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FReeper Canteen ~ Hall of Heroes: James E. Swett ~ February 2, 2009
Serving The Best Troops and Veterans In The World | StarCMC and Hammy

Posted on 02/01/2009 5:00:01 PM PST by Kathy in Alaska


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 ~

James E. Swett

Info from this website.

ArmyPatch small   NavySeal small   Air Force Seal   Marines Seal small   Coast Guard Seal small (better)
James Elms Swett (June 15, 1920 – January 18, 2009) was a United States Marine Corps fighter pilot and ace[1] during World War II. He was awarded the United States' highest military decoration— the Medal of Honor — for actions while a division flight leader in VMF-221 over Guadalcanal on April 7, 1943.

Subsequently he downed a total of 15.5 enemy aircraft during the war.



Biography

Born on June 15, 1920 in Seattle, Washington, James E. Swett graduated from San Mateo High School, San Mateo, California, 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.


 Service in World War II

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.

Medal of Honor action

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.

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.

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, after it became clear that his oil cooler had been hit and he would not make it back to base. After a few seconds of further flight, his engine seized, and despite initially being 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.




 Further combat service

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 Year's 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.
Post-war service

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.

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. In retirement, he became a frequent speaker at schools, where he shared 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 November 24, 2006.  Swett moved to Redding, California in 2007 where he died, January 18, 2009, in a Redding hospital from heart failure after a lengthy illness.
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.
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: canteen; military; troopsupport
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To: NRA1995; MarineBrat; skimask


61 posted on 02/01/2009 7:10:35 PM PST by Kathy in Alaska (~ RIP Brian...heaven's gain...the Coast Guard lost a good one.~)
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To: Old Sarge; TASMANIANRED

Hope the phone dosen't ring and y'all can catch up on your rest.

You guys have been thru' the Wringer!!! . . . ;-)


62 posted on 02/01/2009 7:11:12 PM PST by HopeandGlory (Hey, Liberals . . . PC died on 9/11 . . . GET USED TO IT!!!)
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To: Kathy in Alaska

We just switched to a new system, too.
It’s turning our Sr. Managers into timekeeping clerks.
In your case, I think that would be a good thing. Maybe your managers would start doing a better job of making sure the input is correct.
Of course, that wouldn’t help the training rate issue.


63 posted on 02/01/2009 7:12:22 PM PST by HiJinx (~ Support our Troops ~ www.americasupportsyou.mil ~)
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To: HopeandGlory; TASMANIANRED

Not so bad with heat and Internet.

How’s things down your way, Red?


64 posted on 02/01/2009 7:13:17 PM PST by Old Sarge (Obama Dozed, People Froze)
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To: Kathy in Alaska

Thanks for posting this, Kathy.


65 posted on 02/01/2009 7:18:44 PM PST by zot
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To: All


Kate Smith ~ God Bless America


66 posted on 02/01/2009 7:20:41 PM PST by Kathy in Alaska (~ RIP Brian...heaven's gain...the Coast Guard lost a good one.~)
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To: GreyFriar

Thanks for the ping. It is certainly fitting to have this posted here.


67 posted on 02/01/2009 7:21:18 PM PST by zot
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To: HiJinx

Hope your team wins.


68 posted on 02/01/2009 7:24:05 PM PST by TASMANIANRED (TAZ:Untamed, Unpredictable, Uninhibited.)
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To: HiJinx

Pretty thrilling.


69 posted on 02/01/2009 7:24:24 PM PST by TASMANIANRED (TAZ:Untamed, Unpredictable, Uninhibited.)
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To: HiJinx

The high of the day.

If I weren’t already home, I’d write.


70 posted on 02/01/2009 7:25:01 PM PST by TASMANIANRED (TAZ:Untamed, Unpredictable, Uninhibited.)
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To: Old Sarge

Evening Sarge.. Did you get to enjoy the sunshine?


71 posted on 02/01/2009 7:27:24 PM PST by TASMANIANRED (TAZ:Untamed, Unpredictable, Uninhibited.)
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To: HopeandGlory

I’m fine.

3 of my sisters were without power.

One of them lost some roof.

Still getting carbon monoxide calls but no more fatalities today thank goodness.


72 posted on 02/01/2009 7:28:31 PM PST by TASMANIANRED (TAZ:Untamed, Unpredictable, Uninhibited.)
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To: Kathy in Alaska; StarCMC

First after the super bowl...


73 posted on 02/01/2009 7:31:59 PM PST by philly-d-kidder (May God Bless America and ALL Freepers! and President George W Bush and His extended family)
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To: HiJinx

My problem is the idiots instituting new reports without asking ANYONE in payroll, “does this work for you”? PAYROLL HAD NO INPUT. If each rate was on its own line, like the old report, I could tell immediately what got paid correctly, or not, and fix it right away. The managers are doing a better job, because the higher higher ups are telling them they are responsible for what they approve. I’m liking that part.

And I don’t know what is wrong with the rate issue....not something I’m involved with.....I’ll bring it up to my manager Monday. And mandatory meetings on Tuesday and Wednesday is just *&)&*&%&$*&*(&!!! And while I’m on a roll, HR keeps hiring more people for more new employees, and accounting keeps hiring more people to handle the bookwork...do you think payroll is even thought of...NO!!

OK....I’m done. LOL!


74 posted on 02/01/2009 7:36:49 PM PST by Kathy in Alaska (~ RIP Brian...heaven's gain...the Coast Guard lost a good one.~)
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To: TASMANIANRED
Good evening! Ready for Groundhog Day?


75 posted on 02/01/2009 7:44:41 PM PST by PERKY2004 (Proud Military Wife -- my DH is in his 26th year of military service! PRAY 4 OUR TROOPS!)
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To: StarCMC
Thanks, Hammy, for helping Star with today's Hall of Heroes: James Swett


76 posted on 02/01/2009 7:50:08 PM PST by Kathy in Alaska (~ RIP Brian...heaven's gain...the Coast Guard lost a good one.~)
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To: TASMANIANRED

It felt.... strange....


77 posted on 02/01/2009 7:52:01 PM PST by Old Sarge (Obama Dozed, People Froze)
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To: Kathy in Alaska; StarCMC

Thank you for introducing us to yet another wonderful hero!


78 posted on 02/01/2009 7:55:22 PM PST by luvie (Part of the "Let's Roll" generation!)
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To: Kathy in Alaska

Whew!! That was a lot of vent!
I wish you luck with the higher-ups...


79 posted on 02/01/2009 7:58:51 PM PST by HiJinx (~ Support our Troops ~ www.americasupportsyou.mil ~)
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To: philly-d-kidder

Did the score make you happy? *grin*


80 posted on 02/01/2009 7:59:11 PM PST by luvie (Part of the "Let's Roll" generation!)
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