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FReeper Canteen ~ Hall of the Heroes: James E Swett ~ April 14. 2008
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Posted on 04/13/2008 5:02:07 PM PDT by StarCMC

Our Troops Rock!  Thank you for all you do!
 
For the freedom you enjoyed yesterday... Thank the Veterans who served in The United States Armed Forces.
 
Looking forward to tomorrow's freedom? Support The United States Armed Forces Today!
 
 
~ Hall of Heroes ~

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

ArmyPatch small   NavySeal small   Air Force Seal   Marines Seal small   Coast Guard Seal small (better)
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!


TOPICS: Culture/Society; Extended News; Free Republic
KEYWORDS: freepercanteen; halloftheheroes; medalofhonor
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To: Allegra

Welcome back!!!


401 posted on 04/14/2008 7:02:37 AM PDT by NonValueAdded (Who Would Montgomery Brewster Choose?)
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To: NonValueAdded

Thank you! It is so great to be back!


402 posted on 04/14/2008 7:08:58 AM PDT by Allegra (Tehran delenda est)
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To: PROCON

Prayers up for your dear Mom. May she
be embraced in God’s healing mercy and
her docs blessed with wisdom and skill.


403 posted on 04/14/2008 7:19:17 AM PDT by STARWISE (They (Dims) think of this WOT as Bush's war, not America's war-RichardMiniter, respected OBL author)
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To: All

Good morning all


404 posted on 04/14/2008 7:24:01 AM PDT by Poetgal26 (God bless the US Military and our vets! (RIP Sgt Matthew Maupin))
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To: Kathy in Alaska

Thanks Kathy!!

{{HUGS}}


405 posted on 04/14/2008 7:35:40 AM PDT by blackie (Be Well~Be Armed~Be Safe~Molon Labe!)
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To: beachn4fun

406 posted on 04/14/2008 7:37:29 AM PDT by Sonora
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To: Kathy in Alaska


407 posted on 04/14/2008 7:45:11 AM PDT by Sonora
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To: Allegra

Yippee!!!
Welcome home!
*HUG*


408 posted on 04/14/2008 8:20:35 AM PDT by MS.BEHAVIN (Women who behave rarely make history)
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To: StarCMC; Mrs.Nooseman; Kathy in Alaska; beachn4fun; MountainFlower; tomkow6; bentfeather; ...
Gooood morning, Canteeners, Cubies, Newbies & Troops! Well, Hillary just gave Obama and the RNC some great photographic ammo! Wonder how long before someone catches her doing body shots? Have a great day, all!


409 posted on 04/14/2008 8:36:25 AM PDT by NRA1995 (Bill Clinton: HILLARY!'s other big ass)
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To: beachn4fun
GM, dear.

still in TX trying to straighten this MESS out. NO luck so far.

free dixie SMOOCH,sw

410 posted on 04/14/2008 9:23:04 AM PDT by stand watie (Resistance to tyrants is OBEDIENCE to God. Thomas Jefferson, 1804)
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To: E.G.C.

Good morning, E...((HUGS))...back to the grind at work. Have a good Monday.


411 posted on 04/14/2008 9:29:57 AM PDT by Kathy in Alaska (~ RIP Brian...heaven's gain...the Coast Guard lost a good one.~)
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To: StarCMC; Kathy in Alaska; LUV W; AZamericonnie; E.G.C.; All

Hello everyone!

I am looking for a video or radio copy of the speech by Winston Churchill which included the line “Never in the field of human conflict was so much owed by so many to so few.” If anyone can find it, would you please let me know...I will be happy to give you an email address for you to send it to, or if you can post it here, I would appreciate it!


412 posted on 04/14/2008 9:32:52 AM PDT by trussell (I carry because...When seconds count between life and death, the police are only minutes away)
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To: trussell

Just sent you some information via e-mail, Trussell. Hope it’s helpful. :D


413 posted on 04/14/2008 9:39:17 AM PDT by luvie (The Republican Party is strongest when it is fearlessly conservative! RL \:D/)
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To: trussell

((HUGS))Good morning, Trussell. How’s it going?


414 posted on 04/14/2008 9:42:38 AM PDT by E.G.C.
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To: LUV W

I’ll check it when I get home tonight. Thanks :)


415 posted on 04/14/2008 9:48:20 AM PDT by trussell (I carry because...When seconds count between life and death, the police are only minutes away)
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To: NRA1995; Radix; Old Sarge

I thought she was picking her nose. ROFL!

This one screams to have captions. Wish I was clever enough. Maybe Sarge or Radix can. :D


416 posted on 04/14/2008 9:48:31 AM PDT by luvie (The Republican Party is strongest when it is fearlessly conservative! RL \:D/)
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To: E.G.C.

Good morning E.G.C.
Hugs!!!
It’s going good...I’m at work, but it’s really slow in the office so I get to freep some :)

How are you and yours today?


417 posted on 04/14/2008 9:49:34 AM PDT by trussell (I carry because...When seconds count between life and death, the police are only minutes away)
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To: trussell

Okey-dokey! Have a great day! Heard you had a pretty cool
weekend! :D

Glad the snow is melted? I am sure there are some that are!


418 posted on 04/14/2008 9:51:55 AM PDT by luvie (The Republican Party is strongest when it is fearlessly conservative! RL \:D/)
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To: Allegra

WoooooHoooooo!!!

Glad you’re home and can’t wait to see you in less than 3 weeks!

We’re gonna have a blast....but I hope we do NOT see any
alligators! EEK!....unless they are dead alligators! :D


419 posted on 04/14/2008 9:53:37 AM PDT by luvie (The Republican Party is strongest when it is fearlessly conservative! RL \:D/)
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To: MS.BEHAVIN
Hey, you!

BOOO!

420 posted on 04/14/2008 9:54:42 AM PDT by luvie (The Republican Party is strongest when it is fearlessly conservative! RL \:D/)
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