The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Edward Swaney. Swaney was born in Linton, North Dakota on 21 September 1920. He describes the hardships he faced during the Depression. After high school, he attended Cornell College in Mount Vernon, Iowa and graduated in 1942. Upon entering the US Navy in September 1942, he went to Columbia University to Midshipman’s School. He graduated as an ensign and reported to Solomon Island, Maryland for amphibious training. There, as captain of an LCT, he and his crew of ten made practice landings. During one of the training sessions, he injured his spine, which resulted in extensive hospitalization. After spending over a year in various hospitals, he reported to the USS Nevada (BB-36) as a division officer of a five-inch gun. Swaney recalls the ship being attacked by kamikazes off Iwo Jima. He describes actions the ship was involved in during the invasion of Okinawa and recalls the ship being hit by a kamikaze. He witnessed the burial at sea of eleven shipmates. Following the end of the war, Swaney participated in preparing the Nevada for Operation Crossroads in 1946. He decided to be discharged from the Navy in …

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Edward Swaney. Swaney was born in Linton, North Dakota on 21 September 1920. He describes the hardships he faced during the Depression. After high school, he attended Cornell College in Mount Vernon, Iowa and graduated in 1942. Upon entering the US Navy in September 1942, he went to Columbia University to Midshipman’s School. He graduated as an ensign and reported to Solomon Island, Maryland for amphibious training. There, as captain of an LCT, he and his crew of ten made practice landings. During one of the training sessions, he injured his spine, which resulted in extensive hospitalization. After spending over a year in various hospitals, he reported to the USS Nevada (BB-36) as a division officer of a five-inch gun. Swaney recalls the ship being attacked by kamikazes off Iwo Jima. He describes actions the ship was involved in during the invasion of Okinawa and recalls the ship being hit by a kamikaze. He witnessed the burial at sea of eleven shipmates. Following the end of the war, Swaney participated in preparing the Nevada for Operation Crossroads in 1946. He decided to be discharged from the Navy in …