WWII veteran shares his war experiences with students

SHARPSVILLE, Ind. (AP) - Though it was difficult to talk about, a 91-year-old World War Two veteran shared his experiences with high school students Monday in preparation for Veterans Day.

Bob Swift spoke to students at Tri-Central High School Monday about his Army experience.

Swift started by telling the students briefly about what he did for the Army. He served as a medic in the 71st Infantry, and he recalled going into concentration camps in Germany to liberate people.

After a few minutes of speaking, Swift had a difficult time continuing.

"At this time it's very difficult for me to talk about," Swift said. "I don't know why."

Michael Poulimas, a Vietnam Veteran who helped organize the assembly, encouraged Swift to continue talking, but Swift said though he's used to telling crowds about his experience, he was having trouble Monday.

"I just can't live through it again," he said.

Kyle Zahn, a social studies teacher at Tri-Central who organized the event, decided to change gears and ask Swift questions, referring to specific moments in Swift's military career.

Swift recalled the time he was captured by the German military and taken to Dachau, a concentration camp. It was near the end of the war, and he and his fellow soldiers were only kept at the camp for three days, but he remembered how his buddy was Jewish, and his religion was printed on his dog tag.

Swift switched tags with his friend in order to protect him, though they were released without having their tags checked at all.

"I kid my Jewish friends that I went into Dachau as a Jew but I came out a gentile," he said.

He talked with the students about how the war was really broken up into two different wars, one in Europe and one in Asia. The European countries recognized the Geneva Convention, and medics with medic armbands followed certain regulations as a result of the convention. Medics were not allowed to carry guns at all during the war.

When asked which weapon he did carry, he said he carried a morphine syringe.

The medics were somewhat protected, he said. They weren't targeted by opposing forces and were actually obligated to go into battle and treat wounded on either side of the war.

Swift displayed several items from his time in the military, including two helmets, one from the German military and the one he was issued - which, he said, he refused to give back when he returned home. He also showed the students a large brown bag in which he kept everything he owned during his three-and-a-half years in the service. The Army tried to issue him a new one, but he wanted to keep the one he was issued.

When he was first drafted, he asked his sister if she wanted him to bring anything back from Germany, and he said she asked for Hitler's head. He showed off a small metal bust of Hitler, and said he sent it to her as a gift.

His display also included a Nazi flag, and he said the students should see it and remember what happened.

"We need to remember what it stood for and never do it again," Swift said.

One student asked who Swift was fighting for during the war.

"Our motivation was that we were Americans," Swift said. "We were going to make sure that we took care of Americans."

After his speech, Zahn's Advanced Placement U.S. history class stayed behind to continue talking with Swift. Poulimas also stayed and encouraged the students to reflect on World War II and Swift's experience.

"The world's made up of people, and in order for the world to get along, people have to get along," Poulimas said. "You know, the U.S. is on your shoulders."

Kyle Colbert, a student in Zahn's history class, said Swift's speech was informative.

"It was a good first-hand view of World War II and what a veteran thought," he said. "I've never met a World War II veteran before."

Jacob Ripberger, another student in Zahn's class, said he appreciated the opportunity to learn about the war from Swift. He was surprised by some of Swift's stories, including his time in the concentration camp.

Poulimas and his wife, Janet Poulimas, talked after the event about Janet's father-in-law, who was a veteran as well.

"You are our future," Michael Poulimas said. "We're passing it on to you to keep this country, and it's a great country."

"That's what my dad wanted to pass along," Janet said. "Don't let bigotry and prejudice and hatred, don't let that happen again. Don't let it happen again."

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Source: Kokomo Tribune, http://bit.ly/2fEgjP4