James B. Swindal was born on August 18, 1917 in West Blocton, Alabama, USA. He was married to Emily Glover. He died on April 25, 2006 in Cocoa Beach, Florida, USA.
Swindal was selected as aircraft commander for Air Force One (the presidential aircraft) in 1960. He retired from the Air Force in 1971 and resided in Cocoa Beach with his wife until his death.
He served most of World War II flying missions (ferried men and supplies in transport planes) over the Himalayas in the China Burma India Theater. In the late 1940s, while stationed at Rhein-Main Air Base near Frankfurt am Main, he participated in the Berlin airlift that brought supplies to Berliners.
He died from heart failure after complications from a broken hip at Cape Canaveral Hospital in Cocoa Beach, FL. He was interred at Arlington National Cemetery.
He had two children with his wife, Emily: a daughter, Kathryn; and a son, James. He also had two grandsons: J. Christian and Jonathan; and a great-grandson, Mason.