Dean Caswell

Dean Caswell
Caswell in 1945
Born	(1922-07-24)July 24, 1922 Banning, California, U.S.
Died	September 21, 2022(2022-09-21) (aged 100) Austin, Texas, U.S.
Buried	Cook Walden Forest Oaks Memorial Park Austin, Texas, U.S.
Allegiance	United States
Service/branch	United States Marine Corps
Years of service	1942–1968
Rank	Colonel
Unit	VMF-221 VMF(N)-513 VMC-1
Battles/wars	World War II Korean War
Awards	Silver Star Distinguished Flying Cross (2) Air Medal (5)

Dean Caswell (July 24, 1922 – September 21, 2022) was a United States Marine Corps flying ace during World War II. He accrued seven victories in the war. He retired from military service in 1968 at the rank of colonel. He was the last living Marine Corps flying ace of World War II.^[1]

Early life

Caswell was born on July 24, 1922, in

In April 1944, after completing additional training, Caswell was assigned to

Bunker Hill was struck and severely damaged by two Japanese kamikaze planes on May 11, which resulted in 393 sailors and airmen killed, including 41 missing and never found, and 264 wounded.^[6] Caswell survived the attack, and he and other surviving airmen helped the firefighters in fighting the fire on the Bunker Hill.^[7]

During the war, Caswell was credited with the destruction of seven enemy aircraft in aerial combat, plus one probable destruction. After returning to the United States, Caswell was assigned as an F4U pilot with

After the end of World War II, Caswell served in various Marine Corps aviation units and attended additional flying training from January 1946 to April 1951.^[4]

During the

Caswell was married twice and had seven children. After retirement from active service in 1968, he resided in Austin, Texas.^[9][1][10]

Caswell died at home on September 21, 2022, at age 100. He was buried at Cook Walden Forest Oaks Memorial Park in Austin.^[3][11][12]

Awards and decorations

Silver Star citation

Citation:

The President of the United States of America takes pleasure in presenting the Silver Star to First Lieutenant Dean Caswell, United States Marine Corps Reserve, for conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity as a Member of a six-plane flight of Fighter Planes in Marine Fighting Squadron TWO HUNDRED TWENTY-ONE (VMF-221), attached to the U.S.S. BUNKER HILL (CV-17), in action against enemy Japanese forces while on combat air patrol in the vicinity of Okinawa, Ryukyu Islands, on 28 April 1945. When his flight intercepted a formation of approximately thirty Japanese fighters approaching Okinawa to launch an attack on shipping and land installations, Second Lieutenant Caswell skillfully pressed home his attack against the greatly superior force and succeeded in shooting down three enemy planes and probably destroying one other. By his aggressive fighting spirit and skilled airmanship, he contributed materially to the outstanding record of his flight in destroying one other and routing the remainder, thereby protecting our ships and land installations. His conduct throughout was in keeping with the highest traditions of the United States Naval Service.^[13]

References