 There was some confusion over the circumstance of Specht 's death . Lt. Melvin Paisley and his wingman Flight Officer Dave Johnson were flying 366th FG P @-@ 47s ; Johnson shot down two German fighters before his aircraft was heavily damaged from return fire . Bailing out , he landed in a field near Asch . A Bf 109 he had shot down had belly landed close by and Johnson rode a borrowed bicycle over to inspect it . The aircraft was intact but the pilot was dead . Johnson took the pilot 's identification card and gun and rode back to base . The identification card identified the pilot as an Oberstleutnant ( Lt Colonel ) ; however , the card actually belonged to Oberleutnant ( German : Oberleutnant ) August Engel of 8 Staffel . 
