John F. Colonel Swearengen

Colonel Swearengen was born July 23, 1932, in Oakland, Mississippi to William Erwin and Esther Frost Swearengen. He graduated from Mississippi State College with a Bachelor of Science Degree in Mechanical Engineering in 1954. He married his high school sweetheart Jo Anne Baker on August 8, 1954.

Colonel Swearengen was commissioned as a second lieutenant through the Air Force Reserve Officer Training Corps program July 17, 1954. He entered active duty March 30, 1955 at Lackland Air Force Base, Texas.

In June 1963 Colonel Swearengen had active flying duty with the 311th Transport Carrier Squadron, DaNang Air Base, Republic of Vietnam flying C-123's where he remained until May 1964 as an instructor pilot accumulating more than 380 hours of combat flying. The Colonel was a command pilot with more than 8, 600 flying hours during his service of 30 years.

He received a Masters of Science Degree in Aerospace Operations from the University of Southern California in 1969. He completed Command and Staff College in 1972 and the Industrial College of the Armed Forces in 1977.

His military decorations and awards include Legion of Merit, Meritorious Service Medal with two oak leaf clusters, Air Medal with six oak leaf clusters, Air Force Commendation Medal, Air Force Outstanding Unit Award, National Defense Service Medal, Vietnam Service Medal with three bronze stars, and the Republic of Vietnam Campaign Medal.

He is survived by his wife of 53 years, Jo Anne Swearengen of Universal City; children, Julia Morgan and husband Alan of Garden Ridge, John Michael Swearengen of Canton, GA, William Swearengen and wife Nancy of Kenasaw, GA, and Jennie Swearengen of Auburn, Alabama; and five grandchildren, Jason, Jessica, Justin, Andrew and Allison.

Memorial gifts may be made to the St. Jude's Children's Research Hospital, 501 St. Jude Place, Memphis, TX 38105.