Ernest Beatie
4th Fighter Group 06/22/1943
FOURTH FIGHTER GROUPS (USAAF)
Intelligence Combat Report
FIELD ORDER NO 52
Pilot: 1st Lieut. Beatie
a) June 22, 1943
b) 335 Squadron
c) P-47d
d) 0920
e) Noord Beveland - Walcheren
f) Clear
g) 4 and 10
h) FW 190s and Me 109Gs
i) 25,000
j) 1 FW 190 destroyed
1 Me 109G destroyed
k) NIL
l) 1 P-47d Cat A
m) NIL
n) My squadron approached four Fortesses (stragglers) from their rear, approximately 5,000 feet above. Attacking them from the rear were four FW 190s. I dived into these four with my number two. I overshot the last 190 and attacked the one in front of him. I saw strikes and a big ball of black smoke as he snapped over and went straight down. I pulled around and up and blacked myself out. Lt. Ellington saw this 190 dive straight into the ground.
As I came to again I found myself in the middle of about ten Me 109s. Three went directly in front of me as I pulled over in a tight chandelle. I dove on the last of a line and got in a long burst. I saw strikes on his cockpit and he started over in a roll and went down. I followed him for a way until he started pulling up. I was very close to him and just pushing the firing button when he bailed out. I didn’t see his chute open as I was still in the middle of many Jerries, with two of them on my tail.
I dived for the deck as fast as possible with three and sometimes four trying to catch me. They were taking long distance shots at me and one hit me in the left wing, taking out my landing light and hydraulic lines. I went completely to the deck and started home.
I claim 1 FW 190 and 1 Me 109 destroyed.
E.D. BEATIE
1st Lieut., Air Corps
Paul M. Ellington
Confirmation
1st Lt., Air Corps
ARMAMENT REPORT
Name Aircraft Ammunition Used
E.D. Beatie WD-Z 47d-1- 905 Rds Combat
Am 50 Cal
Note:
2nd Lt. D. Tettemer of 62 Squadron, 56th Group at 0921 hrs sighted a chute opening at approximately 14,000 feet in the vicinity of Noord Beveland. He also saw an A/C descending to the S.W. in flames.
Combat Report by Ernest Beatie of the 4th Fighter Group
