This was my Uncle Bob, my mother's youngest brother. He was born to Aden and Velma (Devall) Swift in Reed's Spring, MO. He was only two years old when his father died of tuberculosis. Velma tried to support her family of 5 young children, but ultimately she had to place the 4 youngest in the Masonic Home in St. Louis. Bob grew up there and graduated from Ben Blewitt High School in 1940.
Upon America's entry into WWII, Bob enlisted in the Army Air Corps hoping to be a bombadier. However, as he told my mother and grandmother, everytime the plane took off he threw up his socks. I do not know what he ended up doing during the war, but I know he served throughout. My grandmother was secretly glad he didn't become a bombadier as their survival rate during the war was not good.
After the war, Bob returned to St. Louis where he lived for the remainder of his life. He married Nadine Hansen (being very close to her father). He and Nadine had three children: Larry (my brother's cousin-friend), Sandra Jean (my very special cousin-friend), and Mark. Bob taught for many years in the Florissant-Ferguson secondary schools and worked summers at General Motors. He was a huge St. Louis Cardinals fan, and we always went to a game whenever we visited. I remember the barbequed chicken dinners too. Later in life he loved his grandchildren, especially the first, his pretty, red headed granddaughter Karen Louise.
Bob died of Alzheimers in 2003 after a long battle, but he got to attend Karen's wedding before he died. I know my grandma, Velma, is happy, so happy, to have him home with her in heaven. Now she is reunited with all of her children.
Upon America's entry into WWII, Bob enlisted in the Army Air Corps hoping to be a bombadier. However, as he told my mother and grandmother, everytime the plane took off he threw up his socks. I do not know what he ended up doing during the war, but I know he served throughout. My grandmother was secretly glad he didn't become a bombadier as their survival rate during the war was not good.
After the war, Bob returned to St. Louis where he lived for the remainder of his life. He married Nadine Hansen (being very close to her father). He and Nadine had three children: Larry (my brother's cousin-friend), Sandra Jean (my very special cousin-friend), and Mark. Bob taught for many years in the Florissant-Ferguson secondary schools and worked summers at General Motors. He was a huge St. Louis Cardinals fan, and we always went to a game whenever we visited. I remember the barbequed chicken dinners too. Later in life he loved his grandchildren, especially the first, his pretty, red headed granddaughter Karen Louise.
Bob died of Alzheimers in 2003 after a long battle, but he got to attend Karen's wedding before he died. I know my grandma, Velma, is happy, so happy, to have him home with her in heaven. Now she is reunited with all of her children.
This was my Uncle Bob, my mother's youngest brother. He was born to Aden and Velma (Devall) Swift in Reed's Spring, MO. He was only two years old when his father died of tuberculosis. Velma tried to support her family of 5 young children, but ultimately she had to place the 4 youngest in the Masonic Home in St. Louis. Bob grew up there and graduated from Ben Blewitt High School in 1940.
Upon America's entry into WWII, Bob enlisted in the Army Air Corps hoping to be a bombadier. However, as he told my mother and grandmother, everytime the plane took off he threw up his socks. I do not know what he ended up doing during the war, but I know he served throughout. My grandmother was secretly glad he didn't become a bombadier as their survival rate during the war was not good.
After the war, Bob returned to St. Louis where he lived for the remainder of his life. He married Nadine Hansen (being very close to her father). He and Nadine had three children: Larry (my brother's cousin-friend), Sandra Jean (my very special cousin-friend), and Mark. Bob taught for many years in the Florissant-Ferguson secondary schools and worked summers at General Motors. He was a huge St. Louis Cardinals fan, and we always went to a game whenever we visited. I remember the barbequed chicken dinners too. Later in life he loved his grandchildren, especially the first, his pretty, red headed granddaughter Karen Louise.
Bob died of Alzheimers in 2003 after a long battle, but he got to attend Karen's wedding before he died. I know my grandma, Velma, is happy, so happy, to have him home with her in heaven. Now she is reunited with all of her children.
Upon America's entry into WWII, Bob enlisted in the Army Air Corps hoping to be a bombadier. However, as he told my mother and grandmother, everytime the plane took off he threw up his socks. I do not know what he ended up doing during the war, but I know he served throughout. My grandmother was secretly glad he didn't become a bombadier as their survival rate during the war was not good.
After the war, Bob returned to St. Louis where he lived for the remainder of his life. He married Nadine Hansen (being very close to her father). He and Nadine had three children: Larry (my brother's cousin-friend), Sandra Jean (my very special cousin-friend), and Mark. Bob taught for many years in the Florissant-Ferguson secondary schools and worked summers at General Motors. He was a huge St. Louis Cardinals fan, and we always went to a game whenever we visited. I remember the barbequed chicken dinners too. Later in life he loved his grandchildren, especially the first, his pretty, red headed granddaughter Karen Louise.
Bob died of Alzheimers in 2003 after a long battle, but he got to attend Karen's wedding before he died. I know my grandma, Velma, is happy, so happy, to have him home with her in heaven. Now she is reunited with all of her children.
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US ARMY AIR FORCES PFC WORLD WAR II
