Willie Jackson

A. Combat

b. 20 February 1944

c. 486th Fighter Squadron

d. Approximately 1520 hrs.

e. Vicinity – Charleroi at 10,000 to 20,000 feet.

f. Overcast 10/10. Top 5,000 – Bottom 2,000.

g. Me 109 G's

h. One (1) Me 109 Destroyed. One (1) Me 109 Damaged.

i. I was leading Handspun Sqdn. escorting the last few boxes coming out. Due to bomber boxes being scattered, our cover was thinly spread and broken up into individual flights. Our trip was uneventful until we had set courses for home and were crossing diagonally over a box of B-17s at 22,000 ft. I spotted 7 or 8 Me 109's to my right in close formation slightly below. We immediately wheeled to the right and then bounced from a wingover to the left. However, the Huns saw us and started a turn to the right. What advantage that we still had was reduced by someone shouting "Don't shoot—they are friends." Determined to identify, I picked out one Me 109 and pulled up behind him and to the outside of his turn. Seeing crosses on his wings, I got back behind him and gave him about a two second burst from 250 to 300 yds, and approximately 30° deflection. I saw some strikes on canopy and fuselage just aft of the cockpit. Since I was using ammunition load of 3 and 2, I probably got some unobserved strikes. I think that either the pilot or oxygen system was hit. The Hun then flipped over and down trailing smoke. My No. 2 saw him spinning into the overcast in flames. Seeing another Me 109 off to the left, I did not follow the first one down. The 2nd Hun was in a rather steep turn to the right. By getting lined up on him and pulling my nose thru to about 2 rings lead, I managed to give him 2 short squirts. He went into a very tight spiral to the right with white smoke or spray coming out. We were then at 10,000 ft, so I pulled up to 14,000 ft. and proceeded home. During this combat, I saw Lt. Cutler destroy an Me 109 and I saw one followed by Lt. Williams blow up and disintegrate. These Huns seemed eager to mix it up with us and only 1 or 2 finally broke for the deck. My No. 2, Lt. Brashear, did a superb piece of flying—stayed right with me the entire time and chased one Hun off my tail when I was engaged. I claim One (1) Me 109 G Destroyed. One (1) Me 109G Damaged. j. Ser No. of A/C: 42-8452 A/C Markings: PZ-J Ammunition Expended: 197 rds