[James E. Swett oral history interview (Part 1 of 2)]

In this two-part oral history, fighter ace James E. Swett discusses his military service with the United States Marine Corps during World War II. In part one, he describes his wartime experiences as a fighter pilot, including his time stationed in the Solomon Islands with Marine Fighting Squadron 221 (VMF-221). Special focus on two combat missions in 1943 in which Swett scored aerial victories and was later shot down. On one of these missions, Swett’s actions earned him the Congressional Medal of Honor.

James E. Swett was born on June 15, 1920 in Seattle, Washington and grew up in California. He entered Navy flight training in 1941 and received his commission with the U.S. Marine Corps the following year. A member of Marine Fighting Squadron 221 (VMF-221), Swett served two combat tours in the Pacific Theater: one in the Solomon Islands and one stationed aboard the USS Bunker Hill (CV-17). On April 7, 1943, he scored seven aerial victories against a flight of Japanese dive bombers before being shot down himself. For his actions, he was awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor. Swett left active duty after the end of World War II but remained in the Marine Corps Reserve, retiring as a colonel in 1970. As a civilian, he worked in the family business as a manufacturer representative. Swett passed away in 2009.