15 July 1967 – T.H. Herndon was flying F-100D #563275. Enroute to a target of 150 Vietcong in a treeline, he was hit by 57mm AAA during a climb. He ejected and was recovered by USAF Helo. Herndon was serving with the 531st TFS out of Bien Hoa AB.
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