U.S. Marine Corps First Lieutenant James Swett
was awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor on October 10, 1943
... for his
actions over the Guadalcanal in the Western Pacific, April,
1943. Brand new to combat James Swett flew against a siege of
Japanese aircraft that rivaled the first wave of the attack on
Pearl Harbor.
Swett and seven other men fearlessly defended
their fleet against over 150 enemy aircraft. He would claim
seven kills within the first few minutes of the battle making
him an ace on his first combat mission.
