Name: CPT Jon Edward Swanson
Status: Remains Returned from an incident on 02/26/1971 while performing the duty of Pilot.
Age at death: 28.8
Date of Birth: 05/01/1942
Home City: Denver, CO
Service: IN branch of the reserve component of the U.S. Army.
Unit: B/1/9 CAV 1 CAV
Prior Unit: D/3/5 CAV 67-68
Major organization: 1st Cavalry Division
Flight class: 66-10
Service: IN branch of the U.S. Army.
The Wall location: 04W-007
Short Summary: Shot down in Cambodia. On fire while still in the air. Many attemps were made to recover the bodies, but enemy action prevented.
Aircraft: OH-6A tail number 69-16067
Country: Cambodia
MOS: 1981 = 19 Rotary Wing Aviator (Unit Commander)
Primary cause: Cambodia-BNR
Major attributing cause: aircraft connected not at sea
Compliment cause: small arms fire
Vehicle involved: helicopter
Position in vehicle: pilot
Vehicle ownership: government
Started Tour: 10/27/1970
"Official" listing: helicopter air casualty - pilot
The initial status of this person was: missing in action - interim
Length of service: *
Military grid coordinates of event: WU915264
Additional information about this casualty:
Subject: B/1-9 Cav DSC posthumous awardee upgraded to MOH CPT Jon Swanson
Captain Jon E. Swanson was killed in action during his second tour in
Vietnam. His first tour of duty was in 1967, with D Troop, 3rd Sqd, 5th
Cavalry. During that tour he received his first Purple Heart for wounds
received while flying support for ground troops.
In early 1971, Captain Swanson, now with the 9th Cavalry, and SSG Larry Gene
Harrison, observer, were conducting a visual reconnaissance mission while
providing close air support to an ARVN force operating in Kampong Cham
Province, Cambodia. They were flying anOH-6A (hull number 69-16067).
While flying at a low altitude marking enemy positions, it came under fire
from two machine guns and was seen to burst into flames and crash. Another
helicopter landed near the site, but was forced to take off when it came
under heavy enemy fire. Repeated attempts by bothN ground troops and U.S.
helicopters to reach the downed helicopter were thwarted by enemy fire.
On 27 February US helicopters returned to the area and saw what they
believed to be the remains of Captain Swanson and SSG Harrison near the
crash site. As late as 07 March the remains were observed near the crash
site, but could not be recovered due to enemy fire.
Captain Swanson was awarded the Distinguished Service Cross for his actions
in support of ARVN Task Force 33. Thirty years later, Congress approved
legislation which allowed the President to upgrade the DSC to the Medal of
Honor, should the President see fit to do so. President George W. Bush
signed the legislation and approved the award of the Medal of Honor on 28
December 2001.
The documents which supported the upgrade give greater detail of
the action on that day:
On 26 February 1971, Captain Jon E Swanson was flying an OH-6A aircraft on a
close-support reconnaissance mission in support of Army of the Republic of
Vietnam Task Force 333 conducting operations within Cambodia. Two
well-equipped enemy regiments were known to be in the area, and Captain
Swanson's mission was to pinpoint precise enemy positions. To accomplish
this mission he was required to fly at tree-top level at a slow airspeed,
thus making his aircraft a very vulnerable target. The advancing ARVN unit
came under heavy automatic weapons fire from enemy bunkers in a treeline
approximately 100 meters to their front. Captain Swanson, completely
exposing himself to enemy anti-aircraft fire, immediately engaged the enemy
bunkers with concussion grenades and machinegun fire.
After destroying five bunkers and successfully evading ground-to-air fire,
he discovered a .51 caliber machine gun position. He had expended his heavy
ordnance on the bunkers and did not have sufficient explosives to destroy
the position. Consequently, he marked the position with a smoke grenade and
directed a Cobra gunship attack on the position. Upon completion of the
attack, he again returned to the area to assess the battle damage. Captain
Swanson found the weapon still intact and an enemy soldier crawling over to
man it. He immediately engaged the individual and killed him. His aircraft
was then taken under fire by a second .51 caliber machine gun position.
Although his aircraft had taken several hits, Captain Swanson engaged the
position with his aircraft weapons, marked the target, and directed a second
Cobra gunship attack. He volunteered to continue the mission despite the
fact that he was critically low on ammunition and his aircraft was crippled
from the hits it sustained. While approaching the target area, Captain
Swanson was taken under fire by yet another .51 caliber machine gun
position. In an effort to mark the position with smoke, he again flew into
the objective area. Although his aircraft was taking heavy fire, he
continued to fly to the .51 caliber position. It was at this point that his
aircraft exploded in the air and crashed to the ground. Captain Swanson's
courageous actions resulted in at least eight enemy dead and the destruction
of three enemy anti-aircraft positions, which would have been responsible
for the destruction of many more helicopters and crews.
The acts of then-Captain Jon E. Swanson clearly distinguish him
conspicuously by gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and
beyond the call of duty . . .
On December 28, 2001 Pres George Bush signed the Defense Authorization Act,S1438, which included:HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVESSEC. 551. AUTHORITY FOR AWARD OF THE MEDAL OF HONOR TO HUMBERT R. VERSACE,JON E. SWANSON, AND BEN L. SALOMON FOR VALOR.
from Sloniker, Mike E., mike.e.sloniker@lmco.com
Reason: aircraft lost or crashed
Casualty type: Hostile - died while missing
married male U.S. citizen
Race: Caucasian
Religion: Roman Catholic
Burial information: ARLINGTON NATIONAL CEMETERY, VA
The following information secondary, but may help in explaining this incident.
Category of casualty as defined by the Army: battle dead Category of personnel: active duty Army Military class: officer
This record was last updated on 12/09/2010
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Date posted on this site: 11/13/2023
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