Walter Cook

Combat 10 Oct. 1943 62 nd Fighter Squadron 1515 hours Vicinity Altenberge 2/10 cloud over target, hazy, visibility fair Me 210 One Me 210 claimed destroyed. "I was leading Red flight and we were joining up with the bombers, my flight being to the right of White Flight. White Leader dove under me, making an attack on an enemy aircraft, so I turned right and started down with the idea of giving him cover. While in the dive I saw four Fw 190's flying through about 20 P-47 's. Figuring that the enemy aircraft would be well take care of, I did a 180? and saw two Me 210's flying toward the bombers, on their left. I chased the one closest to the Forts and gave him a long burst from about 500 yards – held my fire and then opened up at 250 yards, closing to point blank range. During my attack I could see pieces flying off the right engine, the fuselage and wing roots. This was followed by a large flash of flame that nearly blinded me and huge pieces flew past me on both sides and above me. I then pulled up, rolled to the left, looked down and could see the following damage to the enemy aircraft: the left elevator was gone, the rudder had a large hole in the top, there was a large piece off the left wing (probably his flap and part of the wing root), the right engine cowling had been shot away and the trailing edge of the right wing was broken up. While I was noting all this his right engine started to burn and, as I started to make another pass at him, he turned gently to the left and went into a steep dive, trailing white smoke. After falling about 2,000', he went into a hard spin, exploded and a large flame about 300' high came up. I observed no chute nor was any of my fire returned by the rear gunner, if there was one . I did notice what were, apparently, rocket guns under the wings. I claim one Me 210 Destroyed." "I was flying Yellow Three and, as Yellow Leader pulled up, I saw a twin engine d ship below so Yellow Four & myself went down. About 800 yards away I began to see strikes all over the enemy aircraft, his right engine was smoking and then hi s left began to smoke. By this time I was nearly abreast of his attacker and could identify the letters on the P-47 as LM-W (Capt. Cook's). I saw that the Jerry was done for so I went after another twin-engine ship. He broke for the deck, however, and after following him to 20,000" I left him."