FReeper Canteen ~ Hall of Heroes: James E Swett ~ 03-April 2023

[Kathy in Alaska]

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~ Hall of Heroes ~ James E. Swett Info from this website.
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!

[PROCON]

Hi Kathy, thanks for honoring tonight’s Hero!

[ComputerGuy]

On our last night in SF before going to Vietnam, I got seriously drunk with this hero: https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/77245010/james-wesley-ashby

[left that other site]

Hi Everybody!

(((HUGS)))

[radu]

Greetings to all at the Canteen!

To all our military men and women, past and present,

THANK YOU
for your service!

[Kathy in Alaska]

~ Hall of Heroes: James E Swett ~

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[radu]

Howdy, Kathy.

It looks like you’ve had another pretty day up there today. All that sunshine is doing a number on the snow. It’s getting to that ugly, sloppy stage now.
But it won’t be long before the trees and grass start greening up. I imagine y’all are past ready for that!

[Kathy in Alaska]

[Kathy in Alaska]

Good evening, Pro...a true hero.

[Kathy in Alaska]

Good evening, ML...((HUGS))...hope you and Tippy had wonderful sunny spring weather for your outings today.

We have had sunshine ALL day so far and pushing 40 degrees!

[radu]

Howd, PRO.

Have you had a good weekend? Weather nice enough to be able to get outside and enjoy it?

Fairly warm here but two days of wild winds and a night of storms put a damper on things. Today was beautiful.

[luvie]

James Elms Swett
June 15, 1920 – January 18, 2009
US Marine Corps fighter pilot & ace, WW II.
Medal of Honor Recipient
For actions while division flight leader in VMF-221
over Guadalcanal on April 7, 1943.
Subsequently he downed a total of 15.5 [half an aircraft??]
enemy aircraft during the war.

[PROCON]

Hi radu, coolish weekend but I see the weather should improve next week, high 70's, FINALLY!

Just visited Robin and the pups, son leaves for Nashville on Wednesday for a week and his sister living in MD is going to meet him on Saturday for a few days, so they should have fun together.

[mylife]

Hainen Island

[radu]

Howdy, luvie.

I hope it’s been a nice day there with less wind than was expected. No wind here today! YAY!!

[spel_grammer_an_punct_polise]

James Swett was featured on the Military Channel for his heroics and superb flying skill.

[radu]

‘Bout time you got some decent temps up there. High 70s is just about right. T-shirt weather!

Your son is going to get here just in time for our next “yeeha”. Not as bad as Friday night (I HOPE!) but we do have another storm system coming through Wednesday. I hope he - and his sister - enjoy their time there. They do need to take clothing for warm and chilly weather. We’re still riding the roller coaster here and can sweat one day and have goosebumps the next. LOL

[radu]

I wish I still had the Military Channel. I enjoyed watching it when I had it. I would have enjoyed their piece on James Swett. Just reading about him this evening impressed the heck out of me.

[The Mayor]

April 3

Finding Strength in God

Bible in a Year:

• Judges 19–21
• Luke 7:31–50

I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me.

2 Corinthians 12:9

Soccer player Christian Pulisic faced several injuries that influenced his career. After learning he wouldn’t be in the starting lineup of the Champions League semifinals game, he was disappointed, but he described how God had revealed Himself to him. “As always, I reach out to God, and He gives me strength,” he said. “I feel like I always have Someone who’s with me. I don’t know how I would do any of this without that feeling.” Pulisic ultimately made a momentous impact when he was substituted later in the game. He initiated a clever play that led to the game-winning shot and secured their spot in the championship. These experiences taught him a valuable lesson: we can always view our weaknesses as opportunities for God to reveal His immeasurable power.

The world teaches us to rely on our own strength when encountering problems. However, biblical wisdom teaches us that God’s grace and power give us strength in the most trying circumstances (2 Corinthians 12:9). Therefore, we can move in confidence, recognizing that we never face trials alone. Our “weaknesses” become opportunities for God to reveal His power, strengthening and supporting us (vv. 9–10). We can then use our struggles to offer praise to God, giving thanks for His goodness and sharing these encounters with others so that they can come to experience His love. .

Reflect & Pray

When have you tried to overcome a struggle on your own? How can you look to God for strength?

Dear heavenly Father, thank You for being the source of my strength and guiding me each day.

For further reading, check out this article: Christian Pulisic reaches out to God for strength with Chelsea in FA Cup, Champions League finals.

[Kathy in Alaska]

Good evening, radu...hope you’ve finally gotten some nice “windows open” weather. How is your mowing coming along?

It has been beautiful here today. My driveway is almost devoid of ice!! My yard is another matter. Not only is all my driveway snow on it, but so is all the roof snow.

And about 20 of the “old” ducks are back, including the deck ducks. I think I’m gonna have to stop leaving any corn except down in the yard because they are pooping on the deck looking for more.