Walter Wade Swanberger was born April 16, 1920, in El Centro, California, and grew up in Santa Ana, California, where he graduated from high school and was active in student affairs.  He enlisted in the Navy on June 4, 1941, and following flight training was designated a Marine Corps Aviator, commissioned a Second Lieutenant, USMCR, and assigned to Marine Fighting Squadron 221 at Midway Island.  Here he learned to fly the F2A-3 Brewster Buffalo fighter.  On March 1, 1942, Swanberger was reassigned to VMF-222, a newly formed fighter squadron and sent to Hawaii for training in the new F4F Wildcat fighter.  Upon completion of this training he returned to Midway and flew Wildcat BuNo 3989.

On the early morning of June 4, 1942, Swanberger departed Midway to fly a morning patrol with others from his squadron.  An hour after their departure the flight was radioed to return to the island to rearm and refuel for what the command believed would be a major Japanese attack.  Swanberger was still getting familiar with the Wildcat and as did new pilots, he had trouble taxying and ran off the taxiway into soft sand as he headed for the refueling revetment.  As ground crews feverishly worked to dig the fighter out and assess any damage, Swanberger watched anxiously as the rest of his division took to the sky to meet the Japanese.  Finally, his aircraft was freed and Swanberger hurried to catch up with his squadron.  Unable to locate his own division, he fell in behind a flight of F2A-3s of VMF-221 and soon the group engaged the Japanese.  It was later reported that at least one pilot recognized Swanberger’s plane tagging on behind the flight, but it was the last he would be seen by anyone who survived the battle.  No trace of Swanberger’s plane was found, his body was never recovered, and he was officially declared dead in 1943.  The name of 2NDLT Walter Wade Swanberger is inscribed on the Courts of the Missing at the Cemetery and Memorial in Manila, Philippines.  He was awarded the Navy Cross Medal for his part in the Battle of Midway and his citation reads as follows:

"The President of the United States takes pride in presenting the Navy Cross (Posthumously) to Walter W. Swanberger (0-7538), Second Lieutenant, U.S. Marine Corps Reserve, for extraordinary heroism and distinguished service in the line of his profession while serving as a Pilot in Marine Fighting Squadron TWO HUNDRED TWENTY-ONE (VMF-221), Marine Air Group TWENTY-TWO (MAG-22), Naval Air Station, Midway, during operations of the U.S. Naval and Marine Forces against the invading Japanese Fleet during the Battle of Midway on 4 June 1942.  Delivering a dauntless and aggressive attack against a vastly superior number of Japanese bomber and fighter planes, Second Lieutenant Swanberger aided in disrupting the plans of the enemy and lessening the effectiveness of their attack, thereby contributing materially to the success of our forces.  As a result of his courageous and daring tactics and because of the circumstances attendant upon this engagement, there can be little doubt that Second Lieutenant Swanberger gallantly gave up his life in the service of his country.  He displayed the characteristics of an excellent airman in keeping with the highest traditions of the United States Naval Service."

Submitted by CDR Roy A. Mosteller, USNR (Ret)