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Personal info

Full name
SWAIN, Allen Wardwell
Date of birth
12 May 1922
Age
22
Place of birth
Hartford, Hartford County, Connecticut
Hometown
West Hartford, Hartford County, Connecticut

Military service

Service number
O-2064355
Rank
Second Lieutenant
Function
Navigator
Unit
429th Bombardment Squadron,
2nd Bombardment Group, Heavy
Awards
Purple Heart,
Air Medal

Death

Status
Finding of Death
Date of death
21 February 1945
Place of death
Area of Vienna, Austria

Grave

Cemetery
American War Cemetery Ardennes
Plot Row Grave
B 32 43

Immediate family

Members
Robert B. Swain (father)
Mary H. (Wardwell) Swain (mother)
Robert B. Swain Jr. (brother)
Viriginia Swain (sister)
Martha Swain (sister)

Plane data

Serial number
44-6198
Data
Type: B-17G
Nickname: Dollar 98
Destination: Vienna, Austria
Mission: Bombing of the central yard and shops
MACR: 12461

More information

Allen W. Swain graduated from Klingswood School where he was known as "Pig". A somewhat athletic first five years at Kingswood were supplemented by a brilliant and equally active last three years. On the first football squad, the baseball squad, he won his letter in basketball, and was a founder and charter member of a renowned and famous society, "The Putsey-Wootsies". He joined the editorial board of the Wyvern, the publicity board, became secretary of the class, and thereby a member of the student council, was associate editor of the 'News' and won honorable mention in the prize essay contest. He was a team member of all three major sports, football, basketball and baseball.

He was in his senior year at Williams College, Massachusetts at the time of his enlistment. While attending Wiliams he was a member of St. Anthony Hall and Gargoyle.

2nd Lt Swain joined the Air Corps of the U.S. Army Reserve in Williamstown, Massachusetts on 28 August 1942. He graduated as an aerial navigator after completing 18 weeks of training at San Marcos Army Air Field in Texas.

He was engaged Miss Nacy Dean in July 1944 and sent overseas in November 1944.

Statement of Capt Robert P. Canavan, Intelligence Officer:
'Aircraft was observed to have one engine feathered at the target area, after bombs-away. The aircraft was losing altitude and seen in a turn toward the Russian lines.'

2n Lt Swain was the only casualty. The other nine crew members were taken prisoner.

Source of information: Raf Dyckmans, www.wwiimemorial.com, www.ancestry.com - 1940 Census / Kingswood-Oxford High School Yearbook, www.fold3.com - MACR / WWII Draft Card, www.newspapers.com - Hartford Courant

Photo source: Jac Engels, www.ancestry.com - Kingswood-Oxford High School Yearbook 1940