This cache is being created to celebrate Trinity County’s
James
Elms Swett, his service to our country and his heroism. Jim
was
awarded the Medal of Honor for gallantry when serving with the
U.
S. Marine’s during World War II in the Pacific Theater of
operation.
Rank and organization: First Lieutenant, U.S. Marine Corps
Reserve, Marine Fighter Squadron 221, with Marine Aircraft
Group
12, 1st Marine Aircraft Wing.
Place and date: Solomon Islands area, 7 April 1943.
Entered service at: California. Born: 15 June 1920, Seattle,
Wash.
Other Navy award: Distinguished Flying Cross with 1 Gold Star
Citation to Accompany the Award of the Medal of Honor
To
First Lieutenant James Elms Swett
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 3 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 6 enemy bombers, engaged the first 4 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
7
enemy bombers in a single flight were in keeping with the
highest
traditions of the U.S. Naval Service.
More about the Medal of Honor here:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Medal_of_Honor and
http://www.history.army.mil/moh.html
Please take the time to pause and give thanks in your own
way
for all our military service members, past, present and future.
You are looking for a small pill bottle containing a log
sheet.
Bring your own writing instrument. Very small trade items may
fit
in the bottle as well. Watch for things that crawl and
slither!
Read more about James Swett at:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_E._Swett
http://www.acepilots.com/usmc_aces.html
http://www.latimes.com/news/obituaries/la-me-swett24-2009jan24,0,319710.story
http://www.highironillustrations.com/rogues/james_swett.html