Colonel James E. Swett
F4F Wildcat pilot and ace earned Medal of Honor
U.S. Marine Corps (USMC), Marine Fighting Squadron 221 (VMF-221)

Background
James Elms Swett was born on June 15, 1920 in Seattle, Washington. He attended om San Mateo High School in San Mateo, CA. During 1939, he enrolled at the College of San Mateo and learned to fly and received a private pilot's license with 450 hours then enlisted in the military.

Wartime History
On August 26, 1941 enlisted in the U.S. Naval Reserve as a seaman second class. During September 1941 began flight training and by early 1942 earned his wings in the top ten percent of his class was given the option of joining the Navy or Marine Corps. Swett joined the U.S. Marine Corps (USMC) and was commissioned as a 2nd Lieutenant with serial number O-9601 at NAS Corpus Christi. Assigned to Marine Fighting Squadron 221 (VMF-221) as a fighter pilot. On March 16, 1943 arrived on Guadalcanal.

On April 7, 1943 took off piloting F4F Wildcat 12084 on a mission to intercept D3A Val dive bombers attacking Tulagi. Returning, he ditched off Florida Island and was rescued. He was credited with seven by the USMC. Later, Swett claimed: “Actually I shot down eight of those Japanese dive bombers,” he told The Oregonian. “I’m still mad at the Marine Corps for confirming only seven.”

Later, assigned to USS Bunker Hill (CV-17) and carried out strikes supporting the Iwo Jima and Okinawa invasions in 1945. By the end of the war, he had flown 103 missions, was credited with 16 Japanese planes and sharing in the destruction of one plus nine probables.

Aerial Victory Claims
Swett was officially credited with 15.5 aerial victories and 4 probable victories and a quarter damaged. His aerial victory claims include:

Medal of Honor
Swett earned the Medal of Honor for his actions April 7, 1943. He also earned the Distinguished Flying Cross (DFC) with gold star, Air Medal with four stars and two Purple Hearts.

Medal of Honor (April 7, 1943) 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 three 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 six enemy bombers, engaged the first four 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 seven enemy bombers in a single flight were in keeping with the highest traditions of the U.S. Naval Service."

Postwar
Until 1950, Swett remained on active duty. In 1960, he worked for his father's industrial machinery business in San Francisco until he retired in 1983. In 1970, he retired from the Marine Corps reserve as a Colonel.

Memorials
Swett passed away on January 18, 2009 at aged 88 in Redding, CA. He is buried at Northern California Veterans Cemetery at section 4, site 329.

References
Congressional Medal of Honor Society - James Elms Swett (MOH citation)
Washington Post "World War II Marine Pilot Was Awarded Medal of Honor" January 23, 2009
Stars & Bars (1995) pages 73 (VMF-221), 582-583 (Sweet)
X Attack of I-Operation: The Anti-shipping Mission to the Guadalcanal-Tulagi Area on April 7, 1943 by Richard Dunn pages 2, 16, 32, 36, 43-44, 47-48
FindAGrave - James Elms Swett (photo, grave photo)