Memorial

More information

S/Sgt James L. Swafford was a tool sharpener before he volunteered for the Air Corps of the U.S. Army at Fort McPherson, Atlanta, Georgia on 14 December 1942.

Statement of Sgt. George Penman, surviving crew member:
"The time was about 1035 and our altitude about 26,000 feet as we were leaving the French coast. We were hit direct by anti-aircraft fire. No.4 engine went on fire and simultaneously No.3 engine burst into flames also. The RWG, S/Sgt.Robert A.Gallagher, was the first to report the fire over the inter-phone and was instructed by the pilot to watch it carefully. He was asked to describe the fire in detail as the pilot put the ship into a dive and feathered engines 3 and 4. Our airspeed indicator was fluctuating on 300
MPH indicated airspeed. The RWG's voice came over the inter-phone stating that the ball turret had received a direct hit and that the Radio operator was assisting the BT operator out of the turret to render first aid to him, but in vain. The pilot called back the WG asking how the fire was and the WG told him it was getting worse. Pilot then ordered everybody to bail out as we would land in the vicinity of three mine sweepers we were headed for. I turned around and crawled through my top turret and on to the catwalk in the bomb bay and jumped. The bomb bay door would not close electrically after release of our bombs thus preventing and possibility of ditching.
I landed about 3,000 yards away from one mine sweeper and was in the water, as told by the Captain of the ship, for about 20 minutes. The same mine sweeper brought our RWG and myself back to Dover where we were in the hospital eight days before returning to our home base."

Besides Sgt Penman, S/Sgt Robert Gallagher, the right waist gunner and the pilot, 2nd Lt Edward Mc Keague were rescued by a mine sweeper. Lt Mc Keague died a few days later from shock and exposure. The remains of the other seven crew members are still missing. T/Sgt William Allen, S/Sgt James L. Swafford and Sgt Joseph S. Pellegrino are listed on the Tablets of the Missing at Ardennes Cemetery. 2nd Lt Frank A. Ritter, 2n Lt Stelios Louros, S/Sgt Evan B. Peters and S/Sgt Alfred M. Hudnall are listed on the Tablets of the Missing at Cambridge American Military Cemetery.

S/Sgt James L. Swafford is remembered at Hills Crossing Baptist Church Cemetery in Habersham County, Georgia with a memorial marker.