Jacques Michael Swaab

Name:

Country:

United States

Rank:

Lieutenant

Services:

United States Air Service

Units:

22^nd Aero

Victories:

Born:

21 April 1894

Place of Birth:

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA

Died:

07 July 1963

Place of Death:

Los Angeles, California, USA

Cemetery:

Arlington National Cemetery, Arlington, Virginia, USA
Section 8 Site 263-B

On the afternoon of 8 September 1918, Jacques Michael Swaab bagged his first three victories and received three wounds to the head in a dogfight near Cirey-Saarburg that lasted 60 minutes. Having shot down a two-seater, he was about to land at a German aerodrome when he realized his mistake. Enemy fighters scrambled to intercept Swaab's SPAD XIII and he shot down two Fokker D.VIIs while making his escape. On 23 October Swaab shot down a Fokker D.VII that had just destroyed an American balloon. Evidence suggests his opponent was German ace Max Näther of Jasta 62. In 1938 Swaab served as technical advisor on the "Dawn Patrol," a Hollywood motion picture starring David Niven and Errol Flynn. He was also a member of the American Cross and Cockade Society. Swaab died in Los Angeles at the age of 69.

The Philadelphia Inquirer, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Tuesday, 5 November 1918, page 12

The Philadelphia Inquirer, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Wednesday, 9 July 1919, page 12

Distinguished Service Cross (DSC)

The Distinguished Service Cross is presented to Jacques M. Swaab, First Lieutenant (Air Service), U.S. Army, for extraordinary heroism in action near Montfaucon, France, September 28, 1918, and in the region of Champignuelle, October 27, 1918. On September 28 Lieutenant Swaab, although himself pursued by two enemy planes, perceiving one of his comrades in distress and in danger of being shot down, dived upon the enemy plane which was directly behind that of his comrade and shot the enemy plane out of control, forcing it to withdraw. His prompt act in going to the assistance of his comrade enabled the latter to escape. On October 27 Lieutenant Swaab and another member of his group engaged in combat with seven enemy planes. In this encounter, although outnumbered, Lieutenant Swaab continued in his attack and succeeded in shooting down an enemy D. F. W. observation plane.

General Orders No. 53, W.D., 1920

Opponents

#5	Max Näther

Victories

	Date	Time	Unit	Aircraft	Opponent	Location
1	08 Sep 1918	1235-1305	22^nd	SPAD XIII	Two-seater	Cirey-Saarburg
2	08 Sep 1918	1235-1305	22^nd	SPAD XIII	Fokker D.VII	Cirey-Saarburg
3	08 Sep 1918	1235-1305	22^nd	SPAD XIII	Fokker D.VII	Cirey-Saarburg
4	28 Sep 1918	0840	22^nd	SPAD XIII	Fokker D.VII ¹	Ivoiry
5	23 Oct 1918	1140	22^nd	SPAD XIII (S7640)	Fokker D.VII	Thernogues
6	23 Oct 1918	1210	22^nd	SPAD XIII (S7640)	Rumpler C	Thernogues
7	27 Oct 1918	1540	22^nd	SPAD XIII	Fokker D.VII	Sommerance
8	27 Oct 1918	1540	22^nd	SPAD XIII	DFW C ²	Champiegneulle
9	29 Oct 1918	1620	22^nd	SPAD XIII	Fokker D.VII ¹	Aincreville
10	31 Oct 1918	1555	22^nd	SPAD XIII	LVG C	E of Verdun

1	Shared with Lt James Beane
2	Shared with Lt Clinton Jones

Books

American Aces of World War 1: by Norman Franks, Harry Dempsey (Illustrator) / Paperback / Osprey Publishing (September 25, 2001)
Over the Front: by Norman L. R. Franks, Frank W. Bailey / Hardcover / Grub Street the Basement (May 1992)

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