Commander Livingston Swentzel Jr.
U.S. Navy

Background
Livingston Swentzel Jr. was born October 20, 1909 to parents Livingston Swentzel and Virginia A. Cornell Swentzel in Brooklyn, NY. He graduated high school then graduated the College of William and Mary. He married Lily A. Neiman.

Wartime History
On January 1, 1942 he enlisted in the U.S. Navy Reserve (USNR) and was commissioned as an officer with serial number 0-132257. During 1945, assigned to Naval Group, China. On August 21, 1945 Lieutenant Livingston commanded two Chinese junks manned by 7 Americans and 20 Chinese guerrillas en route from Haimen to Shanghai are attacked by Japanese junk (with a crew of 83 men). In a 45-minute action, the Chinese craft, directed by Lieutenant Swentzel, engage the enemy with bazookas, machine guns, and grenades. Upon boarding the Japanese craft, the Allied force finds 45 dead and 35 wounded. The victory cost four Chinese killed, and one American and five Chinese wounded. For their heroism above and beyond the call of duty, Lt. Livingston Swentzel Jr. and Gunner's Mate 3rd Class James Ralph Reid, Jr. earned the Navy Cross in what probably proves to be the last surface action of World War II.

Navy Cross
For his actions on August 21, 1945 Swentzel earned the Navy Cross on February 26, 1946.

Navy Cross "The President of the United States of America takes pleasure in presenting the Navy Cross to Lieutenant Commander [then Lieutenant] Livingston Swentzel, Jr. (NSN: 0-132257), United States Naval Reserve, for extraordinary heroism above and beyond the call of duty while serving with the Naval Group, China, when on 21 August 1945, he did so skillfully and relentlessly press the attack on a heavily armed Japanese junk against overwhelming odds that he captured the enemy vessel and inflicted great loss of life to the enemy. On 21 August 1945, Lieutenant Commander Swentzel was in command of two Chinese junks en route from Haimen to Shanghai, with seven Americans and a crew of twenty Chinese guerillas. At 0930 they were attacked by a heavily armed Japanese junk, i.e. one 75-mm. pack howitzer, two heavy machine guns, four light machine guns, one hundred rifles and grenades, a crew of five officers and seventy-eight enlisted men. The first round from the 75-mm. howitzer struck Lieutenant Commander Swentzel's junk shearing off the foremast. The Chinese crew left their posts and Lieutenant Commander Swentzel took over the helm. Meanwhile, he established contact by means of handy talkie with his second junk and gave orders to close with the enemy. He also ran up the American Flag. They engaged the enemy with two bazookas, one .50 caliber machine gun, one .30 caliber machine gun, and grenades. Lieutenant Commander Swentzel pressed the attack so skillfully and relentlessly against overwhelming odds that at 1015 he boarded the Japanese junk with a prize crew and found a total of forty-four Japanese (3 officers, 41 enlisted men) killed and thirty-five wounded. The prize crew sailed the junk back to Haimen and turned the craft and prisoners over to Colonel Lo of the Chinese Army. Of Lieutenant Commander Swentzel's crew, four Chinese were killed, five Chinese wounded, and one American wounded. His distinguished heroism and courageous actions were in accordance with the highest traditions of the Navy of the United States."

Postwar
Swentzel remained in the Navy and served in the Korean War and Vietnam War. Promoted to the rank of Commander, he retired on January 1, 1969.

Memorials
On November 13, 1978 died at age 78 in San Francisco. On November 23, 1979 buried with full military honors at San Francisco National Cemetery in section C site 62-A.

References
Hall of Valor - Livingston Swentzel Jr. (Navy Cross citation)
Veterans Legacy Memorial - Livingston Swentzel Jr (grave photo)
FindAGrave - Livingston Swentzel Jr. (photo, grave photo)

Contribute Information
Do you have photos or additional information to add?