Three typed American combat reports from WWII, each signed by the associated fighter pilot, one page, all marked "Confidential," including: a report signed "Philip J. Beisner," September 23, 1944, in part: "I was flying Yellow Two at approximately 12,000 feet when we started down after an Me-109 that had bounced Red Flight…to my left I saw a P-38, one engine smoking, being followed by an Me-109…I then dove down on the Me-109…I commenced firing at an estimated 400 yards…I closed rapidly, firing all the time, until within 100 yards of the E/A. Numerous strikes were observed and pieces flew off the wings and fuselage…As I went by I observed an explosion which appeared to be back of the engine. This was the last I saw of this Me-109"; a report signed "Charles Ready Jr.," October 22, 1944, in part: "We ran into 25 plus FW 190's at 20,000 feet 15 miles Southeast of Bonn at 1615. They came down through us and I stayed with Elwood leader to protect his tail…We turned into them and I waited until the last man came down. I started to cut him off, then decided to make a head-on pass just to scare him. I had a dead shot, pressed a short burst, but did not see any strikes. As he came by me, wing tip to wing tip, he bailed out. I claim this aircraft destroyed. I then turned to see where the rest had gone, and I saw several 190's flying around. I got on one's tail, and I chased him so fast that I just got a very short burst at him; I saw strikes. He was going straight down at the time and I didn't follow…About this time I saw a P-47 (Lt. Riddell) with a FW 190 right on his tail…I dove in and opened fire, out of range, to scare him off his tail. My tracers went in front of the German and he flicked and spun about 600 feet into the ground. I saw him crash and burn"; and a report signed "William B. Thompson," October 23, 1944, in part: "Our top-cover bounced the E/A's and they immediately S'd for the deck, our squadron gave chase. I picked out the first one I saw which was on a P-47's tail…I was able to fire only an occasional burst all the while we were getting lower, the Jerry seemed as if her were stalling out…He made about a 3/4 split S and dove straight into the ground and exploded. I climbed back up and bounced another FW 190…I chased him down from about 5000 ft in a sort of a steep spiral…I also fired several bursts…finally he split S'd at a very low altitude and crashed and blew up…Both of these ships definitely blew when they crashed, neither pilot jumped and they definitely rode the ships in." In overall fine condition, with small tears to corners.
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