GOING STRONG

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Washita County veteran still full of life

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  • ABOVE: Walter Swart, 101, is a World War 2 veteran. He’s one of the oldest WW2 veterans in the area. BOTTOM: Swart in his Navy duds. GARY CLEVENGER
    ABOVE: Walter Swart, 101, is a World War 2 veteran. He’s one of the oldest WW2 veterans in the area. BOTTOM: Swart in his Navy duds. GARY CLEVENGER
  • GOING STRONG
    GOING STRONG
  • At 100 years old, Walter Swart can still fit in his welding gear. Swart served in the Navy and held a job as a ship fitter. CONTRIBUTED PHOTO
    At 100 years old, Walter Swart can still fit in his welding gear. Swart served in the Navy and held a job as a ship fitter. CONTRIBUTED PHOTO
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Walter Swart is one of the area’s oldest World War II veterans.

At 101, he’s still sharp as a tack.

He remembers one of the best glasses of milk he ever had was when his ship returned from duty to San Francisco in 1945.

The American Red Cross was there to greet the ship.

“We got fresh, cold milk for the first time” in a long time, he said.

Swart still maintains a quick wit and full sense of humor.

His one-liners in a recent interview illustrate this.

What was your most memorable experience during your service?

“When I got out,” he said. What was your favorite part about your job in the Navy?

“Goofing off,” he zinged.

Did you like your commanding officers?

“I had a bunch of darn yo-yos,” he deadpanned.

All humor aside, Swart served in the Navy as a member of the Greatest Generation.

He’s one of only about 4,800 WW2 veterans left in Oklahoma. Like many veterans of his generation, he talks matter-of-factly about his service.

He was a ship fitter, repairing ships as needed.

He was drafted in December of 1943 out of Washita County. His brothers were all in the service, too, making the Swart family six strong serving at that time.

After training in San Diego, he was sent to New Guinea and eventually to the Philippines.

Mostly, his work consisted of repairing landing craft, such as barges and boats that were used to carry servicemen from the sea to shore during amphibious assaults.

Though war is full of a range of memories, Swart likes to share

He’s one of only about 4,800 WW2 veterans left in Oklahoma. a couple less serious ones about his time in the Philippines theater.

Like the time he was laying in his hammock when he was ordered to take some officers to the airport.

“An officer will tell you how to get there,” he said. “And then you find your own way back as best you can,” he said, with a smile.

Another time, the commanding officers told all rank-and-file that they had to wear their rank on their sleeves.

“They said if you don’t do as we say, we’re going to bust your butt,” he said.

He did as he was told, only to take some soap and a wire brush and try to scrape most of the rank off so “they couldn’t see it,” he said.

His military service was important, but Swart made his mark as a family man, neighbor and friend.

“He’s been the best daddy to my brother and myself as well as to his four grandchildren and greats,” daughter Marla Harper said. “He really has such a soft heart.”

Walter met and then married the love of his life, Wanda Florene in May of 1941. They celebrated 78 years of marriage in May of 2019, before Florene died in December of that same year. During his time in the service, Swart carried a photo of Florene and a four-leaf clover.

“I can’t imagine the only communication he and mother had was sporadic letters,” Harper said.

Swart does the small things good people and neighbors do for others.

“He’d take garden vegetables and fruit grown out of his garden and quietly leave them on underprivileged families’ doorsteps in his later years,” Harper said.