John E. Swanson

Preferred Name: John
Nickname/Call Sign: Swanny
Date of Birth: September 10, 1950
Highest Military Grade: 0-4 – Major

Major John Swanson joined the Massachusetts Air National Guard at Barnes Municipal Airport in Westfield, MA in April 1972 and was commissioned a 2nd Lieutenant, USAF in October. Graduated Undergraduate Pilot Training (UPT) at Laughlin Air Force Base, Del Rio, TX in November 1973, Class 74-03. Completed F-100 Combat Crew Training with the Arizona Air National Guard at Tucson International Airport in July 1974. Continuously flew the F-100 Super Sabre until the aircrafts retirement in August 1979, having flown a retiring F-100 to the “boneyard” at Davis-Monthan AFB, Tucson, AZ.

Completed A-10 transition in October 1979 at Davis-Monthan AFB. Flew the A-10 Warthog until retirement from the MaANG in November 1993. Total Air Force flight time 2625 hours as a combat ready command pilot with 800 hours in the F-100 Super Sabre and 1600 hours in the A-10 Warthog.

Major Swanson graduated from Worcester Polytechnic Institute (BSME) and joined Pratt & Whitney Aircraft, a division of United Technologies, in June 1972. Progressing through Engineering, Customer Support and Sales to Vice President, Customer Sales and Service for Asia/Pacific with International Aero Engines, Ltd (IAE) a consortium of RR, PW, MTU & JAEC. Has concluded commercial jet engine sales worldwide to include Sweden (SAS), UK, Vietnam, Yemen, Egypt, Greece, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, Australia, Japan, Korea, Thailand and New Zealand.

Source: https://airandspace.si.edu/support/wall-of-honor/john-e-swanson