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Personal info

Full name
SWAN, Joseph H
Date of birth
18 August 1923
Age
21
Place of birth
Conshohocken, Montgomery County, Pennsylvania
Hometown
Montgomery County, Pennsylvania

Military service

Service number
O2058284
Rank
First Lieutenant
Function
Pilot
Unit
773rd Bombardment Squadron,
463rd Bombardment Group, Heavy
Awards
Air Medal with Oak Leaf Cluster

Death

Status
Killed in Action
Date of death
24 March 1945
Place of death
Hainichen, Germany

Grave

Cemetery
American War Cemetery Ardennes
Plot Row Grave
C 38 13

Immediate family

Members
Hiram J. Swan (father)
Anna M. Swan (mother)
Robert Swan (brother)
Anna (Mokrynchuk) Swan (wife)

Plane data

Serial number
44-6761
Data
Type: B-17G
Destination: Berlin, Germany
Mission: Bombing of the Daimler-Benz tank factory
MACR: 13274

More information

1st Lt Joseph H. Swan joined the Regular Army in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania on 14 December 1942.

He left the University of Pennsylvania to enlist in the Air Corps. Overseas since September 1944, the well-known athlete had seen action almost continuously since that time. Word was last received from the lieutenant stating he had a slight shoulder wound, but had recovered and was back in combat. The family knew he had been in Italy some time and was on his way to Germany. He has been in service more than two years.

Statement from Sgt. Milford S. Atha:
"One ME 262 made a fly through attack on our element (Baker). I was flying tail gunner in number 4 position. Ship 761 was flying off our right wing. I was firing at the fighter and as he broke away from the attack, I saw ship 761's horizontal stabilizer disappear about half way between the rudder and wing tip. The ship started a half roll to the right and that is the last I saw of it, as I was looking for more fighters."

1st Lt Swan was first buried at Temporary American Military Cemetery St. Avold, France Block 4-M, Row 3, Grave 69.

Source of information: Peter Schouteten, Danny van der Groen, www.abmc.gov, www.fold3.com - MACR, The Conshohocken Recorder - 10 April 1945, www.ancestry.com - U.S., Headstone and Interment Records for U.S. Military Cemeteries on Foreign Soil / Pennsylvania, Veteran Compensation Application Files, WWII

Photo source: www.findagrave.com, The Conshohocken Recorder - 10 April 1945, Arie-Jan van Hees, Pilot Class Book 44-E, Lubbock, Texas, Class book for pilot class 44-E at the Pacific Air School, Ltd., at Gibbs Field, Fort Stockton, Texas