Clay – Anderson First 344th Kill of ME 109
From Dec. 1990 Milk Run-
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BOMBER COMMANDS FIRST KILL BY 344TH
“On 24 May 1944, we were assigned an airdrome at Denain which we attacked with good results. On this mission, Captain Lucius Clay, Group Operations, was piloting one of the aircraft and developed trouble with his ship making it necessary to turn around shortly after entering enemy landfall. While over the channel a short distance from the enemy shore his ship was attacked by an enemy ME 109 fighter plane which approached him from below at 6 o’clock in a steep climbing maneuver to effect surprise.
This predator however, was met with a hail of 50 caliber bullets from the Alert tail gunner, S/Sgt George Anderson who stated his burst shattered the rudder of the attacked causing him to wing over out of control. Gunner Anderson continued to fire while in range, and the MF 109 was last seen to be diving out of control and disappeared into the thick haze below as the troubled Marauder limped away. The first “kill” was registered by bomber command for the 344th Bomb Group.” (from microfilm history, 1 pg. 1293)
The following is a synopsis of the information found in reel B0289 regarding this incident regarding the first fighter shot down by the 344th BG and includes images of the actual documents- Carl Carrozza.
Clay – Anderson First 344th Kill of ME 109. The following is a summary:
The plane aborted and was returning to base. Tail gunner, S/Sgt. G.R. Anderson, phoned pilot who started the plane into a dive as soon as enemy aircraft was neared. An enemy aircraft came off the channel out of the haze, in a steep climb and closed to 450 yds. Fired 5 bursts (gunner could not estimate the number fired in each burst and believed it to be cannon fire.) The broke away at 300yds. The tail gunner opened fire at 450yds with 5 long bursts. The enemy aircraft was struck at 300yds.In empennage. The plane slowed down and fell over on its right wing, then the empennage came off and the plane began to smoke. Then the enemy aircraft went into a spin and disappeared into the haze. The enemy fire missed our ship. The enemy ship was dark with a dirty white underside. E.F. Drummend, turret gunner, verified the E/A began to smoke and fell into the haze out of control.
The interrogator, 1st Lt. C.G. Etter determined that the E/A was destroyed.
- Time & Place: 18:54.5 to 18:57 — Over English Channel 51˚10’N – 2˚20’E to 51˚12’N – 2˚12’E
- Aircraft: Marauder and one ME 109
- Event: E/A attacked from low off the channel out of the haze in a steep climb at 5 o’clock and closed in to 450yds. E/A fired five bursts. The tail gunner Could not estimate the number of rounds in each burst and believed same to be cannon fire. The tail gunner opened fire at 450yds with five long bursts for a total of 900 rounds and struck the E/A at 300yds in the empennage. The E/A slowed down, fell over on the right wing then empennage came off and the plane began to smoke then went into spin and disappeared at 5 o’clock into haze estimated to be at 3000’ when last seen.
- The Marauder was put into a dive to gain speed (lost 1000’ per min.)
- Hazy- Viz. 4 miles
- Turret gunner saw E/A smoking and falling into haze out of control.
- This Marauder aborted and was returning to home base alone with high blower out.
- This was on abortive ship returning unescorted after engine malfunction.
Combat Form
May 24,1944 Airdrome Denain Cambrai
344th BG 495th BS Formation position 2-2-4
Plane probably 42-95909 Deke’s Defiant / The Buzzard Y5-G
Over channel by 18:54:30 at 11,000 ft
Interr Form
T/O 17:39 Land 19:15
Aborted due to failure of high blower in left engine losing power.
Carried 8 x 500lb bombs that were returned
