WILLIAM OVERSTREET

C . 363rd Fighter Squadron , 357th Fighter Group D . 1 030 E . West of MERSEBURG F . 8/ 10 at 8,000 G . Me. 109 ; FW 190; Do. 217 H . Destroyed: In Air – One Me. 109; On ground – One FW 190. Damaged: On Ground – One FW 190 One Do. 217 I . I was flying Cement Red #3 and my wingman and I were making a pass on a large field. As we did a Me. 109 dove on us slightly to our right. I turned into him as soon as I was across the field and he was fairly close. He turned right also leaving me right behind him. Using the gyro gunsight I fired about 30 o deflection and got hits . I think the range was ab o ut 350 yards. I closed in still firing and hit his coolant. He dropped down right on the ground and as my wing was in the grass I had to pull up. Pieces of the 109 made holes in my canopy. The gyro gunsight (K-14) worked extremely well and I think was responsible for getting the hits at first. I claim one Me. 109 destroyed in the air J. Ammunition Expended : 727 rds. .50 cal MG. I was flying Cement Red #3 and my wingman and I were on the deck. I spotted a circular grass field with unidentified planes all around it. As I approached from the north I noticed a row of FW 190s to my right on a huge field apparently separate. I made a pass at it opening fire at probably 500 yards to scare gunners. After a short burst a 190 blew up in blue and white smoke. Then I put a long burst in a Do. 217, observing hits on fuselage, cockpit and engines. Most of the planes had their engines covered with canvass. I made another pass on the field from the opposite side , taking a long burst at the Do. 217 and even longer one at another FW 190. I observed many hits on both of these and as I passed the FW 190 its right landing gear collapsed. This airfield was at 5131 N; 1111E. I claim one FW 190 destroyed; one FW 190 damaged; one Do. 217 damaged. J. Ammunition Expended: 727 rds. .50 cal MG.