Vernon R. Swaim.
Tail Gunner · 328th Squadron · Of Lewiston, ID.
The Man Behind the Name
Assigned to 93rd Bomb Group, 328th Sqdn. at Hardwick, England in November 1944. Flew new B-24K across the North Atlantic to Holyhead. Completed 21 missions as non-lead and lead crew. After V-E Day, flew back via Iceland and Goose Bay, then joined B-29 training at Pratt, KS until V-J Day.
Service record.
Missions flown.
The missions below are those we have been able to document for this airman, drawn from flight logs, mission records, and archival sources. It is not necessarily a complete account of every mission flown; gaps may reflect missing documentation, transferred assignments, or records lost to time.
Before and after.
Born near Rose Lake, ID, October 1924; moved to Lewiston, ID in 1940. After a year of college, enlisted in USAAC December 1942. Participated in CPT/WTS (Civilian Pilot Training/War Training Service) until called to active service October 1943. Basic and gunnery training at Buckley and Harlingen Fields before D-Day. RTU (Replacement Training Unit) with Merle King's crew at Westover Field.
Discharged February 1946 as staff sergeant in Denver. Graduated 1950 and 1959 from Northern Idaho and Oregon State College, Corvallis. Taught high school math/science until 1963. Returned to Bonneville Power Administration as specifications/construction engineer until 1986 retirement. Lives near Vancouver, WA.