 Shortly after its transition to P-51's, Zemke made one of the first probable shoot–downs of a German jet fighter.Zemke achieved 2.5 kills while leading the 479th and was slated to become chief of staff of the 66th Fighter Wing.Unfortunately on a mission on October 30, 1944, while flying in unforecasted turbulence, the wing of Zemke's P-51 was torn off.