Horace Carswell
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Horace S "Stump" Carswell Jr (July 18, 1916 – 26 October 1944) was a major in the United States Army who was awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor, postumously, for his bravery as a combat aviator.
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[edit] Early life
He was born in Fort Worth, Texas, where he attended North Side High School. In 1933 he scored the winning touchdown in the Armistice Day football game against Wichita Falls. After graduation he attended Texas A&M for one year, then transferred to Texas Christian University. Carswell played varsity baseball, football and basketball.
Carswell graduated in 1939 with a BS in physical education and joined the Army Air Corps as a flying cadet in March 1940. He was stationed at Goodfellow Field in San Angelo, Texas, when he married Virginia Ede, his college sweetheart. He completed flight training in November 1940 and then attended Combat Crew School at Hendricks Field, Florida.
[edit] World War II
He was promoted to captain in December 1942 and by April 1943, Carswell was a major. A year later he was on his way to China to join the 308th Bomb Group based at Kunming. Major Carswell was named operations officer of the 308th's 374th Bomb Squadron.
He was awarded the Distinguished Service Cross for action on October 15, 1944, when he flew a solo attack on six Japanese naval vessels in the South China Sea. In spite of concentrated anti-aircraft fire, his crew scored two direct hits on a cruiser and one direct hit on a destroyer.
[edit] The Congressional Medal of Honor
On 26 October 1944, Major Carswell piloted a one-plane strike against a Japanese convoy in the South China Sea . The enemy force of 12 ships and 2 destroyers was taken by surprise. He made two bombing runs although his first attack had alerted the Japanese, who put-up a barrage of antiaircraft fire. On the second low-level run he scored two direct hits on a large tanker, but the anti-aircraft fire badly damaged his B-24 bomber.
When he reached the China shore he ordered the crew to parachute from the plane; however, Carsell continued to fly the plane because one of the crew could not jump since his parachute had been damaged by anti-aircraft shrapnel. Before Carswell could attempt a landing, the plane struck a mountain and exploded.
He is buried in Oakwood Cemetery, Fort Worth, Texas.
Carswell Air Force Base is named for Him.
