Name: Robert Herman SWANSON
Rank / Rating: MM2-Machinist's Mate Second Class
Service #: 563 41 36
DOB: Feb 10, 1921
From: North Hollywood, CA
Parents: Mr. and Mrs. Herman Winfield Swanson
Went Aboard: May 05, 1943
Age When Ship Went Down: 24 years, 5 months, 20 days
Spouse:
Children:
Grandchildren:
Bio Submitted By: Marilyn Northcutt Henry
Date Posted:

Robert registered for the draft on February 23, 1942 while living in Los Angeles, CA and working for the “Movieola Company” in Los Angeles. He was 21 years old and born in Detroit, MI. His parents, Mr. and Mrs. Herman Winfield Swanson, divorced during the war.

Robert enlisted in the US Navy on October 8, 1942, in Los Angeles. Following basic training, he arrived at USNTS (US Naval Training School), Farragut, Idaho on October 19, 1942 for additional training and remained there until December 22, 1942. On December 24, 1942, Robert, now a F1c (Fireman 1st class), arrived at the USNTS, Wahpeton, North Dakota, an Electrical Naval Training School, State School of Science. He trained in North Dakota for three months. On April 17, 1943 he was transferred to a receiving ship in San Francisco, CA. From San Francisco, Robert reported aboard USS Indianapolis CA-35 on May 5, 1943 as a F1c. The ship had left Mare Island the day before, headed for the Aleutian Islands as part of the American Campaign. His first trip at sea would be directly into battle action. After the Aleutian Islands, Indy steamed back to Mare Island in August for overhaul. She departed back to the Pacific for action in the Gilbert Islands in November, 1944. Robert was advanced to the rating of MM2c (Machinist Mate 2nd class) on January 1, 1944. A Machinist Mate was responsible for operating, maintaining, and repairing ship propulsion machinery and auxiliary equipment. This included tasks like operating boilers, steam turbines, and generators, as well as performing routine maintenance and repairs on various components of the ship's mechanical systems. Robert was wounded when Indianapolis was attacked by a kamikaze plane off Okinawa on March 31, 1945, during the assault and occupation of Okinawa Gunto. After receiving medical attention, he subsequently returned to duty and boarded the ship at Mare Island, CA., where she was undergoing repairs from the kamikaze attack. In June 1945, Robert visited with his parents and he shared that he had a serious burn on his leg. After reporting back to duty on June 30th, he spent at least 25 days in Sick Bay (shipboard medical facility) and in his last letter home, written on July 25th, he stated that he hoped to be released from Sick Bay and be back on duty in a couple of days. (1) Tragically, Robert was killed on July 30, 1945 when Indianapolis received two direct torpedo hits from Japanese submarine I-58 and sank is less than 12 minutes. Also on board were three fellow crew members who grew up with Robert in Lindsay, Tulare Co., CA. Bernard E. Tisthammer Jean Obert Ragsdale Roland James Edwards Robert was on board Indianapolis for nine of the ten battles for which Indianapolis received ten Battle Stars. He was entitled to wear the American Campaign ribbon and the Asiatic-Pacific ribbon with one silver (denoting 5 bronze stars) and three bronze stars. His name is inscribed on the Tablets of the Missing in the Manila American Cemetery, Fort Bonifacio, Taguig, Philippines. He was awarded the Purple Heart, posthumously. Before the war, Swanson was an animator for Walt Disney Studios. The following Swanson Memorial Cartoon (below) was created by Walt Disney Studios: