When our group first started operations from North Africa, we found the German fighter pilots skillful and aggressive. My very first raid over Sardinia a batch of fifteen ME-109s staged a running battle with us for thirty-five minutes. They fearlessly bored into us from head on in a vain attempt to break up out formation. We shot down a couple of them, without losing any of our planes, but they sure shot us full of holes. I know I was plenty scared.

But since the fall of Tunisia the Germans haven't been the same. One day just before the invasion of Sicily we sent waves of bombers over Sicilian airdromes. Our first formation was jumped by about 100 Messershmitts. They outnumbered us, but they weren't much good, thirty-five out of the hundred were shot down for sure, plus some probables. The rest of that day we didn't get a bit of opposition.

The German pilots don't have near as much guts nowadays. They don't try to break up out flights any more. They just wait for stragglers. When the odds are ten to one in their favor, the Jerries will jump you. It happened to me one day. An engine was shot out over Naples on July 17, and we had to drop behind. The Jerries hit us then, but our escort took care of them. That was the last time I saw a Messerschmitt.

Since then we've been bombing railroads and bridges in Southern Italy that are vital for supplying the German in Sicily, but we haven't met with any fighters or flak. We call it a milk run. The other day we went after an airfield near Naples. The fighters had to come up then. But they were scared to get within range of us. They'd make one pass at us from below and get out of there as fast as they could. At that, we shot down seven of them and the Lightnings got some more.

Some friends of mine fly P-40s, a good plane but not our best. A couple of weeks ago they knocked down seventeen out of twenty-five of the best Jerry could put up in Sardinia. Three days later they destroyed twenty-one out of thirty. Not a single P-40 was lost.

If you ask me, the German airforce ain't what it used to be. We've solved everything they've got, and we've shot down many of their best pilots.

Their tactics are not as skillful, their aggressiveness is less, and they steer clear of us unless the odds are definitely in their favor. We've lost much of the respect we had for the Luftwaffe when we started combat operations.

Editor's Note: On 17 July 1943, Captain Miller's Martin B-26 Marauder was hit by anti-aircraft fire while on a mission to strike Naples, Italy. The blast severely damaged the right wing, knocking out both the right engine and the ship's hydraulic system. From an altitude of 11,000 feet, Miller put his the defensive guns. Miller finally managed to maintain level flight at 4,000 feet and turned south towards North Africa. Miller's crew discussed bailing out rather than flying several hours over open water back to Africa. Miller convinced them that trying to get back to their home base was a more viable option as compared to bailing out and almost certain capture.

With no defensive armament the slow flying Marauder was easy prey for German fighters and soon came under attack. However, a group Lockheed P38 Lightnings, which showed up to escort Miller and his crew back home, promptly chased off these aggressors.

It took two and a half hours to get back to North Africa. Due to the B-26's shot up hydraulic system, Miller was unable to lower the landing gear and simply bellied in near Tunis. It should be pointed out that many critics of the B-26 Marauder claimed it would fly for only a short time on one engine. Captin Miller obviously disproved this theory. The following is Captain Miller's citation awarded 12 October 1943.

SUBJECT: Citation
TO: Captain Curtis A. Miller, 4415` Bombardment Squadron, 320' Bombardment Group.

You have distinguished yourself by displaying heroism and outstanding professional skill as a pilot of a B-26 type aircraft in the North Africa Theatre of Operations. While over Naples on 17 April 1943, the intense anti-aircraft fire badly damaged the right engine and hydraulic system of your plane. Your intrepid confidence prevailed over the desire of the crew to parachute out over enemy waters, and, by superb endurance and heroic determination you skillfully kept your plane aloft for two and a half hours before making a perfect crash landing near Tunis. Your courageous regard for the welfare of your crew and your keen sense of duty have reflected great credit upon yourself and the Armed Forces of the United States.

This citation will become a part of the officer's permanent record.

J.H. Doolittle
Major General, USA,
Commanding

Article used by permission:
Logbook Aviation History

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