The story
USAAF First Lieutenant William "Swede" Anderson of the 356th Fighter Squadron, 354th Fighter Group, returning to base after a ground-strafing sortie over France in his P-51B "Swede's Steed II" spotted, at about 2000 hours, a V1 Flying bomb and promptly shot it down. In doing so he became the first USAAF pilot to record a V1 kill. After landing the 23-year-old Anderson excitedly asked "How many 'Doodlebugs' make an ace?"
There's more to discover
You have arrived at just one small part of Back to Normandy — a personal project dedicated to preserving stories, images, music and memories of the Second World War.
Every record is a doorway to a larger story. Explore Back to Normandy to discover more, or visit Fred Vogels' personal website to learn about the person and the projects behind it.