CONFIDENTIAL

 

373RD FIGHTER GROUP

412TH FIGHTER SQUADRON

APO 151, US ARMY
24 DECEMBER 1944

A)

COMBAT

B)

23 DECEMBER 1944

C)

412TH FIGHTER SQUADRON, 373RD FIGHTER GROUP

D)

1500 - 1520 HOURS.

E)

VICINITY OF EUSKIRCHEN

F)

CAVU.

G)

E/A - ME-109.

H)

ONE ME-109 DESTROYED.

I)

     I WAS TURMOIL YELLOW LEADER. MY FLIGHT BROKE INTO A

GROUP OF ME-109'S AND CLIMBED TO COMBAT. I MADE A SLIGHT

TURN CLIMBING TO THE LEFT. DURING THIS TIME THE E/A

BOUNCED THE FLIGHT ABOVE AND AHEAD OF ME. A SAW A ME-109

ON THE TAIL OF A P-47. THE P-47 EXECUTED A SLOW ROLL FOR

EVASIVE ACTION AND THE E/A OVERSHOT. AT THIS TIME I WAS

IN POSITION TO FIRE. I GAVE HIM A SHORT BURST AND HE HIT

THE DECK.DURING THIS DIVE I OBSERVED MANY STRIKES ON HIS

PLANE. SHORTLY THEREAFTER HE JETTISONED HIS CANOPY AND

BAILED OUT. I SAW THE SHIP CRASH. I, ALSO, OBSERVED THE

ENEMY PILOT'S PARACHUTE. I THEN MADE A FORTY-FIVE DEGREE

TURN TO THE RIGHT AND JOINED RED #2 WHO WAS IN TROUBLE.

    I CLAIM ONE ME-109 DESTROYED.

PAUL J. WALSH

1ST LIEUT, AIR CORPS.


 

 

 


Declassified
On public record at the National Archives
Courtesy of David Schwartz - Nephew of 373rd CO (15 Aug 43 - 17 Nov 44) William  H. Schwartz, Jr.

click here for photocopy of source document



Return to home page 412th Wolf patch

last update: 25 Apr 09

 

412th Squadron patch image courtesy of Bruce Lowell and Bob Colangelo.