USA - LEINWEBER Gerald F

LEINWEBER Gerald F "Jerry"

Grade	Date	Unités		Arrivée	Départ	Fonction	Secteur
Slt	194?		USAAF	194?	194?	Elève Pilote	Etats-Unis
Lt	194?		USAAF	194?	04/43	Pilote	Etats-Unis
Cpt	194?		38 FS / 55 FG	05/43	05/44	Pilote	Grande Bretagne
			USAAF	05/44	1945	Pilote	Etats-Unis

Officier de l'USAAF, Gerald Leinweber s'engage à Houston, au Texas. Affecté au 38th Fighter Squadron / 55th Fighter Group le 22 mai 1943, il effectue un tour d'opérations complet et réalise 57 missions de combat dont 5 au cours desquelles il conduit le Group dans son intégralité. Dévénu officier des opérations du Squadron, il remporte une victoire en combat aérien en novembre et quitte l'unité le 15 mai 1944.

Appareil assigné : P-38J / CG-U / "Texas Rebel"

55th Fighter Group

38th Fighter Squadron

Traducteur / Translator / Traduttore / übersetzer / vertaler

LEINWEBER Gerald F (Cpt) O-659473

Distinguished Flying Cross (One oak leaf cluster)
Air Medal (3 oak leaf cluster)
European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal
World War II Victory Medal

Objectifs terrestres
.

Avions détruits au sol

As we were about to leave the Rotterdam area at 23,000 ft. with the box of B-24's and their stragglers, I was leading Swindle Blue flight when a B-17 at about 12,000 ft. was sighted to our portside shooting green flares. The B-17 was being attacked from the rear by about 5 E/A. I spiraled down to the port side into the sun. Upon completing the spiral I was directly behind E/A some 1,000 yards astern. The sun being directly behind us made our attack a complete surprise. I waited until dead astern of E/A, and when he filled better than 1/3 of my sight I began to fire, and continued to fire until I almost collided. While still about 200 yards away I began to see results. E/A half rolled and engine exploded on left side of engine amid a sheet of flame and smoke. No other results were noted by me. Lt. Wyche noted smoke and flames and pieces flying off while E/A was headed down. Lt. Steiner and F/O Fisher also made these same observations. Cannon fired only one round - short round caused jam.

G. F. LEINWEBER
1st Lieut., Air Corps.

STATEMENT

I was No. 3 position in Lt. Leinweber's flight when he closed on E/A from dead astern. I saw flame leap from the engine, then it started to smoke. It looked like small pieces were coming off of the E/A around the motor. He half rolled and was still burning and smoking on the way down. We broke to the left and I did not see him after that.

D. L. STEINER,
2nd Lieut., Air Corps.

STATEMENT

I was about four ships back when first the E/A came into my sight. Lt. Leinweber came up behind him and closed very close, firing all the time. The E/A then snapped on his back and split S'd, black smoke was trailing him down. That was the last I saw of him.

D. D. FISHER,
F/O, Air Corps.

Sources

STARS & BARS - Frank Olynyk - Grub Street Editions
http://www.station131.co.uk/55th/Pilots/38th%20Pilots/Leinweber%20Gerald%20F%20Capt.htm

[1914 - 1918]	[1918 - 1939]	Liens	Mon ciel de Gloire		Exploits	[1939 - 1945]	[1945 - 2006]
Grades	Décorations	Contact	News	Forum	Musée	Unités	Batailles

Victoires	1	.	o	Collaboration
Probables	o	.	o	Collaboration
Non confirmées	o	.	o	Collaboration
Endommagés	o	.	o	Collaboration
Objectifs terrestres .
Avions détruits au sol	-	.	-	Endommagés au sol
Blindés	-	.	-	Véhicules
Locomotives	-	.	-	Bateaux

VICTOIRES
Date	Heure	Revendic	Type	Unité	Avion d'arme	Unité	Lieu		Référence
05.11.43		Détruit	Me 109		P-38	38 FS / 55 FG	Rotterdam	1	(Cpt) Leinweber Gerald F
As we were about to leave the Rotterdam area at 23,000 ft. with the box of B-24's and their stragglers, I was leading Swindle Blue flight when a B-17 at about 12,000 ft. was sighted to our portside shooting green flares. The B-17 was being attacked from the rear by about 5 E/A. I spiraled down to the port side into the sun. Upon completing the spiral I was directly behind E/A some 1,000 yards astern. The sun being directly behind us made our attack a complete surprise. I waited until dead astern of E/A, and when he filled better than 1/3 of my sight I began to fire, and continued to fire until I almost collided. While still about 200 yards away I began to see results. E/A half rolled and engine exploded on left side of engine amid a sheet of flame and smoke. No other results were noted by me. Lt. Wyche noted smoke and flames and pieces flying off while E/A was headed down. Lt. Steiner and F/O Fisher also made these same observations. Cannon fired only one round - short round caused jam. G. F. LEINWEBER 1st Lieut., Air Corps. STATEMENT I was No. 3 position in Lt. Leinweber's flight when he closed on E/A from dead astern. I saw flame leap from the engine, then it started to smoke. It looked like small pieces were coming off of the E/A around the motor. He half rolled and was still burning and smoking on the way down. We broke to the left and I did not see him after that. D. L. STEINER, 2nd Lieut., Air Corps. STATEMENT I was about four ships back when first the E/A came into my sight. Lt. Leinweber came up behind him and closed very close, firing all the time. The E/A then snapped on his back and split S'd, black smoke was trailing him down. That was the last I saw of him. D. D. FISHER, F/O, Air Corps.

[1914 - 1918]	[1918 - 1939]	Liens	Mon ciel de Gloire		Exploits	[1939 - 1945]	[1945 - 2006]
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