s
h. One FW-190 destroyed (shared with Lt. Osborne) in air.
i. I was flying Whippet White 3 with Major Gladych leading the squadron. We were operating under M.E.W. control and had no business (until we let down through the thin overcast and haze. Almost immediately some 18-20 FW-190’s were spotted and most of them engaged by the lead squadron (Col. Schilling’s). Two 190’s were sighted speeding away from the fracas on the deck, and White flight set sail for them. When we were about a mile away, one of them pulled up to the left and I called saying my element would engage him.
He turned sharply into us with nearly a 1,000 ft. advantage still climbing frantically and I had to pull up nearly vertically to get a burst in. We then went round and round nearly three complete turns during which time I got in two long bursts from 110° to 60°deflection observing strikes the length of the fuselage and several into the cockpit. Several pieces were knocked off and his canopy either blown off or jettisoned. He then lost his head (figuratively) as well as the desire to fight and when Lt. Osborne sliced down and got many strikes all over his a/c which I observed, he either bailed out or fell out (no chute was seen to open) and his a/c spiraled tightly down to crash and exploded.
I claim one FW-190 destroyed (in the air) shared with Lt. Osborne.
j. 1925 rds .50 cal A.P.I.
STUART H. GETZ,
1st Lt., Air Corps.
For confirmation see Encounter Reports of Lt. Kyler and Lt. Osborne.
Reg. No.
-
56D-188B
See Encounter Report of Capt. J.R. Carter
Reg. No.
56D-213-J
Official US Army Air Forces Combat Report by Stuart Getz of the 56th Fighter Group. This material is a transcription of official reports-testimonials of Stuart Getz's combat experience.
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