Evening star., 1944-04-09
Gentle
Continued From First Page.

today are still to be formally con-
/ firmed.
Capt. Rickenbacker destroyed 26
enemy aircraft in the World War.
all in air combat, a mark which
was equalled by two Marine flyers in
the Pacific in this war.
Capt. Gentle got his five grounded
planes in sweep over Berlin. He
already had been credited with de-
struction of two other grounded
planes months ago.
Base Celebrates Record.
Confirmation of his claim came
shortly before he returned from
today's mission with q triple kill
to be guest of honor at celebration
at his base.
The days top scorer was 1t. Col. j.
Rau of Hampstead, N. Y, who
claimed five enemy planes destroyed.
Capt. Gentle was one of several
American fighter pilots claiming
triples as aerial fleets of fighter
escorted American heavy and
medium bombers ripped Bruns-
wick's plane factories and airdromes
in Northwestern Germany and
Belgium.
Marine Majs. Joe Foss of Sioux
Falls, S. Oak, and Gregory Pappy)
Boyington of Okanogan, Wash, who
now is missing in action, equalled
Capt. Rickenbacker's record. All
their kills were in air combat.
Capt. Gentle, a member of an
9th Air Force group. led a fighter
squadron which battled dozens of
German planes today in what he
described as "the toughest mission
I've ever experienced =
Blacked Out Several Tines
/ The action was so violent, he said,
THAT he blacked out Temporary
coma from sharp banking or diving
in a plane) several times but when
the fighting was over he had added
three more of Hitler's Focke-W -Wulf
1905 to his long list of kills.
I'VE found so to so Huns ripping
into the Liberators," said the former
member of the Raj Eagle Squadron
who transferred to the United States
Army Air Force in 1912 He added:
They were going through the
bombers in swarms as we neared
the target. I took a squadron and
pounced on the ferries. I picked
out a Focke- Wuf and went after
him. He gave me lot of trouble
and l had to break off the attack
because another one was attacking
Ime.
II got different one and he went
round and round He scared up
sun to escape, but I got in some
bursts and he Cthe German pilot)
bailed out.
Then I saw a Mustang and
Focke-Wulf 1870 fighting The
Focke-Wulf shot the Mustang down
I couldn't get up there soon
enough to help him. I followed the
Focke-Wulf all over creation, div
ing and twisting.
He made about three attacks
on me and then l was on him. I
got in some strikes and he bailed
out.
Mustanges Nearly Rammed Him.
Then l found four Focke-W -Wulf
1905 mixing it up with some Mus
tangS. l cut corner and got in on
one, but the Mustangs nearly
rammed me. I cut a corner again.
and he hit the ground and blew up"
Capt. Gentle began cutting
down the German Air Force in
August, 1912, when he shot down
two Germans during the attack
on Dieppe
He gives credit for most of his
successes to his wingmen. who COW
cred him during the missions, par
ticularly 1t. John T. Godfrey of
WoonSocket, R. l.. who has covered
his tail position in most of his
latest combats.
The way 1t. Godfrey has STAYED
with me in every maneuver has
made it possible for me to get the
kills I have" he said
Capt, Gentle began his flying
career at II when he started taking
lessons at the Greenville (OhioD
municipal airport.
He Joined the RAF on December
ID l94l. and was commissioned q
pilot officer. He transferred TO the