Robert Swigert from Oelrichs, South Dakota, was born December 5, 1917. He received a draft notification but before the enlistment day came he volunteered for the Marine Corps. He went through basic training in San Diego with platoon No. 222 and was then assigned to A Company, 2nd Pioneer Battalion, which was an advanced engineer outfit. They were based in San Diego for a short time where he was in charge of all of the company equipment. When Bob went overseas he was assigned to D Company, Second Battalion, Eighteenth Marines and had attained the rank of corporal. One Marine he served with commented, "He was well liked by those who knew him and was rated highly by his company commander and staff of officers or he would never have attained the rank of corporal so soon after entering the Marine Corps." Bob fought at Guadalcanal and then on to New Zealand. He was killed in the Tarawa landing and his body was never recovered. The Forney-Swigert American Legion Post #238 in Oelrichs, South Dakota is named in memory of him. In one letter home Bob talked about his plans for after the war. He said he might look at some irrigated farmland up in Montana or around Oelrichs and he wanted to get married.
Information was provided by David J. Rickenbach, Senior, Hot Springs High School, Hot Springs, South Dakota, April 2, 2002 for the South Dakota WWII Memorial website.
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copyright 2002 T.O.T.W.
Created 8 December 2002 - Updated 11 May 2006
