▁after ▁transition ▁training ▁in ▁the ▁P - 4 7 ▁Th under bol t ▁at ▁R AF ▁At ch am , ▁he ▁was ▁assigned ▁to ▁the ▁ 4 th ▁F ighter ▁Group , ▁based ▁at ▁R AF ▁Deb den , ▁as ▁a ▁member ▁of ▁the ▁ 3 3 6 th ▁F ighter ▁Squadron . ▁G arrison ' s ▁first ▁combat ▁mission ▁came ▁on ▁October ▁ 4 , ▁ 1 9 4 3 . ▁The ▁ 4 th ▁F ighter ▁Group ▁was ▁assigned ▁to ▁support ▁a ▁task ▁force ▁of ▁ 3 rd ▁Bomb ▁Division ▁B - 1 7 s ▁on ▁its ▁withdraw al ▁after ▁bomb ing ▁Frankfurt ▁am ▁Main , ▁Germany . ▁It ▁proceeded ▁to ▁the ▁rende z vous - point ▁at ▁E up en , ▁Belg ium , ▁but ▁could ▁find ▁no ▁bom bers , ▁remained ▁in ▁the ▁vic inity ▁for ▁ 1 6 ▁minutes , ▁and ▁then ▁with d rew . ▁ ▁G arrison ▁recorded ▁his ▁first ▁combat ▁victory ▁returning ▁from ▁a ▁bom ber ▁withdraw al ▁support ▁mission ▁to ▁Bre men ▁on ▁December ▁ 1 6 , ▁ 1 9 4 3 . ▁In ▁exception ally ▁bad ▁winter ▁weather ▁conditions , ▁he ▁shared ▁credit ▁for ▁shooting ▁down ▁a ▁J unk ers ▁Ju ▁ 8 8 ▁f ighter ▁over ▁the ▁German - D utch ▁border ▁with ▁Don ▁Gent ile ▁and ▁Louis ▁Nor ley . ▁ ▁A ▁month ▁later , ▁on ▁January ▁ 1 4 , ▁ 1 9 4 4 , ▁he ▁down ed ▁two ▁F ock e - W ulf ▁F w ▁