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Statement:
Our Flight was Vectrie Blue, and Lt HUNSBERGER was flying in 2 position.
As we made our left turn towards Etampes, at 1500, to begin our armed
reconnaissance, Lt HUNSBERGER called telling of trouble with his
propeller. He was unable to hold his altitude and position so I took the
remainder of the flight down and asked him, over the radio, more about
his trouble. It was inevitable that he could not continue to fly back to
friendly territory so I instructed him to belly it in adjacent to the
largest wooded area in the vicinity. The terrain was very flat and there
were good fields to land in all directions. I lost sight of his ship at
about 2000 feet because of the haze, and instructed my second element to
give me top cover while I attempt to re-locate him. As I was searching
for him I called for his position to which he answered that he was on
the ground and all right. I then called him to abandon his ship and run
away from that area to which he responded "Roger". Very
shortly after that I spotted his ship, by a reflection from the sun,
about three miles to the south. The airplane had made a normal belly
landing, with its belly tank a short ways behind it. I immediately
buzzed it and saw no one in it and noticed his parachute and some flying
gear in the cockpit. After a second look, in the same manner, I made a
third pass and fired a short burst about 50 yards short of the plane,
and rocked my wings violently to warn several farmers or peasants that
had congregated on a road nearby, in front of a farmhouse. On my next
pass I fired about 80 rounds into the ship and it was burning fiercely
when I left. I was unable to pinpoint the exact of the landing but
believe it to be in the vicinity of Mervielliers. I saw a person running
toward the farm house when I buzzed the plane and believe that it was Lt
HUNSBERGER. Elbridge
C. BATES. Capt. A.C.
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