FReeper Canteen ~ Hall of the Heroes: James E Swett ~ April 14. 2008

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[StarCMC]

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~ Hall of Heroes ~

COL James E Swett
All info and photos from this website.

           

Born on June 15, 1920 in Seattle, Washington, James E. Swett graduated from the San Mateo (California) High School and enrolled at the College of San Mateo in 1939. He earned a private pilot’s license, which amounted to 450 more hours of flying than he received during his Navy flight training. He enlisted in the U.S. Naval Reserve as a seaman second class on August 26, 1941, and started flight training in September.

In early 1942, he completed flight training and finished in the top ten percent of his class. He was given the option to choose between a commission in the Marine Corps or the Navy, and he chose the Marine Corps. He was commissioned as a second lieutenant at NAS Corpus Christi, Texas, on April 1, 1942. He continued his advanced flight training, first at Quantico, Virginia, then Lake Michigan, became carrier qualified aboard the USS Wolverine, and finally received his wings at San Diego, California. In December, 1942, he shipped out to the Southwest Pacific, and when he arrived at Guadalcanal and was assigned to VMF-221, which was part of Marine Air Group 12.

On April 7, 1943, on his first combat mission, Swett both became an ace and acted with such "conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty" that he would be awarded the Medal of Honor.^[2][3]

His first mission was as a division leader on a combat air patrol over the Russell Islands early on the morning of April 7 in expectation of a large Japanese air attack. Landing to refuel, the four plane division of F4F Wildcats he was leading was scrambled after other aircraft reported 150 planes approaching Ironbottom Sound, and intercepted a large formation of Japanese Aichi D3A dive bombers attacking Tulagi harbor.^[2]

When the fight became a general melee, Swett pursued three Vals diving on the harbor. After shooting down two, and while taken under fire from the rear gunner of the third, the left wing of his F4F was holed by U.S. antiaircraft fire directed at the Japanese. Despite this he shot down the third Val and turned toward a second formation of six Vals leaving the area.

Swett repeatly attacked the line of dive bombers, downing each in turn with short bursts. He brought down four and was attacking a fifth when his ammunition was depleted and he had his cockpit shot up by return fire. Wounded, he decided to ditch his damaged fighter off the coast of Florida Island. Though initially trapped in his cockpit, Swett extricated himself and was subsequently rescued in Tulagi harbor after crash-landing his Wildcat. This feat made the 22-year old Marine aviator an ace on his first combat mission.

After a short stay in a Naval hospital, Swett returned to Guadalcanal and learned that Admiral Marc Mitscher had nominated him for the Medal of Honor. After a short rest in Australia, Swett checked out in the Vought F4U Corsair to which VMF-221 was converting and moved to a new base in the Russells. Promoted to captain, Swett covered the Rendova landings on June 30, 1943, adding 2 Mitsubishi G4M Betty medium bombers to his score and sharing the downing of a Mitsubishi A6M Zero.

Eleven days later, near the island of New Georgia, Swett knocked down two more Bettys. Seeing his wingman's Corsair under attack, he also shot down a Zero. However, he failed to see a second Zero and was himself shot down. He was rescued by indigious tribal members in a canoe and traveled by 10-man canoe for several hours to an Australian coast watcher's location. A PBY flying boat returned Swett to the Russells. In October 1943, over the major Japanese airbase at Kahili, Bougainville, Swett added one confirmed Zero and one probable, but lost his wingman. In November, he added to his list of kills 2 more Vals and a possible Kawasaki Ki-61 Tony, a new Japanese fighter.

On December 11, Swett returned to the United States on a Dutch motor ship, arriving in San Francisco on New Years Eve. After less than 24 hours, he shipped out to San Diego, where he was granted 30 days leave and married Lois Anderson, his long time sweetheart. Swett was then transferred to NAS Santa Barbara, California, where he worked up a newly manned VMF 221 in the Corsair.

Now carrier-qualified and assigned to the USS Bunker Hill, Swett flew 2 strikes over Japan and then supported the landings at Iwo Jima and the operations on Okinawa. On May 11, 1945, he shot down a Yokosuka D4Y Judy kamikaze he described as a "sitting duck". Swett watched from the air as the Bunker Hill was struck by two kamikazes, causing such damage that he was forced to land on another carrier.

Swett later returned to the States and was assigned to MCAS El Toro, California, where he began to train for Operation Olympic, the invasion of Japan. At war's end, VMF 221 was second in aerial victories among Marines Corps squadrons with 185 enemy planes downed. Swett's combat record includes had 103 combat missions, 15.5 confirmed victories and 4 probables. He earned 2 Purple Hearts, eight Distinguished Flying Crosses, and the Medal of Honor.

Swett commanded VMF-141 flying Corsairs at NAS Alameda, California, following the end of World War II. After the onset of the Korean War his squadron was deployed to Korea, but he was left behind because the Navy thought putting a Medal of Honor recipient in combat was too risky. Swett left active duty and continued service in the Marine Corps Reserve, retiring in 1970 in the rank of colonel.^[4]

He worked in his father's company in San Francisco, making marine pumps and turbines. In 1960, after his father's death, Swett took over the company and ran it for 23 years, before passing it on to his son. Semi-retired, he is a frequent speaker at schools, where he shares his strong feelings about the values of respect and responsibility.

In 2006, Swett's Medal of Honor action was recreated using computer graphics for The History Channel series Dogfights and Swett himself provided commentary. The episode first aired on 24 November 2006.

 

 

The President of the United States takes pleasure in presenting the MEDAL OF HONOR to FIRST LIEUTENANT JAMES E. SWETT
UNITED STATES MARINE CORPS RESERVE

for service as set forth in the following CITATION:

For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty, as a division leader in Marine Fighting Squadron TWO TWENTY-ONE in action against enemy Japanese aerial forces in the Solomon Islands Area, April 7, 1943. In a daring flight to intercept a wave of 150 Japanese planes, First Lieutenant Swett unhesitatingly hurled his four-plane division into action against a formation of fifteen enemy bombers and during his dive personally exploded three hostile planes in mid-air with accurate and deadly fire. Although separated from his division while clearing the heavy concentration of anti-aircraft fire, he boldly attacked six enemy bombers, engaged the first four in turn, and unaided, shot them down in flames. Exhausting his ammunition as he closed the fifth Japanese bomber, he relentlessly drove his attack against terrific opposition which partially disabled his engine, shattered the windscreen and slashed his face. In spite of this, he brought his battered plane down with skillful precision in the water off Tulagi without further injury. The superb airmanship and tenacious fighting spirit which enabled First Lieutenant Swett to destroy seven enemy bombers in a single flight were in keeping with the highest traditions of the United States Naval Service.^[3]

/S/ FRANKLIN D. ROOSEVELT  

Please remember the Canteen is here to honor, support and entertain our troops and their families.  This is a politics-free zone!  Thanks for helping us in our mission!

[Kathy in Alaska]

Good morning, Pusterfuss...((HUGS))...33 here with possible flurries. Have a great Monday.

[Kathy in Alaska]

Good morning fellow cubevillians!

[Kathy in Alaska]

God bless and keep safe our troops worldwide.

Good night.

Statler Brothers ~ How Great Thou Art

[E.G.C.]

((HUGS))Morning, Kathy. How's it going?

A very pleasant good morning to everyone at the Canteen and to all our military at home and abroad. Thanks for your service to our country.

[E.G.C.]

BTTT

[E.G.C.]

BTTT

[E.G.C.]

((HUGS))Morning, Star. How’s it going?

[GulfWar1Vet]

I did. Have a great week!

[GulfWar1Vet]

You too, Kathy!

[beachn4fun]

Good morning, Everyone. Good morning to our

Military, our Allies, and their families. THANK YOU for all you do.

Thank you, Star, for preparing the Canteen for today’s activities.

DC Metroland weather report

~ Today.....Partly cloudy. High 54F. Winds N at 5 to 10 mph.

~ Tonight..... Some clouds this evening will give way to mainly clear skies overnight. Low 36F. Winds N at 5 to 10 mph

Boy, this is one Monday I'm glad to be back at work. Had a very busy weekend. The weather was really nice with really warm temps. I managed to get a little rest yesterday because we actually opted for take out so I didn't have to cook dinner.

This week I will be around but probably doing more lurking than participating because I go on travel next week. This means I have a lot to do this week to get ready for that as well as making sure there is nothing left on my desk.

One good thing is that I won't have to get up at 0430 next week. Bad news is that I'll probably be a night owl that week. I may not have time to get on FR in the mornings. Plus, Mr. Beachy is going with me this year and after work we'll probably do some walking, which leaves evenings to get on FR. Since I will be in Colorado, that means - night owl!

First thing on my plate is a 9:30 meeting this morning.

So, after my initial good mornings, I'll probably disappear for a while.

Time for me to make my rounds. But, you stay right where you are. Don't touch that dial. Don't change that channel. Put down that remote. Don't leave the room. Keep your eyes on your monitor. Cause...............I'll be bock!

Now remember, the Canteen is

So, come on in and sit for a while. There's always plenty of coffee, pancakes, conversation, silliness, and plain old BS

REMEMBER THEM

DEFENDERS OF FREEDOM

FR CANTEEN MISSION STATEMENT

Showing support and boosting the morale of our military and our allied military and the family members of the above. Honoring those who have served before.

[beachn4fun]

Good morning and (((HUGS))) EG. A little birdie told me you were having a birthday

[mylife]

Pookie 18's Toons 4/14/08

[beachn4fun]

Good morning, GW1V

[beachn4fun]

Good morning, My

Thanks for the link to Pookie’s toons.

Are you early these days or am I late?

[E.G.C.]

((HUGS))Morning, Beach.

Thanks for the belated birthday wishes. Yes yesterday was my birthday.

We had a frost this morning. It got down into the lower 30's.

I've got some washing ofclothes to do. I'll also be doing some mowing today or tommorow. It's growing with the warm weather.

[beachn4fun]

Did you do anything special on your birthday?

[mylife]

neither, I’m late.

gotta head to work. CYA

[MEG33]

BRRRR...I finally turned on the heat..It's 35 this morning...
(((HUGS)))

[E.G.C.]

No, we didn't do anything special. other than eat some great food from KFC for supper.

I did get a lot of snail mail, e-mail and telephone birthday greetings from family member.

All-in-all it was a great birthday.

Always glad to spend it with family and friends here at FR and outside the computer.

((HUGS))Morning, MEG33. How's it going?

[MEG33]

Glad you enjoyed your birthday!(((Hugs)))