Captain
James E. Swett USMCR
Marine Wildcat Ace
Medal of Honor, Guadalcanal
By Sir Ernie Hamilton Boyette
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James is the 9th highest scoring Marine Ace.
Captain James E. Swett USMCR
By Sir Ernie Hamilton Boyette
James
Elms Swett was born in Seattle Washington, on June 15, 1920.
James
was attending San Mateo Junior Collage when he left in his second year to enter
Navy flight training. During his
training he was recruited by the Marine Corp.
James
received his wings and was commissioned as a second lieutenant in the Marine
Corp Reserves at Corpus Christi, Texas on April 16, 1942.
He
was assigned to VMF-221 and arrived on Guadalcanal in March 1943. Guadalcanal
had been a bloody battleground for both Marine and Naval pilots for the last
eight months when James arrived. The
Japanese were still trying to retake the island even though the brave Americans
had dealt them defeat after defeat.
On
April 7, 1943 Swett was leading a four-plane division after being scrambled by
coast watchers that reported a large Japanese formation of fighters and bombers
heading down the “Slot” towards transports in Tulagi Harbor.
Swett
located a force of 67 Val dive-bombers and over one hundred Zero’s. James led his fellow pilots into the Japanese formations, which were now
starting their dives on the American ships.
While diving with the Val’s, James pulled to within 50 yards of the
first Val and fired. His six
fifty’s struck the diving plane killing the rear gunner and ripped open its
unprotected fuel tanks. With the
first Val burning, James fired at the next descending Val repeating his first
attack. The Val burst into flames.
Still diving at the ships below in the harbor James saw a tanker and a destroyer hit by the enemy dive-bombers. He then fired at one more Val from close range. The rear gunner franticly fired back at James but his single small caliber gun was no match against the Wildcats firepower. The Japanese rear gunner died in a hail of fifty caliber bullets as his aircraft burst into flames.
James
pulled out of his dive as a 40mm antiaircraft shell fired from the ships below
hit his aircraft. James pulled away
across the water to escape the ships defensive guns.
Swett
came upon five Val’s forming up after their attack. He pulled in behind the formation and began firing on the
rear aircraft quickly sending it down in flames.
James
quickly aimed his Wildcat at the next Val sending it also down in flames making
him an ace. But the attack was not over as he trained his guns on the next Val
ripping into its fuel tanks dooming the brave aircrew.
Swett’s
aircraft was now overtaking the slower Val’s.
He again flamed another coming as close as 100 feet looking into the
faces of the crew as they too died.
To
slow his Wildcat, James had dropped his flaps and was now fifty feet away as he
fired into the last Val. The Japanese rear gunner was firing point blank at his
aircraft striking his plane in the engine and the canopy. With the enemy aircraft smoking, James glided his wounded Wildcat to a
safe water landing.
He
was quickly picked up by a patrol boat and received a hero’s welcome. For his brave and aggressive deeds on this day James was awarded the
Medal of Honor.
Their
squadron was then equipped with the new F4U Corsair. On June 30, 1943 James in the new Corsair downed two Betty
bombers. On July 11, he downed
another Betty bomber and a Zero fighter, and on October 18th claimed
another Zero and a probable.
He
finished his first tour with two more Val dive-bombers and another probable on
November Second.
James
returned to the Pacific war with VMF-221 aboard the carrier USS Bunker Hill in
1945. He downed his last enemy aircraft on May 11,1945.
James
left active duty after the war but remained in the Marine Corp Reserves until he
retired in 1970 as a Colonel.
James finished the war with 15 ½ confirmed aerial victories along with four probable and one damaged. His decorations included the Medal of Honor, Distinguished Flying Cross, with five Gold Stars, the Purple Heart with one Gold Star, Air Medal with twenty-one Gold Stars, the Presidential Unit Citations and a Navy Unit Citation.
All research, writings and artwork are by Sir Ernie Hamilton Boyette.
No one is permitted to republish any part of this story with out my personal permission.
Please call or e-mail me for any use of this story.
I do not mind sharing, just call or e-mail and ask for permission.
Sir. Ernie Hamilton Boyette
904-282-4198
e-mail: aviationartstore@peoplepc.com
2-10-07