I am having real problems with this story. I have found NO encounter reports for Obie O'Brien that day. I know he had no victories on March 5, 1944. I don't have access to my research library but it seems that Merle Olmsted said the Obie claimed a "damaged" FW-190 and then later upgraded to a "probably destroyed" claim on that day. Merle would not have written this in his books unless he had the encounter report or Obie told him this personally before he died. French WWII Historian Didier Fuentes is Merle's source for the claim (as for as I can tell from the short Yeager blurb on the Internet) that the FW-190 was piloted by Klotz and he said that the pilot jumped and his parachute did not open. That said, Obie NEVER mentioned shooting down Chuck's assailant in any interview I've heard even though they were good friends. Also, someone at the TOP of the Yeager movie hierarchy told me to dismiss ANYTHING I got from Didier Fuentes because so much of his history has been proven wrong. I smell a legend. I will have the complete 357th FG 6rd FS records from March 1944 if anyone wants a CD copy. Joey

Mike does anyone know how this was verified? I have been tasked to help find the site for the film crew but we can't find any RECORDS of the FW-190 crash to back up what Didier told Merle. No encounter report from O'Brien, no squadronmates confirmation on the attack on the FW-190, no interviews with O'Brien mention this. I'm not from Missouri but I am going to need proof. Unfortunately I do not have my French/German translator to translate Gilles' comments. Jo

Do you have this report? We need it now. Are you with Victoria and the General now? They were at the P-51B crash site the other day. The director said they were not sure where it was and I said well if it hit where they are filming then there are still pieces in the ground. That's when V told me they had the cockpit piece, the plane fragments, and the 50 cal. which should positively identify the plane by the gun's serial number. I could use any email you and your friends could send me in English. Attach it to emails if you can. Cheers. Jo

I sent it to your site. Jo

Gilles,
What evidence does Didier have to prove the crash happened and that the pilot who died was Irfried Klotz (who my research shows was killed at 22 years of age in 1943). As fact checker on the film, I want to help the director get this historically correct. If all we have is a story told to Merle by Fuentes and repeated throughout his books, then sorry, but without proof, it cannot be accepted as fact. Does Didier still have anything in the way of documents or eyewitness accounts (less important), or pieces of aircraft or, guns with serial numbers that match the Butcher Bird? The point is, my research has led to an encounter report by Obie O'Brien on March 5, 1944 that says his and Chuck's flight was jumped by 190s and were fired upon. He singled out one of the attackers and "damaged' this FW-190. Now considering that the Luftwaffe sites ringed Bordeaux, the damaged FW-190 could have just limped the few miles back to the nearest German base. I just have to have proof for the film. Cheers. Jo