Capt. Roy T. Swangren
Born: 16 August 1920 – Oak Park, Illinois
Parents: Thure J. Swangren & Marie Ziehnert-Swangren
Siblings: 1 sister, 1 brother
Home:
– 614 South Sixth Avenue – Maywood, Illinois
Education:
– Emerson School
– Proviso Township High School
– Class of 1938
Occupation: mechanic – S. & S. Machine Works – Chicago, Illinois
Selective Service Registration: 16 February 1942
Contact Person: T. J. Swangren – father
Enlisted:
– 25 March 1942
– U.S. Army Air Corps
– entered service as an enlisted man
– attended Officer Candidate School
Serial Number: O&676167
Training:
– Kelly Army Airfield, San Antonio, Texas
– Hondo Airfield, Hondo, Texas
– the base was Army Air Corps’ largest base for navigator training
– commissioned 2nd LieutenantUnit: 579th Bomb Squadron, 392nd Bombardment Group (Heavy), 8th Air Force
Plane: B-24
Stationed: Wendling Station #118 – Norfolk, England – arrived August 1943
Missions:
– 9 September 1943 – the first mission
– flew 34 missions over these countries:
– France
– Belgium
– Holland
– Germany
– Last Mission: Schwabisch Hall – jet airfield
– 24 February 1944 – mission over Gotha, Germany
– 392nd Bombardment Group was awarded Presidential Unit Citation
Promoted: Captain – squadron navigator – June 1944
Killed in Action:
– 22 March 1945
– on return from a successful mission
– flare gun came loose, fell to the floor, discharged and set off a box of pyrotechnic flares located behind pilot’s seat
– fire and smoke blinded the pilots causing the plane to go into a steep dive
– all the crew except Major Barnes, Capt. Grettum, and Capt. Swangren bailed out
– their bodies were found in the wreckage
Buried:
– Cambridge American Cemetery, Cambridge, England
– Plot: F Row: 1 Grave: 25
Medals:
– Purple Heart
– Good Conduct
– Air Campaign
– European-African Middle East Campaign
– Distinguished Flying Cross with two Oak Leaf Clusters
– Air Medal with three Oak Leaf Clusters
– Presidential Unit Citation
– Bronze Star
– Silver Star
