Date of Action: December 4, 2009
Base of Operations: A10
Division Assignment: Eisenach

VMF-251 took off at 2303 from A10 with 7 Bf-109G-14s, assigned to cover the city of Eisenach alongside Rolling Thunder and JG27. Squadron began climb to altitude and split up by flights:

Red Flight
Lt. Col. Wyatt
2nd Lt. Millsaps
1st Lt. Roche
1st Lt. Norwood Bodie

Squadron set up patrol in SW of base between gaps in radar coverage and climbed to altitude. Heavy wind sheers presented difficulty gaining sufficient altitude to patrol sector.

Sporadic contact made with enemy aircraft west of objective identified as probably fighter sweep. VMF-251 vectored north from patrol area to investigate. Spotted formation off 1 o'clock position level. Alert on base to west prompted squadron to search in that direction for enemy bombers, however alert was canceled and warnings from defense over city warned of fighters making jabo runs on objective.

Squadron pushed hard to return to target area and arrived about 2335. Wyatt ordered squadron to engage.

Wyatt shot down P-51 at 2337, Trol another at 2338. Wyatt shot down second Mustang at 2340. Bodie shot down 2343 and Roche and Wyatt at 2344. Trol claime dP-51 at 0015. Remainder of squadron regrouped and rearmed by 0023 before returning to patrol.

Lane crashed at 0023. Sidle and Trol crashed 0034. Millsaps bailed out 0045.