ed ▁and ▁sp otted ▁a ▁small ▁ste amer ▁lay ing ▁off sh ore . ▁Gall and ▁ordered ▁a ▁st raf ing ▁run ▁which ▁expl oded ▁the ▁ship . ▁He ▁then ▁sp otted ▁another ▁vessel ▁which ▁tried ▁to ▁escape ▁north ▁but ▁was ▁also ▁s unk ▁by ▁st raf ing ▁gun fire . ▁He ▁claimed ▁his ▁ 1 5 th ▁aer ial ▁victory ▁on ▁ 2 7 ▁August ▁over ▁a ▁Sp it fire ▁from ▁the ▁No . ▁ 3 5 0 ▁( Bel g ian ) ▁Squadron . ▁ 5 . ▁Staff el ▁had ▁been ▁placed ▁on ▁co ck pit - read iness ▁and ▁was ▁sc ram bled ▁at ▁ 1 3 : 3 2 ▁to ▁intercept ▁the ▁incoming ▁f igh ters ▁approaching ▁at ▁low ▁alt itude . ▁Gall and ' s ▁oppon ent ▁was ▁shot ▁down ▁at ▁ 1 3 : 4 5 ▁north west ▁of ▁the ▁Som me ▁Est u ary . ▁The ▁next ▁day , ▁he ▁claimed ▁a ▁Royal ▁Canadian ▁Air ▁Force ▁( RC AF ) ▁Sp it fire ▁from ▁No . ▁ 4 0 1 ▁Squadron ▁east ▁of ▁Am iens . ▁ ▁The ▁United ▁States ▁Str ateg ic ▁Air ▁Forces ▁( USA AF ) ▁VIII ▁Bom ber ▁Command , ▁later ▁renamed ▁to ▁E ighth ▁Air ▁Force , ▁had ▁begun ▁its ▁regular ▁combat ▁operations ▁on ▁ 1 7 ▁August ▁ 1 9 4 2 . ▁On ▁ 5 ▁September , ▁VIII ▁Bom ber ▁Command ▁target ed ▁the ▁Port ▁of ▁Le ▁Hav re ▁and ▁the ▁S otte ville - lès - R ou