Link to Jack's Memorial Headstone
In Memory of ..... LTC. John Willard Swanson, Jr.
*** Major Swanson was a member of the 34th Tactical Fighter Squadron. On June 16, 1967, he was the pilot of a Thunderchief Fighter (F-105D) on a mission over North Vietnam, when his aircraft crashed. His remains were not recovered. His name is inscribed on the Courts of the Missing at the Honolulu Memorial.
You may be gone, no longer living on this earth; but you will live on - in the memories of your family and friends. There will always be a part of you living in those who knew you. You will live on because we remember you!
JOHN WILLARD SWANSON, Jr. - Air Force - LTC - O5
Age: 40
Date of Birth Apr 1, 1938
From: ARLINGTON, IL
Marital Status: Married
Parents: Father, John Willard Swanson, Sr. born est. 1889 and Mother, Velma K Swanson
His tour began on Jun 15, 1967
Casualty was on Apr 4, 1978
In , NORTH VIETNAM
Hostile, died while missing, FIXED WING - PILOT
Death Date: 4 Apr 1978
Service Branch: Department of the Air Force
Military Grade: Lieutenant Colonel
Service Occupation: Pilot, Tactical Fighter F-105 (USAF)
Body was not recovered
Panel 21E - Line 109
Capt. John Swanson, Jr. flew as Goose 04, in a flight of four, on a strike mission to Dong Khe RR Siding, North Vietnam. Other members in the flight were Lt Col Mervin M. Taylor, Maj Paul F. Koeltzow, and Capt David C. Carter. The flight took off from Korat at 06:36 and Capt Swanson was shot down at 07:59.
He was the pilot of an F-105D hit by AAA on 15 June 1967 while attacking the Dong Khe railroad siding in RP-3, North Vietnam. He was a member of the 34 TFS from Korat FTAB, Thailand.
"On roll in on target, Number 04 (Capt Swanson) called, 'Four is hit,' then 'Goose 4 is hit.' He leveled off and headed out to sea with Number 03 following. Number 03 urged 04 to stay with the aircraft. Approximately 2 miles out to sea, Capt Swanson's aircraft nosed down, and Number 03 called him to get out.
Capt Swanson ejected and a chute was observed and beeper signals were heard. Number 03 circled and returned. The chute was in the water and was gradually sinking by the time Number 03 returned to the area. Number 03 made two low passes over the area but did not observe Number 04 in the water.
Several small boats were in the area at the time of ejection. Number 03 was not certain how close the boats were at the time the chute hit the water. Upon his return after a turning maneuver, the boats were heading away from the chute at a distance of from one-half to one mile.
A parachute and helmet liner was sighted. A Navy helicopter lowered a swimmer into the water, but the chute sank prior to the swimmer being able to determine if the pilot had gotten out of the chute.
Search suspended at 0245Z by the Navy. Negative sighting of pilot, negative leads. There were several boats in the area, which a Navy helicopter looked over. Pilot is not believed to be aboard small craft. Hostile mortar fire from shore hampered the search.
Since Capt Swanson could not be located in the water and hostile mortar fire from the shore was being directed toward SAR aircraft, SAR efforts were terminated at 0945 hours.
**************************************
In Memory of ..... LTC. John Willard Swanson, Jr.
*** Major Swanson was a member of the 34th Tactical Fighter Squadron. On June 16, 1967, he was the pilot of a Thunderchief Fighter (F-105D) on a mission over North Vietnam, when his aircraft crashed. His remains were not recovered. His name is inscribed on the Courts of the Missing at the Honolulu Memorial.
You may be gone, no longer living on this earth; but you will live on - in the memories of your family and friends. There will always be a part of you living in those who knew you. You will live on because we remember you!
JOHN WILLARD SWANSON, Jr. - Air Force - LTC - O5
Age: 40
Date of Birth Apr 1, 1938
From: ARLINGTON, IL
Marital Status: Married
Parents: Father, John Willard Swanson, Sr. born est. 1889 and Mother, Velma K Swanson
His tour began on Jun 15, 1967
Casualty was on Apr 4, 1978
In , NORTH VIETNAM
Hostile, died while missing, FIXED WING - PILOT
Death Date: 4 Apr 1978
Service Branch: Department of the Air Force
Military Grade: Lieutenant Colonel
Service Occupation: Pilot, Tactical Fighter F-105 (USAF)
Body was not recovered
Panel 21E - Line 109
Capt. John Swanson, Jr. flew as Goose 04, in a flight of four, on a strike mission to Dong Khe RR Siding, North Vietnam. Other members in the flight were Lt Col Mervin M. Taylor, Maj Paul F. Koeltzow, and Capt David C. Carter. The flight took off from Korat at 06:36 and Capt Swanson was shot down at 07:59.
He was the pilot of an F-105D hit by AAA on 15 June 1967 while attacking the Dong Khe railroad siding in RP-3, North Vietnam. He was a member of the 34 TFS from Korat FTAB, Thailand.
"On roll in on target, Number 04 (Capt Swanson) called, 'Four is hit,' then 'Goose 4 is hit.' He leveled off and headed out to sea with Number 03 following. Number 03 urged 04 to stay with the aircraft. Approximately 2 miles out to sea, Capt Swanson's aircraft nosed down, and Number 03 called him to get out.
Capt Swanson ejected and a chute was observed and beeper signals were heard. Number 03 circled and returned. The chute was in the water and was gradually sinking by the time Number 03 returned to the area. Number 03 made two low passes over the area but did not observe Number 04 in the water.
Several small boats were in the area at the time of ejection. Number 03 was not certain how close the boats were at the time the chute hit the water. Upon his return after a turning maneuver, the boats were heading away from the chute at a distance of from one-half to one mile.
A parachute and helmet liner was sighted. A Navy helicopter lowered a swimmer into the water, but the chute sank prior to the swimmer being able to determine if the pilot had gotten out of the chute.
Search suspended at 0245Z by the Navy. Negative sighting of pilot, negative leads. There were several boats in the area, which a Navy helicopter looked over. Pilot is not believed to be aboard small craft. Hostile mortar fire from shore hampered the search.
Since Capt Swanson could not be located in the water and hostile mortar fire from the shore was being directed toward SAR aircraft, SAR efforts were terminated at 0945 hours.
**************************************
Link to Jack's Memorial Headstone
In Memory of ..... LTC. John Willard Swanson, Jr.
*** Major Swanson was a member of the 34th Tactical Fighter Squadron. On June 16, 1967, he was the pilot of a Thunderchief Fighter (F-105D) on a mission over North Vietnam, when his aircraft crashed. His remains were not recovered. His name is inscribed on the Courts of the Missing at the Honolulu Memorial.
You may be gone, no longer living on this earth; but you will live on - in the memories of your family and friends. There will always be a part of you living in those who knew you. You will live on because we remember you!
JOHN WILLARD SWANSON, Jr. - Air Force - LTC - O5
Age: 40
Date of Birth Apr 1, 1938
From: ARLINGTON, IL
Marital Status: Married
Parents: Father, John Willard Swanson, Sr. born est. 1889 and Mother, Velma K Swanson
His tour began on Jun 15, 1967
Casualty was on Apr 4, 1978
In , NORTH VIETNAM
Hostile, died while missing, FIXED WING - PILOT
Death Date: 4 Apr 1978
Service Branch: Department of the Air Force
Military Grade: Lieutenant Colonel
Service Occupation: Pilot, Tactical Fighter F-105 (USAF)
Body was not recovered
Panel 21E - Line 109
Capt. John Swanson, Jr. flew as Goose 04, in a flight of four, on a strike mission to Dong Khe RR Siding, North Vietnam. Other members in the flight were Lt Col Mervin M. Taylor, Maj Paul F. Koeltzow, and Capt David C. Carter. The flight took off from Korat at 06:36 and Capt Swanson was shot down at 07:59.
He was the pilot of an F-105D hit by AAA on 15 June 1967 while attacking the Dong Khe railroad siding in RP-3, North Vietnam. He was a member of the 34 TFS from Korat FTAB, Thailand.
"On roll in on target, Number 04 (Capt Swanson) called, 'Four is hit,' then 'Goose 4 is hit.' He leveled off and headed out to sea with Number 03 following. Number 03 urged 04 to stay with the aircraft. Approximately 2 miles out to sea, Capt Swanson's aircraft nosed down, and Number 03 called him to get out.
Capt Swanson ejected and a chute was observed and beeper signals were heard. Number 03 circled and returned. The chute was in the water and was gradually sinking by the time Number 03 returned to the area. Number 03 made two low passes over the area but did not observe Number 04 in the water.
Several small boats were in the area at the time of ejection. Number 03 was not certain how close the boats were at the time the chute hit the water. Upon his return after a turning maneuver, the boats were heading away from the chute at a distance of from one-half to one mile.
A parachute and helmet liner was sighted. A Navy helicopter lowered a swimmer into the water, but the chute sank prior to the swimmer being able to determine if the pilot had gotten out of the chute.
Search suspended at 0245Z by the Navy. Negative sighting of pilot, negative leads. There were several boats in the area, which a Navy helicopter looked over. Pilot is not believed to be aboard small craft. Hostile mortar fire from shore hampered the search.
Since Capt Swanson could not be located in the water and hostile mortar fire from the shore was being directed toward SAR aircraft, SAR efforts were terminated at 0945 hours.
**************************************
In Memory of ..... LTC. John Willard Swanson, Jr.
*** Major Swanson was a member of the 34th Tactical Fighter Squadron. On June 16, 1967, he was the pilot of a Thunderchief Fighter (F-105D) on a mission over North Vietnam, when his aircraft crashed. His remains were not recovered. His name is inscribed on the Courts of the Missing at the Honolulu Memorial.
You may be gone, no longer living on this earth; but you will live on - in the memories of your family and friends. There will always be a part of you living in those who knew you. You will live on because we remember you!
JOHN WILLARD SWANSON, Jr. - Air Force - LTC - O5
Age: 40
Date of Birth Apr 1, 1938
From: ARLINGTON, IL
Marital Status: Married
Parents: Father, John Willard Swanson, Sr. born est. 1889 and Mother, Velma K Swanson
His tour began on Jun 15, 1967
Casualty was on Apr 4, 1978
In , NORTH VIETNAM
Hostile, died while missing, FIXED WING - PILOT
Death Date: 4 Apr 1978
Service Branch: Department of the Air Force
Military Grade: Lieutenant Colonel
Service Occupation: Pilot, Tactical Fighter F-105 (USAF)
Body was not recovered
Panel 21E - Line 109
Capt. John Swanson, Jr. flew as Goose 04, in a flight of four, on a strike mission to Dong Khe RR Siding, North Vietnam. Other members in the flight were Lt Col Mervin M. Taylor, Maj Paul F. Koeltzow, and Capt David C. Carter. The flight took off from Korat at 06:36 and Capt Swanson was shot down at 07:59.
He was the pilot of an F-105D hit by AAA on 15 June 1967 while attacking the Dong Khe railroad siding in RP-3, North Vietnam. He was a member of the 34 TFS from Korat FTAB, Thailand.
"On roll in on target, Number 04 (Capt Swanson) called, 'Four is hit,' then 'Goose 4 is hit.' He leveled off and headed out to sea with Number 03 following. Number 03 urged 04 to stay with the aircraft. Approximately 2 miles out to sea, Capt Swanson's aircraft nosed down, and Number 03 called him to get out.
Capt Swanson ejected and a chute was observed and beeper signals were heard. Number 03 circled and returned. The chute was in the water and was gradually sinking by the time Number 03 returned to the area. Number 03 made two low passes over the area but did not observe Number 04 in the water.
Several small boats were in the area at the time of ejection. Number 03 was not certain how close the boats were at the time the chute hit the water. Upon his return after a turning maneuver, the boats were heading away from the chute at a distance of from one-half to one mile.
A parachute and helmet liner was sighted. A Navy helicopter lowered a swimmer into the water, but the chute sank prior to the swimmer being able to determine if the pilot had gotten out of the chute.
Search suspended at 0245Z by the Navy. Negative sighting of pilot, negative leads. There were several boats in the area, which a Navy helicopter looked over. Pilot is not believed to be aboard small craft. Hostile mortar fire from shore hampered the search.
Since Capt Swanson could not be located in the water and hostile mortar fire from the shore was being directed toward SAR aircraft, SAR efforts were terminated at 0945 hours.
**************************************
Gravesite Details
Memorial Headstone located in
Oakland Cemetery, Princeton, Illinois.
Sponsored by Ancestry
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