James Elms Swett

Seven bombers fell before his damaged fighter hit the water.

James Elms Swett was born in Seattle in 1920 and grew up in San Mateo, California. At junior college he undertook civilian flying training before enlisting in the Naval Reserve in August 1941. He qualified as a naval aviator and received a Marine Corps Reserve commission in April 1942. After fighter training, he joined VMF-221 in the Solomon Islands.

On 7 April 1943, the young first lieutenant led four Wildcats against Japanese aircraft attacking the Guadalcanal and Tulagi area. He shot down three bombers in his opening attack, then, despite damage from anti-aircraft fire, attacked another formation and destroyed four more. An enemy gunner shattered his windscreen, injured his face and damaged the engine. With his ammunition exhausted and engine failing, he ditched off Tulagi and escaped from the sinking aircraft. He received the Medal of Honor later in 1943.

Swett continued combat flying in the central Solomons and survived another shootdown near New Georgia. After returning to America, he later flew Corsairs from USS Bunker Hill during the Iwo Jima and Okinawa operations. His wartime tally reached at least fifteen and a half enemy aircraft. Following squadron command, he remained in the Marine Reserve until retiring as a colonel in 1970. In civilian life he ran his family's industrial machinery business and spoke to students about service and responsibility. He died in Redding, California, on 18 January 2009.