Semper Fi Skies by John Shaw
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Custom oil-accented CANVAS GICLEES These beautiful Artist Edition Canvas Giclees are the next best thing to owning an original! Reproduced on high quality archival canvas, each is painstakingly detailed and accented in oils by the artist, signed, numbered and revarnished. All canvases are shipped rolled and ready for stretching. These are specialty items which require special ordering on occasion, so please allow approx. 2 weeks after order is placed.
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(Artist's Proof also co-signed by Jim Swett) |
Corsairs of VMF-112 in combat near Guadalcanal in 1943. On May 21, Captain Archie Donahue became an "ace in a day" by shooting down 5 enemy aircraft in one mission. He would repeat this feat 2 years later while serving aboard the USS Bunker Hill. We have been honored to have this great Marine Ace participate in signing this special edition!Signatures:
Main Edition:
Artist's Proof:
ARCHIE DONAHUE was born on October 24, 1917 in Casper, Wyoming. He moved to Texas in 1934. After three years of engineering school at the University of Texas, he enlisted in the Navy and was accepted as an Aviation Cadet. First sent to Kansas City, he was later ordered to Corpus Christi Air Station in Corpus Christi, Texas for continued training. Archie transferred to the Marine Corps and was commissioned Second Lieutenant in February, 1942. Donahue was posted to Norfolk, Virginia until his assigned unit, VMF-112, was shipped out to the Pacific. In September 1942, he arrived at Guadalcanal, where he flew the F4F-4 Wildcat in combat missions over the island. Between September 1942 and June 1943 Donahue shot down nine enemy aircraft over Guadalcanal: one in his F4F-4, and eight in the F4U-1 Corsair. On May 13, 1943, he destroyed five Mitsubishi A6M3 Zeros in a single engagement. In June, he returned to the United States where he served as Flight Officer at El Toro Air Station in California. As Flight Officer, Donahue was responsibile for getting VMF-451 unit carrier qualified. On February 16, 1945, VMF-451 began combat operations from the USS Bunker Hill, carrying out fighter sweeps over Tokyo for the next three months. VMF-451 took part in continuous bombing, strafing, and close-support missions for the landings at Iwo Jima and Okinawa, and also engaged in operations against the Japanese mainland. On April 12, Donahue again achieved five victories in a single engagement, this time over Okinawa. In May, the Bunker Hill was severely damaged during a Kamikaze attack and was forced to retire from combat. Donahue returned stateside and was placed in command of a squadron at El Centro before being posted to Quantico, Virginia. For his actions, Donahue was decorated with the Navy Cross, three Distinguished Flying Crosses, and five Air Medals. He flew 159 combat missions over Guadalcanal and 56 from the deck of the Bunker Hill. He was credited with fourteen confirmed aerial victories.
JAMES E. SWETT (born 15 June 1920) was a United States Marine Corps ace pilot during World War II. He was awarded the United States' highest military honor, the Medal of Honor, for his heroic actions while a division leader in VMF-221 over the Solomon Islands on 7 April 1943 when his four plane division of F4F Wildcats intercepted a formation of fifteen enemy bombers. He personally brought down seven of the enemy planes within 15 minutes. This feat made the 22-year old Marine aviator an ace on his first combat mission. He was shot down during the battle and rescued from the water. Subsequently he downed a total of 15 enemy aircraft during the war, earning two Distinguished Flying Crosses and four Air Medals.
Medal of Honor citation The President of the United States takes pleasure in presenting the MEDAL OF HONOR to
FIRST LIEUTENANT JAMES E. SWETT UNITED STATES MARINE CORPS RESERVE
for service as set forth in the following CITATION:
For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty, as a division leader in Marine Fighting Squadron TWO TWENTY-ONE in action against enemy Japanese aerial forces in the Solomon Islands Area, April 7, 1943. In a daring flight to intercept a wave of 150 Japanese planes, First Lieutenant Swett unhesitatingly hurled his four-plane division into action against a formation of fifteen enemy bombers and during his dive personally exploded three hostile planes in mid-air with accurate and deadly fire. Although separated from his division while clearing the heavy concentration of anti-aircraft fire, he boldly attacked six enemy bombers, engaged the first four in turn, and unaided, shot them down in flames. Exhausting his ammunition as he closed the fifth Japanese bomber, he relentlessly drove his attack against terrific opposition which partially disabled his engine, shattered the windscreen and slashed his face. In spite of this, he brought his battered plane down with skillful precision in the water off Tulagi without further injury. The superb airmanship and tenacious fighting spirit which enabled First Lieutenant Swett to destroy seven enemy bombers in a single flight were in keeping with the highest traditions of the United States Naval Service.
/S/ FRANKLIN D. ROOSEVELT
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