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Sgt Roland Robert “Rollie” Swick

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Sgt Roland Robert “Rollie” Swick

Birth	:	11 May 1918 Bismarck, Burleigh County, North Dakota, USA
Death	:	6 Aug 2010 Miles City, Custer County, Montana, USA
Burial	:	Eastern Montana State Veterans Cemetery, Miles City, Custer County, USA
Coordinate	:	46.3807564, -105.8246536
Plot	:	Block A: Row 16 Lot 3
Description	:	A TRUE MEMBER OF "THE GREATEST GENERATION" (So named by Tom Brokaw for those who lived during the Depression years and fought in WWII). As Rollie was so fond of saying: "It's been a wonderful life. I wouldn't change a thing." Rollie was born May 11, 1918 in Bismarck ND to George and Katherine (Rupp) Swick. By the age of seven, his father had died from TB and his mother Kate raised him and his brother Clark by herself on wages earned making hats in a department store. Rollie learned frugality and an appreciation of small things at a very... Read More	A TRUE MEMBER OF "THE GREATEST GENERATION" (So named by Tom Brokaw for those who lived during the Depression years and fought in WWII). As Rollie was so fond of saying: "It's been a wonderful life. I wouldn't change a thing." Rollie was born May 11, 1918 in Bismarck ND to George and Katherine (Rupp) Swick. By the age of seven, his father had died from TB and his mother Kate raised him and his brother Clark by herself on wages earned making hats in a department store. Rollie learned frugality and an appreciation of small things at a very early age. He always revered his mother and gave her high praise for raising her boys so well by herself in the toughest of times in the 20's and 30's. He spent his early years living in Baldwin ND, near Bismarck; and, at the age of 10, on a cold New Year's Day in 1928, he was placed into a Soo Line freight boxcar, the quickest transportation available in deep snow, and taken to Bismarck for nine weeks of treatment for spinal meningitis. After delirium and daily spinal shots, he finally made a complete recovery, except for the loss of hearing in one ear. As a boy, he loved hockey and played with magazines and newspapers tied to his shins as there was no money for protective gear. He was chosen Captain of the Bismarck Demons in 1936-37, his teammates becoming lifelong friends. Rollie kept those same skates sharpened and continued to play until he was in his 60's and was always an enthusiastic supporter of Miles City's youth hockey program. In 1936, at the age of 18, he began his life's work, training to be an optician with Benson Optical in Bismarck. He met his future bride, Ethel Huson, while she was completing her training to become a nurse at the Bismarck Hospital School of Nursing, and they were married August 1, 1942 in her hometown of Dilworth MN. Never was a man so happy. In November of 1942, with WWII raging in Europe, Rollie joined the US Army and spent boot camp in Kentucky. Because of his optical training, the Army assigned him to its medical corps and by August of 1943 he left NY harbor bound for the European war zone aboard a converted tourist ship shared with an all-Japanese-American unit. Enroute, they had to bathe in cold saltwater--welcome to WWII. The ship landed at the Port of Oran in Algiers (Africa), an Army staging area in the ‘goathill desert'. Eleven months later, Rollie and other medical personnel of the 182nd Base Station Hospital (part of the 5th Army under General Mark Clark) were on their way to the fighting near Naples, Italy. The hospital was situated about 20 miles from the frontline, and Rollie saw many severely injured soldiers. The first few days were relatively calm, then the shelling began, and they seldom removed their clothes at night for fear of having to run quickly. Off-duty hours were spent hitchhiking on military vehicles/aircraft and seeing the sights in Italy, including Sorrento, the Isle of Capri and even Rome, where they visited the catacombs. After driving 1½ hours, they could take a railroad car up to a volcano, Mount Vesuvius, and actually watched it erupt from a distance in 1944, its last eruption in modern history. Of course, all travel was away (south) from the frontlines while exploring the area. Rollie spent 23 months in Italy, and after the war was over in 1945, the 182nd Hospital group arrived back in America to brass bands playing in Boston Harbor. He received the Good Conduct medal, the Distinguished Unit badge, and the World War II Victory medal. He was honorably discharged on November 8, 1945. Battles: Naples (Foggio) and Rome (Arno) And back home in Bismarck, Rollie greeted Ethel once again and met his son, Robert George Swick, for the first time and resumed his career as an optician. In 1947, Rollie and Ethel moved to Miles City MT, where son Bruce Clark Swick and daughter Barbara Ann (now Hastings) were born. By his retirement in 1983, after 47 years of employment, he became Benson's longest-tenured employee in the US. They built their home at 1008 S. Jordan and have lived there, amongst wonderful neighbors and friends, for 63 years. A long-time member of 1st Lutheran Church, Rollie served in many capacities, including Deacon, and always gave freely of his time and talents to his church life, which was very important to him. He was also a good friend and neighbor to many, a practitioner of his faith. His many years of community volunteerism also benefitted Miles City, from the years he and Ethel spent at the Food Bank to youth hockey and helping at the VA Hospital and the Boy Scouts. As a veteran, his membership in the American Legion was very important to him, as was the placing of flags on the graves of fallen soldiers from Custer County on Memorial Day. You could never respect your flag and your country enough in his eyes. He and Ethel were fixtures at nearly every football, basketball or baseball game ever played in Miles City--no matter the weather. He was an avid bowler, who also enjoyed his pool buddies and hunting and fishing, fishing, fishing. There weren't enough hours in the day to tell all the fishing and hunting stories he experienced with family and good friends throughout his long lifetime. Each of them was another reason to be glad to be alive. He was always proud of his own three children; his six grandchildren, Maret and Adrianne (Swick), Scott (Swick), Mike, David and Danny (Hastings); and six great-grandchildren Casandra and Draven (Swick), Alyssa and Madison (Flom), and Ryan and Nathaniel (Kashmark) and their accomplishments, and he enjoyed keeping up with all their activities in photos, letters, phone calls and visits. Most of all, he loved Ethel, who he called "my mate". She was his heart and soul, who stood by him and took care of him and made his life here on earth the happiest. In 2010, they celebrated 68 years of marriage. Rollie was a shining example of how to live a healthy and active life, have a happy marriage and contribute to church and community and enjoy your retirement years. He was the epitomy of a member of "The Greatest Generation". He loved God, was loving and loyal to his family and friends, and was a patriot to his country. There was none better, and we have lost a pillar in our family and community. Roland Robert "Rollie" Swick, 92, of Miles City passed away on Friday, August 6, 2010 at the Friendship Villa Care Center in Miles City.

frequently asked questions (FAQ):

Where is Sgt Roland Robert “Rollie” Swick's memorial?
Sgt Roland Robert “Rollie” Swick's memorial is located at: Eastern Montana State Veterans Cemetery, Miles City, Custer County, USA.
When did Sgt Roland Robert “Rollie” Swick death?
Sgt Roland Robert “Rollie” Swick death on 6 Aug 2010 in Miles City, Custer County, Montana, USA
Where are the coordinates of the Sgt Roland Robert “Rollie” Swick's memorial?
Latitude: 46.3807564
Longitude: -105.8246536

Family Members:

Parent

George William Swick

(1887 - 1926)

Katherine Rupp Swick

(1885 - 1982)

Spouse

Ethel Rosamond Huson Swick

(1921 - 2015)

Siblings

Flowers:

Nearby Cemetories:

1. Eastern Montana State Veterans Cemetery
Miles City, Custer County, USA
Coordinate: 46.3807564, -105.8246536

2. Old Calvary Cemetery
Miles City, Custer County, USA
Coordinate: 46.3807600, -105.8246500

3. Calvary Cemetery
Miles City, Custer County, USA
Coordinate: 46.3816986, -105.8249969

4. Custer County Cemetery
Miles City, Custer County, USA
Coordinate: 46.3891983, -105.8264008

5. Pine Hills School Cemetery
Miles City, Custer County, USA
Coordinate: 46.4077988, -105.8167038

6. Fort Keogh Cemetery
Custer County, USA
Coordinate: 46.3800011, -105.8874969

7. Pine Crest Cemetery
Custer County, USA
Coordinate: 46.4564018, -105.7789001

8. Hathaway Cemetery
Rosebud County, USA
Coordinate: 46.2616997, -106.2185974

9. Rosebud Cemetery
Rosebud, Rosebud County, USA
Coordinate: 46.2689018, -106.4381027

10. Powder River Supply Depot Cemetery
Terry, Prairie County, USA
Coordinate: 46.7302900, -105.4350800

11. Rock Springs Cemetery
Rock Springs, Rosebud County, USA
Coordinate: 46.7847800, -106.1411500

12. MacKenzie Family Cemetery
Custer County, USA
Coordinate: 46.1569500, -105.1448000

13. Knowlton Cemetery
Custer County, USA
Coordinate: 46.3210983, -105.0710983

14. Prairie County Cemetery
Terry, Prairie County, USA
Coordinate: 46.7881012, -105.3443985

15. Little Flat Community Cemetery
Fallon, Prairie County, USA
Coordinate: 46.4598000, -105.0291700

16. Forsyth Cemetery
Forsyth, Rosebud County, USA
Coordinate: 46.2689018, -106.6528015

17. Cottonwood Cemetery
Custer County, USA
Coordinate: 46.4294014, -104.9674988

18. North Stacey Cemetery
Powder River County, USA
Coordinate: 45.7569008, -105.8814011

19. Fallon Cemetery
Prairie County, USA
Coordinate: 46.8168983, -105.1327972

20. Little Flat Community Cemetery
Fallon, Prairie County, USA
Coordinate: 46.7659300, -105.0487600

21. Bean Cemetery
Rosebud County, USA
Coordinate: 45.8535995, -106.4011002

22. Lutheran Cemetery
Fallon, Prairie County, USA
Coordinate: 46.8320800, -105.1120100

23. Mildred Cemetery
Mildred, Prairie County, USA
Coordinate: 46.6850204, -104.9543457

24. Brown Cemetery
Colstrip, Rosebud County, USA
Coordinate: 45.8321991, -106.4180984