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World War II Congressional Medal of Honor Recipient
Marine Colonel James E. Swett
COLONEL
JAMES E. SWETT, USMCR
(RETIRED)
World War II 1941-1945
Medal of Honor Recipient
Marine Colonel James E. Swett, of San Mateo, California, was awarded the Medal of Honor in World War II for shooting down seven Japanese bombers within 15 minutes.
This remarkable feat took place on 7 April 1943 in the Guadalcanal area, and made the then 22-year-old Marine aviator an ace on his first combat flight. During the air battle, he was shot down himself and rescued from the water.
Subsequently Colonel Swett downed a total of 15 enemy aircraft during the war, earning two Distinguished Flying Crosses and four Air Medals.
Born 15 June 1920 at Seattle, Washington, Colonel Swett graduated from the San Mateo (California) High School and attended San Mateo Junior College before enlisting in the U.S. Naval Reserve as a seaman second class on 26 August 1941.
He was appointed an aviation cadet the following October and was commissioned a second lieutenant in the Marine Corps Reserve on 1 April 1942, after flight training at Corpus Christi, Texas.
Colonel Swett took part in action in the South Pacific from early 1943 until January 1944. After a year's duty in the United States, he returned overseas in January 1945, and participated in combat operations at Iwo Jima and Okinawa.
He was relieved of active duty in November 1945 with the rank of major, and rose to the rank of colonel in the Marine Corps Reserve.
CITATION:
Rank and organization: First Lieutenant, U.S. Marine Corps Reserve, Marine Fighter Squadron 221, with Marine Aircraft Group 12, 1st Marine Aircraft Wing. Place and date: Solomon Islands area, 7 April 1943. Entered service at: California. Born: 15 June 1920, Seattle, Wash. Other Navy award: Distinguished Flying Cross with 1 Gold Star. Citation: For extraordinary heroism and personal valor above and beyond the call of duty, as division leader of Marine Fighting Squadron 221 with Marine Aircraft Group 12, 1st Marine Aircraft Wing, in action against enemy Japanese aerial forces in the Solomons Islands area, 7 April 1943. In a daring flight to intercept a wave of 150 Japanese planes, 1st Lt. Swett unhesitatingly hurled his 4-plane division into action against a formation of 15 enemy bombers and personally exploded 3 hostile planes in midair with accurate and deadly fire during his dive. Although separated from his division while clearing the heavy concentration of antiaircraft fire, he boldly attacked 6 enemy bombers, engaged the first 4 in turn and, unaided, shot down all 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 1st Lt. Swett to destroy 7 enemy bombers in a single flight were in keeping with the highest traditions of the U.S. Naval Service.
0426_031
While First Lieutenant James E. Swett, Marine Corps pilot, right, San Mateo, California, tells how he shot down seven Jap dive-bombers in a single 20 minute flight in his Corsair on April 7, other flyers of his VMF 221 squadron listen. Left to right are First Lieutenant W.E. Welker, Junior, 309 Park Avenue, Winfield, Louisiana: First Lieutenant W.H. Hallmeyer of Menlo Park, California, and Lieutenant (jg) McAshan, USN, of Fighter Command Intelligence. OFFICIAL U. S. MARINE CORPS PHOTOGRAPH
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