LANGLEY AIR FORCE BASE, Va. –
On April 5, 1943, then-Capt. Darrell Welch led the 27th Fighter Squadron to intercept enemy transport planes flying supplies into North Africa World War II. During a 25 minute battle, he would have three confirmed kills and survive 10 hits to his P-38 Lightning.
Before the battle began, Mr. Welch flew alongside the 82nd Fighter Group's B-26s and P-38s, trying to intercept an armada of battleships. The 82nd FG attacked the ships once they were in visual range, while the 27th and the 71st Fighter Squadrons peeled away to begin their own intercept mission.
"Planes didn't have radar back in those days," said Mr. Welch.
He estimated the squadron's best chance of intercepting the planes, if they were flying at all, was between Sicily and Tunis.
As they flew Mr. Welch recalls seeing what looked like a swarm of locusts coming towards them. He estimated they had 50 Ju-52s and 25 escort aircraft, and lead the attack in his P-38 Lightning by knocking off the lead aircraft.
"Then we all went to work," Mr. Welch said.
The P-38 was a twin engine aircraft with four 50-caliber machine guns that fired tracer rounds and one 20 millimeter canon. The Ju-52s are transport planes with flexible 30 caliber machine guns.
"Of the estimated 75 aircraft, the major fight was with the 25 escorting fighters," said Mr. Welch. "The Ju-52s were just sitting ducks."
The pilots targeted the engines on the Ju-52s because the oil and gas was located there and would disable or destroy the aircraft if hit, Mr. Welch said. When firing at the Ju-52s, Mr. Welch said he would get his aircraft as close as possible and fire both the 50-caliber and 20 mm cannons in short bursts, allowing him to conserve ammunition.
"When you put that much firepower in a close proximity, it's going to tear things up," he said.
As he came in for a second pass he noticed tracer rounds coming from below him. Mr. Welch pulled away, just missing a collision with another P-38 firing at the same Ju-52.
"That beat me out of one victory!" he said.
Mr. Welch brought down several more enemy aircraft during the battle, although he would only be given credit for three kills that day.
During his final pass two Me-109s fired at him and struck the aircraft canopy, sending shrapnel of Plexiglas into his shoulder. Mr. Welch assumed a bullet had hit his shoulder.
"I didn't stop to render myself first aid, I was busy," he said with a laugh.
Mr. Welch had lost power to an engine, too, and could not outrun the enemy aircraft. His options were limited since he also could not out dive them with the Mediterranean Sea below, and if he turned they would have outflanked him and shot him down.
"Out of instinct I started dodging as much as I could," said Mr. Welch. "I would shove the stick forward, then back, to go up and down. Then I used full rudder on both sides to cause the plane to go left and right. This helped me not get hit as often."
Even with the dramatic maneuvering, Mr. Welch knew time was running short before the enemy hit something vital.
"I would either be blown up, burned or disabled," he said. "I knew it would take one more miracle to get me home."
Suddenly two P-38s with the B-26 escort appeared to be coming straight for him.
"People ask me if the P-38s knocked down the two Me-109s," he said. "I tell them I didn't wait around to see."
Editor's note: Mr. Welch returned home safely from his mission and went on to command the 27th FS and retired as a colonel. Mr. Welch was among several veterans honored at a ceremony at the Boo Williams Sportsplex as part of Hampton Roads Air Force Week activities.