James Elms Swett received his wings and was commissioned as a second lieutenant in the Marine Corp Reserves at Corpus Christi, Texas on April 16, 1942.
 
He was assigned to VMF-221 and arrived on Guadalcanal in March 1943. Guadalcanal had been a bloody battleground for both Marine and Naval pilots for the last eight months when James arrived. The Japanese were still trying to retake the island even though the brave Americans had dealt them defeat after defeat.
 
On April 7, 1943 Swett was leading a four-plane division after being scrambled by coast watchers that reported a large Japanese formation of fighters and bombers heading down the “Slot” towards transports in Tulagi Harbor. Swett located a force of 67 Val dive-bombers and over one hundred Zero’s. James led his fellow pilots into the Japanese formations, which were now starting their dives on the American ships. While diving with the Val’s, James pulled to within 50 yards of the first Val and fired. His six fifty’s struck the diving plane killing the rear gunner and ripped open its unprotected fuel tanks. With the first Val burning, James fired at the next descending Val repeating his first attack. The Val burst into flames. Still diving at the ships below in the harbor James saw a tanker and a destroyer hit by the enemy dive-bombers. He then fired at one more Val from close range. The rear gunner franticly fired back at James but his single small caliber gun was no match against the Wildcats firepower. The Japanese rear gunner died in a hail of fifty caliber bullets as his aircraft burst into flames. James pulled out of his dive as a 40mm antiaircraft shell fired from the ships below hit his aircraft. James pulled away across the water to escape the ships defensive guns.
 
Swett came upon five Val’s forming up after their attack. He pulled in behind the formation and began firing on the rear aircraft quickly sending it down in flames. James quickly aimed his Wildcat at the next Val sending it also down in flames making him an ace. But the attack was not over as he trained his guns on the next Val ripping into its fuel tanks dooming the brave aircrew.
 
Swett’s aircraft was now overtaking the slower Val’s. He again flamed another coming as close as 100 feet looking into the faces of the crew as they too died. To slow his Wildcat, James had dropped his flaps and was now fifty feet away as he fired into the last Val. The Japanese rear gunner was firing point blank at his aircraft striking his plane in the engine and the canopy. With the enemy aircraft smoking, James glided his wounded Wildcat to a safe water landing. He was quickly picked up by a patrol boat and received a hero’s welcome. For his brave and aggressive deeds on this day James was awarded the Medal of Honor.
 
Their squadron was then equipped with the new F4U Corsair. On June 30, 1943 James, in the new Corsair, downed two Betty bombers. On July 11, he downed another Betty bomber and a Zero fighter, and on October 18th claimed another Zero and a probable. He finished his first tour with two more Val dive-bombers and another probable.
 
James returned to the Pacific war with VMF-221 aboard the carrier USS Bunker Hill in 1945. He downed his last enemy aircraft on May 11,1945.
 
James left active duty after the war but remained in the Marine Corp Reserves until he retired in 1970 as a Colonel.
 
He finished the war with 15 ½ confirmed aerial victories along with four probables and one damaged. His decorations included the Medal of Honor, Distinguished Flying Cross, with five Gold Stars, the Purple Heart with one Gold Star, Air Medal with twenty-one Gold Stars, the Presidential Unit Citations and a Navy Unit Citation.