Donovan Swanton
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Donovan Swanton | |
|---|---|
| Birth name | Donovan S. Swanton |
| Born | September 21, 1891 New York City, New York |
| Died | February 6, 1976 New York, New York |
| Buried | U.S. Military Academy West Point Cemetery |
| Allegiance |  United States of America |
| Service/ | Army |
| Years of service | 1917 - 1951 |
| Rank |  Colonel |
| Service number | O-005314 |
| Unit | II Philippine Corps
51st Division (Philippine Army) 2nd Infantry Regiment 51st Infantry Regiment (PA) |
| Commands held | 51st Infantry Regiment (PA) |
| Battles/wars | Battle of Bataan |
| Awards | U.S. Silver Star w/ 2nd Oak Leaf Cluster Prisoner of War Medal |
Donovan Swanton (September 21, 1891 – February 6, 1976), was an American soldier who served in both World War I and World War II. He fought in Bataan and became a prisoner of war when US-Filipino forces surrendered on April 9, 1942. He endured the Bataan Death March and was transported to Taiwan and later to Manchuria where he was liberated in 1945. [1]
Background
He attended the United States Military Academy in 1913 and graduated in 1917. [2] He was sent to France and later to the Philippines, where he joined the Philippine Scouts in 1938.
World War II
He was sent to the Philippines in 1940 to serve in the US Philippine Department. In Bataan, he was attached to the Motor Transport Command [3] before he replaced Colonel Loren P. Stewart as commander of 51st Infantry Regiment, who was killed while doing reconnaissance at Abucay Hacienda on January 28, 1942. His regiment stood another assault of the Japanese in February 1942 at Orion-Bagac line. But with heavy cost as his regiment incurred heavy casualties and down to battalion size. 51st Division are now cramped to 51st regimental Combat Team absorbing remnants of 51st Inf, 52nd Inf, 53rd Inf, and 51st Field Artillery. Swanton was named as chief of staff to II Corps in March and the command of passed on to Colonel Adlai Young. [4]
In March 1942, Japanese mounted another offensive against Luzon Force in Bataan in Orion-Bagac line. This time they were able to penetrate Bagac line of II Corps Area. With no help and weary Filipino troops hungry, sick, exhausted due to lack of food, medicines, and ammunition. General King surrendered his troops and all forces including Swanton became POWs. He endured the Bataan Death March and reached Camp O'Donnell in Capas, Tarlac. [5] Senior American officers like Swanton was shipped through Hellships [1] to Formosa (now Taiwan) and later to Mukden where they were liberated in 1945 upon Japanese surrender.
Swanton was awarded the U.S. Silver Star with two Bronze Oak Leaf Clusters during his action in Bataan and the Prisoner of War Medal. [6] He returned to the United States and taught military science at Niagara University until his retirement, retiring as a Colonel in 1951. He died on February 6, 1976, and was buried at the U.S. Military Academy West Point Cemetery. [7]
See also
- 51st Infantry Division, Philippines
- 51st Infantry Regiment
- Philippine Scouts
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 https://www.west-point.org/family/japanese-pow/HudsonFast/BilibidRank.htm. Missing or empty
|title=(help) - ↑ "United States Military Academy Library 2016 - 2018 Program Review" (PDF): 7.
- ↑ Quinn, M.A. "Report of Operations, Quartermaster Corps, United States Army in the Philippine Campaign 1941–1942" (PDF): 12.
- ↑ Ind, Allison. Bataan: The Judgement seat: The Saga of the Philippine Command of the United States Army Air Force. p. 276. Search this book on
- ↑ "Bataan - Japs try to save face". May 10, 1952. Unknown parameter
|orig-date=ignored (help) - ↑ "Donovan Swanton - Recipient". valor.militarytimes.com. Retrieved 2024-10-18.
- ↑ "Donovan Swanton's Memorial". www.vlm.cem.va.gov. Retrieved 2024-10-18.
External links
- Colonel Donovan Swanton Plague at Niagara University
- Colonel Donovan Swanton Headstone at USMA West Point Cemetery
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