How the main body of their troops had been evacuated, the Japanese continued to oppose Allied advances by attacking ships and positions.
Even though the main body of their troops had been evacuated, the Japanese continued to oppose Allied advances by attacking ships and positions. On the morning of April 7, 1943, Lieutenant James Elms Swett of Seattle, WA, led a four-plane flight of Wildcats on a patrol, then returned to refuel at Henderson Field. While his fighter, Grumman F4F-4 Wildcat, Bu. No. 12084, was being serviced, word came of a large group of enemy aircraft approaching from the north. Swett and his flight joined a number of other fighters to intercept the attacking enemy aircraft. Near the Russell Islands, about 30 miles northwest of Guadalcanal, the American fighters came in contact with an estimated 150 enemy aircraft. Swett, in combat for the first time, quickly engaged three Aichi D3A Type 99 (American reporting name, “Val”) dive bombers. He shot them down. Becoming separated from his flight, he continued to engage the enemy, shooting down several more. His right wing was damaged by American anti-airc