Group to BGen. Frank H. Schwable USMC Ret

[bobgee]

Schwable as a Captain in about 1935

 

His pre-war ribbon bar and miniatures for the 2nd Nic Campaign and the Nicaraguan Cross of Valor (HM'd BB&

 

A very historical Marine Corps aviation group to a highly-decorated and controversial, retired Brigadier General. Among his many accomplishments and events in his life was graduating from the U.S. Naval Academy as a Second Lieutenant in 1929, winning his wings in 1931, flying combat missions in Nicaragua in 1932 and being awarded the Nicaraguan Cross of Valor; becoming the Corps’ pioneer night-fighter leader and commanding the first Marine night fighter squadron in combat; credited with personally destroying four enemy aircraft at night in the Pacific as a Colonel; being shot down in Korea while serving as Chief of Staff of the 1st Marine Air Wing becoming the senior Marine P.O.W. and then facing disgrace and a possible court-martial for signing a false germ warfare confession. Exonerated following a Board of Inquiry into his actions in 1954, he subsequently retired with 30 years of service in 1959 in the rank of Brigadier General.

 

 

His dress-mounted medal group consists of : Legion of Merit w/ “V” and 2 Gold Stars (2 Awards in WW2; 1 in Korea), Distinguished Flying Cross w/ 3 Gold Stars (4 Awards-WW2), Air Medal w/ 2 Silver Stars (10 Awards-WW2), Second Nicaraguan Campaign M.No. 3656 (original paperwork for transmittal of this specific numbered medal dtd 12 Jan 1934 is shown), American Defense w/ “Base” Clasp, American Campaign, Europe, Africa, Middle East Campaign, Asiatic Pacific Theatre Campaign w/ 4 stars, WW2 Victory, UN Korea Medal and the Nicaraguan Cross of Valor. The National Defense and Korean Service medals are loose.

 

These 11 medals are dress-mounted in 2 clutch back bars - 5 on top; 6 on bottom. (Believe mounted in 1954/55 before medals for Korean Service Medal, for which he rated two stars, and NDSM to which Schwable was entitled, became available.) The U.S. decorations are un-named as awarded. The documented 2nd Nicaraguan Campaign MN0. 3656 places these medals on his chest. The original transmittal letter for the 2nd Nicaraguan Campaign, by specific number is shown. Finding such a letter in a personnel file is usually the only way the rim-number can be attributed.

 

 

More will follow...............Semper Fi......Bobgee

[bobgee]

The original Spanish language Citation for the Nicaraguan Medal of Valor is present and shown here. Below is the English language translation

 

.

 

MANAGUA, D.N., 4 October 1932

 

Sir:

 

THE PRESIDENT OF THE REPUBLIC OF

NICARAGUA

Is pleased to grant the Cross of the Valor to

 

SECOND LIEUTENANT FRANK H. SCHWABLE

Of the United States Marine Corps

for service to Nicaragua, as expressed in the following

RECORD OF SERVICE:

 

For exceptionally commendable service to the National Guard and the Republic of Nicaragua, as pilot of an airplane. On the 23rd of May of 1932, in the company of Lieutenant R.P. Rutledge, United States Marine Corps, that flew in another airplane, made contact, and attacked a force of armed bandits near the Neptune Mine, Nicaragua. The skill and valor that unfolded, materially helped to disperse the group of bandits. During the week from the 21 to the 27 of August of 1932, with patrols of the Guard dedicated to the rescue of the personnel of the aviation squadron that had force landed, in the Eastern Area, was of inestimable value. Thus Frank H. Schwable, United States Marine Corps, is granted the Cross Of Valor.

 

S/ J.M.Moncada

 

 

He had received a strong recommendation for a Navy Cross in WW II but instead was awarded a Legion of Merit. The citation for the LOM is shown and one see that it was clearly of heroic proportions. The Combat Distinguishing device "V" is also not in the citation and it after the war that it was authorized for him.

 

 

Subsequent attempts after the war by the General who recommended the NC to get the LOM upgraded were unsuccessful. Full original documentation regarding it is in the group.

 

The son of a career Marine Corps officer, Col. Frank Jacob Schwable USMC, a veteran of the Boxer Rebellion and the Philippine Campaign, Schwable was a 1929 graduate of the U.S.Naval Academy at Annapolis commissioned into the Marine Corps.

 

He later completed flight training in 1931 and won his wings as Naval Aviator No. 3807. His original Aviator Certificate is shown above.

 

He served in combat as a pilot in VF-9M in Nicaragua and was cited by that government and received the Cross of Valor and Diploma as shown above. The grouping includes his Flight Log Books including this period. The pages from May and August are shown and one can see that no special notation was made for either period for which the President of Nicaragua awarded him the prestigious Cross of Valor.

 

He later became a pioneer in nght-fighting techniques having spent time with the RAF in 1941/42 in Egypt and England studying their programs, thus qualifying for the EAME service medal.

 

He became the first C.O. of VMF (N)-531, the Corps’ pioneer night-fighting squadron. Due to limited availability of suitable aircraft they began operating in combat with radar-equipped twin-engine Lockheed PV-1 Neptunes as night-fighters in the Solomon Islands in 1943/44. This aircraft type was woefully unsuited for the mission and Schwable was very vocal about that. Even so, he is credited with personally destroying 4 enemy aircraft at night. Following his 4th victory he was ordered out of the cockpit or he may have become the first U.S. night-fighter Ace! The group includes his Flight Log Book for this very historical period with his victories noted. Copies of those pages are shown.

 

Between the wars as a Colonel he commanded an Air Groupon the West Coast. During the Korean War, he became Chief of Staff of the First Marine Air Wing. In July 1952 he was shot down by AA just behind enemy lines while piloting an unarmed SNB twin-engine utility aircraft. Forced to parachute with his wounded co-pilot he became the highest ranking Marine officer captured in Korea. Unfortunately after lengthy “brain-washing” by his captors, he broke and made a false germ-warfare “confession”.

 

Upon his relief from captivity in September 1953, he faced a Board of Inquiry ordered by a very angry USMC Commandant, Lemuel Shepherd to consider whether his actions as a POW justified a Court-Martial. The board was headed by MajGen Christian Schilt, a MOH recipient in Nicaragua. The board ultimately concluded that “he had resisted to the limits of his ability” before making the germ warfare confession and recommended that no further action be taken. The CMC, General Shepherd, accepted the Board’s findings but indicated that Schwable would never again hold a command billet. Though under pressure to retire, he elected not to do so though his Marine Corps career was finished. He was assigned as an Aviation Safety Officer in Norfolk, VA while he completed his 30 years of service.

 

Interestingly after the inquiry closed he petitioned for and received his second Gold Star to the Legion of Merit for the period he served as Chief of Staff, 1st MAW prior to his being captured. This award had been un-officially announced at the time he was captured. Then, upon retirement, he was advanced to the rank of BGen (Ret) based on his WW II awards for gallantry. Had he not been captured and made the false germ warfare “confession” it is very likely he would have advanced to at least the rank of Major General. This truly outstanding historical collection as obtained also includes a very large quantity of original material including medal certificates, citations, uniforms, hats, caps, insignia, original photos, diaries, scrapbooks, logbooks, memoirs, etc.

 

BGen. Schwable died in 1988 at the age of 80.

 

 

From Time Magazine Nov. 1953, a look at his P.O.W. period.

 

“When Colonel Frank Schwable, U.S.M.C., arrived in Washington last month, he promptly went around to pay his respects to Marine Commandant Lemuel Shepherd. Schwable never got past the front office; hard-bitten Lem Shepherd angrily refused to see him. Last week the Marine Corps announced that an investigation was under way in the case of Colonel Schwable, Annapolis man, regular marine of 24 years' outstanding service and the highest-ranking American P.W. in Korea to confess to the Communist fantasies of germ warfare.

 

 

Schwable was one of some 600 men whose P.W. records were, as Defense Secretary Charles Wilson put it, being "carefully and sympathetically" examined by the services to see if "there has been an unreasonable failure to measure up to the standard of individual conduct which is expected even of a prisoner of war . . ." Of that total, only 34 were considered by the Pentagon to be "serious" cases, e.g., those of P.W.s who signed germ-war confessions, and those of men who spied on their fellow prisoners in return for preferential treatment from the Reds.

There is a very broad range of degree of Communist pressure on prisoners. In some of the cases described in Dr. Charles Mayo's report to the U.N. (TIME, Nov. 2) men withstood frightful beatings and torture, as well as concentrated attempts at brainwashing, without confessing. On the other hand, Colonel Schwable was not beaten or tortured in the ordinary sense. He said he was subjected to mental cruelty and kept in a dirty hovel, without shaves or haircuts, to "the point where I was as filthy as a tramp."

 

Question before the military: Can an officer who broke, whatever the treatment he got, be allowed to go back to command of troops or even to a desk job? The professionals' answer: no. The Pentagon intends to move slowly and cautiously in these cases, seeking a rule that will be fair to individuals who broke under duress and at the same time preserve the integrity of the services. The civilian heads of the military establishments have still to make up their minds what should be done. The military men have reached their own decision.”

[bobgee]

Tried to post the pics etc in chronological order but difficult to do so. Here are a few more pics and dcuments related to BGen Schwable:

 

Schwable in flight gear in 1930s

 

Transmittal letter for the 2nd Nic Campaign Medal

 

Commendation Letter for his service in Nicaragua

 

Pilots of VMF (N)-531 1944

 

LtCol Schwable from that photograph

 

Semper Fi......Bobgee

[JDK]

Awesome group! What a great piece of history you have there! Congrats.

JD

[bobgee]

Below are the transmittal letters for the Temporary citations in 1947 and the Permanent SecNav citations in 1949. All are present in the collection.

 

 

This is a copy of a PV-1 assigned to VMF(N)-531 and flown by Schwable, Copied from the Osprey Pub on the PV-1 Neptune.

 

 

This is a DoD photo showing MajGen Randolph McCall Pate. CG 1st MarDiv, later Commandant of the Marine Corps, greeting Col. Schwable at Freedom Village in Sept 1953 after his release. Someone has given him a USMC dungaree cap and pinned Naval Aviator wings on his chest.

 

 

This is an extra set of his ribbons.

 

Semper Fi......Bobgee

[Dirk]

Bob: Yet another masterpiece! Thank you for posting.

[bobgee]

Here are some additional pics from BGen. Schwable's career

 

Annapolis Graduation photo 1929

 

File Photo - circa 1949

 

VJ-6M Nicaragua 1931

[bobgee]

And a few more...........

 

 

VF-9M and the President of Haiti-1934

 

pilots of VO-8M at the Nat'l Air Races in L.A. 1936. note the very rare squadron patches!

 

Pilots of VMF(N)-531 at Cherry Point NC in 1943 prior to deployment to the Pacific

[bobgee]

His POW manual and his Red Cross ditty bag.....

 

[KASTAUFFER]

Nice grouping Bob. I especially like the Naval Aviator ID book to him. Pre-WWII examples to Marines are non existant. I only have 3 Navy ones that pre-date WWII.

 

 

On another note.... Do you have any of his POW mail from Korea?

 

Kurt

[bobgee]

Nice grouping Bob. I especially like the Naval Aviator ID book to him. Pre-WWII examples to Marines are non existant. I only have 3 Navy ones that pre-date WWII.

 

Kurt

 

Thanks, Kurt. Here's the cover of his certificate. S/F......Bob

 

[bobgee]

Kurt - And here's a little better image of the certifificate.....Bob

 

 

[teufelhunde.ret]

Between the wars as a Colonel he commanded an Air Group the West Coast. During the Korean War, he became Chief of Staff of the First Marine Air Wing. In July 1952 he was shot down by AA just behind enemy lines while piloting an unarmed SNB twin-engine utility aircraft. Forced to parachute with his wounded co-pilot he became the highest ranking Marine officer captured in Korea. Unfortunately after lengthy “brain-washing” by his captors, he broke and made a false germ-warfare “confession”.

 

Upon his relief from captivity in September 1953, he faced a Board of Inquiry ordered by a very angry USMC Commandant, Lemuel Shepherd to consider whether his actions as a POW justified a Court-Martial. The board was headed by MajGen Christian Schilt, a MOH recipient in Nicaragua. The board ultimately concluded that “he had resisted to the limits of his ability” before making the germ warfare confession and recommended that no further action be taken. The CMC, General Shepherd, accepted the Board’s findings but indicated that Schwable would never again hold a command billet. Though under pressure to retire, he elected not to do so though his Marine Corps career was finished. He was assigned as an Aviation Safety Officer in Norfolk, VA while he completed his 30 years of service.

 

 

 

BGen. Schwable died in 1988 at the age of 80.

From Time Magazine Nov. 1953, a look at his P.O.W. period.

 

“When Colonel Frank Schwable, U.S.M.C., arrived in Washington last month, he promptly went around to pay his respects to Marine Commandant Lemuel Shepherd. Schwable never got past the front office; hard-bitten Lem Shepherd angrily refused to see him. Last week the Marine Corps announced that an investigation was under way in the case of Colonel Schwable, Annapolis man, regular marine of 24 years' outstanding service and the highest-ranking American P.W. in Korea to confess to the Communist fantasies of germ warfare.

Schwable was one of some 600 men whose P.W. records were, as Defense Secretary Charles Wilson put it, being "carefully and sympathetically" examined by the services to see if "there has been an unreasonable failure to measure up to the standard of individual conduct which is expected even of a prisoner of war . . ." Of that total, only 34 were considered by the Pentagon to be "serious" cases, e.g., those of P.W.s who signed germ-war confessions, and those of men who spied on their fellow prisoners in return for preferential treatment from the Reds.

There is a very broad range of degree of Communist pressure on prisoners. In some of the cases described in Dr. Charles Mayo's report to the U.N. (TIME, Nov. 2) men withstood frightful beatings and torture, as well as concentrated attempts at brainwashing, without confessing. On the other hand, Colonel Schwable was not beaten or tortured in the ordinary sense. He said he was subjected to mental cruelty and kept in a dirty hovel, without shaves or haircuts, to "the point where I was as filthy as a tramp."

 

Question before the military: Can an officer who broke, whatever the treatment he got, be allowed to go back to command of troops or even to a desk job? The professionals' answer: no. The Pentagon intends to move slowly and cautiously in these cases, seeking a rule that will be fair to individuals who broke under duress and at the same time preserve the integrity of the services. The civilian heads of the military establishments have still to make up their minds what should be done. The military men have reached their own decision.”

 

Bob, Thank you for sharing this particularly poignant career and tragic story of his POW experience. As is often said " there but for the grace of God, go I" The report from the Time Magazine pretty much sums it all up...

 

And it must have been a particularly unpleasant task for Maj Gen Christian Schilt to head that Board of Inquiry, as it appears the General was his Commanding Officer for the Strike and Search Patrol Commands, Solomon Islands campagin - or perhaps it was by intent...? :think:

 

Did you recieve any of the paperwork associated with the Board? Thanks for pulling this one from the footlocker Bob! Semper Fi, Darrell

[bobgee]

Darrell- Thanks. I have a HUGE amount of original documentation about the inquiry as well as his POW memories and his notes regarding the inquiry. This event was very well covered by the Press and I have many original newsclippings and magazine articles and scrapbooks kept by his wife.

Semper Fi..............Bob.

[Rustykamel]

What I like about this thread is the sensitive way in which the information is provided Thank you Bobgee. A heroic Marine aviator who find himself in so much hot water that the commandant himself wants you court-marshaled, is interesting, but so is the fact that Maj. Gen. Christen Schilt, another heroic Marine aviator, flew in the face of his CMC. The junior members of the Board of Inquiry were sure caught between a rock and a hard place. A wonderful grouping and a terrific thread, Jim

[bobgee]

Nice grouping Bob. I especially like the Naval Aviator ID book to him. Pre-WWII examples to Marines are non existant. I only have 3 Navy ones that pre-date WWII.

On another note.... Do you have any of his POW mail from Korea?

 

Kurt

 

Kurt - Went through the pile again. No P.O.W. mail. Sorry 'bout dat!

Bob

[dbirming]

A great group and history.

 

Thanks for posting it.

[Brig]

I thought you had some of his EGAs?

 

here is a civilian wrestling medal from his estate I have, dates to just before his USMC service...

[Brig]

rear

[vicjoy1945]

WOW !!!

 

Fantastic grouping Bob !! :thumbsup:

 

Vic

[Dave]

Amazing group! And I'm amazed at the scary resemblance that he has to one of my neighbors (a Navy officer)...could be twins with the first photo in the thread!

 

Dave

[teufelhunde.ret]

Schwable in Quantico - 1931

[bobgee]

Thanks for posting that pic, Darrell. Hadn't seen it before.

Semper Fi......Bob

[KaMcEwan]

Hi Boys...

 

I'm Brig. General Frank H. Schwable's grandchild

 

I wonder if BobGee could please send me a private message as this website is not allowing me to do so.

 

 

Regards

Kimberly Anne McEwan

[grimble-nibitz]

Does anyone have a way to find info on the OTHER man in that Nicaraguan citation, Lt R P Rutledge, USMC? I have his uniform set and cannot find any other mention of him except this Nic. battle account...he was Annapolis 1927 I think. Help Help!