Ira P. Swift

Ira Platt Swift (8 February 1898 – 29 July 1987) was a United States Army major general. During World War II, he served as assistant commander of the 82nd Airborne Division from December 1944 to May 1945. During the Korean War, Swift served as commanding general of the 25th Infantry Division from July 1951 to July 1952.

Early life and education Swift was born in Chicora, Wayne County, Mississippi and raised in Bon Secour, Alabama. He entered the United States Military Academy in June 1916, graduating on 1 November 1918 because of World War I. Swift was commissioned in the infantry and attended the Infantry School of Arms until February 1919. In August 1920, he moved to Fort Des Moines, Iowa with his regiment and served there until March 1921. Swift then served in the Philippines with the 9th Cavalry from May 1921 to August 1922 and the 26th Cavalry (Philippine Scouts) from August 1922 to June 1924. After returning to the United States, he served with the 10th Cavalry at Fort Huachuca, Arizona from July 1924 to July 1927. He also received a temporary promotion to brigadier general in March 1945. His temporary promotion to major general was approved in December 1950.

In February 1951, Swift became commanding general of the 3rd Armored Division at Fort Knox, Kentucky. His assignment was cut short when he was sent to Korea to relieve Major General Joseph S. Bradley as commanding general of the 25th Infantry Division in July 1951. After supervising combat operations there, he was relieved by Major General Samuel T. Williams in July 1952 and awarded the Distinguished Service Medal.

Swift subsequently became commander of the III Corps at Fort MacArthur, California. In March 1953, his promotion to major general was made permanent and he took command of V Corps in Europe. Swift retired from active duty on 30 June 1954.

Family and later life Swift was the son of Charles Augustus "C.A." Swift and Susan Platt "Susie" (Roberts) Swift.

On 20 March 1921 in Des Moines, Iowa, Swift married Gertrude Morgan Perry (13 September 1896 – 4 May 1979). She was the daughter of Howard Rand Perry (19 June 1868 – 23 April 1945), an 1893 West Point graduate who commanded a regiment in France during World War I. Her brother Howard Rand Perry Jr. (13 August 1898 – 28 January 1945) was a 1919 West Point graduate who commanded a regiment in the Philippines during World War II but died after he was wounded during an attack on his Japanese POW transport ship by Allied forces on 9 January 1945. Swift and his wife had two daughters.