John L. Swift ... Need some help !

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georgetanksherman
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John L. Swift ... Need some help !

Post by georgetanksherman » Tue Aug 16, 2022 11:34 pm

Greetings Everyone, hope everyone is doing okay, I need some help with this one, if it is available.

I have a John L. Swift, from Missoula, Montana, a pilot, who trained to fly in Canada, completed flight training, sent over to England assigned to an (Unknown) R.A.F. Squadron. In August of 1943 he transferred to USAAF, April 1944 he went to Burma and joined the Kachin Rangers.

If anyone can find info on where he trained in Canada, and what RAF Squadron he was assigned to, it would be very much appreciated, this one has been with me for a few years, and the "Brick Wall" is still there :-) LOL

Cheers

George

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Temujin
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Re: John L. Swift ... Need some help !

Post by Temujin » Wed Aug 17, 2022 4:35 pm

Found some info George……Sgt Pilot with No 5 Service Flying Training School in Brantford, Ontario
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Re: John L. Swift ... Need some help !

Post by Temujin » Wed Aug 17, 2022 5:12 pm

He was on course in Brantford

Course 35: August 8 - October 17, 1941, so the leave above must have been AFTER his course ended

https://rcafbrantford.blogspot.com/


NOTE: While looking for John L Swift, I noted this information on another American

August 27, 1941: At 1050 hours, two Ansons collided in mid-air as they were approaching No. 3 runway. Both aircraft crashed into the ground killing (R/86395) LAC Kenneth Frederick Davis of Des Moines, Iowa in Anson 6190 and (R/95519) LAC Alexander Frederick Switzer of Pembroke, Ontario flying Anson 6154. A Funeral Party was provided from the Station. Davis' casket bore the Stars and Stripes and the Union Jack.

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Re: John L. Swift ... Need some help !

Post by georgetanksherman » Thu Aug 18, 2022 9:48 am

Thank You Temujin for the info, on both John L. Swift and Kenneth Frederick Davis, still cannot find any data on John L. Swift in the R.A.F., but I have to kind of assume being with 5 SFTS and the Anson that he was bomber related bound. Won't give up though, you never know when something might pop up :-)

Cheers

George

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Re: John L. Swift ... Need some help !

Post by Temujin » Thu Aug 18, 2022 11:47 am

georgetanksherman wrote:
Thu Aug 18, 2022 9:48 am
Thank You Temujin for the info, on both John L. Swift and Kenneth Frederick Davis, still cannot find any data on John L. Swift in the R.A.F., but I have to kind of assume being with 5 SFTS and the Anson that he was bomber related bound. Won't give up though, you never know when something might pop up :-)

Cheers

George
Your welcome George……my research capabilities have been “diminished” somewhat, as I gave up my Newspaper.com subscription….found I’ve been spending a LOT of money on subscriptions (Ancestry, Newspaper.com, Fold3.com and some others) so decided I needed to “pair down” my subscription costs so choose Newspaper.com to be the victim…….of course I might change my mind at any moment (if I start to NOT find anything on anybody)……so we’ll see………..I also have a Sirius FM subscription for my car (for the long trips down to Arizona)…..so maybe that should be my sacrificial lamb and not Newpapers.com

Decisions, decisions

Cheers

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Re: John L. Swift ... Need some help !

Post by Temujin » Tue Aug 30, 2022 1:37 pm

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Re: John L. Swift ... Need some help !

Post by Temujin » Tue Aug 30, 2022 1:38 pm

BFDF4EC2-E09D-4C1D-B3A9-561D6E0B186F.jpeg
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Re: John L. Swift ... Need some help !

Post by georgetanksherman » Tue Aug 30, 2022 2:44 pm

This one gets me a lot closer to the answer, Temujin, at the time John L Swift was in the RCAF, there were only two Vickers Wellington Squadrons flying in the Middle East, Raf No 37 and No. 38 Squadrons, so getting closer on this one :-)

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George

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Re: John L. Swift ... Need some help !

Post by Temujin » Tue Aug 30, 2022 7:13 pm

RCAF Training

No 3 Elementary Flying Training School Crumlin

No 5 Service Flying Training School, Brantford, Ont
Course 35: August 8 - October 17, 1941
John Lindsay Swift

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Re: John L. Swift ... Need some help !

Post by Temujin » Tue Aug 30, 2022 7:35 pm

Found him in 37 Squadron RAF in Middle East
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