Nick Modi

Kyle Higginson

Mark Swartz

Robin Cunanan

Corona

U.S. History Period 4

06/05/05

ESLR# 1&5

C.S. # 11.8

 

George T. Swartz

            During Korea, many veterans sacrificed their lives for the fact that we might live in a free country.  Other veterans watched these horrors and lived to tell about them.  They stood next to these men as they marched, and fought next to them bravely.  These are the true heroes.  They went to war, witnessed the horrors along with it, had to return home with these graphic pictures instilled in their minds, and were required to go back to work like nothing was wrong.  One such man as this was George T. Swartz.

George Swartz was born in South Bend, Indiana on August 10, 1929 and when he was of age he attended Indiana University and later attended Cal State Fullerton.  He married his first wife Joanne on May 14, 1952 in Roseland, Indiana and began working at Bendix Aviation before the war began.  He recalls that he had just come home from a movie and sat down to watch T.V., when he heard about the invasion of Korea. Mr. Swartz had enlisted in the Marines in 1946 and received a medical discharge in 1947, but was drafted in the Army in 1951. 

Swartz entered the Korean War as a Private First Class and served in the Combat Infantry and Company Armor for the U.S. Army.  He served with the 2nd Infantry Division, 9th Regiment, 3rd Battalion Item Company, and 3rd Battalion Headquarter Company. He received all of his training at Camp Breckinridge and in Fort Benning, Georgia. In the first five and a half months of his service, he served in a Line Company along the 38th Parallel. He also served as a point man, which meant he would lead combat patrols going out and bring up the rear coming back. During his service in the Army, he recalls that his worst memory was when he was helping to carry the body of Lt. Cooper up a hill, and because Rigimortise had set in the body was stiff and bent over and kept falling off the stretcher until they finally turned the body on its side.  Although Mr. Swartz had been through a lot of terrifying events, he still recalled that his best memory was of all the friends he had made while serving his country. Mr. Swartz said, “I wouldn’t take a million dollars for my experience, but I wouldn’t do it again.”

            After Mr. Swartz's service in Korea, he was transferred to the inactive Reserves for eight years and returned home to his job.  He bought a home and went back to college part-time under the G.I. Bill of Rights. He started a family with his wife Joanne and had three sons: Don, Greg, and Mark.  He came to California and got his B.A. Degree from Orange State College (Cal State Fullerton). He has spent the last twenty-six years in the finance department for Riverside and received a proclamation from the city for his outstanding work. He lost his first wife of forty-six years but eventually remarried a woman named Jean and is living very happily.

            Swartz gave a few opinions about war and its effects.  He said that that the only phrase that he agrees with out of all the aftermath of Korea was, “The Forgotten War.”  He also said that he does not agree with the phrase, “The Last Good War.”  He went on to explain that there is no good war and there has never been a good war.  He believes that God will punish those who start a war, and stated that some generations have had better results from wars but being the greatest is a wrong statement. 

            George T. Swartz was truly a great hero and should be recognized as one on a daily basis.  During the interview one could tell how deeply he cared about the cause that we are currently fighting for in Iraq.  He said, “I just want to tell you that using selective intelligence was wrong in going to war in Iraq.  I have never been so angry with what has happened in my lifetime.”  He said that he despises all war but knows that it has to be done to keep our freedom.  The only word that describes Mr. Swartz is hero.  He fought for the freedom that we have today. He went in to fight never knowing the future or the outcome of the war. Anyone who serves in our military is a hero regardless of what position they are in.